Harvest to Pour: Business of Beverages

Ross Street Roasting with Brian Gumm: Build and Scale: Focus on Growth, Not the Grind.

Episode Summary

In this episode, we talk with Brian Gum, founder and owner of Ross Street Roasting, a specialty coffee roasting business based in Iowa. Brian discusses how he started Ross Street Roasting as a hobby and side business before growing it into a successful independent operation over nine years. He shares insights into sourcing high-quality coffee beans through close relationships with producers, uniquely roasting each coffee to develop distinctive blends, and engaging customers through e-commerce and loyalty programs. Brian also explores the challenges of scaling operations, commercial sales, and managing a growing business while physically distancing from day-to-day operations. The interview provides lessons for coffee entrepreneurs on building a specialty coffee brand from the ground up.

Episode Notes

Key Insights:

• Hire professionals like an accountant early on to handle finances rather than trying to do it yourself.  
• Develop close relationships with suppliers for high-quality, unique coffee sourcing.
• Meet customers where they are by offering a variety of roast styles and blends.  
• Use loyalty programs and subscriptions to incentivize repeat direct-to-consumer sales.
• Physical location can necessitate an e-commerce focus from the beginning.  
• Distancing from daily operations allows focus on scaling through commercial sales and business growth.
• Transparent, regular communication is important for remote management success.
• Appreciate the full spectrum of coffee quality through different experiences.

Brian Gumm

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Ross Street Roasting

Promotion:  Use  "Nicaragua 20 off" for listeners to get 20% off the single-origin Nicaraguan coffee from the website.

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