As MadTree has grown, so has the team that makes all that amazing and delicious beer a reality.  Growth is just one factor that can sometimes work against Connection. Both external and internal factors have a way of driving people apart.  It sucks, but it happens.  Connection is important…especially now.  Faced with the challenge of fostering connection in a world with so many forces driving people apart, we started solving.  We felt the weight of social distancing, department silo-ification (we made that term up), general anxiety about what’s to come.  We knew we had to bring employees together.

We came up with Brews Uniting Dudes/Dudedettes (BUDs also kosher with a z) as a way for us to eliminate boundaries and get together over the thing we collectively create, beer. Monthly, we randomly pair individuals across different departments.  The intention is that they get together for a one hour meeting to chat, share a little bit about what they do, and simply get to know each other.

We expected around 10 people to sign up, but we were blown away when we reached almost 50 employees in the first month. Since starting in August of 2020, we have had over 175 BUDs sessions and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.

–Becca and Charlie aka “Bean”