coffee Archives - Business RadioX ®

Lori Waters and Heather Pace with Leather and Lace Coffee & Company

May 5, 2023 by Tom Sheldon

Northeast Georgia Business Radio

Lori Waters and Heather Pace with Leather and Lace Coffee & Company

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Lori Waters and Heather Pace

Lori Waters and Heather Pace/Leather and Lace Coffee & Company

Leather and Lace Coffee & Company is proudly women-owned and operated. Specializing in barrel aging their coffee beans; Leather and Lace Coffee & Company artisan roasts all their coffees. Along with coffee roasting, they are a full service Corporate Event and Exceptional Occasion Catering Company. For years they have served clients all over Georgia and are now the inhouse caterers for the Braselton Civic Center in downtown Braselton, Georgia.

Christine Santos, Boarding Pass Coffee

November 30, 2022 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Christine Santos, Boarding Pass Coffee

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Christine Santos, Boarding Pass Coffee (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 583)

Christine Santos, Owner and Co-Founder of Boarding Pass Coffee, joined host John Ray to share all things coffee. They discussed how Boarding Pass Coffee got started and what it was like opening during the height of Covid, what makes them different than other coffee roasters, how they tie in travel to their packaging and store design, and much more.

North Fulton Business Radio is produced and broadcast by the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Christine Santos, Owner & Co-Founder of Boarding Pass Coffee

It all started with coffee, travel, and a little bit of fate when Murilo and Christine Santos met in 2013! Since then, many cups of coffee have been had, and the two have traveled the world together. In 2020, they decided to pour their love for coffee and travel into something new: Boarding Pass Coffee. Offering specialty coffee from Murilo’s family farm in Brazil, as well as roasts from some of their favorite destinations, Boarding Pass Coffee has become a premier selection for coffee lovers from all blends of life. With a growing list of roasts and coffee tastings to educate even the most knowledgeable coffee enthusiasts, Boarding Pass Coffee has something for everyone on their unique coffee journey!

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | LinkedIn

Questions and Topics in this Interview

How did you get started?
There are a lot of coffee shops and coffee roasters out there, what makes you different?
Tell us about your packaging and the travel tie-ins
What was it like to launch during the height of Covid?
What is the growth plan for Boarding Pass Coffee?

North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Renasant Bank has humble roots, starting in 1904 as a $100,000 bank in a Lee County, Mississippi, bakery. Since then, Renasant has grown to become one of the Southeast’s strongest financial institutions with over $13 billion in assets and more than 190 banking, lending, wealth management and financial services offices in Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. All of Renasant’s success stems from each of their banker’s commitment to investing in their communities as a way of better understanding the people they serve. At Renasant Bank, they understand you because they work and live alongside you every day.

Since 2000, Office Angels® has been restoring joy to the life of small business owners, enabling them to focus on what they do best. At the same time, we honor and support at-home experts who wish to continue working on an as-needed basis. Not a temp firm or a placement service, Office Angels matches a business owner’s support needs with Angels who have the talent and experience necessary to handle work that is essential to creating and maintaining a successful small business. Need help with administrative tasks, bookkeeping, marketing, presentations, workshops, speaking engagements, and more? Visit us at https://officeangels.us/.

Caffeine

April 14, 2022 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

Caffeine

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Caffeine (Episode 73, To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow)

On this episode of To Your Health, Dr. Morrow shared information about caffeine: from coffee to green tea to energy drinks. He covered the health benefits of consuming caffeine, and that of coffee in particular, such as its impact on exercise and some forms of cancer. He discussed concerns of note when consuming caffeine, particularly for pregnant women, and much more. To Your Health is brought to you by Morrow Family Medicine, a Member of Village Medical, which brings the care back to healthcare.

About Morrow Family Medicine, A Member of Village Medical

Morrow Family Medicine, a Member of Village Medical, is an award-winning, state-of-the-art family practice with offices in Cumming and Milton, Georgia. The practice combines healthcare information technology with old-fashioned care to provide the type of care that many are in search of today. Two physicians, three physician assistants and two nurse practitioners are supported by a knowledgeable and friendly staff to make your visit to Morrow Family Medicine, A Member of Village Medical one that will remind you of the way healthcare should be. At Morrow Family Medicine, a Member of Village Medical, we like to say we are “bringing the care back to healthcare!” The practice has been named the “Best of Forsyth” in Family Medicine in all five years of the award, is a three-time consecutive winner of the “Best of North Atlanta” by readers of Appen Media, and the 2019 winner of “Best of Life” in North Fulton County.

