A Culture of Care: How Sarah Lee Is Challenging the Beer Industry to Lead Better
Sarah Lee, the first woman and first person of color voted as Mass Brewers Guild Vice President
“People always ask, ‘How did you even end up in beer?!’”
One of the first things you learn about Sarah Lee is that she’s allergic to alcohol. While she’s never waited in line for an IPA, she has spent the past 15 years watching the craft beer industry in Massachusetts grow and mature.
Lee’s first job in high school was bussing tables. Since then, she’s worked her way through the ranks of the hospitality industry—managing restaurants, consulting, and now serving as Director of People Operations at the Hendler Family Brewing Company. She also holds the role of Vice President of the Massachusetts Brewers Guild, the first woman and person of color to serve in this capacity. And she’s using her voice and position to raise the alarm: there is a people problem.
The people problem
More specifically, an industry-wide employee engagement deficit.
Sarah Lee speaking with coworkers at the Jack’s Abby taproom in Framingham, MA
“There’s so much focus on strategy and operations and financials, but we focus so much less on care, accountability, and real leadership,” says Lee. She argues that the industry is past the start-up phase, past the growth phase, and firmly in the maturation phase. And this next stage requires formality and structure—especially when it comes to people.
“We’re not doing our due diligence as an industry to support, speak to, and really cultivate and nurture people’s passion so they can continue on in this industry,” Lee says. Employees don’t all have the same goals, but when they don’t see a path forward, when there’s nothing to aspire to, and no formal training to get there, many lose interest and leave. Some leave a brewery; some leave the industry altogether.
There are some obvious and immediate benefits to this inclusion.
High employee engagement leads to better performance and lower turnover. “In hospitality, annual turnover can reach 70–80%,” Lee says. That’s costly, and not just financially. Reducing turnover isn’t about pushing for better numbers; it’s about understanding your team. Why do they want to be here? What’s keeping them invested?
The tension is clear: the beer industry is full of creative people who love beer, who love people, and who may bristle at words like formality and structure. Didn’t everyone leave the corporate world to get away from that stuff? Sometimes, though, being a leader requires that you operate beyond your strengths.
Structure and intention
The industry is plateauing after years of wild growth. While external forces have certainly played a role, Lee says, “the reality is we’ve reached a point where companies need to level up.” That means structure, and that means intention.
Lee believes a better path starts with leadership.
What worked before doesn’t always work now
Leaders can’t do everything themselves
People need to feel empowered, included, and valued
Strategy and the bottom line matter, but while you're focused on those, is anyone checking in with your team?
Sarah Lee speaking with a Jack’s Abby coworker
Where to begin?
When planning for a busy season or a big change, we create detailed project plans—investments, equipment, P&Ls, timelines. But how often do those plans include people? Are there check-ins with staff? Time to gather feedback? A moment to ask: How will this impact you? Instead of simply announcing decisions, are we creating space for employees to raise concerns or share ideas? If not, we’re missing a critical part of the plan.
Why not put engagement on the checklist? Next to ordering equipment and setting budgets, create a built-in process to ensure employees feel included and motivated. This matters a lot for the next generation.
The people who built this industry carry hard-earned experience, and the future of the industry will depend on how well they pass that knowledge on. There’s a theme here: when we dedicate time and resources to training, mentorship, and team development as part of the actual business strategy, employees grow, and your business grows.
Sarah Lee speaking with Jack Hendler, Co-owner of Jack’s Abby
When you consistently create space for people, they notice. It becomes part of the culture, not just a nice bonus if there’s time or money left over. With this culture, things like morale events or team celebrations move from “if we have time” items, to a piece of the budget and a date on the calendar.
The future of beer
Lee wants the industry to read this with the eyes of an optimist. It’s a call to action, not a scolding.
“I love the craft beer industry, and I believe in the people in it,” says Lee. “There’s so much creativity and passion here—we just need more leaders creating pathways to help future leaders rise, and carry this industry and community forward in a way that’s inclusive, and truly built to last.”
So how did Sarah Lee end up in beer?
Not for the drinks—for the people. And now, she’s asking the rest of the industry to do the same.
Put care on the agenda, build structure without losing soul, and remember: the best beer stories are still the ones with people.
Sarah Lee at Hendler Family Brewing Co.’s office, with swag from Night Shift Brewing, Jack’s Abby, and a Wormtown Brewery
