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Roast! - Chad Bell, Achilles Coffee Roasters · Coffee People Podcast

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Like, hey everyone, if you like the roast West Coast coffee
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To, I like beer, the podcast.com Hey, good morning everyone.
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Welcome to season 4 episode. 16 of the roast West Coast coffee
0:52
podcast. I'm Ryan Walton.
0:55
This is the show where I bring you the stories of coffee
0:57
professionals entrepreneurship and coffee education.
1:01
We've got a great show today and we're going to talk about Greek
1:04
mythology, in Greek myth. Achilles was the hero of the
1:09
War. He was the greatest of all the
1:11
Greek warriors and he's the central character of Homer's
1:14
epic. The Iliad Achilles is also the
1:16
name. Chad Bell.
1:17
And his wife chose for their son, who became the namesake of
1:21
his business Achilles Coffee Roasters.
1:23
Which is based in near downtown, San Diego, I'd like to note for
1:28
the record that even though I looked up the word namesake in
1:30
the dictionary, before recording this show, I'm still not sure
1:34
that I used it correctly. If there are any wordsmiths
1:37
listening, please give me me a shout at roast West Coast on
1:41
Instagram to let me know or had to roast westcoast.com to read
1:45
the definition for yourself, courtesy of Merriam-Webster.
1:49
And while you're there, sign up for this shows newsletter and
1:51
I'll send you this podcast every single week.
1:55
Achilles Coffee Roasters, has opened for regional locations,
1:58
over the past seven years and there is at least one, if not
2:02
two on the way in 2022, despite the rapid growth Chad, didn't
2:07
start out as a coffee guy, but he is someone who seems to
2:11
thrive when there is, at least a little bit of chaos around him.
2:14
When we chatted a few weeks ago, he was sitting outside on a
2:17
patio on a sunny morning, I could hear birds and airplanes
2:20
through the video feed and Chad himself was very focused, very
2:24
intent on Engaging in conversation, even through our
2:28
video chat, he had a commanding presence.
2:30
And for the moment at the beginning, I felt a little
2:33
intimidated. Then we started talking and I
2:36
kept finding myself thinking. Well, this is interesting and
2:41
wanting to know more. So I hope that you feel the same
2:44
way and enjoy this interview. That's your warning that we're
2:47
about to get started. So double check that your coffee
2:50
cup is full. I'm drinking a batch brew from
2:52
vigilante Coffee. Roasters there are new Each
2:55
coffee roaster in Oceanside California.
2:57
It's big and open in the service.
2:59
This morning was quite lovely. There is an original location
3:02
back on the East Coast, but this show is called roast West Coast.
3:06
So we're not going to get into that right now.
3:09
Okay. I've given you a minute, is your
3:11
coffee mug? Full, good.
3:14
I'm glad because it is time for this interview with Chad, Bell
3:18
of Achilles Coffee, Roasters on the roast, West Coast coffee
3:22
podcast. Coincidentally had a job in
3:36
college, where I managed like the AV for presentations.
3:40
So I had just enough to be dangerous and make it sound a
3:43
little bit better than your normal podcast in the closet,
3:47
which is what this is. So welcome to the roast West
3:49
Coast coffee podcast. I appreciate you being here.
3:51
Thanks. I was hoping just for our tape
3:54
here and to let everyone know if you could let us know your name.
3:57
Mm and what your business is your job title, okay?
4:00
Well Chad Bell founder of Achilles Coffee Roasters, my job
4:06
title HR. C Mo maintenance coffee,
4:12
roasting sourcing, geez, whatever construction
4:16
management. What else have I done today?
4:20
Interviewing, I mean you name it.
4:22
I wish I would be be simple if I had one title in one Focus.
4:26
But That would probably get boring.
4:29
So that's that's my job title. Basically, everything that
4:34
doesn't get done. Is on my plate?
4:37
Yeah, I would imagine that if I asked you for a list of things
4:40
that you need to fix this week, you'd be able to come up with a
4:43
few right off the top of your head.
4:45
Yeah, yeah. I have a running list on my
4:47
phone and some of these have been on there for months and,
4:50
you know, just sometimes things don't ever get done and
4:53
sometimes they do so that list never ends it.
4:57
The the beauty of being an entrepreneur with your own
5:00
business, where everything comes like the you are the last person
5:03
in that line of defense. Yeah, I mean I honestly I
5:07
wouldn't have it any other way. I mean that's I do this because
5:09
of all of that comes with it. Are you a person that thrives on
5:14
the stress of hospitality and then thrust the excuse me, the
5:17
stress of business building then well yeah, stress or just the
5:22
challenge, I mean Psych the uncertainty like I have?
5:26
No. Deal?
5:27
What tomorrow is going to be like I mean I have a you know a
5:31
relatively good idea now. All right.
5:33
But I don't something will always come up and I think
5:36
that's what I thrive off of its, you know, it's a double-edged
5:40
sword, but I think that's what I thrive off the most.
5:43
I mean, it's just the constant challenges creating solutions to
5:47
challenges two things that I can't even see coming.
5:50
Like I have no idea, but they're going to come.
5:54
And I'm going to have to find a solution to those.
5:56
And I'm going to have to work through.
