Tom Bott, who is a co-founder and managing director of Signature Brew, began his beer journey work life at his family’s Titanic Brewery in Stoke-on-Trent – which is celebrating 40 years this year and is still wholly owned and run by his dad and uncle.
He explains: “It was the perfect crash course in ‘proper’ beer and the magic of community pubs. That was the spark. From then on, I knew I didn’t just want to make beer, I wanted to create something that mattered, something built on experiences, culture and connection.”
Which leads nicely onto those highlights mentioned above. He says: “At Signature Brew, the extraordinary has a way of becoming ordinary, which makes picking highlights tough.
“One that will ever stand out is The Libertines playing our venue inside the brewery. We made it my daughter’s first gig, aged one, and there’s an unforgettable photo of Pete Doherty holding her while they both cry.
“Then there was Leeds Festival, where I somehow ended up on stage as a backing dancer for our good friends Enter Shikari. If you’ve seen my ‘moves’, you’ll understand how absurd that was.
“And, on the other end of the spectrum, playing cricket at Lord’s for Weston’s was a pinch-yourself privilege I’ll never forget.”
Indeed, having a daughter has forced Bott into achieving a better balance between work and home life.
He admits there are still long hours and plenty of evening and weekend events in both the beer and music worlds but finds there’s also freedom in being able to choose where and when he needs to be.
“And while Signature Brew gets the time it needs from me,” he states. “I’m also not missing those formative moments in her young life.
“I’ve also had the classic industry realisation that it’s OK not to be the last one at the bar. An ‘Irish goodbye’ is often the best way to guarantee good form the next day.”
That’s not how it works
Signature Brew was formed in 2011 by Bott and Sam McGregor, and brews at its Walthamstow home in east London. It serves beers to the off and on-trade from its E17 taproom, Rough Trade bars and other sites with music being a huge focus for the business too.
Music is so vital, it has been a method of launching collaboration beers that has seen Signature Brew work with The Libertines, Alt-J, Hot Chip, Mastodon, IDLES, Hak Baker, The Darkness, Enter Shikari, Dynamite MC, Noisy, Flogging Molly, Sports Team, Big Joanie and Mogwai.
Did the duo have a clever plan of how they would make it to the top when it came to their brewing business? It seems fragmented.
Bott talks about if he were to start again. He says: “Looking back, we can rationalise our strategy over the years but, at times, it was pretty much non-existent.
“If I’m honest, when Sam and I started Signature Brew it was really just a creative way to keep touring and hanging out with interesting people after university instead of getting a proper job. Fifteen years later, some would argue not much has changed.
“If I could have started Signature Brew with the clarity and refinement it has today on day one, that would have been great but, of course, that is not how it works.
“The truth is: the journey, with all its mistakes, experiments and wins, has been the only way to get here. Would I have liked an easier ride? Absolutely. But the way we did it built resilience and a story that is uniquely ours.”
He continues: “We’ve been fortunate to have good people around us throughout Signature Brew’s growth, whether family, shareholders or the team. One regret that comes to mind is not putting a proper support structure around myself earlier. A mentor and a strong board would have helped us take a smoother course, and I am belatedly reaping the benefits of having that in place now.
“At the same time, there is pride in the fact we carved our own path for 15 years, figuring things out and learning by doing. It was often the hard way, but it gave us grit and a way of working that is uniquely ours.”
Naturally, low points in a career happen to everyone and although Bott is an optimist, sometimes to a fault by his own admission, he can flip low points quickly into how these can be turned into opportunities.
“The toughest moments always link back to the two things I love most about this industry: the beer and the people,” he reveals. “Product recalls or issues in the brewery are gutting, no matter how resilient you try to be. And saying goodbye to brilliant people, often because they’re moving abroad, never gets easier. Those are the moments that remind you how much you care about what you do and who you do it with.
Whether I should feel that [responsibility] or not is up for debate, but it is a pressure that sits with me
Tom Bott
“The biggest pressure I’ve faced was survival during and after Covid. It manifested in so many different ways but, thanks to the resilience of our team and the support around us, I can finally talk about that in the past tense.
