When his popular travel show was curtailed by the pandemic, Tim Carlson decided to set off in a new direction and explore the many great spots (and brews!) offered right here in Ontario. Wanting to share what he found and continue travelling along his own journey of entrepreneurship, Tim launched his new venture as a way to offer guided tours to many of the new and up-and-coming breweries that our region boasts, all from the comfort and safety of the Brew Bus!
With the growth in popularity of the craft brewing industry showing no signs of slowing down, the Small Business Centre of Barrie, Simcoe County and Orillia has no doubt that Tim will be able to share his love of good travel, good food and good brews long after he graduates the Starter Company Plus program.
Read on to learn more about Brew Bus.
What is your favourite part about being an entrepreneur?
I enjoy being able to set goals and achieve them for myself.
What inspired you to start a business?
I used to host a travel show traveling all over the world; when the pandemic hit and I couldn’t leave the country I decided to travel all around Northern Ontario and go hiking and visit breweries. Once I got back home, I wanted to visit breweries all over the area and very quickly realized that you could not venture out and go to multiple breweries in a trip and drive home safely. I looked into whether or not there was a bus service that would take a bunch of friends from one region to the next and found that there was not. Out of this, Brew Bus was born.
I really just wanted people to be able to venture to new parts of the region and enjoy new beers.
What services/ products do you offer?
Brew Bus provides localized pickup and transportation to new areas for brewery tours. We also provide shuttles for weddings, concerts, sports games and more.
If you could share a drink with anyone in the world, who would it be and why?
Anthony Bourdain (R.I.P.). He was a legend at traveling and exploring new places and experiences. His style was very unfiltered.
What is unique about your business?
We pick you up from wherever you live and take you far away from there. There are a couple of other “brewery tour” companies, but they expect you to make your way to them. Which would mean expensive taxi/Uber rides or the need to find overnight accommodations. Brew Bus eliminates that by picking you up at home.
What is your favourite way to spend a day outdoors?
Fishing, hiking, or just exploring a new place.
Where is your favourite place in Ontario you have visited with your company?
I absolutely LOVE driving through the small, cute towns that most people have never been, like Creemore for instance - a great little town. We get to travel the backroads of Ontario and enjoy the sites.
What crazy activities do you dream of trying someday?
I’ve done a lot, so I am not really sure. It seems crazy now but I would love to open more Brew Buses in a number of locations I’ve had my eye on.
What do you hope to achieve through the Starter Company Plus program?
Better organization. I would like to get financials/taxes/payroll in order. I need to be able to set up the backend of Brew Bus like a professional business rather than just trying to “wing it” as I go along. I want to ensure that everything I am doing, I am doing properly.
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To book your own tour on the Brew Bus click on to:
Website: www.brewbus.ca
Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are all @BrewBusCanada