5:57
Through them. And that like, I love you.
6:01
Here's a question and I normally wouldn't get to something like
6:03
this till later, but we're already kind of just jumping
6:05
ahead and I'll backtrack in a minute to get some backstory.
6:08
But what advice would you give to somebody who is starting
6:11
their own business? About the need to be able to
6:15
multitask or be flexible? She's, I mean, I don't even
6:19
about the need to multitask. I mean II, don't think when
6:23
you're new, and you've never done this before.
6:27
Entrepreneurship running a business.
6:29
You have no clue. You just have no clue.
6:32
I had no clue. The ability to be able to manage
6:37
10 to 15 balls in the air and juggle that in, not letting them
6:43
hit the floor, right? I mean that is probably in my
6:48
experience that that, and that's where I'm very good.
6:52
You know. We all have our strengths and
6:54
weaknesses. I'm very good at juggling 15 or
6:56
20 things. He's at once and keeping that
6:59
kind of sorted in my mind and compartmentalizing them and
7:04
prioritizing and staying focused at the same time.
7:08
And for, you know, someone's listening, I'm I'm seeing you
7:12
kind of moving your hands around and I can actually see what
7:14
you're talking about in my head as things get moved up and down
7:18
that priorities list on a date depending on what's happening
7:21
right now. Yep.
7:23
I'm already thinking back to an old movie called hackers where
7:25
they were going through a computer.
7:27
You're in trying to show that. And what about you?
7:30
I mean, did you have a first experience with coffee that made
7:33
you think? Yeah, this is interesting.
7:35
This is something that I want to learn a little bit more about or
7:38
be part of my life before the businesses came along.
7:41
Yeah. I did early 90s.
7:45
So little back story I was into drugs.
7:49
I got into drugs really heavy in my 20s and in one of my attempts
7:54
to get clean I was hanging out with some other people.
7:57
Or trying to get clean and what we did is we hung out and drank
8:00
coffee and that was my first exposure to actually real
8:04
coffee. So there, I was in, I grew up in
8:07
Columbus Ohio, so that's where I was out of time and there was a
8:10
coffee roaster, their staffs coffee and he had on offering.
8:16
I can't remember to me, it seemed like 15 or 20 offerings
8:20
and may have been less than that.
8:21
So we would be able to go and choose our Tanzania peaberry
8:26
Jamaican Blue Mountain. You know, I can't even remember
8:29
Costa Rican, Guatemala. I'm sure.
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And we would grind it. We'd hang out.
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Grind it and make press pot of coffee and drink it.
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And that was my first exposure to like drinking actually
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drinking enjoying coffee, you know, talking about where it
8:44
came from talking about what we were tasting and that's where it
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all started. I had no clue that, you know,
8:51
fast forward where I mean, geez, 25 years that I would be
8:56
roasting coffee. She and, you know, basically
9:00
running what stops was times 5, right?
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Because there was only one stops and that's kind of how I got
9:05
started well in between that time in Columbus and now you're
9:10
in San Diego. I think if I did my research
9:13
reg, you were in San Francisco for a while, what brought you
9:15
out to the West Coast and what were you doing out here?
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I mean, I had I had family out here, so I had come when I was a
9:23
kid, right, 12 from Ohio, to California was like, this is
9:28
Disneyland. This is where this is where I
9:31
want to live. So, shortly after high school, I
9:34
ended up going to San Francisco and my travels to California
9:37
that was my favorite San Francisco was.
9:40
My favorite place is probably the furthest thing from Columbus
9:42
Ohio, and that's why I loved it so much.
9:45
So I ended up in, I ended up in San Francisco.
9:47
There was probably It was the last time it was probably a
9:51
drug-fueled cross-country binge that we ended up there and then
9:55
I never left and I was there for 15 years.
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What were you doing up there before Achilles Well, it started
10:03
in college driving a taxi. I drove cab for like five years
10:06
while I was in college, you know.
10:08
That was a lot of fun. A lot of good stories there.
10:11
I then went from driving Cab College to, I got teaching
10:17
credential and taught high school for about a year and a
10:19
half, did that? And then realized this isn't for
10:23
me, I mean, I love teaching and working with kids is great, but
10:26
I just knew long term. That was not going to be a good
10:29
fit for me. So I left and went to business
10:32
school with the what I wanted to do and the whole goal was, I
10:36
wanted to start web based instructional for language, I
10:40
taught language. So my idea was like there wasn't
10:43
anything at the time and we were still using some textbooks.
10:45
I mean, this was 2005, so not too long ago, right?
10:49
And anyway, so that was my plan. And then I went to business
10:52
school and got into started doing some web development and
10:55
web design and that took off, and I never got to the web based
10:59
instructional company that I wanted to build.
11:02
Ice basically saw was a behemoth that I just at the time was not
11:05
equipped to take on and then started a company building
11:09
websites and I did that until I moved to San Diego, seven years
11:15
ago and we moved down here. I moved on with my wife, my son
11:19
was 6 months old at the time and that's really where the idea of
11:22
course, I got the coffee started getting into coffee.
11:24
I was so used in San Francisco to having.
