After close to seven years as a firefighter, Troy Nelson started thinking seriously about what his next chapter needed to look like. With two young daughters at home and a wife who wanted him home more often, he began looking for a business that could give him a long-term path without starting completely from scratch. His background in firefighting, construction project management and liquor store operations eventually led him to The Brass Tap in Colorado Springs.

Nelson had considered opening an independent bar, but The Brass Tap offered the support, structure and mentorship he wanted as a first-time business owner. Now, he is focused on rebuilding the Colorado Springs location as a true neighborhood bar — a place where regulars feel known, families feel connected and the business can give back to the community around it.

Nelson sat down with 1851 Franchise to discuss his transition from firefighting into franchising and his plans to rebuild The Brass Tap as a neighborhood gathering place. Here’s what he had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Troy Nelson: I am a family man. Everything I do is for my daughters. I have a three‑year‑old daughter named Willow and an eight‑month, about to be nine‑month, daughter named Oaklee.  And of course I have my wife, Katie. We’re going to be celebrating five years married, seven years together, coming in November. Everything about this is to make our lives better so I’m trying to make this place successful.

I was a firefighter for years. You can see the awful stuff that really happens day to day that nobody sees. Sometimes, when you go to a bar, you need to come to decompress, and we want to make it a cheers to that. 

My wife’s a first‑grade teacher. We’re very much into the community. We help out with the Ronald McDonald House and we’re going to be trying to do a lot more. It’s a very soft spot for single moms, and that’s something I want to help with. Especially coming towards the fall, we’re going to start looking at some of the charity side of things and seeing where we can partner with to make a difference in our community. It’s not only me that benefits. It’s we — me, the employees — and then how we benefit the community. That’s always the end game.

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Nelson: Firefighting is what I did for close to seven years. I was in construction for a little bit, and then I ran liquor stores for a while as well. Have you ever gone into a KFC and read the story of Colonel Sanders? By the time he was 60, he had close to 20 to 30 different careers. I never went to college so I always wanted to find my niche. I loved firefighting, but when my wife and I sat down, she said, ‘I would really like you to be home every night.’

I found a different career path and became really good at it, which was project management and design. I became very good at it, to the point where my body was not happy. I wanted to do something different in life.

I met some people and I ran a liquor store, which was fun. I wanted to go and pursue more on my own, and when I was looking around and shopping, The Brass Tap popped up. I didn’t really know much about it, so I went in and learned what it was all about. I immediately knew this was going to be a great place. That’s how we got into the bar life and into The Brass Tap.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Nelson: I think The Brass Tap is one of the greatest gifts ever brought to my family. I thought a franchise would come with all these restrictions or you couldn’t do much and you had to follow every single needle in the haystack or else. With The Brass Tap, all they want you to do is succeed. They are your partner. I have never been more grateful working with people than I have with The Brass Tap. I think I can call them any time of the day or night and they will answer, and the first thing out of their mouth is, “What can we do to help you?”

They are phenomenal. I’m learning so much from them and they don’t let you fail. Every other week we’re doing meetings and IT support. Being a new owner I’m learning so much already. When everything out of their mouth is the standard as a franchise, it’s clearly successful. It’s not a business plan that they shot off once. One of the original owners still works for The Brass Tap. I call him weekly and he’s like a mentor to me.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Nelson: I looked at a couple different bars and restaurants throughout Colorado Springs, but Brass Tap just kept calling me. When you do a deep dive into The Brass Tap, it’s pretty impressive. I was going to go on my own. There was a bar and restaurant six minutes from my house and I was talking pretty exclusively with them. Then The Brass Tap popped up. If you ever believe in miracles, this was it. 

It’s not as big a restaurant as what I was looking at, so it’s easier to pack it, it’s easier to get to know people as your regulars. I always wanted to go on my own and run my own bar, but now I don’t think I could ever leave The Brass Tap.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Nelson: There’s a lot we have planned to do already. Really, it’s about bringing people back to us and building a base of regulars. Five years down the road, I’d love to own another one, but right now I need to rebuild. The whole goal right now is to build The Brass Tap in Colorado. I want to bring this back to the community. That’s year one.

In the next couple of years, as I’m building off that, I want to make sure everyone comes around and they still see my wife and me. We’re not those owners you see for two weeks and then never see again. The goal is to be there and they can always say hi to us. We get to know them. We develop friendships and good bonds. If they have a frustration or something, they’re coming right to us. We’re not filtering it through a large chain if we can just solve it there. 

We also updated a lot of the place to more of a sports‑bar vibe. Ninety percent of it inside is actually signed memorabilia. We installed a 155‑inch TV to make sure it brings people in. We want to make it an attraction and make it where people want to come. We want to make the neighborhood bar vibe for sure, but we also want to be a destination.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Nelson: I’m just excited and ready to hit the ground running and rebuild the bar back to where it needs to be.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Nelson: Take a step back. When you look at this and take that step back, which route do you want to go? I always recommend going the franchise route. You learn so much. I’m 27 years old, going to be 28 in August, and I don’t know everything. When you get to sit down and learn about stuff and learn history, it takes a lot of hiccups away.

Being a business owner is the hardest, most rewarding sacrifice next to having a kid. I’m making sacrifices some nights, missing my kids’ bedtime. Down the road, we can rework things where I can have people in the building that are trusted so I can make sure I’m home here and there.

You have to understand that it is hard. It’s not, “I can own a bar, I know how to make cocktails, pour, and serve food.” There’s so much more. But it is very rewarding.

ABOUT THE BRASS TAP:

The Brass Tap is a Tampa-based American tavern and entertainment venue known for its extensive local and regional brewery offerings, specialty cocktails and premium wines paired perfectly with a select menu of upscale shareables. Every location provides a unique space for social gatherings and entertainment, with an unparalleled atmosphere created through live music, trivia, sports, exclusive beer tastings and tap takeovers. For more than 10 years, The Brass Tap has offered franchise opportunities to qualified operators, continuing to grow its family of 50+ bars in 16 states. For more information, visit http://thebrasstapfranchise.com/.