Gold Coast Women of the Year: How Burleigh Brewing Co CEO Peta Fielding built a craft beer empire

Peta Fielding was never quite sure what she wanted to be when she ‘grew up,’ but thought it might involve heels and briefcase. Instead, she runs a craft beer empire.

Burleigh Brewing owner Peta Fielding at her factory. Picture Glenn Hampson

BURLEIGH Brewing CEO, Director and Gold Coast Business leader Peta Fielding was never quite sure what she wanted to be when she ‘grew up,’ but she thought it might involve heels and briefcase.

“I always wanted to create a business, make something, but I couldn't articulate that from a young age,” she said.

“To me it seemed everyone who lead something or made something carried a briefcase and wore heels so that's what I wanted to do.”

“Now I don’t do any of that, but I am where I want to be,” she laughed.

As a Gold Coast Women of the year Nominee, for the entrepreneur category Peta has a reputation as a go getter behind some of the city’s biggest events.

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Burleigh Brewing owner Peta Fielding at her factory. Picture Glenn Hampson

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She had served as a board member of Gold Coast for the Commonwealth Games, as the Chair of the Craft Beer Industry Association, as Director of the Bond University Council and Bleached arts limited.

All the while building a craft beer business from the ground up alongside her husband.

Despite all of this, she said her biggest challenge of all was getting Queenslanders to drink free beer.

“You wouldn’t know it looking today, but the craft beer market was close to non-existent when we started in 2006.

“One of the biggest challenges was actually getting people to try craft beer to begin with.

“There were Friday nights we spent hosting tastings, I would ring my husband and say has anyone tried it yet?”

“Who thought it would have been so hard to give away free beer?

“We took it one tastebud at time.”

For Ms Feilding who has always embraced being busy, and taken many risks for business it was advice from her father that had always steered her right.

“He said there aren’t any wrong decisions, you just make a choice and run like hell to make sure it is the right one.”

Nominations for the Harvey Norman Gold Coast Women of the Year award close midday tomorrow.

Be sure to nominate an inspiring Gold Coast Woman here.