11:27
I mean there was coffee everywhere, so it was good
11:29
coffee as bad coffee, but there was coffee.
11:32
We wear and we move down town de Cortes Hill, seven years ago.
11:37
And I mean compared to what I was used, there was nothing
11:41
here. I mean I think the only thing
11:43
downtown was for specialty coffee.
11:46
I think there was a the coffee and tea Collective I think was
11:50
on Ninth now, modern times has moved in there, that was the
11:54
only place that there was good coffee at the time and that was
11:57
a long walk from where I was living.
11:59
So, In it, I was searching for coffee.
12:02
I wanted a drip. Like I wanted a V60 drip I was a
12:06
can is it should it be? Is it really this hard to find a
12:09
drip coffee? I'm in downtown San Francisco
12:11
and what I found in my search was a coffee cart for sale.
12:16
Roast coach Coffey was for sale. I found it on a Biz been, which
12:21
is a Business website and long story short.
12:25
I ended up purchasing Rose coach and let's catapulted me into the
12:30
coffee. As I was still running the web
12:31
design business and the coffee card at the same time, kind of
12:35
transitioning out of the web design business and really
12:38
wanting to get into the coffee. It took a while, but and then
12:41
eventually, I was able to transition to a retail location
12:45
and the cause of I end up selling the coffee cart to a
12:49
barista who had been running it for me for about a year and it's
12:52
still there. It's she's still running.
12:54
Shelly still running. Rose coach at 6 then J over in
12:58
front of meze and Then, you know, I opened the first
13:03
location in Cortez Hill, which was two blocks from where I had
13:06
been living. And that's why I knew this.
13:08
I had been scouting this location for a long time.
13:11
It came available, we moved in and that was my that was my
13:16
first kind of coffee shop. How big of a transition was it
13:20
for? You have coming from a tech
13:22
background and a cat background to jump into Hospitality.
13:26
I mean, that's I think the taxicab almost to me would just
13:30
from the outside would have more applicable skills just from a
13:33
personality standpoint and a communicating with strangers but
13:36
how big of a jump was that for you and what were there?
13:39
Any surprises kind of along the way in those first couple of
13:42
years. I it wasn't it didn't feel like
13:44
a big jump. It was actually a welcome jump.
13:47
It was very the running though. Web design development business
13:51
Project based was extremely stressful.
13:54
It was, you know, feast or famine.
13:57
It just I was not suited for that and it was a much easier.
14:00
Transition getting into Hospitality food and beverage,
14:04
you know, I grew up working in kitchens and front and back of
14:07
the house. So I had experience, obviously
14:09
not running one but I had experienced now running a
14:12
business and then I did have food and beverage experience, so
14:15
it was actually a much more natural fit for me than running.
14:19
The design and development company.
14:21
Sure. And I think people I mean it's
14:23
nice to give people something they already want and you're
14:26
living in a neighborhood with people that are happy.
14:28
Now, every morning, I'm giving something to happy as opposed to
14:30
dealing with clients that are frustrated because their
14:33
projects not progressing at the. You know, it was I was so glad
14:37
to be out of it and move into this and for all of the stresses
14:42
and challenges and you know, moments I've said I can't do it.
14:46
I Quit like it's still a way better.
14:49
It for me, and I actually, really enjoy it.
14:52
Well, you must enjoy it because you've been expanding pretty
14:55
quickly in the big picture of things.
14:57
But before we get into that, I want to ask you about the name,
15:00
Greek mythology, name and looking at your logo with kind
15:04
of the the head. Try to think of the word, the
15:07
right word for it. That helmet to helmet.
15:10
Greek helmet. Where did the name come from?
15:12
What does it mean? And how does it kind of like
15:14
represent what your brand is? Well, my son, his name is
15:18
Achilles, so he was about six months old, maybe about a year
15:23
old when I took over Rose coach. And then when I finally opened
15:26
the Achilles coffee, the actual retail location, I decided to
15:30
name it after him and that just came from.
15:33
It was my wife's idea, to name him Achilles, and it was just
15:37
her love of Greek mythology. And then idea of strong name,
15:42
that's where it came from and they kind of fits in the whole
15:45
branding, it kind of fits Sin with just my like approach to
15:50
life. I mean I you know it's tend to
15:54
run pretty hard. Consider myself a warrior,
15:56
everything from like doing Ironmans two marathons to just
16:00
my approach to life. It it felt right, you know and
16:05
oh branding has been kind of my vision for kind of how I express
16:10
myself in life and my son. Now he practices and competes in
16:13
Jiu-Jitsu so he's living up to his name.
16:16
And that's kind of where I really want to take the branding
16:20
even further as we continue to grow.
16:23
Sure. Well, and achilles was kind of
16:25
the considered kind of the greatest of all the Greek
16:28
warriors, you know, when you go back into myth, it's definitely
16:32
someone that was looked up to to the point where, if anyone is
16:36
interested in Greek mythology, Achilles was going to be getting
16:39
his own, kind of Odyssey like book, that was never finished by
16:42
Homer back in the day long time ago.
16:46
So you start this company Achilles, you have a name,
16:50
you've got you go from the cart to the retail location.
16:55
One of the things that you guys talked about on your website is
16:58
your goal to trace every dollar that you spend back to the
17:01
farmer and kind of all those middle points in between.
