Two Brewers Met at the Phone Company

Jaime Hernandez and Tony Santa Cruz met at their jobs working for a phone company when they discovered their mutual love of brewing beer. After Hernandez pursued his MBA from DeVry University, the two decided to open Telco Brewery, the only Hispanic-owned microbrewery in the area. During the pandemic, the pair pivoted to a to-go business and are excited to celebrate the brewery’s third anniversary in person this month.

What inspired you to start your business?

Hernandez: After a trip to Pikes Brewery in Seattle, I wanted to be a part of the brewery scene. When I got back to L.A., I started linking with neighboring breweries only to find that there were only a handful. So I focused my MBA thesis on opening a brewery. Mind you I didn’t know how to brew. I wanted to learn but that’s how Tony and I started getting together and making beer at home. 

Santa Cruz: I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and would have all of these ideas in my mind, but always had dreams of having a bar or restaurant. When I became passionate about brewing, I considered it a hobby for a long time, but after sharing with others and receiving such positive feedback, it became clear that this was the business for me.

Do you like being your own boss? Do you ever think about trading it for a steady paycheck?

Hernandez: I love being my own boss. I also have a full-time job at the phone company. The word Telco is short for “telephone company,” which is where Tony and myself have our 20-plus year careers. It’s a way to capture a piece of us in our brewery. 

Santa Cruz: I do like being my own boss, mostly because there is a lot of room for creativity. I still have my full-time job, so I do get that steady paycheck.

What’s the best aspect of running your own business? And the worst?

Hernandez: Best part is looking at a vision come true. 

Santa Cruz: The worst aspect is probably all of the administrative work. There is a lot of red tape as well as a lot of work that goes into figuring out the business’ finances.

What’s the biggest challenge your business has faced? 

Hernandez: COVID19. We had to pivot to a business model where we would sell beer to go until our tap room was open again. 

Santa Cruz: The biggest challenge, besides the pandemic, is working basically two full-time jobs. We both work for a large communication company that requires us to do 40-plus hours a week. We then put the brewery hats on for an additional 40 hours. 

What’s your favorite story about running your business?

Hernandez: It can change. Today my favorite story is being recognized by Santa Clarita Chamber of Commerce and the Latino Business Alliance as business of the year. 

Santa Cruz: The building of the bar. My wife was only supposed to help me by washing tools and assisting with clean-up. However, things didn’t end up that way. She was covered in concrete head to toe and lifted and mixed as much, or maybe more, concrete than me. That day was a fun one. … Now we can look at that bar and really be proud of our accomplishment. 

Has being Hispanic affected your business?

Hernandez: I feel that being Hispanic in the craft brew industry is a blessing. The craft brewery community happens to be very open and welcoming regardless of race or gender. …  Although we strive for diversity, the Brewers Association indicated that in 2019 only 2 percent of brewery owners identify as Hispanic. So we are proud to be part of that 2 percent.

Santa Cruz: I think being Hispanic has positively impacted our business. While we are among great company with the existing brewers in Santa Clarita, we are the only Hispanic-owned brewery, which is significant in a community that has a large Hispanic population. We feel incredibly proud to be business owners and love to network with other Hispanic business owners. It has been a great experience so far, and regardless of our backgrounds, we are so proud and happy to serve the Santa Clarita community as a whole.

How has the pandemic affected you and your business? 

Hernandez: We worked hard to change our business model from strictly tap room sales to distribution and canning so only beer to go. Telco Brewery had only been open for a little over a year and we were forced to move a lot faster than we wanted to survive.

Santa Cruz: The pandemic certainly threw a wrench into our ability to sell beer, especially since we love the atmosphere of having clients in the tap room. 

What advice would you give someone who wanted to start their own business?

Hernandez: Do your homework. Before opening Telco Brewery, I would set up meetings with existing brewery owners and I would always come prepared with questions. Last piece of advice is to be ready to do every single role and put on different hats.