BOTB #01 - Why Coffee?

"Why coffee?"
"Isn't it a super-saturated space?"
"How are you going to compete against all the sales?"

Those are the questions we've been fielding since the inception of this coffee venture. We've learned so much along the way - from incorporating a business, to trademarking a brand. We've celebrated some awesome wins along the way, and hit some really nasty snags. And we thought to ourselves - why not share this experience? 

Let's get something out of the way - this isn't content built to feed a search algorithm. AI can't tell this story for us. This voice is our voice - us sharing our experiences. We don't have a defined objective in mind here. This isn't a roundabout way to convert readers to customers. Whether you love our brand/coffee and choose to support us is entirely up to you. We're just here to tell a story...and answer the questions being asked by those in our social circle.

Initially, the thought was to release content in chronological order, but let's face it, that's a level of investment we can't commit to. As much as we want to share our experiences, we're also busy trying to build a business and bring great coffee to the masses! So the story won't be told in order, but rather, based on the level of interest in specific topics. For example, "How/why did you incorporate your business the way that you did?" is a far more commonly asked than, "Why did you go with that shade of orange?". Sure, if our audience cares about the CMYK details of our specific shade of orange, happy to shed some light on that one. There's no preset script. There's no restrictions. Just stories.

In that vein, it feels appropriate to knock the first topic off the list. "Why coffee?"

Simple answer - because Ryan and Adam love coffee. "Love" is a subjective word.

Adam loves coffee, and spends his time trying new bags from a variety of roasters; meticulously dialing in each new coffee into his espresso machine. At the time of writing this segment, he's tinkering around to make his perfect long black.

Ryan also loves coffee. He aspires to own a La Marzocco. He finds it therapeutic to break out his V60 every morning. And he has a strange obsession over filming his espresso pulls (...might have missed his calling as a content creator).

But most importantly, both Adam and Ryan shared very similar coffee journeys. Simply put - it's a scary world out there. Breaking out in cold sweat or refusing eye contact when asked, "What kind of coffee do you like?" Fear of judgment is a real thing! Is it wrong to tell a coffee connoisseur that you enjoy a "traditional" dark roasted espresso? Is it ok to admit that you can't taste that "90% cocoa" in the $20 cup of coffee you just ordered? And how is that "90% cocoa" different from the "dark chocolate" tasting note from the other bag of coffee you bought?

For co-founders Ryan and Adam, this is exactly the shared experience that motivated them to start Stim Coffee Co. A simple plan to break down barriers, making it easy and approachable to segue into the world of specialty coffee.  

Yes, it's highly-competitive. Yes, it's highly promotional. But Stim Coffee is equal parts business venture and storytelling. If the outcome of joining us on this journey is getting you one step closer to appreciating coffee; we're glad we could be a part of that. If you love our coffee and choose to drink it - even better - and we thank you for the support. 

Bottom line - let's get out there, have some fun, learn a few things, and most importantly - roast some great coffee that we can share with all of you. Looking forward to sharing more in our next entry.