17:04
How did you go about getting started in, in learning that
17:07
sort of sourcing and deciding? That was something that was
17:10
important to you as a company. And how do you go about kind of
17:13
showing that you've been doing that?
17:16
Well, it's interesting. I saw Joe from Cape Horn
17:18
yesterday and that this whole idea came out of my relationship
17:22
with him, when we started working with him particularly as
17:25
our buyer and Cape Horn. And just my, I mean just
17:31
interest in, you know, the in the entire supply chain from
17:36
where we're sourcing coffee, and all of our sourcing to the end
17:40
consumer and communicating with him, and just kind of The
17:46
economics of coffee. And then so it was our goal.
17:50
This started just pre covid and I was going to start some
17:54
sourcing trips with Joe to start meeting Farmers.
17:56
Some of the guys that we purchased from that on the
17:58
farms. I've met, Joe, has brought them
18:01
in and introduce me over the years at least from where we're
18:07
sourcing in Guatemala. El Salvador, Nicaragua Mexico.
18:11
So I wanted to be more involved in that I really wanted to go
18:15
and Visit the farms, and get a better idea of who's growing,
18:20
you know what? We're sourcing and how much
18:22
they're getting paid for it and tracing that.
18:25
Right? Then covid hit.
18:26
And I had to completely refocus, I had to completely refocus.
18:31
So, you know, I was with him yesterday and then I'm like,
18:35
okay, I want to get back on track.
18:36
It was two years, over two years ago.
18:38
Let's get some, you know, sourcing trips together in that
18:42
and then to kind of pivot. During that time I met Carl from
18:47
Cedro Alto. I don't know if you know him or
18:50
not, but he would be. Also he'd be a great guest very
18:54
knowledgeable. I mean he's got a PhD knowledge
18:58
of Economics really with the the the Farmers on the ground and
19:03
co-ops and the economics of it, he was here in San Diego,
19:08
visiting Coffee Roasters. We ended up purchasing who
19:11
coffee from him. You know, he was able to
19:13
introduce us to the The micro Lodge in the farmers, that grow
19:16
the micro Lites and really be transparent with, like, the
19:20
coffee that we purchased came from Edwin.
19:22
Here's how much Edwin is. Take your paying for 54 this
19:25
coffee. Here's how much Edwin's actually
19:27
getting at the end. You know he's getting a dollar,
19:30
you know, 30 or dollar for day. I don't remember exactly the
19:32
numbers were and he was able to really kind of explain.
19:39
I mean there's so many steps between myself and at one that
19:43
everybody's got their hands in. Their its business, right?
19:45
And so, unfortunately, the lowest amounts going to probably
19:49
to the farmer. So, but he was able to kind of
19:52
really explained to me that process and where the money was
19:56
going and and the end how much the farmers actually get
20:00
actually getting, he's written a book to.
20:02
I can't remember off the top of my head, but I'll send you an
20:05
email with his name and contact as he's ready to explore this
20:09
to. I'm not an authority on this.
20:11
I'm really still learning. He is And he has a lot of
20:15
knowledge, he still on the ground in Colombia still working
20:18
with farmers and co-ops to and like his mission.
20:21
Really is to kind of improve, you know, the economics for the
20:24
farmers and how much money, you know, they're actually getting.
20:28
So that's kind of how it started and my goal, you know, the goals
20:33
kind of pivot a little bit but now that maybe we're coming out
20:35
of covid, I'll have some more resources and time to start
20:38
working on that. But, you know, with Jose Health,
20:41
you know, Joe is basically, I can't fly around Around and be
20:45
everywhere, but he does. And he has these relationships
20:48
with the farmer. So he is able to do that in a
20:52
more efficient way than myself, lying around and doing this.
20:55
Although I still want to meet these guys.
20:58
You know I kind of want to do these sourcing trips.
21:00
Plus I like to Surf so it's going to be great to you know,
21:03
be on the ground. And you know Surf and visit
21:06
Farms. Yeah I think Joe is got Joe's
21:09
the only one of all of us. Who's got it figured out he gets
21:12
everyone else to buy coffee from him.
21:14
So I can fly around the world and go to all these great places
21:16
and that. Yeah, that's I mean, I wouldn't
21:19
even have the time. I mean now I know I have two
21:21
kids and, you know, I mean, it would be a luxury to be able to
21:24
tell my wife. Oh, hey, see, I gotta go down.
21:27
I got to go work in, Costa Rica for five days, you know, I'll be
21:30
back, you know? And just, we didn't mention his
21:33
last name at the top of this part of the conversation.
21:36
But Joe bettinger is a coffee. Broker for Cape Horn, coffee
21:39
importers and I'm actually going to be seeing him this afternoon,
21:41
I think, oh yeah, he's in town a year, in San Diego.
21:44
I'm assuming. Yeah, I'm in Carlsbad and he's
21:47
going to be passing by. So we're going to try to try to
21:49
connect somewhere in the middle and you mentioned pivoting about
21:52
two years ago and covid hit, but you as a company have continued
21:55
to grow and expand, you've got four locations, already, you've
21:59
got another location. Coming in, North County, San
22:01
Diego, and the Solana Beach area.
