S6:EP1
Guest: Chris Vigilante, Founder at Vigilante Coffee
From: Hyattsville & College Park, MD and Oceanside, CA
Instagram: @vigilantecoffee
Website: www.vigilantecoffee.com
“Well, I always tell people you gotta count the failures before you count the successes, because it’s a whole series of failures leading up to the success.”
• Chris Vigilante
The hard part is maintaining faith that the next attempt will be a success. At least, it has been for me. Every time I’ve failed has been hard—emotionally, physically, and financially. Yet, there is something inside that eventually overrides any desire to play it safe and leads me back to the metaphorical, entrepreneurial edge.
Speaking of…
It feels great to be back for season 6 of the Roast! West Coast coffee podcast! I got lucky that Chris was my first interview of the season. He was open and willing to share his story—the good and bad—even though I had to admit that I judged his coffee roastery and, by extension, him by the name.
In my defense, Vigilante Coffee (Oceanside, CA) opened during a particularly fraught moment during the pandemic where tensions were high between businesses, customers, and communities trying to reconcile what was turning into a much longer pandemic than many believed was possible during the first wave of coronavirus.
Lesson learned, or at least remembered. Don’t judge a book by its cover.*
Season 6 of the show will feature an entirely new slate of interviews with coffee professionals. Our returning Coffee Smarter experts are going to cover a dearth of topics, including the life cycle of coffee plants, coffee spoons, espresso accessories, mistakes first-time roasters make, cold brewing techniques, and how to use a color meter, and so much more.
For paid subscribers, expect an onslaught of Bean Journal articles, and for anyone wanting to connect, a series of in-person events in Southern California and beyond.
All the discussion of failures and the desire to push forward in this week’s pod hit me hard. I recently left my full-time job to pursue this podcast and write books full-time. It’s a different type of entrepreneurial pursuit than opening a restaurant or cafe. Those challenges feel known and, therefore, almost comfortable. This one, building a podcast and writing this newsletter, feels downright scary.
And yet, something keeps pushing me forward, and it isn’t the cups of coffee I have each morning. Thanks for being here, for listening and reading, and for being part of the Roast! West Coast coffee community. I hope to clink a coffee mug with you someday, somewhere. Preferably at a local coffee shop.
*Full disclosure: I often choose actual books based on their covers. It isn’t a foolproof system, but it is fun to follow the art.
FROM THE SHOW
Some Bonus Notes from Chris Vigilante:
• Live music on Saturdays!
• Free, open-to-the-public coffee cuppings on Thursday mornings. Sample coffee with the roasters at Vigilante Coffee.
• VC releases new, single-origin coffees every two weeks.I’m familiar with the concept of Win-Win-Win relationships from reading Yvon Chouinard’s books The Responsible Company and Let My People Go Surfing. The latter of which I used to give as a gift to the employees who completed my hospitality management training program. I strongly recommend both books, although The Responsible Company is a bit more technical and dry.
If you’re looking for a shorter synopsis, listen to Yvon on the How I Built This podcast hosted by Guy Raz on NPR.org. Even if you plan to read the book, it is a good interview, and then you’ll end up reading in his voice.Chris mentioned a book he recommends for entrepreneurs called The E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber. The subtitle of the book is “How to turn a great idea into a thriving business,” and the author looks like a skinny version of John Hammond, the wealthy businessman with a passion for dinosaurs in Jurassic Park.
If you don’t have a local bookstore, search on the used books for sale website AbeBooks.com for a copy of the original or revisited versions. I warn you the word “Guru” is used in several descriptions of the book. I borrowed a copy from the local library and will let you know if it gets a thumbs up or thumbs down from me soon.B-Corps or Benefit Corps have come up on the show before. Essentially, the B-Corp is a type of business structure that enables a business to include a commitment to the environment, social justice, and doing no harm (among other positive impact goals) into its business structure. This type of corporate structure enables a business to consider more than just profits when meeting its fiduciary responsibilities.
B-Corps are not the only businesses that aim to do good, as evidenced by Vigilante Coffee, and becoming a B-Corp is challenging. However, this B-Corp finder is a great place to start if you’re looking for a business that matches your values and you don’t already know of one. Often, I find my favorite businesses are already B-Corps or meeting those standards. Find a B-Corp.
R!WC is a listener & reader-supported publication. Please consider becoming a paid supporter of this content! Thank you for your support.
R!WC is celebrating Season 6 with 16% off new PAID subscriptions until September 1st, 2022.
NOT FROM THE SHOW
Steady State Roasting started a Youtube channel. Later this month, they will be sharing some behind the scenes on the inner workings of the roastery and how their drinks get made. Follow them now so you won’t miss the videos when they drop.
Mostra Coffee for the win! If you listen to the pod, you know my Wife works in special education, and I’m constantly in awe of her and the team at her school. The work they do truly makes the world a better place. It makes me happy when local businesses (and an Industry Partner!) reward educators. Click here to see all the Mostra locations.
There are plenty of articles detailing studies that research the health impacts of coffee. This recent column on Live Science attempts to condense the conclusions of many into one place. The bigger takeaway that habitual coffee use can help improve heart health and reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes but drinking coffee doesn’t necessarily ensure a longer life span. Read the full article on LiveScience.com.
CLICK ON THESE R!WC INDUSTRY PARTNER LINKS
Drink their coffees and whiskeys. Visit their cafes. Support local coffee shops. You won’t be disappointed.
Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Steady State Roasting • CAFÉ LaTERRE • Mostra Coffee • Coffee Cycle • Camp Coffee Company • Ignite Coffee Company • Ascend Coffee Roasters • Marea Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Roasters
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Roast! - Chris Vigilante, Vigilante Coffee Roasters