In the heart of Washington DC, a trailblazing entrepreneur named Eamoni Collier is revolutionizing the craft beer industry. Her journey from homebrewer to founder and owner of Urban Garden Brewery is not only a testament to her passion for brewing but also a shining example of how Life Asset played an instrumental role in turning her dreams into reality.
Born and raised in Washington DC, Eamoni’s love for brewing began at an early age. She participated in entrepreneurship programs during elementary school and always had an interest in business. However, it was her exposure to the world of craft beer that truly ignited her entrepreneurial spirit.
Smells awaken ambition
Eleven years ago while working in a distillery, Eamoni was too young to drink the beer – but she could smell it. Then after college, she worked for a brewery.
“I was going to beer college and getting into learning about the process and the different varieties of hops and malts and everything. I fell in love with the process as a whole.”
She began home brewing, and when people kept telling her how good her beer was, “I decided I wanted to break into the market and make it larger than life.”
Starting the first black woman-owned brewery in Washington D.C.
It was the start of the pandemic, and like many people, Eamoni had time on her hands. She saw this as an opportunity to research licensing and permitting, the most difficult and expensive part of her dream. “I always knew I wanted to start a brewing company,” she says.
“But it’s a very challenging industry and very expensive. I had the recipes, I had a dream, and I had the vision. I had the business plan and the brand. I got everything I needed ready for when the world opened up again so I could launch my brand.”
It was no secret that there is a lack of diversity and inclusion in craft beer. There are two local Black-owned breweries in D.C., but she forged a new path with Urban Garden – the first women-owned, Black-owned brewery in Washington D.C.
An unusual flavor focus
Every flavor Urban Garden Brewery produces focuses on botanicals. “I started in my uncle’s backyard, picking stuff from his garden and throwing it in the beer, and experimenting with flavors,” Eamoni says. “I love tea, so all of my flavors are kind of like tea, so they will remind you of drinking tea.
“I think people fell in love with that because they were used to beer made for a certain type of palate, but our product is different in the world of beer in D.C. It has very different flavors and is liked even by non-beer drinkers. So that’s our motto,” she says, laughing. “No non-beer drinker left behind.”
Her brews definitely taste like beer, but more approachable. Unlike hops-forward beers, which can feature something like 16 hops, “I would say my beers are more botanical-forward,” Eamoni says. “I never use more than two hops in the beer. It’s all about complementing the flowers or herbs.”
Challenges are met with support
Creating such a unique product wasn’t Eamoni’s biggest challenge, however. “It sounds so cliché, but my biggest challenge was capital. For alcohol, there are a lot of permits and associated costs. But luckily, I’ve had help and support from the city and programs like Life Asset and investors.”
Lack of capital, even in her second year, isn’t something she can completely overcome. Because she just signed a lease for a brick-and-mortar location, “That’s a whole other capital issue, but I just keep reminding myself that it’s going to get done, the money’s out there, and I’ll keep going forward.”
Life Asset provides a lifeline
Life Asset, per Eamoni, played a pivotal role in helping her start her business. “I was working with the Washington Urban League, and they shared that there were resources available for small businesses,” she says.
“It was very straightforward (working with Life Asset). I really appreciate that. Not only do they help with money, but they also offer classes and growth support, which has been very helpful. I was in a class about social media and ChatGPT, and that’s dope. I think it’s amazing that they offer this information to people who are trying to grow their business.”
Eamoni also learned a lot from being part of some virtual calls and was able to get some of her partners involved, sharing resources and information.
Along with capital that helped her open a brick-and-mortar location, Eamoni received a financial education. “I definitely learned more about business credit and managing finances. It put me on the path of focusing on the right things as I’m moving into a larger version of the business. As a small company, financing is a little more manageable, and Life Asset was a great resource for information about money and business credit that’s been helpful as we’re moving into this next phase.”
It’s not just about the beer
For Eamoni, her business is about more than just crafting a delicious brew, it’s about community engagement:
“I’m excited for my brewery to be a platform to be able to give back the way the local breweries have given to me. They’ve given me a space to explore recipes and host events.”
She also wants to give back to young people like herself. “I was thinking, I’m going to get into beer, but I can’t afford my own space. But now I have my own space. So I look forward to giving back. I’m also involved in the artist world and a lot of things I do is activating space with vendors and performances, so I’m really excited to be able to have my own home space to bring in people and create a community. It’s very exciting.”
Economic Empowerment through Life Asset
Capital is a must-have for any business, and sometimes it can be difficult to find. For Eamoni, “The microloan from Life Asset gave me the cushion that I needed to confidently work with contracts because I’m a contract producer. It gave me the cushion that I needed and was then able to finance projects with support from Life Assets.
“I do collaborate with local businesses, and I can be there for them, so it was really nice to have that financial support. We did contracts with Allhomage, which is a local street brand. We just released a beer for a colada shop that has five locations in D.C. Having that financial support means we can make more beer for more people.”
The turning point in Urban Garden’s growth
Every business has an inflection point where the owner realizes “Hey, I really have something here,” and that often comes at the darkest hour. For Eamoni, revived hope came from the University of Chicago.
“They bought out every last drop of beer we had left,” she says. “Before that, I was thinking that companies are expensive and we’re making money, but it’s all going back into the business. Is it even worth it anymore?”
But then she flew to Chicago and “they loved our beer and wanted it in the market. They wanted it there. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to keep up with product demand in both Chicago and D.C. because we’re a small company that brews small batches.
“But that was the turning point of realizing how big the brand can actually be,” says Eamoni, “and how far I was able to go in just a year. And it was support from my classes at Life Asset that made this happen because if I didn’t have that support, I wouldn’t have been able to find out everything that’s out there and do what I did.”
Promoting diversity and inclusion in the craft beer world and beyond
The entire brand itself is inclusive, says Eamoni, composed of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, LGBTQIA+, and even veterans:
“We are the representation. I think that opens the doors for more diversity and inclusion in everything, even down to marketing. The type of events we have also creates a much more inclusive environment. No one is going to feel they can’t come and sit down. I see people I can connect with – all types of people. And think that’s a great representation of where things in the brewery industry are going.”
Some words of advice
“Don’t give up and just keep going. It’s not simple but – and I feel I say this all the time – if you have a goal and you have a vision, there’s always going to be a challenge or problem that comes up, but there’s always a solution and that might not be the solution you were first thinking of, but there’s always a solution, “ Eamoni says.
“Just don’t give up. You have to change some things like I had to pivot with my business, but I didn’t give up.”
Casting an eye toward the future
“I want to build Urban Garden into something in my hometown that becomes a neighborhood staple five years from now,” enthuses Eamoni. “I want to be a part of the city, and with the continued support, education, and financing from Life Asset, I can do just that. I look forward to continuing that relationship and to keep growing.”