22:03
I believe. How have you kind of navigated
22:05
that growth over the past two years and adapted to this new
22:09
playing field? That covid is presented all of
22:11
us? I mean it really, it's about
22:14
being flexible. I mean, every day like you know,
22:17
I mean that was probably Again, the ability like my strength is
22:24
the ability to juggle but also not panic, right?
22:30
So there wasn't there wasn't a moment at when covid started in
22:36
every I mean every day I didn't know.
22:37
Tomorrow we're going to be able to operate.
22:41
I mean I didn't know, but my strength is the ability to kind
22:45
of operate in that kind of environment High uncertainty,
22:48
who knows what tomorrow is going to.
22:50
Bring. I'm going to have to be
22:51
flexible. I may have to work 15 hours
22:53
tomorrow. I may have to work all night.
22:56
That's my strength. So it really played right into
23:01
my strength. So I mean, it really was just
23:04
every day. What's happening?
23:06
And how are we going to? How am I going to adapt?
23:08
I mean, first thing was cutting Staffing and like streamlining.
23:12
The first thing I realized we had to do, was fortunately, I
23:15
didn't have to let anybody go and covid because most people
23:17
laughed, right? So I didn't have to fight Have
23:20
to let anybody go, we never closed.
23:22
So, I kept a core of Baristas with us, that kept us, you know,
23:28
operating. And that was just a lot of being
23:30
there every single day and laying no.
23:33
Hey, like we'll get through this.
23:35
I appreciate you being here but like, let's let's do it.
23:38
And, you know, we just ate was in a way I look back it really
23:43
helped us streamline. I got rid of a lot of fluff and
23:46
a lot of things that weren't core to our business and now
23:50
Now, at the end of that, what I've been able to distill is, I
23:54
found the core of our business in and in the strategy.
23:58
Now, moving forward is a focus on our Baristas, our team and
24:04
building really good team painting.
24:07
Baristas really well evaluation training.
24:12
The core of what we're going to do.
24:14
As we grow is really dependent on our team and it really is
24:18
that Barista behind the bar. And that is where our Focus has.
24:23
You know, before it was just so all over the place.
24:25
I mean we were selling kombucha and like I mean I don't even,
24:29
you know, no. Like and it really got to still
24:33
because all that went away. We really got our focus on.
24:36
We sell coffee, that's what we do.
24:38
And food, breakfast, food, and then I, you know, if really came
24:42
to, you know, ahead of like, wow, what is really the most
24:46
important? Component of our operation and
24:51
it's our Barista and customers. But that customers better served
24:55
by having a really professional Barista.
24:58
That's well-paid and trained and like that's where we come out
25:03
here. Now here we find ourselves, you
25:05
know, and opening a fifth location and that is the real
25:09
Focus. Now as we as we grow What kind
25:12
of training are you giving Baristas?
25:15
I mean, what is that goal? Just to make a good cup of
25:18
coffee to teach them history of coffee.
25:20
What, how is that training program expanded since you've
25:23
made that the focused? Well, we've lengthened it, I
25:26
mean, you know, I learned from a lot of mistakes.
25:29
I, you know, at the very beginning I would hire somebody
25:32
and basically put them by in the bar and just be like, go for it,
25:35
right? Obviously, that doesn't work,
25:37
but you know, when I only have three Baristas in myself, I
25:40
didn't have a training program. So now Now, the training, our
25:43
training lasts almost a month and and not only is it working
25:47
one-on-one with Baristas but giving feedback have an
25:51
evaluation process so Baristas know like okay here's what's
25:55
going to happen this month, you know, and take slowing down and
25:59
taking time and not rushing. Anybody onto the floor and
26:03
giving them a scheduled shift. Until they are not only
26:06
preparing the pore over the way that we want it.
26:09
Put prepared calibrating the espresso But the knowledge of
26:14
our food menu, the knowledge of our coffee menu and the approach
26:18
that we want Bruce to take towards our, to our customers,
26:22
the, the service that they're providing, really taking time to
26:28
craft that. Before somebody, you know,
26:31
starts to work and it starts like this whole Focus has grown
26:35
to like it starts from the resumes that we get in our
26:40
initial contact and phone. Views, and then the interview
26:43
process and the whole hiring process onboarding supports
26:49
training, evaluation follow-up in Pay.
26:51
I mean, now my goal is that we Achilles coffee will be the
26:56
highest paid for Bree says, this will be the highest-paid company
27:00
in San Diego. That's my goal.
27:02
Well, I don't know if we'll get there, but we're really going to
27:04
try and buy that. I'm saying that by the end of
27:08
one year, our Baristas will be make a minimum of twenty dollars
27:11
an hour. Apps more.
27:13
We offer health benefits. Now, we started a Kaiser
27:16
program, paid time off, we're building out our human resources
27:21
department, my wife's coming on to help that.
27:23
So all of this designed to really build our, our team, it
27:30
reminds me of when I was young, I grew up in a restaurant and I
27:34
remember our service staff would spend no less than four
27:38
Saturday's, eight-hour days one-on-one.
27:41
Working with my dad, add to learn all the different things
27:44
that we did, and learn all the food.
