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"It's really empowering" KC's only woman owned and operated brewery shares recipe for success Courtney Servaes is inspiring other women to go big and live their dreams Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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GOING SO SLOW. BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO. ROB: MAKING A NAME FOR HERSELF IN A MALE-DOMINATED FIELD. A SHAWNEE WOMAN IS ONE OF ONLY A FEW IN THE NATION TO OWN AND OPERATE HER OWN BREWERY. I CAUGHT UP WITH HER TO SEE HOW SHE’S LIVING HER DREAM. AND ENCOURAGING OTHER WOMEN TO DO THE SAME. COURTNEY: I WAS DETERMINED TO NOT LET IT GET IN MY WAY. ROB: COURTNEY SERVEAS LEFT A STABLE JOB TO PURSUE HER DREAM. COURTNEY: TRANSITIONING INTO NOT HAVING A FULL-TIME JOB WITH A CHECK EVERY WEEK AND BENEFIS, INSURANCE, RETIREMENT WAS TERRIFIED RO -- WAS TERRIFYING. ROB: COURTNEY STARTED SERVAES BREWING COMPANY IN SHAWNEE LAST APRIL. THE ONLY WOMAN OPERATED BREWERY IN KANSAS CITY. SERVICE ENJOYS THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF BREWING. HER FLAVORS CHANGE EVERY WEEK. COURTNEY: IF IT IS SOMETHING YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT, SOMETHING YOU LOVE, DO YOUR RESEARCH. BECOME BETTER. BETTER THAN THE MEN. ROB: SERVEAS’S BREWERY IS FAMILY FRIENDLY AND OFFERS CRAFT SODA. COURTNEY HAS QUICKLY BECOME A RESPECTED MEMBER OF THE BEER COMMUNITY. COURTNEY: I BECAME SOMEONE GROWN MEN WERE ASKING QUESTIONS ABOUT. RO COURTNEY HAS BEEN EMBRACED BY THE INDUSTR COURTNEY: ME BEING A WOMAN NOT CARE -- THEY DID NOT CARE. IT DID NOT MATTER. ROB: COURTNEY’S TAPROOM MANAGER AND ASSISTANT BREWER ARE ALSO