“It may sound cliché, but I see the Signature Brew team as a family, and I feel a responsibility for their livelihoods and, by extension, their families too. Whether I should feel that or not is up for debate, but it is a pressure that sits with me.
“The other pressure comes from within. My ambition for Signature Brew is huge, so my expectations are high. Meeting them creates pressure, but it is the good kind, the sort that gets me up early and makes me lean into the difficult stuff instead of ducking it. That kind of pressure keeps me motivated and sharp.”
Excellent leadership means never standing still to Bott who admits he is “not there yet” but says the best leaders he knows are always learning, adapting and finding ways to be better for their teams.
The qualities needed are: “First, the ability to communicate clearly with a vision that makes sense, whether that’s one-to-one, with the whole team or externally, and communication has to be two-way.
“Second, curiosity. Never stop asking questions, exploring new ideas and thinking about how your part of the world might develop.
“Third, decisiveness. Know when to gather opinions and when to make the call. In the moments that matter, people need someone who is prepared to take responsibility.”
Bott, whose beer range at Signature Brew includes Studio Lager, Roadie IPA, Haze Machine and Black Vinyl Stout, talks about things in his personal life influencing his leadership qualities.
“Between Signature Brew and a young family there isn’t a huge amount of spare time, but two things come to mind. Firstly, I love cycling around London to and from meetings, often to one of the great pubs we work with. An insightful audiobook on the way to a rewarding pint helps me expand my thinking and learn about a wide range of topics.
“Secondly, I’ve recently started playing football again after a few years out. I’ve deliberately taken a back seat in the team, letting others lead. It has been refreshing to just be told where I’m needed and to focus on my role. Seeing leadership from the other side has been really valuable.”
Capable of standing out
The thing that has surprised Bott most about becoming a managing director is how much of the role does not pertain to beer.
He says: “I love recipe development, brewing and the culture around it but being a managing director is just as much about people, finance, law, strategy and sometimes even politics. You quickly realise you spend more time looking forward and outward than down into the detail.
“What I enjoy most is the variety. No two days are ever the same, and that constant change keeps the job exciting and keeps me learning.”
And pride in the role comes often for the lucky ones. Winning Brewery of the Year not once but twice, in 2018 and 2021, was a huge moment, and no other brewery has managed it, Bott says.
“The first award proved that what we do at Signature Brew is not just different but capable of standing out across the whole brewing industry and beyond. I remember the sense of validation, that feeling of we’re onto something here running through the team.
“The second was particularly special because it recognised what we did during lockdown. We hired out-of-work musicians to deliver beer, and we launched our Beer Grants campaign to help independent venues back on their feet.
“That award felt less like a trophy and more like recognition of our values in action. To have those efforts acknowledged was as meaningful as any medal. Both awards were massive affirmations for the team and reminders that our approach works.”
His advice for a person or even a smaller brewery wanting to reach his heights is building relationships and have a purpose.
Bott explains: “The key is to build up your trust dividend by putting yourself out there in an authentic and generous way. If you do that consistently, when the time comes that you need support, the right people will back you.
“People will tell you to set big goals and stick to them. Ambition is important, but don’t be afraid to change your mind or adjust course. One of the most powerful things you can do is admit when you got it wrong, hold your hands up and say, ‘let’s go again’.
“If you want to grow, do it for the right reasons and be clear on why. Then grow with meaning and purpose, staying true to your values. Focus on your reason to exist and amplify that above everything else.
“If your main aim is to measure yourself against the competition, the best you can hope for is to become a successful imitation. Find your own blue ocean, the space where you can do something unique that the competition is not touching and spend as much time swimming in it as possible.”
Bott doesn’t feel lonely as a manging director, he signs off: “I’ve been lucky. In both my roles at Signature Brew and Titanic I’ve had family around me, so there’s always been a counterpoint or a sounding board. That support has stopped it ever feeling lonely.”