27:45
And this is how we serve tables, and how we talk to people.
27:48
And this is what to do in this situation.
27:51
And that is something I think over the last 15-20 years, has
27:54
gone away a little bit because people have wanted faster and
27:57
faster and faster and more and more turnover.
28:00
You're going the other way with it and creating a bigger program
28:04
and more training offering. I think ideally, then in return,
28:09
you're getting people who are looking at this as a career and
28:11
not just Summer coffee job. I'm wondering especially right
28:16
now. I hear from a lot of coffee
28:18
companies. How difficult it has been for
28:21
them to hire. There's a lot of competition.
28:23
Employee rates have been going up.
28:25
I think a lot of businesses were built on the idea of minimum
28:29
wage. How are you competing for those
28:32
employees or letting people know that you are a company that
28:35
wants to treat them this way? Well, I mean, it really my
28:39
interview process now is about Five minutes long, the first
28:43
initial sit-down interview so we kind of have a discussion,
28:47
right? This is like there's a lot of I
28:50
need to know and it's nothing has to do with it doesn't have
28:53
anything to do with coffee. We don't discuss coffee because
28:57
that's almost secondary at this point, right?
29:00
What I'm trying to find out is it share my vision with what
29:05
we're trying to do with our team building and where we want to
29:08
create this? I want.
29:10
It's obviously it's not a career path for Everybody.
29:12
But if this is a career path for you, at least for the next
29:15
couple of years, this is what we're going to do to create that
29:19
for you. You know, and maybe develop you
29:23
help you develop professionally and personally here, you know,
29:26
as we grow and as we grow, there's more room for growth
29:30
here, opportunity for advancement and it really comes
29:34
to selling that person on our vision for them in, have them
29:39
come on because you know, I was reading Thing.
29:42
Interesting. You know, we're calling it The
29:43
Great resignation ignatian. So now I guess there's enough
29:48
data to start extrapolating information from and what this
29:53
article that I read, you know, whatever.
29:56
You know, it's like a take it for what it is, but that's why
30:01
I'll pay is certainly important that it takes a significant bump
30:07
in pay for somebody to leave a situation.
30:12
That they feel supported comfortable in like, you know,
30:17
nurtured, whatever that may be. It's going to take a, they used
30:22
like a 20% or 30% jump and pay for that person to go and say,
30:26
well, I'm going to leave this behind and go take something
30:28
else. So knowing that it's like, okay,
30:32
we need to create that sort of culture.
30:35
So, somebody says well, okay, I mean, if we do get to a point of
30:39
like, you know, a War of salary between somebody else.
30:44
It's like, well okay that's fine but we're going to pay well.
30:47
But we're also creating this culture here.
30:49
I hope you share our vision and you want to come along for this
30:52
ride with us and you know, compete that way and then also
30:57
there's a pay component, you know, I will, you know, will be
31:00
at $20 an hour. I we're getting what other thing
31:03
that I'm trying to do is it's all laid out when somebody comes
31:06
on here is your evaluation and pay schedule.
31:09
This is how much you're going to be making every quarter you get
31:11
a raise. If Passing evaluation.
31:13
And so, if you're in with us, here's where you'll, here's
31:16
where you'll be right. And here's some benefits that
31:18
will come along with it. And that's how I decided to
31:22
compete and it's not a good fit for everybody.
31:25
I mean, you know, and that's what we need to determine.
31:28
I'm finding that like yeah, I there are, you know, Baristas
31:32
like wow. I mean I would love to be able
31:34
to make $20 at the end of the year, to be able to, you know,
31:38
have a valuations and some security.
31:41
And, you know, Know that that nurturing and support?
31:45
Yes, I'm on board with that sure, especially after covid.
31:49
I think there's an appreciation for predictability when it comes
31:52
to pay. And that isn't something that's
31:53
been common in Hospitality for the Long Haul, I can say,
31:57
anecdotally on the other side of what you are discussing, my wife
32:01
and I are great examples where she could make more money at a
32:04
different job but she loves the people that she works with.
32:07
She's, you know, anytime she really needs something they've
32:10
been providing it for and so she would she Want to leave.
32:13
And I actually left a job and took about a 50% pay cut because
32:18
I didn't feel that the same way that she did.
32:20
And I could see that what she was getting was what I wanted
32:23
out of my career. So kudos to you for that.
32:27
You brought this up earlier in our conversation.
32:30
I'm wondering how some of your early experiences with drug
32:34
addiction. What lessons you might look back
32:37
on now or things. That maybe you've taken with you
32:39
that you think have impacted how you've grown this business.
32:46
Well, obviously it is a huge part of like, that experience
32:53
has created the person that I am today.
32:55
I mean, the ability to operate in an environment of just chaos
33:00
and uncertainty. I mean, nothing prepares you
33:02
more than that and then heroin addiction right?
33:05
So I mean basically, nothing is after living through that,
33:13
nothing is I mean things are scary and terrifying but nothing
33:17
like that. So I always have that to reflect
33:20
on like, no matter how bad things get, it's like, well at
33:24
least I'm not there, right? Whatever I was experiencing at
33:28
that point in my life, I'm not there, right?
