November 3, 2024 • 29 mins
Discover how a unique brewery initiative is redefining community inclusion and empowerment as we sit down with My Yard Live Beer Company's co-founders, Jamie Minotti and Mark McLary. The "Four Dudes" – James Zoul and his friends, who all have disabilities – have turned what began as simple cleaning tasks into a powerful movement within the brewery, contributing significantly to both the business and the community. Each pint they brew carries not just flavor but purpose, with proceeds supporting charitable causes and challenging the limiting narratives often associated with disability. Join us as we delve into the transformative power of inclusive employment and the profound societal shifts it inspires.
Beyond their professional roles, individuals like James are fostering stronger family bonds and reshaping workplace dynamics. Through heartfelt stories, we reveal how these personal connections extend beyond the brewery walls, touching the lives of family members like Bryn and inspiring broader community change. We also highlight the unwavering advocacy of James's mother, June, whose efforts have paved the way for greater opportunities and acceptance. With a visionary approach, the episode celebrates the multitude of benefits diversity and inclusivity bring to our lives, encouraging businesses to adopt similar strategies for creating meaningful employment opportunities for everyone.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Greta Harrison (00:00):
Hello, my name is Greta Harrison.
Welcome to Born FabulousPodcast, season 3, episode 29.
The theme of this season isyoung adults with intellectual
disabilities living full livesof independence and
interdependence.
Work is an integral part of afull life in independence.
This is the second of threeepisodes featuring Jamie Minotti
(00:23):
and Mark McCleary, who areco-founders and managing
partners of my Yard Live BeerCompany in San Marcos,
california, which is a suburb ofSan Diego.
My Yard Live has a uniquemission, with activities for all
(00:47):
ages live entertainment,quality food and libations, as
well as unique leisure games,with a focus on building a
stronger community.
Their mission further statesthey will create a paradigm
shift in the way thatcommunities interact, play and
bond by inventing an inclusive,family and adult-friendly
gathering space that has theability to be replicated in the
western United States and beyond.
This mission organically led tothe hire of James Zoll when my
(01:12):
Yard Live opened in 2019, monthsbefore the COVID pandemic hit.
James has Down syndrome.
James's job grew over his yearswith my Yard Live, eventually
leading to the unique additionof the four dudes in their
mission.
The four dudes are James andthree of his close friends who
have disabilities.
(01:32):
This particular episode willshare the wonderful story of the
four dudes.
Now please enjoy this clip ofthe ring.
The lyrics are by MelissaRiggio, who was the focus of
episodes one through four inseason one.
She had Down Syndrome.
The music and voice are byRachel Fuller, the center of the
(02:02):
ring.
Rachel Fuller (02:10):
Am I just a broken angel?
Gotta send me to him to be anordinary.
Greta Harrison (02:21):
Okay, so James started with the cleaning duties
, worked his way up.
He had a job coach when he cameto you, correct?
And how did the idea of thefour dudes happen?
Just talk that through.
Jamie Minotti (02:41):
Wow, that's a really good question, mark.
I don't even remember.
I don't remember how.
How did it come about?
I, I think.
Mark McLarry (02:49):
Well, I think that um, I heard that, saw the term
earlier organic, it happenedorganically.
And I think that I think youwere, you and I were kind of
spitballing and you kind of youkind of brought it up.
I mean, um, you've talked a lotI'm talking to jamie now and um
talked a lot about um,something project-based related
(03:14):
to beer outside of directly,what we do that gives back to
the community, and so I thinkthat's how the conversation
started with the four dudeslet's do, let's do it's almost,
you know, in in theseconversations quickly went to
June, right, and and it was, itwas let's develop a like a brand
(03:38):
within the brand, and that'skind of how the, the four dudes
was, was, was creative.
Jamie Minotti (03:45):
And I know we've been really sensitive about I'm
trying to think of a good way toput this Not our intention has
never been to kind of exploitthis idea of, hey, look at us,
(04:09):
look at the great things we'redoing and guess what?
We employ people with specialneeds and you know, blah, blah,
blah.
Like that.
We've been really, reallysensitive because we've found a
passion for it and our peopleand our team has found a passion
for it.
But we wanted to make alwaysmake sure that passion's not
(04:30):
projected as exploitation ofwhat, what we're trying to do
and and our reasoning behind itand that kind of thing.
And so, when Mark said wereally quickly bring, bring it
to june, because june's like ourbarometer, right, june is like
we're, like we, we gotta bouncethings off.
June, like is this, does thismake sense, is this cool?
(04:53):
Are we using the rightterminology?
Is is it okay to, like you know, ask james to be on social
media and, like you know, be apart, because other team members
are on social media and thatkind of thing.
And so we're very sensitiveabout it.
And so, as with the four dudes,we wanted to create this
(05:13):
concept with the four dudes.
That was valuable to the fourdudes, which is James and his
three other lifelong friends,valuable to them in that
experience, first and foremost,but then also creating something
that could give back to thecommunity.
(05:35):
So it's like cool, these guyswith special needs are brewing
beer great, but what else likewhat bigger piece is it?
What, what, what more?
What more do the four dudeshave kind of in involved in that
?
And so that's where we kind ofcame up with the idea and I
think it was with june to createa fund where the four dudes a
(05:58):
dollar from every pint sold ofall the beer that the guys brew
would go into a fun that they inturn can make a donation to the
greater community, uh, for acause or causes that they were
interested in.
So that's the piece that Ithink is is as cool as the
concept itself was.
(06:19):
Just, you know, the, the dude'sability to like, give back to a
community.
That, like, I think in, I thinkin the community's mind, right,
and we're talking aboutstereotypes, the community's
mind, to a certain extent, ispeople in need.
