by Sarah Anderson | photography by Two Eagles Marcus

Cailin Kelley and Vince Lambert are one half of the business partnership that makes up Creston Brewery. The couple is in business with another twosome, Molly Bouwsma Schultz, one of Cailin’s best friends from college, and her husband Scott Schultz.

Cailin and Vince met in 2009 in the Peace Corps. They attribute their experience as part of what got them ready for entrepreneurship. They described the “gritty and resourceful” way of life in which they met as the building blocks for the way they handle things now. They are able to make do with whatever they have and make it work. They got engaged in Europe and moved back to Michigan to start their lives.

When Molly mentioned that she and Scott were planning to leave their work at another brewery to start their own but needed some business help, Cailin referred them to her husband, a finance manager by trade.

“I realized that he needed a business partner, not a consultant,” Vince explained.

Both the couples decided then to go in on the brewery together.

“I’m the business finance/admin leader, Scott is brewery and production and Cailin and Molly take care of the community organizing part, which is a huge part of our business — the aesthetics, the social organizing side,” Vince said.

A month after opening, Cailin and Vince welcomed another venture into their life, this time as parents to their daughter. They laugh about it and refer to the time as having twins, one being the baby and the other the business. While it is a challenge, they are so grateful and happy to have all of this in their lives at once.

Vince recalls reading that in order to be an entrepreneur, you must be somewhat naive and confident.

“This is our path, so we might as well move forward,” Cailin explained.

Forward motion is the theme for this couple, who won’t be stopping anytime soon. Creston Brewery plans to expand to a second level for events, and Cailin intends to open up a coffee shop right down the street from the brewery.

[one_third][/one_third][two_third_last]Sarah shuffles between editorial support, content production and advertising at WLM. She loves her job so much, and isn't just saying that to impress her boss.[/two_third_last]