33:31
But I would say anything they that ability to operate in an
33:34
environment of complete, chaos and uncertainty.
33:38
I learned that there. I learned some important lessons
33:41
about business to, I mean, I you know, I was arrested for selling
33:44
drugs. So I learned like the importance
33:47
of selling product and buying low and selling high and
33:51
customer service. And, you know, I learned those,
33:55
you know, I had to learn those things.
33:58
There's a show that I really enjoy Kyle Brooklyn Nine-Nine
34:01
and one of the young women, they arrest for selling drugs in that
34:06
show makes a comment. Because she is sober, she
34:09
doesn't do drugs, and they're like, we didn't think you were
34:11
involved. She goes, I can't do drugs.
34:13
She's like, you know how much math is involved in selling
34:15
drugs? What is next for you?
34:17
And for Achilles, I mentioned earlier that you've got I
34:20
believe in North County location coming up.
34:22
But what's in the say the next in 2022 and Beyond?
34:25
What are you guys seeing for your future?
34:28
Well, I think will expand one more location probably within
34:33
the next year, you know, possibly to we'll see.
34:36
I need to increase our capacity for coffee roasting like
34:41
booming, we just keep its grip. Good problem to have, but we
34:43
keep outgrowing, you know where we're at.
34:45
So we've been roasting out of Cortez Hill for since I started
34:48
roasting and it's about time to go move and you know start a
34:53
real you know roasting operation what at least the appearances of
34:57
it. Right.
34:58
But I think the focus really is taking really trying to build
35:04
this Vision that we have. I'll keep going back to It but
35:06
staying focused on our team and growing that, that really
35:13
building that vision for what we have for our team and our
35:16
Baristas. And I really think that is going
35:19
to be core to our growth going forward, our profitability, our
35:23
success as a company, and I'm putting my bet on the people who
35:30
work at Achilles at all levels and building that too.
35:36
To kind of ensure our success in the future.
35:38
I don't know whether it's going to, I don't know what's going to
35:39
bring, you know, but I feel like if I have to put it somewhere
35:43
and put my money, my, if I'm betting on somebody, I'm going
35:46
to bet on the people who are here with us and going along for
35:49
this ride and really focusing on that.
35:52
I mentioned, my wife is, I've been running the company by
35:54
myself. You know, she she I have her
35:57
ear, right? So she hears everything and I
35:59
get advice from her, but she has her own Medical Practice that
36:02
she's leaving and she's going to come on and build, our HR
36:05
department. Which is going to further.
36:08
Help us train and evaluate and support, you know, the people
36:11
who come into the company. So that's where I see you know
36:16
it's a lot more internal fine-tuning and building and
36:19
crafting. So maybe from the outside it's
36:22
not as noticeable as you know, opening new locations but that's
36:26
kind of that's where our focus is and over the next year.
36:31
I think that's, that's really where where it is.
36:35
Sure you're really. Enforcing the foundation
36:38
anything that we didn't cover today?
36:39
That you think listeners should know about you about the company
36:42
about coffee. I don't know.
36:46
I can't. We covered a lot.
36:48
I was looking back at the questions that you had proposed
36:51
of just topic discussion. So you must, you have your
36:53
notes, you hit them. Also I like to pack it in that's
36:57
for sure podcast as well. I've been trying, I've been
37:01
cramming. I've been trying to catch up and
37:04
enjoy in, definitely enjoying enjoying what I've heard, I
37:07
appreciate that. I've been learning as I go as
37:10
well, certainly. And it always helps to, you
37:13
know, I learn something. You from every single one of
37:16
these interviews and I've been a business owner, and I've been an
37:19
employee and I just love the stories of entrepreneurs and
37:23
that's kind of why we do this and I happen to love coffee too.
37:26
So it works out. Yeah.
37:28
What are you drinking for coffee?
37:29
If you were to go somewhere, that's not one of your shops.
37:31
What are you going to order? I do two things.
37:34
If I go, I like a roaster and I do, I hopefully, they have a V60
37:40
drip. That's how I drink, all of my
37:42
coffee. And then I'll do a shot of
37:44
espresso. And then I just, I want to
37:47
taste. Oh, what?
37:47
What are they doing with their espresso or not doing right?
37:50
And I wanted, what are they doing with their coffee?
37:53
And I want to. That's why I like the V60.
37:56
So that's what I do. That's my go-to and I'll ask you
37:59
then I know. I don't know that I've asked
38:01
this before, but I should ask this, I just was thinking about
38:04
it. If I were to go to one of your
38:06
shops this week, what would you recommend that I order as a
38:09
first-time visitor? Well, definitely a V60, one of
38:13
the ports so I mean, maybe I would try we have a Nicaraguan
38:19
coffee that we call the Barrio Logan roast, that's kind of my
38:23
favor right now. But I would say depending on
38:25
whether you're into it, whether you like a lighter or medium, or
38:29
a darker roast, we have all of those something V60 and then,
38:33
you know, the kind of I'm just like this is what I do.
38:35
It's I want black coffee drip, let me taste it, see what you're
38:38
doing with it and the espresso try a shot of espresso and you
38:42
know, you know, Cece what you think.
