Where Friends and Dreams Are Made

A bride in white, her groom waiting, a close-knit family from across the Atlantic...and 30 gallons of beer; a picture-perfect wedding. Emma Martin, VP of Marketing at British Bulldog Brewery and VP of Marketing & Human Resources at The Allies Pub in downtown Chico describes her father as a serial entrepreneur, a bug the whole family seems to have caught. Her dad's catchphrase, "We should do something with this" launched the whole family into a journey full of cultural celebrations, community, and beer, with plenty of ups and downs, now known as Allies Pub.

Emma is a humble individual, but her smile says it all, she's a magnet and an inspiration for women looking to others for direction in their field. She has accomplished a lot in her life and has taken many different paths. Her insight and perspective on women in the workforce and the tips she has for them are especially thoughtful.

Emma was born in England, her father Steve was a contract CFO for multiple small companies, one with a headquarters in Chico. What was supposed to be 18 months to help the company became 20-plus years of making Chico their home. Emma said they visited England often and still hold strong cultural ties to where they came from. She attended Chico State and graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with an emphasis in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management. But she wasn't always on that path. Originally Emma wanted to be a veterinarian but quickly realized it would be too difficult for her when it was an animal's time to be put down. She studied in France for 6 months through a study abroad program and it gave her a chance to evaluate what she really wanted. It wasn't her intention to follow in the footsteps of her father but she was faced with a hereditary interest and talent in business and she pursued it. She found a special interest in marketing and graphic design. After interning at 3Core, a non-profit that provides business aid to foster economic development in Butte, Glen, and Tehama counties, she got a job there in which she worked with grants to fund projects and business workshops. After 3Core she moved to 5th Sun, a local t-shirt printing company in the sales department for 5 years. It seemed like she would stay there until the brewery entered her family's life and her career took a turn for the better.

The name Allies is meant not only to show the family's connection to America and England but to imply that everyone is welcome and all are friends. The story sort of begins at Emma and Justin's wedding 9 years ago when her soon to be husband and dad, best friends and beer lovers, homebrewed 30 gallons of beer for the big day. Her dad being a serial entrepreneur took the idea and made it a business plan. It was a family business from day 1. They took their beer to a few restaurants and everyone liked it and as it turns out their property was already zoned for a micro-brewery. The brewery grew and grew and eventually, the family decided to open a pub to accompany their beer production. Emma, as the VP of Marketing & Huaman Resources, has a wide umbrella of duties including HR, scheduling, onboarding an offboarding, marketing, connecting with other businesses, and organizing events such as pop-up markets and musicians, she also serves on the board of directors for the Downtown Chico Business Association. Her mom Alison, VP of Operations at British Bulldog Brewery is in charge of organization, the calendar, and works in the kitchen as the menu master. Emma's husband Justin and her dad brew together and handle the beer side of the business. The newest edition to the family, baby Sophie plays a vital role in making everyone at the pub smile with her bursting personality.

I find inspiration equally in the good times, bountiful with success as I do in hearing about the hard times that we have all have to go through and recover from. The pandemic was a struggle for the whole world and for Allies pub, only open for 6 months at the time, the pandemic was almost the end. The unknown was as scary as what was known. The pub had to let go of all of their employees and re-model their business plan. Emma and Justin had just quit their jobs to dedicate their time to the pub and put all of their eggs in one basket, it was sink or swim. But day by day, they stayed open following all safety rules and regulations to the T, and they made it through. When the world reopened they invited everyone back to celebrate and they stand today as a successful business and pillar of downtown.

I ask all of the women I speak with what skills are most important for young women to possess to pursue a career in leadership so that we can all build them together. Emma's answer struck me as especially significant. She emphasized the importance of "understanding your value and realizing it". You must know what makes you unique, and what skills you already possess so you can market yourself and never let anyone take advantage of you. People always think this is easier than it is but it takes conscious effort.

Her advice for women specifically was also very profound; it isn't rare to hear someone talking about boundaries but it is harder to find someone who actually practices a healthy work-life balance as Emma does. If you ever email her you will get an automatic response telling you that she dedicates Mondays to go through her emails. I think this is a great way to keep boundaries, not get overwhelmed, and communicate expectations to everyone emailing you, which I'm sure is plenty of people for Emma. She works a full-time job and is a full-time mom. Sophie doesn't go to daycare, you can often find her on her mom's hip in meetings or in the pub. Emma wants to tell young women as they progress in their careers to remember themselves, not to get too overwhelmed, and make time for their family. Work is a relationship you have to manage just like any other relationship in your life.

Emma's advice to her 10-year-old self can be useful to any of us. She says she would tell herself not to be afraid to pivot in life, even when you have a clear picture of your life things change and grow and there is no use in being upset. It is necessary to be flexible. Emma has been with her husband for 16 years and they were just able to get pregnant with their baby Sophie. Emma believes that when one door closes, another opens.

Emma's experience and expertise makes her a wonderful example to young women. Her story shows us that things change and sometimes you have to chase a crazy idea, put all of your eggs in one basket, and hold out for success. Emma has obviously helped build a strong business with an incredibly strong family and community. So for the sake of friendship and dreams let's all raise a glass to believing in ourselves and our ideas.