Whatever those people in needare Right, and I put it in
(06:40):
quotation marks right, Peopleare need.
We're giving to people in need.
Right, we're contributing topeople in need, we're donating
to people in need, and thatcould be people of lower
socioeconomic status, that couldbe with people of special needs
, that could be whomever.
You know, it's it's, it's it'swe're given.
Well, this flips that on its ass, sorry, flips it on its butt.
(07:03):
Well, this flips that on itsass.
Sorry, flips it on its butt.
Now the stereotypical takersare now the givers, and that,
for me and for us, is the bigthing about Four Dudes Brew.
It's now the dudes have thatempowerment to now give back to
(07:26):
the community that has sogenerously given to them their
entire lives, and that as partof the Four Dudes Project.
And whoever you talk to, june,the guys, or whatever that's the
coolest thing.
Greta Harrison (07:46):
And they've given $12,000 back already.
Mark McLarry (07:48):
Correct, correct, okay.
And I think it's worth notingthe name the four dudes that
actually came from james and histhree buddies call themselves
the dudes, so that's where thename actually came from they're.
They're also the marketing teamtoo.
So you know, and you know Ican't, and to kind of further to
jamie's point, you know kind offlipping it, flipping it,
(08:10):
flipping the script, right um,now, you know, when we release
these beers, you know we hostthese huge events.
You know, um, promoting,promoting the whatever beer
we've released we have, have theorganizations come in that
they're donating to, and webring the dudes up on stage and
you know, and literally put alight on them, stage lighting,
(08:32):
you know, and just highlightlike, hey, look at these heroes,
look what they're doing for thecommunity.
Greta Harrison (08:39):
I love that and also as somebody who is a parent
and a civic leader in my area,you're also expanding the vision
of what somebody with adisability can do brewing a beer
, which that's why Born Fabulouspodcast exists is.
We're trying to break thestereotypes and broaden what
(09:09):
people with disabilities can do,and that's why I wanted to talk
to you guys, because you weredoing that.
I love that.
James started where he did andworked his way up and now he's
brewing beer.
I don't know a lot of peoplewho know how to brew beer.
It's not easy to do.
It's a complicated process andI don't think that, from what
(09:32):
I've heard of the story, youdidn't.
They didn't start the brewingthe entire beer from day one.
They were mentored and theywere part of other teams and
then they grew into the processcorrect.
Mark McLarry (09:46):
Yeah.
So Ben, aka Shaggy everyonecalls him Shaggy he's our, he's
our head brewer and he's he'sjust, he's a saint.
And so, from day one, they wereinvolved in the process from
beginning to end, which includeddoing, included bringing out
(10:07):
several types of hops and havinghaving the dudes smell each of
the hops and pick which onesthey were really they really
liked.
And so they were involved fromthe beginning to end, and then
picking the hops to ultimatelypicking the style of beer and
then brewing it, from thebeginning until end.
Greta Harrison (10:26):
And as each batch they've had, what three
batches now, or is it fourbatches?
Four, Four batches.
Jamie Minotti (10:33):
Four and we're going on our fifth.
Greta Harrison (10:34):
We're going on our fifth, yeah.
You know, I'm going to be therefor one of those.
I'm going to be there for oneof those events where they
launch it to the community, forone of those events where they
where they launched, where theylaunch it to the community.
But anyways, when, when thatbatch happens, yeah, their
(10:56):
involvement with each batch hasgrown, hasn't it Like what
they're doing in the process hasgrown?
They're doing more and moreeach time.
And now, if I'm not mistaken,you've entered, they've been
entered in some competitions, atleast one.
Jamie Minotti (11:12):
Can you?
Greta Harrison (11:12):
talk about that.
Jamie Minotti (11:13):
And Shaggy.
You know Mark referenced Shaggy.
So Shaggy, our brewer, he'sbeen with us since 2019.
And when we brought I rememberthis when we brought him this
idea, his first inclination andit had nothing to do with
working with folks with specialneeds, it had nothing to do with
(11:33):
anything.
It had to do with.
If they're going to be involvedin this thing, they're going to
be involved in this thing.
They're going to be involved inthis thing and I don't want
just whoever it is, just to beinvolved in this thing.
On the surface, and he's heldtrue to that and developed
really tight bonds.
The guys walk in, the fourdudes walk in.
They don't want to see Mark andI, they want to see Shaggy,
(11:55):
want to see Mark and I, theywant to see Shaggy because
that's their man now.
And so you know theirinvolvement from the very
beginning was kind ofunderstanding.
You know what are theingredients in beer, just like
anybody else, right?
Just like you or me or Mark orwhomever.
What are the ingredients, whatare the smells, what are the
(12:18):
different hops mean and what.
You know what are those tastesand what.
What's the beer that we'retrying to brew, and and and and.
Funny story, nick, one of thefour dudes.
The first beer we brewed was anIPA, and IPAs are really big on
the West coast, one of thebiggest selling beers and and um
.
So the whole process of big onthe west coast, one of the
(12:39):
biggest selling beers and and um.
So they went through a wholeprocess of of picking the hops
and the mall and all this stuff,and and so fast forward.
The brews beer, the beer isbrewed and I have um, one of, uh
, we, the san diego uniontribune, wanted to do an article
and um, so pam from san diegounion tribune is out here and
(13:00):
the beer's released and you know, there she's asking about the
beer and she goes around and sheasked nick and and she says
what do you think about the beer?
And nick goes I don't like it.
And she's like what do you mean?
What do you mean?
You don't like it?
Every there's a hush, all theparents are there, the whole
thing is a hush.
Everyone looks, he's like Idon't like it, I don't like it.
There's a hush, all the parentsare there, the whole thing is a
(13:20):
hush.