38:45
Sounds good, Chad, I really appreciate you taking the time
38:48
to talk to me today and being on the show, and I'm looking
38:51
forward to trying your coffee and just seeing how you guys
38:54
grow, especially as you move towards me in North County.
38:57
Yeah. Maybe I'll see you pop into
38:59
Solana Beach or hopefully, we're open in a couple of months so
39:02
we'll keep people updated. Okay, all right, as a little
39:12
recap from today's show the stress, These challenges and Joe
39:16
is of hospitality are sometimes one and the same Chad skills, as
39:21
a flexible multitasker are uniquely suited to this coffee
39:25
business, but that didn't mean he had a straightforward route
39:27
to get to where he is now. His previous experiences as an
39:31
entrepreneur as a cab driver and even as someone with an
39:34
addiction, led him down a path. That culminated in Achilles
39:38
Coffee Roasters, it is a common piece of entrepreneurial advice
39:42
to always look for a need to fill the way.
39:45
Achilles did in the Cortez Hill Neighborhood, but it isn't
39:48
always obvious that filling that need will lead to success.
39:53
Later Greek Legends featuring Achilles state that he was
39:56
protected invulnerable to injury because his mother thetis dipped
40:00
him in the River, Styx as an infant making him uniquely
40:03
suited to taking on all Challengers and War, but she
40:07
held him by one of his heels leaving him.
40:10
With one unprotected, patch of skin that eventually became his
40:14
downfall near the end of the Trojan War.
40:17
He was shot in that very spot by Paris who frankly was the cause
40:21
of the war in the first place. And by all accounts, kind of a
40:25
weasel. The term Achilles heel has come
40:27
to mean a point of weakness especially in someone otherwise
40:31
known to be strong of mind and heart and body.
40:34
I think, as an entrepreneur, it's important and invaluable to
40:37
know what your Achilles heel is especially at the beginning.
40:41
A lot of Entrepreneurship is believing in yourself in taking
40:45
on challenges, in being able to strip away the bells and
40:48
whistles, to get to the core of the idea that will ultimately
40:51
lead you to a place that Makes you happy by being aware of your
40:55
Achilles heel. You'll be able to continually
40:57
recalibrate your efforts that is what Chad needs company have
41:00
done recently. They've refocused on selling
41:03
coffee, which is what they do and creating a team of employees
41:07
who believe in their mission through training support and a
41:10
living wage for the community of neighbors and Cortez Hill who
41:14
are looking for good coffee, Achilles Coffee Roasters became
41:18
their sort of community hero their own Achilles.
41:21
You can find out more info about the Coffee Roastery.
41:24
Including the nearest, Achilles coffee roaster to you on
41:27
Achilles Coffee. Roasters.com or follow at
41:30
Achilles coffee, on Instagram and of course I'll link to all
41:33
of that on roast westcoast.com. One of this shows industry
41:38
Partners Joe bettinger of Cape Horn coffee importers came up
41:41
during my chat with Chad, coincidentally, a few hours.
41:44
After that interview, I met Joe for a cup of coffee.
41:47
He recently relocated from San Diego to my home state of
41:51
Wisconsin, but he was back meeting with coffee people.
41:54
And potential new roaster clients who are looking to grow
41:58
who are excited about the potential to connect with origin
42:00
farms and who are willing to create long-term relationships
42:04
between themselves. The Farms coops wash stations
42:07
that Joe connects them with. If I know anything about Joe, it
42:11
is that he loves traveling to origin and sharing the coffee
42:14
experience with people. If that sounds like you, if
42:17
you're listening and you're thinking about starting a
42:19
Roastery, or you have a Roastery that is growing, it might be
42:22
time to reach out to Cape Horn, coffee importers and ask for
42:25
Joe. I'll add some contact info in
42:28
this week's newsletter on roast westcoast.com.
42:31
I want to thank you for listening to the show today.
42:34
I know, I say that every week, but I really mean it.
42:36
This show was recently added to the top 10 of a list on feed
42:39
spot for the best coffee, podcasts in the country.
42:43
They ranked us 10 out of 60 coffee podcasts.
42:46
I don't know how they qualify. Who is better than what?
42:49
Or even how they found us? But damned, if it isn't nice.
42:52
To be noticed, I'm guessing someone out there listening said
42:55
something to someone. So thank you.
42:59
The next coffee smarter episode will be out later this week,
43:02
Chris, O'Brien of coffee cycle. Roasting his back to guide me
43:06
through espresso and why some coffees are marketed.
43:09
As espresso roasts, thanks to our coffee industry Partners,
43:13
Cafe litter ignite Coffee Company.
43:16
Most your coffee company, leap coffee, Maria coffee
43:19
steady-state, coffee roasting coffee cycle, roasting Camp,
43:23
Coffee Company, Cape Horn coffee, importers first, light
43:26
whiskey and is Zoom bar coffee and tea.
43:29
This episode of the roast West Coast coffee podcast.
43:32
He is was has been written produced and recorded by me Ryan
43:36
Walter. I hope this show is found you
43:38
happy healthy and with at least enough sanity and coffee to make
43:42
it through the day. And please always tip your
43:45
Baristas and be sure to drink good coffee.
44:16
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