Chad Henderson Found His Passion in Brewing
By Lou SolomonIntroduction
Every two weeks, we gather for a moment of authentic human connection with our virtual seminar series, The Human Touch. We cover a wide range of topics and often have guest speakers with unique stories join us to tell their tale. In late February we were joined by Chad Henderson, the co-owner and Head Brewer of NoDa Brewing Company, to speak on the theme of “Overcoming.”
For most of his life, Chad Henderson didn’t know he wanted to be a Head Brewer. But what he did know from traveling with his dad, an award-winning Elvis impersonator, was that he wanted to do something non-traditional, something that allowed him creative expression.
When he was called to pursue professional brewing, he had graduated from Appalachian State University with a physiology degree. That science background actually helped him understand processes and the anatomy of the brewhouse.
Henderson helped open NoDa Brewing Company in 2011 on North Davidson Street. Despite incredible growth, he has stayed true to the brand and homebrew roots.
Brewing is more than a job for Chad; it’s a passion—and all that love shows up in NoDa’s beers.
Life Lessons from Chad Henderson
During his visit with us on Human Touch, he left us with many takeaways. Here are just three of them:
- When so-called failure happens, don’t waste time focusing on the problem. Focus on the solution and the opportunity. Get creative.
- See your competitors as energizers and collaborators.
- Everything you do can be a creative expression of your passion. Craft beer is art form–and what you do can be as well.
Supposedly he does take a day off every now and then, though you wouldn’t know it.
Whether it’s brewing new recipes (and participating in zany YouTube videos) for the weekly releases or representing the brewery at events, this homebrewer turned pro is seemingly everywhere, spreading the gospel. You might say he is the spokesperson for the brewing community.
At the end of the day, what matters most? Being a husband and a dad, first; and brewing unforgettable beers second.
Watch Chad’s Full Human Touch Episode
SNAPSHOT SUMMARY
In his Human Touch talk, Chad Henderson said “Failure is not fatal. It only is if you let it stop your progression going forward.” His journey as Head Brewer of NoDa Brewing Company taught him that failure is part of the process and that overcoming said failures are what makes success (and the beers) that much tastier. Finding success in your passion is something we can all strive for.
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