Everyone looks, he's like Idon't like it, I don't like IPAs
.
He's just like well, what kindof beers do you like?
And he says Mexican lagers.
I like Mexican lagers.
So the next beer we did was aMexican lager.
And so that's how the guys haveinput on this process and and
they have and they will continueto be so and they're very
honest, yeah honestly.
Mark McLarry (13:42):
Yeah, I was gonna say.
The mexican lager is calledcuatro amigos oh, I love it.
Greta Harrison (13:47):
That's great and that was actually the beer.
Jamie Minotti (13:50):
That was actually the beer that got entered into,
um, uh, entered into the uh theawards in competition.
And again that was Shaggybringing that to us and kind of
saying, hey, listen, we're goingto do it, I'm super proud of
this, the guys are super proudof this and we're going to do it
(14:12):
.
Everybody should know about it.
And so he actually took it uponhimself, with the approval of
the dudes, to put it into thecompetition.
Greta Harrison (14:21):
And I don't think that's going to be the
last time.
I think that's going to happenagain, correct?
Mark McLarry (14:26):
Oh yeah, Absolutely.
Greta Harrison (14:27):
Yeah, so the sky .
What you're showing is thatyou're not only breaking
stereotypes, but the sky's thelimit.
The sky's the limit.
We don't know what the futureis going to hold.
I think that's so great, and Ithink to a certain extent.
Jamie Minotti (14:43):
You know, ignorance is bliss in a certain
way, because you know we say thesky is the limit and you know
you work in June and you knoweverybody that kind of works in,
I would say, the industry, butworks in the area of employment
(15:04):
with folks with special needsand the whole thing.
You know, mark, and I don't know, we don't know any different
right, we don't know what thoselimitations are, right, there's
no stigma amongst us of whatthat is and where the dudes can
go and where James can go andwhere RC can go and what they
can do.
And so for us it's just kind oftaking it day by day and kind of
(15:27):
building on strengths andsupporting weaknesses and
providing resources where we can.
And, to be honest with you,it's no different than anything
we do with anybody else on theteam.
If there's a challenge, we sitdown and we have a discussion.
If there's a, if, if there's a,you know something that we've
(15:50):
reached, a goal that we'vereached, we have a celebration
and it's like everything else wedo, it's like everything else
we do, and so ignorance is blissin that way for us and not kind
of knowing what thoselimitations are, and just you
know, like we've always donejust kind of stretching things
(16:11):
as far as we can stretch themand make the connections where
we can make them the world needsto clone all of you.
We need more employers like you,I don't know about that.
Greta Harrison (16:20):
Talk to my wife about cloning me Well, with two
kids, you probably would like toclone each other Absolutely.
Now, speaking about the jobsand how you've broken
stereotypes, I'm thinking aboutthis conversation and when I
just kind of estimate, if you'vegot 30 employees, you've got
(16:44):
two or three people withdisabilities that are directly
employed by you, but you havemaybe three, four others who
vary, rotate in and out throughhigh school agreements and
programs that you have, maybethrough pre-ets or something
like that.
So let's say, let's just comeup with a number of six.
(17:06):
Just to be an average, six outof 30 is 20% and that is a
perfect inclusive average.
And I'm bringing that up because, like you alluded to earlier,
sometimes people will hire oneperson and say, oh, look what I
did and I've got this one person, and then that's it.
(17:26):
Or they go to the other extremeand they only hire people with
disabilities, and I understandwhy that happens, because the
job market is so tough for them,but that's exclusionary in a
different way.
So what we strive for in schooland in life is proportionate
inclusion and you areorganically providing
(17:49):
proportionate inclusive workexperiences, or I should really
say proportionate inclusiveemployment, and you should
really be applauded for that.
I know that that has justhappened to you because you're
doing the right thing and you dothings the right way, but just
statistically.
Jamie Minotti (18:09):
When I'm looking at it is meaningful employment
and, like I said, you know, withJames in particular, you know,
when challenges, it's not allroses and buttercups and you
(18:30):
know challenges come up like anyother person has personal
issues and things of that nature, and those things come up and
they come into work and there'schallenges and you know, like I
said, you know he's dragging andhe's doing things.
Those are things that we addressand it's not only Mark and I
but it's our team who sees itand wants to address it, because
(18:53):
it's beyond the number ofpeople that are here but how
meaningful their time is hereand we want to make sure that
it's meaningful and, candidly,I'd rather employ less people
with disabilities, but it beingmore meaningful employment than
the role reversal.
But we are, you know, we arestriving to do more.
(19:18):
So Mark and I just wrote agrant to the Department of
Rehabilitation to enhance our,not only our employment but also
our training program isassociated with with what we do
here and, fingers crossed, we'llhear back here in January on
whether or not we can kind offurther build this thing in, you
(19:41):
know, kind of theinfrastructure of what we're
trying to do to formalize it alittle bit more.
Greta Harrison (19:47):
Well, I want to ask you about that, because one
of my questions was if you hadany suggestions for job supports
whether they be external orinternal, in general.
And the Department ofRehabilitative Services is where
most states, that's wherethat's the central organizing
agency for that, and you're justsaying you wrote a grant for
(20:07):
that and I love that.
Again, you're out of the boxhere and I like that.
Mark McLarry (20:13):
Yeah, so this grant was through the department
of rehabilitation and one oflike jamie mentioned the grant.
What would it?
The entirety of the grant is.
Part of it is, yeah is actuallygiving us the ability to maybe
start to get the tools we needto do some of the training more
in-house, where in the past wehave worked with non-profits
(20:36):
that bring kids in that we canwork with, and this grant might
give us the ability to get moreeducated on how to do some of
this in-house as well.
