The digital pivot that helped Good Robot Brewing Company keep growing

The digital pivot that helped Good Robot Brewing Company keep growing

A Digital Nova Scotia Success Story

For many small businesses, the hardest investments aren't the obvious ones.They're the ones whose value can't be measured right away.Marketing.Digital advertising.Customer acquisition.Owners know they matter. But when budgets are tight, payroll comes first, equipment needs replacing and growth can end up waiting."I think in Atlantic Canada, small businesses... marketing and other things that are perhaps a little more nebulous and a little less tangible often get under-invested in because the return is difficult to understand," said Joshua Counsil, co-founder ofGood Robot Brewing Company.Few businesses understand that balancing act better than Good Robot.At the start of 2020, the Halifax brewery was thriving.Then, almost overnight, everything changed."We went from a $2.5 million company with 20 employees to no revenue and no employees overnight during COVID."Like thousands of tourism businesses across Canada, Good Robot suddenly had to rethink how it reached customers. The team pivoted quickly, finding new ways to bring its products directly to consumers."We switched to e-commerce, we bought our first canning machine and retail revenue tripled."But selling beer online required more than simply launching an online store.It required learning how to find customers in an entirely new way.That's when Good Robot turned toDigital Nova Scotia'sTourism Digital Assistance Program (TDAP). Delivered in partnership withTourism Nova Scotia since 2020, the program helps eligible tourism businesses strengthen their digital presence by providing grants of up to $5,000 to work with experienced Nova Scotia-based digital consultants. Its companion program, TDAP-Communities, supports municipalities and tourism organizations in promoting their destinations online. Together, the two initiatives have supported 988 tourism businesses, organizations and communities across Nova Scotia.

Permission to experiment

One of Good Robot's first TDAP projects paired the brewery with Halifax digital marketing consultantCaley Dimmock, a Digital Nova Scotia member who specializes in paid advertising, e-commerce growth and digital strategy. Together, they strengthened Good Robot's Meta advertising strategy and improved its return on ad spend. "TDAP came through with money we couldn't afford at the time to spend," Counsil said."What something like TDAP enables is the ability to take a more measured jump," he said. "I want to dip my toe in the water. I want to manage a small experiment before fully understanding what the value is."That challenge isn't unique to Good Robot. As more travellers discover and plan experiences online, Destination Canada has identified digital marketing and digital tools as increasingly important to helping tourism businesses stay competitive.

A strategy for growth

What began as one TDAP project soon became part of Good Robot's broader approach to digital marketing.The brewery has successfully participated in TDAP year after year, using the program to support different digital initiatives while continuing to invest in its overall marketing strategy.During that time, Good Robot has continued to grow—opening the Commons Beer Garden, expanding production with its Elmsdale brewing facility and becoming one of Nova Scotia's best-known craft breweries.While that growth has come from years of hard work, innovation and smart business decisions, Counsil says continuing to invest in digital has remained an important part of the company's success."You know, we've been in a strong growth mode in not only a challenging market but a challenging time," he said. "Having access to a grant that enables us to grow a side of the business that's had a very turbulent five years has been very much appreciated."Five years after first turning to TDAP, Good Robot continues to invest in digital as part of its broader growth strategy. For Counsil, that's the value of programs like this—not simply helping businesses navigate uncertainty, but giving them the confidence to invest in what comes next.