Allan Branch is a third generation entrepreneur in Panama City, Florida. He grew up working at his family’s car washes. Inspired by his Dad, who operated and grew the family business, and his Mom, who was committed to homeschooling five kids—at the heart of what he does, he atttributes to everything he learned from his parents.

Allan’s day job is building software companies. He and his wife have been buying real estate in Historic Downtown Panama City since 2016. Now they own brewpubs, History Class Brewing Company and El Weirdo—TacoPub. He attributes the vitality and success of his businesses to the teams operating them.

He gains many of his ideas by studying other towns and by surrounding himself in conversation with other entrepreneurs. He states “I ask lots of dumb questions to smart people. I’m mentored by people who have wisdom and grace, maybe that’ll rub off on me. I feel like I’m the luckiest guy in the world, fumbling my way through life, trying to help build up the same community that supported my family’s businesses since the 1940s.”

Call him stubborn, curious, and relentless, but please do not call him a real estate developer.