As one of the goals in there isto increase so we work with
nonprofits that bring kids inand then we actually have three
or two that we directly havehired.
(20:57):
Now, jamie, two right, so partof that grant proposal was
increasing that number a bitwhere we can actually increase
bringing in employees withdisabilities, that kind of
increase that number from two towhatever that number is, two to
four, anything know anything toincrease that percentage.
(21:20):
But in, like you're saying, ina very you put it more
eloquently it's in a balancedway.
Greta Harrison (21:28):
I'm very, very impressed that you've applied
for this grant and I applaud themove towards employers having a
little more control and takingmore control of how they train
their employees, and I think theDepartment of Rehabilitative
Services would be very on boardwith that.
I don't see why they wouldn't.
(21:49):
So I think that's great and Ihope the people out there all
jump on this bandwagon becausethat's a very good direction to
take.
Very, very good so personally.
You've talked about how Jameshas affected the business and
(22:09):
his positive, his positivespillover effect on the other
employees.
Is that a good way to put it?
How has he affected youpersonally?
Mark McLarry (22:19):
Yeah, you know, I told Jamie the story the other
day my um, so um, I'd mentionedmy sister-in-law who has down
syndrome.
Well, she's out in Texas and,and my um, I'm in a blended
family.
So my wife and I, my wife, twokids from her previous and two
(22:40):
from my previous, and we weremarried 10 years ago or been
together for 10 years, marriedeight years ago.
So I started to get to knowBryn.
That's her, her sister, hersister, my sister in law, you
know, over the last 10 years,and recently Her, the whole
family came out, my wife's wholefamily, who's my family, of
(23:01):
course, comes out and they'restaying at the house.
And you know, for me I'm just,I'm having a, just a normal
conversation with Brynn, justlike I would with James or
anyone else that works here, andher parents kept saying you're
just so good with Brynn, and I,and and and, in my mind I'm
thinking and I'm sure the reasonthey're saying this is because
of what they dealt with Brynnher entire life, where there is
(23:23):
just people out there that thatare for some reason
uncomfortable around people withdisabilities, and I, in my mind
, I was, I was like, well, I'mjust being, I'm just being me,
but I'm sure I say I'm justbeing me, but I'm sure, like
just being around James for aslong as I have that that that
definitely had to play into it.
So that's kind of how I woulddefine that.
Greta Harrison (23:48):
You're not uncomfortable.
She's just like anybody elseand you're talking to her like
she's anybody else and givingher the dignity of that respect.
Mark McLarry (23:55):
Exactly, exactly.
Greta Harrison (23:58):
And James.
How about you?
Or Jamie?
I'm sorry I got James and Jamiemixed up here.
Jamie, how about you?
Jamie Minotti (24:06):
Or Jamie I'm sorry I got James and Jamie
mixed up here, jamie how aboutyou?
You know, james and Kristen andJim and June and Shauna, who's
recently passed, has just I meanthey've become family.
I mean they, they become familyyeah, I mean, I don't know any
(24:30):
other way to to put it and it's,you know, it's, it's one, it's,
it's that those people that youmeet in, you know, in the
rarity of your life that youconnect with and kind of they
understand you and youunderstand them and you know,
(24:52):
special needs aside and inindependent living or whatever,
all those things aside, it'sjust, they're just good people
that we've developed a really,really close relationship with,
and not only the familythemselves but also LifeWorks,
(25:15):
who supports Kristen and James.
And Beth Gallagher has become amentor to me and you know we
talk all the time.
She was in last week and wewere talking about a variety of
things and and so you know justjust the relationship and the
network that it's created andyou know I wish you know.
Greta Harrison (25:47):
I love that.
Mark McLarry (25:49):
Yeah, June, June arguably might be the best
hugger in the world actually.
Greta Harrison (25:58):
She is a very, very wonderful soul and speaking
of June, who is James's mother,I said it in her interview but
it's worth repeating again.
Her example of reaching out toyou with that letter, with that
email, made a huge difference ineverybody's life and if she had
not sat down to do this, wewouldn't be here today.
(26:19):
The four dudes wouldn't exist,james wouldn't have his job, his
dream job, none of that wouldexist, but she just made the
move.
I know a lot of parents whowon't do that, either because
they're shy or for many otherreasons, but sometimes you just
(26:39):
have to again think out of thebox and you have to do that.
You can't just depend on theDepartment of Rehabilitative
Services to do everything and beable to find every single
person a job.
Each counselor has thousands ofpeople on their caseload.
So the fact that she did that,I applaud her for that.
Mark McLarry (26:59):
The ripple effect right.
Greta Harrison (27:00):
It's the ripple effect and, yeah, I'm glad that
you brought her up.
It's the ripple effect and,yeah, I'm glad that you brought
her up.
Thank you for listening toepisode 29 of Born Fabulous
podcast, third season.
This was the second of threeepisodes with Jamie Minotti and
Mark McCleary.
When hearing any dates orpromotions mentioned, please
keep in mind that this interviewwas recorded in the fall of
(27:23):
2023.
Short video clips from mostepisodes are available on our
YouTube channel and onBornFabulousPodcastcom.
You can also hear all releasedepisodes on Born Fabulous
Podcast on YouTube now.
I adore and am grateful to everysingle young adult and parent
(27:44):
featured in season three, butthe next episode, number 30, is
my favorite of the whole season.
You will hear Jamie and Markshare their thoughts on truly
inclusive employment, how we canhelp shift employers' visions
to include disability and muchmore.
Their thoughts are profound, somuch so that they clearly show
(28:06):
a better world for everyone.
If only we could open our minds.
The employment rate forindividuals with intellectual
disabilities has always beenhistorically low.
Visionary business missions,mindsets, cultures and
leadership like those of my YardLive Beer Company are so
welcome.
