A strong brand is not built on a logo alone. It is built through experience, consistency, culture, community, and the people who bring it to life every day.
For Bad Habit Brewing Company in St. Joseph, Minnesota, that brand has grown into something bigger than craft beer. It has become a local gathering place, a creative taproom, an event space, and a community staple where people come together for good drinks, good conversation, and a sense of belonging.
That kind of brand does not happen by accident.
On this episode of Behind the Brand, Moxie Creative sat down with Laura Hartog, Managing Director of Bad Habit Brewing, to talk about career alignment, workplace fit, creative partnerships, and what it takes to keep a local business moving forward in an industry that continues to shift.
Laura’s story is about more than a career change. It is about recognizing when something no longer fits, being brave enough to move toward something new, and finding a role where experience, creativity, leadership, and community all come together.
Finding the Right Professional Fit
Before joining Bad Habit Brewing, Laura spent years building a career in sales, marketing, operations, leadership, and team development. Like many professionals, she reached a point where the path she was on no longer felt aligned with where she wanted to go.
That realization was not immediate. It came through reflection, conversations, career counseling, and paying attention to how she felt in her work. One of the biggest signs was noticing that people no longer described her the way they once had. Laura had always been known as a positive person, someone who could find the good in a situation. When she realized she had not heard that in a long time, it became a clear signal that something needed to change.
That is a feeling many people can relate to. Sometimes a job that once felt right slowly changes. Sometimes your priorities shift. Sometimes the next step in your industry is not a step you actually want to take.
Instead of rushing into the next opportunity, Laura took time to get clear on what mattered to her. She thought about her values, what kind of environment she wanted to be in, and what kind of role would allow her to keep growing. That clarity helped her recognize the opportunity at Bad Habit when it came along.
Bringing Marketing, Operations, and Hospitality Together
Laura’s path to Bad Habit Brewing may seem like a big leap from the outside, but the connection makes sense when you look closer.
She had a background in hospitality from high school and college. She had years of experience in marketing and business operations. She had managed budgets, worked with boards, built teams, coordinated projects, and helped brands communicate more effectively.
At Bad Habit, all of those skills are part of the job.
As Managing Director, Laura helps oversee business operations, sales, marketing, staffing, scheduling, financial details, and the overall direction of the brand. She works with the team on what goes on tap, what new products they are developing, what events are happening, and how the business continues to serve its customers.
It is a role that blends structure and creativity. One day might involve improving a process in QuickBooks. Another might involve brainstorming a new drink, planning an event, or helping shape the customer experience inside the taproom.
That combination is exactly what makes the role exciting. Laura gets to use the business skills she has built over time while also stepping into a space that is creative, community-focused, and full of possibility.
Bad Habit Brewing as a Community Gathering Place
When Bad Habit first opened, the craft beer industry looked very different. Breweries were popping up everywhere, and the excitement around local beer was growing quickly.
Today, the industry has changed. New breweries are not opening at the same pace, and more stories are appearing about breweries closing their doors. In a tougher market, staying relevant requires more than simply brewing good beer.
For Bad Habit, the key has been staying true to its identity as a neighborhood brewery and community gathering place.
The brand may have started with craft beer, but it has grown into something people in St. Joseph feel connected to. It is a place for regulars, families, groups of friends, celebrations, casual nights out, events, and people looking for something local and welcoming.
That community-first approach helps Bad Habit stand out. Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, the team focuses on what they do best: creating a place where people want to gather.
Staying Creative in a Changing Craft Beverage Industry
One of the biggest strengths of Bad Habit Brewing is its willingness to adapt.
While beer is still at the center of the business, the team understands that customer tastes change. Not everyone is looking for a heavy IPA. Some people want lighter beer, seltzers, mules, THC beverages, margarita-inspired drinks, slushies, or something fun and seasonal.
Bad Habit has embraced that variety while still staying true to its standards. The team focuses on high-quality ingredients, small-batch production, in-house brewing, and creative flavor development. Many ideas come from the staff, beer tenders, leadership team, and even customers.
That listening matters.
Laura shared that the team pays close attention to what people are saying, what they are buying, and what they are excited about. If a product gets enough love, it may earn a label, become available for off-sale, or return as a taproom favorite.
That is smart brand growth. It is not innovation for the sake of innovation. It is listening, testing, learning, and building around what customers genuinely enjoy.
Why Brand Experience Matters
Bad Habit Brewing has always had a memorable look and feel. From the logo to the beer labels to the personality behind the product names, the brand has developed an identity people recognize.
That matters in a crowded market.
A strong visual brand helps customers remember you. A strong verbal brand helps people feel connected to you. A strong customer experience helps them come back.
For Bad Habit, the brand shows up in more than the design. It shows up in the cleanliness of the taproom, the quality of the drinks, the friendliness of the staff, the creativity of the menu, and the feeling people get when they walk through the door.
Moxie Creative has also had a long history with Bad Habit’s brand. The team helped create the original brand identity years ago, and now, through Laura’s new role, that creative partnership has come full circle. Together, Moxie and Bad Habit are continuing to build on a brand that already has strong roots in the community.
A Creative Partnership That Came Full Circle
Laura’s relationship with Moxie started before Bad Habit. In a previous role, she had worked with a few different agencies and knew how important the right fit could be.
What made Moxie work was the collaboration. Laura had the ideas, audience insight, and understanding of what had already been tried. Moxie was able to listen, help sort through the challenges, and bring the creative support needed to move those ideas forward through video, social, strategy, and design.
Now, that connection has come full circle. Moxie helped create Bad Habit’s original brand years ago, and Mo played a big role in shaping the look and feel people recognize today. With Laura stepping into her role, the team is back helping with new labels and creative support for a brand that has always had a strong personality.
Protecting Your Peace While Building a Career
Laura’s career shift also brought an important reminder for professionals and business leaders: protecting your peace matters.
That starts with boundaries, clear expectations, and honest communication. It also means knowing yourself well enough to understand how you do your best work.
For Laura, some of her best thinking happens away from the desk. A walk outside can help her sort through ideas, solve problems, and return with a clearer plan. That kind of self-awareness helps her lead better and create a healthier environment for her team.
It also shapes how she manages others. She wants to know what matters to her team, what motivates them, and how she can support them so they enjoy coming to work.
That is leadership rooted in service. Whether you are managing a brewery, an agency, a nonprofit, or a small business, people-first leadership creates stronger teams and stronger brands.
What’s Next for Bad Habit Brewing?
Looking ahead, Laura is excited about continuing to improve the behind-the-scenes systems that help the business run smoothly while also making room for creativity, innovation, and community connection.
Bad Habit Brewing will continue to evolve with the industry while staying grounded in its core values. That clarity is what helps the team decide what to prioritize, what to create, and how to serve the people who walk through their doors.
At the center of it all is community.
The beer matters. The brand matters. The events, labels, tap list, and creative drinks all matter. But what makes Bad Habit special is the way people feel connected to the place.
And as Laura steps into this new chapter, she is helping carry that forward with fresh energy, thoughtful leadership, and a deep understanding of what makes a brand last.
Tune In and Get Inspired
Laura’s story is a reminder that the right fit can change everything. For your career, your team, your brand, and your business, alignment matters.
When you know what you value, listen to your customers, support your team, and stay open to what is next, growth becomes more intentional.
Listen to the full episode of Behind the Brand to hear more from Laura Hartog of Bad Habit Brewing and learn how career alignment, creative partnerships, and community-focused branding all come together behind the brand.
