Brew Moon Founder Shares Secrets

Elliot J. Feiner, the brains behind the beer at Brew Moon brew pub and co-founder of the Boston Chicken fast-food chain, spoke about his entrepreneurial expertise to an attentive audience of about 25 in Emerson Hall last night.

Feiner, who was invited to speak by the Harvard Entrepreneurs Club, kept the audience engaged as he expressed his views on effective entrepreneurship and shared details of his business and personal experiences.

Standing in front of the lectern, with his shirtsleeves rolled up and one hand in his pocket, Feiner conducted a wry question and answer session throughout his address.

He started his talk by asking the audience to complete the phrase: "Entrepreneurship is...."

Reena N. Rupani, '99, one of only three female members in about a 100-member club, was the first to respond: "Taking initiative."

Students asked Feiner about his work experience as well as his ability to work seventy-plus hours per week and be a good father and husband.

"There are a lot of hours in a day--there really are," Feiner said. "Use 'em."

Feiner spoke to the audience about various strategies for making two extra hours in the day: throw away the sports section of the newspaper before reading it and never discuss, think, or read about sports.

"People always talk and say, 'The Celtics did this, I wonder whether the Bruins are going to do this.' It's a waste of time," he said.

On the business front, Feiner said it is important to transfer the entrepreneurial mentality to all members of an enterprise.

Brew Moon does this by providing all of its staff, down to part-time custodians, with stock options, according to Feiner.

"Owners make better decisions than employees," he said.

Many members of the Entrepreneurs Club said they are impressed by Feiner's success.

"This guy just knows his stuff so well," said Thomas Y. Wu, '98, head of the club's seminars committee. "As he said, he's got everything planned out."

In 1984, Feiner founded Boston Chicken.

He cornered what is now dubbed the "home meal replacement market" which meets the needs of the two- wage earner family which has money to spend on food and wants something fast and simple to take home, according to Feiner.

Boston Chicken is designed to provide an alternative to greasy fries and burgers, according to Feiner.

"[It is] something you can take home and put on china," he said.

Boston Chicken now has 1,200 stores in the United States, with plans to open 600 in China in the next few years.

After a brief retirement, Feiner said he was bored; when he found himself "reading the sports section," Brew Moon was born.

Brew Moon aims for a different niche of the industry than the typical brew pub, and has made food the main attraction, Feiner said

He cornered what is now dubbed the "home meal replacement market" which meets the needs of the two- wage earner family which has money to spend on food and wants something fast and simple to take home, according to Feiner.

Boston Chicken is designed to provide an alternative to greasy fries and burgers, according to Feiner.

"[It is] something you can take home and put on china," he said.

Boston Chicken now has 1,200 stores in the United States, with plans to open 600 in China in the next few years.

After a brief retirement, Feiner said he was bored; when he found himself "reading the sports section," Brew Moon was born.

Brew Moon aims for a different niche of the industry than the typical brew pub, and has made food the main attraction, Feiner said