Our world certainly needs moreentrepreneurs like them.
(28:27):
Please follow and like us onFacebook, instagram, twitter and
Threads.
If you enjoyed this episode,please consider leaving a review
wherever you heard this podcast.
Now, please enjoy this clip ofthe Ring.
The lyrics are by MelissaRiggio, who was the focus of
Season 1, episodes 1-4, she hadDown Syndrome.
(28:48):
The music and voice are byRachel Fuller.
Rachel Fuller (28:59):
The wind is blowing me away.
The rain is falling down downmy way.
The wind is blowing me away.
Hello, my name is Greta Harrison.
Welcome to Born FabulousPodcast, season 3, episode 29.
The theme of this season isyoung adults with intellectual
disabilities living full livesof independence and
interdependence.
Work is an integral part of afull life in independence.
This is the second of threeepisodes featuring Jamie Minotti
(00:23):
and Mark McCleary, who areco-founders and managing
partners of my Yard Live BeerCompany in San Marcos,
california, which is a suburb ofSan Diego.
My Yard Live has a uniquemission, with activities for all
(00:47):
ages live entertainment,quality food and libations, as
well as unique leisure games,with a focus on building a
stronger community.
Their mission further statesthey will create a paradigm
shift in the way thatcommunities interact, play and
bond by inventing an inclusive,family and adult-friendly
gathering space that has theability to be replicated in the
western United States and beyond.
This mission organically led tothe hire of James Zoll when my
(01:12):
Yard Live opened in 2019, monthsbefore the COVID pandemic hit.
James has Down syndrome.
James's job grew over his yearswith my Yard Live, eventually
leading to the unique additionof the four dudes in their
mission.
The four dudes are James andthree of his close friends who
have disabilities.
(01:32):
This particular episode willshare the wonderful story of the
four dudes.
Now please enjoy this clip ofthe ring.
The lyrics are by MelissaRiggio, who was the focus of
episodes one through four inseason one.
She had Down Syndrome.
The music and voice are byRachel Fuller, the center of the
(02:02):
ring.
Rachel Fuller (02:10):
Am I just a broken angel?
Gotta send me to him to be anordinary.
Greta Harrison (02:21):
Okay, so James started with the cleaning duties
, worked his way up.
He had a job coach when he cameto you, correct?
And how did the idea of thefour dudes happen?
Just talk that through.
Jamie Minotti (02:41):
Wow, that's a really good question, mark.
I don't even remember.
I don't remember how.
How did it come about?
I, I think.
Mark McLarry (02:49):
Well, I think that um, I heard that, saw the term
earlier organic, it happenedorganically.
And I think that I think youwere, you and I were kind of
spitballing and you kind of youkind of brought it up.
I mean, um, you've talked a lotI'm talking to jamie now and um
talked a lot about um,something project-based related
(03:14):
to beer outside of directly,what we do that gives back to
the community, and so I thinkthat's how the conversation
started with the four dudeslet's do, let's do it's almost,
you know, in in theseconversations quickly went to
June, right, and and it was, itwas let's develop a like a brand
(03:38):
within the brand, and that'skind of how the, the four dudes
was, was, was creative.
Jamie Minotti (03:45):
And I know we've been really sensitive about I'm
trying to think of a good way toput this Not our intention has
never been to kind of exploitthis idea of, hey, look at us,
(04:09):
look at the great things we'redoing and guess what?
We employ people with specialneeds and you know, blah, blah,
blah.
Like that.
We've been really, reallysensitive because we've found a
passion for it and our peopleand our team has found a passion
for it.
But we wanted to make alwaysmake sure that passion's not
(04:30):
projected as exploitation ofwhat, what we're trying to do
and and our reasoning behind itand that kind of thing.
And so, when Mark said wereally quickly bring, bring it
to june, because june's like ourbarometer, right, june is like
we're, like we, we gotta bouncethings off.
June, like is this, does thismake sense, is this cool?
(04:53):
Are we using the rightterminology?
Is is it okay to, like you know, ask james to be on social
media and, like you know, be apart, because other team members
are on social media and thatkind of thing.
And so we're very sensitiveabout it.
And so, as with the four dudes,we wanted to create this
(05:13):
concept with the four dudes.
That was valuable to the fourdudes, which is James and his
three other lifelong friends,valuable to them in that
experience, first and foremost,but then also creating something
that could give back to thecommunity.
(05:35):
So it's like cool, these guyswith special needs are brewing
beer great, but what else likewhat bigger piece is it?
What, what, what more?
What more do the four dudeshave kind of in involved in that
?
And so that's where we kind ofcame up with the idea and I
think it was with june to createa fund where the four dudes a
(05:58):
dollar from every pint sold ofall the beer that the guys brew
would go into a fun that they inturn can make a donation to the
greater community, uh, for acause or causes that they were
interested in.
So that's the piece that Ithink is is as cool as the
concept itself was.
(06:19):
Just, you know, the, the dude'sability to like, give back to a
community.
That, like, I think in, I thinkin the community's mind, right,
and we're talking aboutstereotypes, the community's
mind, to a certain extent, ispeople in need.
Whatever those people in needare Right, and I put it in
(06:40):
quotation marks right, Peopleare need.
We're giving to people in need.
Right, we're contributing topeople in need, we're donating
to people in need, and thatcould be people of lower
socioeconomic status, that couldbe with people of special needs
, that could be whomever.
You know, it's it's, it's it'swe're given.
Well, this flips that on its ass, sorry, flips it on its butt.
(07:03):
Well, this flips that on itsass.
Sorry, flips it on its butt.
Now the stereotypical takersare now the givers, and that,
for me and for us, is the bigthing about Four Dudes Brew.
