David Johnson, 28 COO, Fireman’s Brew While in college at the University of Southern California, David Johnson interned for the Los Angeles Dodgers in baseball operations and youth marketing. Later, he worked as a personal assistant at a sports management company. But upon graduation, he fell into the beer business and never looked back. “I was hired out of college by a local firefighter that dreamed of starting a microbrewery, Fireman’s Brew,” said Johnson, 28. “Our team has taken that concept and made it a reality — starting from humble beginnings delivering beer out of our cars to become one of the fastest growing microbreweries in California.” The Woodland Hills-based microbrewery label now can be found in bars, restaurants and grocery stores across Southern California, and Johnson couldn’t be happier. “Being an entrepreneur is rarely easy, so you need to celebrate each success along the way,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting to walk into a Ralphs supermarket and see our beer on display.” Helping to run Fireman’s Brew has thrown Johnson a few curve balls, and he says he has learned that being the COO doesn’t always mean sitting in a comfortable office while others do the work. “As the first and only employee for many years, I’ve had to wear many hats: sales, delivery, accounting, raising capital, production and inventory management, among others. I take pride in my work ethic and no task is too big or too small for me to handle.” But while Johnson works hard, long hours to expand the brewing company, he also keeps things in perspective. “I’ve learned to be resilient and try to avoid the emotional roller coaster that comes with having your own business,” Johnson said. “Regardless of what happens today, the sun will still come up tomorrow and there is opportunity ahead.”