It's now the dudes have thatempowerment to now give back to
(07:26):
the community that has sogenerously given to them their
entire lives, and that as partof the Four Dudes Project.
And whoever you talk to, june,the guys, or whatever that's the
coolest thing.
Greta Harrison (07:46):
And they've given $12,000 back already.
Mark McLarry (07:48):
Correct, correct, okay.
And I think it's worth notingthe name the four dudes that
actually came from james and histhree buddies call themselves
the dudes, so that's where thename actually came from they're.
They're also the marketing teamtoo.
So you know, and you know Ican't, and to kind of further to
jamie's point, you know kind offlipping it, flipping it,
(08:10):
flipping the script, right um,now, you know, when we release
these beers, you know we hostthese huge events.
You know, um, promoting,promoting the whatever beer
we've released we have, have theorganizations come in that
they're donating to, and webring the dudes up on stage and
you know, and literally put alight on them, stage lighting,
(08:32):
you know, and just highlightlike, hey, look at these heroes,
look what they're doing for thecommunity.
Greta Harrison (08:39):
I love that and also as somebody who is a parent
and a civic leader in my area,you're also expanding the vision
of what somebody with adisability can do brewing a beer
, which that's why Born Fabulouspodcast exists is.
We're trying to break thestereotypes and broaden what
(09:09):
people with disabilities can do,and that's why I wanted to talk
to you guys, because you weredoing that.
I love that.
James started where he did andworked his way up and now he's
brewing beer.
I don't know a lot of peoplewho know how to brew beer.
It's not easy to do.
It's a complicated process andI don't think that, from what
(09:32):
I've heard of the story, youdidn't.
They didn't start the brewingthe entire beer from day one.
They were mentored and theywere part of other teams and
then they grew into the processcorrect.
Mark McLarry (09:46):
Yeah.
So Ben, aka Shaggy everyonecalls him Shaggy he's our, he's
our head brewer and he's he'sjust, he's a saint.
And so, from day one, they wereinvolved in the process from
beginning to end, which includeddoing, included bringing out
(10:07):
several types of hops and havinghaving the dudes smell each of
the hops and pick which onesthey were really they really
liked.
And so they were involved fromthe beginning to end, and then
picking the hops to ultimatelypicking the style of beer and
then brewing it, from thebeginning until end.
Greta Harrison (10:26):
And as each batch they've had, what three
batches now, or is it fourbatches?
Four, Four batches.
Jamie Minotti (10:33):
Four and we're going on our fifth.
Greta Harrison (10:34):
We're going on our fifth, yeah.
You know, I'm going to be therefor one of those.
I'm going to be there for oneof those events where they
launch it to the community, forone of those events where they
where they launched, where theylaunch it to the community.
But anyways, when, when thatbatch happens, yeah, their
(10:56):
involvement with each batch hasgrown, hasn't it Like what
they're doing in the process hasgrown?
They're doing more and moreeach time.
And now, if I'm not mistaken,you've entered, they've been
entered in some competitions, atleast one.
Jamie Minotti (11:12):
Can you?
Greta Harrison (11:12):
talk about that.
Jamie Minotti (11:13):
And Shaggy.
You know Mark referenced Shaggy.
So Shaggy, our brewer, he'sbeen with us since 2019.
And when we brought I rememberthis when we brought him this
idea, his first inclination andit had nothing to do with
working with folks with specialneeds, it had nothing to do with
(11:33):
anything.
It had to do with.
If they're going to be involvedin this thing, they're going to
be involved in this thing.
They're going to be involved inthis thing and I don't want
just whoever it is, just to beinvolved in this thing.
On the surface, and he's heldtrue to that and developed
really tight bonds.
The guys walk in, the fourdudes walk in.
They don't want to see Mark andI, they want to see Shaggy,
(11:55):
want to see Mark and I, theywant to see Shaggy because
that's their man now.
And so you know theirinvolvement from the very
beginning was kind ofunderstanding.
You know what are theingredients in beer, just like
anybody else, right?
Just like you or me or Mark orwhomever.
What are the ingredients, whatare the smells, what are the
(12:18):
different hops mean and what.
You know what are those tastesand what.
What's the beer that we'retrying to brew, and and and and.
Funny story, nick, one of thefour dudes.
The first beer we brewed was anIPA, and IPAs are really big on
the West coast, one of thebiggest selling beers and and um
.
So the whole process of big onthe west coast, one of the
(12:39):
biggest selling beers and and um.
So they went through a wholeprocess of of picking the hops
and the mall and all this stuff,and and so fast forward.
The brews beer, the beer isbrewed and I have um, one of, uh
, we, the san diego uniontribune, wanted to do an article
and um, so pam from san diegounion tribune is out here and
(13:00):
the beer's released and you know, there she's asking about the
beer and she goes around and sheasked nick and and she says
what do you think about the beer?
And nick goes I don't like it.
And she's like what do you mean?
What do you mean?
You don't like it?
Every there's a hush, all theparents are there, the whole
thing is a hush.
Everyone looks, he's like Idon't like it, I don't like it.
There's a hush, all the parentsare there, the whole thing is a
(13:20):
hush.
Everyone looks, he's like Idon't like it, I don't like IPAs
.
He's just like well, what kindof beers do you like?
And he says Mexican lagers.
I like Mexican lagers.
So the next beer we did was aMexican lager.
And so that's how the guys haveinput on this process and and
they have and they will continueto be so and they're very
honest, yeah honestly.
Mark McLarry (13:42):
Yeah, I was gonna say.
The mexican lager is calledcuatro amigos oh, I love it.
Greta Harrison (13:47):
That's great and that was actually the beer.
Jamie Minotti (13:50):
That was actually the beer that got entered into,
um, uh, entered into the uh theawards in competition.
And again that was Shaggybringing that to us and kind of
saying, hey, listen, we're goingto do it, I'm super proud of
this, the guys are super proudof this and we're going to do it
(14:12):
.
Everybody should know about it.
And so he actually took it uponhimself, with the approval of
the dudes, to put it into thecompetition.
Greta Harrison (14:21):
And I don't think that's going to be the
last time.
I think that's going to happenagain, correct?
Mark McLarry (14:26):
Oh yeah, Absolutely.
Greta Harrison (14:27):
Yeah, so the sky .
What you're showing is thatyou're not only breaking
stereotypes, but the sky's thelimit.
The sky's the limit.
We don't know what the futureis going to hold.
I think that's so great, and Ithink to a certain extent.
Jamie Minotti (14:43):
You know, ignorance is bliss in a certain
way, because you know we say thesky is the limit and you know
you work in June and you knoweverybody that kind of works in,
I would say, the industry, butworks in the area of employment
(15:04):
with folks with special needsand the whole thing.
You know, mark, and I don't know, we don't know any different
right, we don't know what thoselimitations are, right, there's
no stigma amongst us of whatthat is and where the dudes can
go and where James can go andwhere RC can go and what they
can do.
And so for us it's just kind oftaking it day by day and kind of
(15:27):
building on strengths andsupporting weaknesses and
providing resources where we can.
And, to be honest with you,it's no different than anything
we do with anybody else on theteam.
If there's a challenge, we sitdown and we have a discussion.
If there's a, if, if there's a,you know something that we've
(15:50):
reached, a goal that we'vereached, we have a celebration
and it's like everything else wedo, it's like everything else
we do, and so ignorance is blissin that way for us and not kind
of knowing what thoselimitations are, and just you
know, like we've always donejust kind of stretching things
(16:11):
as far as we can stretch themand make the connections where
we can make them the world needsto clone all of you.
We need more employers like you,I don't know about that.
Greta Harrison (16:20):
Talk to my wife about cloning me Well, with two
kids, you probably would like toclone each other Absolutely.
Now, speaking about the jobsand how you've broken
stereotypes, I'm thinking aboutthis conversation and when I
just kind of estimate, if you'vegot 30 employees, you've got
(16:44):
two or three people withdisabilities that are directly
employed by you, but you havemaybe three, four others who
vary, rotate in and out throughhigh school agreements and
programs that you have, maybethrough pre-ets or something
like that.
So let's say, let's just comeup with a number of six.
(17:06):
Just to be an average, six outof 30 is 20% and that is a
perfect inclusive average.
And I'm bringing that up because, like you alluded to earlier,
sometimes people will hire oneperson and say, oh, look what I
did and I've got this one person, and then that's it.
(17:26):
Or they go to the other extremeand they only hire people with
disabilities, and I understandwhy that happens, because the
job market is so tough for them,but that's exclusionary in a
different way.
So what we strive for in schooland in life is proportionate
inclusion and you areorganically providing
(17:49):
proportionate inclusive workexperiences, or I should really
say proportionate inclusiveemployment, and you should
really be applauded for that.
I know that that has justhappened to you because you're
doing the right thing and you dothings the right way, but just
statistically.
Jamie Minotti (18:09):
When I'm looking at it is meaningful employment
and, like I said, you know, withJames in particular, you know,
when challenges, it's not allroses and buttercups and you
(18:30):
know challenges come up like anyother person has personal
issues and things of that nature, and those things come up and
they come into work and there'schallenges and you know, like I
said, you know he's dragging andhe's doing things.
Those are things that we addressand it's not only Mark and I
but it's our team who sees itand wants to address it, because
(18:53):
it's beyond the number ofpeople that are here but how
meaningful their time is hereand we want to make sure that
it's meaningful and, candidly,I'd rather employ less people
with disabilities, but it beingmore meaningful employment than
the role reversal.
But we are, you know, we arestriving to do more.
(19:18):
So Mark and I just wrote agrant to the Department of
Rehabilitation to enhance our,not only our employment but also
our training program isassociated with with what we do
here and, fingers crossed, we'llhear back here in January on
whether or not we can kind offurther build this thing in, you
(19:41):
know, kind of theinfrastructure of what we're
trying to do to formalize it alittle bit more.
Greta Harrison (19:47):
Well, I want to ask you about that, because one
of my questions was if you hadany suggestions for job supports
whether they be external orinternal, in general.
And the Department ofRehabilitative Services is where
most states, that's wherethat's the central organizing
agency for that, and you're justsaying you wrote a grant for
(20:07):
that and I love that.
Again, you're out of the boxhere and I like that.
Mark McLarry (20:13):
Yeah, so this grant was through the department
of rehabilitation and one oflike jamie mentioned the grant.
What would it?
The entirety of the grant is.
Part of it is, yeah is actuallygiving us the ability to maybe
start to get the tools we needto do some of the training more
in-house, where in the past wehave worked with non-profits
(20:36):
that bring kids in that we canwork with, and this grant might
give us the ability to get moreeducated on how to do some of
this in-house as well.
As one of the goals in there isto increase so we work with
nonprofits that bring kids inand then we actually have three
or two that we directly havehired.
(20:57):
Now, jamie, two right, so partof that grant proposal was
increasing that number a bitwhere we can actually increase
bringing in employees withdisabilities, that kind of
increase that number from two towhatever that number is, two to
four, anything know anything toincrease that percentage.
(21:20):
But in, like you're saying, ina very you put it more
eloquently it's in a balancedway.
Greta Harrison (21:28):
I'm very, very impressed that you've applied
for this grant and I applaud themove towards employers having a
little more control and takingmore control of how they train
their employees, and I think theDepartment of Rehabilitative
Services would be very on boardwith that.
I don't see why they wouldn't.
(21:49):
So I think that's great and Ihope the people out there all
jump on this bandwagon becausethat's a very good direction to
take.
Very, very good so personally.
You've talked about how Jameshas affected the business and
(22:09):
his positive, his positivespillover effect on the other
employees.
Is that a good way to put it?
How has he affected youpersonally?
Mark McLarry (22:19):
Yeah, you know, I told Jamie the story the other
day my um, so um, I'd mentionedmy sister-in-law who has down
syndrome.
Well, she's out in Texas and,and my um, I'm in a blended
family.
So my wife and I, my wife, twokids from her previous and two
(22:40):
from my previous, and we weremarried 10 years ago or been
together for 10 years, marriedeight years ago.
So I started to get to knowBryn.
That's her, her sister, hersister, my sister in law, you
know, over the last 10 years,and recently Her, the whole
family came out, my wife's wholefamily, who's my family, of
(23:01):
course, comes out and they'restaying at the house.
And you know, for me I'm just,I'm having a, just a normal
conversation with Brynn, justlike I would with James or
anyone else that works here, andher parents kept saying you're
just so good with Brynn, and I,and and and, in my mind I'm
thinking and I'm sure the reasonthey're saying this is because
of what they dealt with Brynnher entire life, where there is
(23:23):
just people out there that thatare for some reason
uncomfortable around people withdisabilities, and I, in my mind
, I was, I was like, well, I'mjust being, I'm just being me,
but I'm sure I say I'm justbeing me, but I'm sure, like
just being around James for aslong as I have that that that
definitely had to play into it.
So that's kind of how I woulddefine that.
Greta Harrison (23:48):
You're not uncomfortable.
She's just like anybody elseand you're talking to her like
she's anybody else and givingher the dignity of that respect.
Mark McLarry (23:55):
Exactly, exactly.
Greta Harrison (23:58):
And James.
How about you?
Or Jamie?
I'm sorry I got James and Jamiemixed up here.
Jamie, how about you?
Jamie Minotti (24:06):
Or Jamie I'm sorry I got James and Jamie
mixed up here, jamie how aboutyou?
You know, james and Kristen andJim and June and Shauna, who's
recently passed, has just I meanthey've become family.
I mean they, they become familyyeah, I mean, I don't know any
(24:30):
other way to to put it and it's,you know, it's, it's one, it's,
it's that those people that youmeet in, you know, in the
rarity of your life that youconnect with and kind of they
understand you and youunderstand them and you know,
(24:52):
special needs aside and inindependent living or whatever,
all those things aside, it'sjust, they're just good people
that we've developed a really,really close relationship with,
and not only the familythemselves but also LifeWorks,
(25:15):
who supports Kristen and James.
And Beth Gallagher has become amentor to me and you know we
talk all the time.
She was in last week and wewere talking about a variety of
things and and so you know justjust the relationship and the
network that it's created andyou know I wish you know.
Greta Harrison (25:47):
I love that.
Mark McLarry (25:49):
Yeah, June, June arguably might be the best
hugger in the world actually.
Greta Harrison (25:58):
She is a very, very wonderful soul and speaking
of June, who is James's mother,I said it in her interview but
it's worth repeating again.
Her example of reaching out toyou with that letter, with that
email, made a huge difference ineverybody's life and if she had
not sat down to do this, wewouldn't be here today.
(26:19):
The four dudes wouldn't exist,james wouldn't have his job, his
dream job, none of that wouldexist, but she just made the
move.
I know a lot of parents whowon't do that, either because
they're shy or for many otherreasons, but sometimes you just
(26:39):
have to again think out of thebox and you have to do that.
You can't just depend on theDepartment of Rehabilitative
Services to do everything and beable to find every single
person a job.
Each counselor has thousands ofpeople on their caseload.
So the fact that she did that,I applaud her for that.
Mark McLarry (26:59):
The ripple effect right.
Greta Harrison (27:00):
It's the ripple effect and, yeah, I'm glad that
you brought her up.
It's the ripple effect and,yeah, I'm glad that you brought
her up.
Thank you for listening toepisode 29 of Born Fabulous
podcast, third season.
This was the second of threeepisodes with Jamie Minotti and
Mark McCleary.
When hearing any dates orpromotions mentioned, please
keep in mind that this interviewwas recorded in the fall of
(27:23):
2023.
Short video clips from mostepisodes are available on our
YouTube channel and onBornFabulousPodcastcom.
You can also hear all releasedepisodes on Born Fabulous
Podcast on YouTube now.
I adore and am grateful to everysingle young adult and parent
(27:44):
featured in season three, butthe next episode, number 30, is
my favorite of the whole season.
You will hear Jamie and Markshare their thoughts on truly
inclusive employment, how we canhelp shift employers' visions
to include disability and muchmore.
Their thoughts are profound, somuch so that they clearly show
(28:06):
a better world for everyone.
If only we could open our minds.
The employment rate forindividuals with intellectual
disabilities has always beenhistorically low.
Visionary business missions,mindsets, cultures and
leadership like those of my YardLive Beer Company are so
welcome.
Our world certainly needs moreentrepreneurs like them.
(28:27):
Please follow and like us onFacebook, instagram, twitter and
Threads.
If you enjoyed this episode,please consider leaving a review
wherever you heard this podcast.
Now, please enjoy this clip ofthe Ring.
The lyrics are by MelissaRiggio, who was the focus of
Season 1, episodes 1-4, she hadDown Syndrome.
(28:48):
The music and voice are byRachel Fuller.
Rachel Fuller (28:59):
The wind is blowing me away.
The rain is falling down downmy way.
The wind is blowing me away.
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