Village Medical offers a comprehensive suite of primary care services including preventative care, treatment for illness and injury, and management of chronic conditions such as diabetes, congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and kidney disease. Atlanta-area patients can learn more about the practice here.

Dr. Jim Morrow, Morrow Family Medicine, and Host of To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow

Dr. Jim Morrow is the founder and CEO of Morrow Family Medicine. He has been a trailblazer and evangelist in healthcare information technology, was named Physician IT Leader of the Year by HIMSS, a HIMSS Davies Award Winner, the Cumming-Forsyth Chamber of Commerce Steve Bloom Award Winner as Entrepreneur of the Year and he received a Phoenix Award as Community Leader of the Year from the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. He is married to Peggie Morrow and together they founded the Forsyth BYOT Benefit, a charity in Forsyth County to support students in need of technology and devices. They have two Goldendoodles, a gaggle of grandchildren and enjoy life on and around Lake Lanier.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorrowFamMed/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/7788088/admin/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/toyourhealthMD

The complete show archive of To Your Health with Dr. Jim Morrow addresses a wide range of health and wellness topics and can be found at www.toyourhealthradio.com.

Dr. Morrow’s Show Notes

What is caffeine?

Caffeine is a natural stimulant most commonly found in tea, coffee, and a few other plants.
It works by stimulating the brain and central nervous system, helping you stay alert and prevent the onset of tiredness.
Historians track the first brewed tea as far back as 2737 B.C.
Coffee was reportedly discovered many years later by an Ethiopian shepherd who noticed the extra energy it gave his goats.
Caffeinated soft drinks hit the market in the late 1800s and energy drinks soon followed.
Nowadays, 80% of the world’s population consumes a caffeinated product each day, and this number goes up to 90% for adults in North America.

How it works

Once consumed, caffeine is quickly absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream.
From there, it travels to the liver and is broken down into compounds that can affect the function of various organs.
That said, caffeine’s main effect is on the brain.
It functions by blocking the effects of adenosine, which is a neurotransmitter that relaxes the brain and makes you feel tired
Normally, adenosine levels build up over the day, making you increasingly more tired and causing you to want to go to sleep.
Caffeine helps you stay awake by connecting to adenosine receptors in the brain without activating them. This blocks the effects of adenosine, leading to reduced tiredness.
It may also increase blood adrenaline levels and increase brain activity of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine
This combination further stimulates the brain and promotes a state of arousal, alertness, and focus. Because it affects your brain, caffeine is often referred to as a psychoactive drug.
Additionally, caffeine tends to exert its effects quickly.
For instance, the amount found in one cup of coffee can take as little as 20 minutes to reach the bloodstream and about 1 hour to reach full effectiveness

What foods and drinks contain caffeine?

Caffeine is naturally found in the seeds, nuts, or leaves of certain plants.
These natural sources are then harvested and processed to produce caffeinated foods and beverages.
Here are the amounts of caffeine expected per 8-ounce (240-mL) serving of some popular beverages:
Espresso:240–720 mg
Coffee:102–200 mg
Energy drinks:50–160 mg
Brewed tea:40–120 mg
Soft drinks:20–40 mg
Decaffeinated coffee:3–12 mg
Cocoa beverage:2–7 mg
Chocolate milk:2–7 mg

Some foods also contain caffeine. For instance, 1 ounce (28 grams) of milk chocolate contains 1–15 mg, whereas 1 ounce of dark chocolate has 5–35 mg
You can also find caffeine in some prescription or over-the-counter drugs like cold, allergy, and pain medications. It’s also a common ingredient in weight loss supplements.

May improve mood and brain function

Caffeine, once again, has the ability to block the brain-signaling molecule adenosine.
This causes a relative increase in other signaling molecules, such as dopamine and norepinephrine
This change in brain messaging is thought to benefit your mood and brain function.
One review reports that after participants ingested 37.5–450 mg of caffeine, they had improved alertness, short-term recall, and reaction time
In addition, a study linked drinking 2–3 cups of caffeinated coffee (providing about 200–300 mg caffeine) per day to a 45% lower risk of suicide
Another study reported a 13% lower risk of depression in caffeine consumers
When it comes to mood, more caffeine isn’t necessarily better.
A study found that a second cup of coffee produced no further benefits unless it was consumed at least 8 hours after the first cup
Drinking between 3–5 cups of coffee per day or more than 3 cups of tea per day may also reduce the risk of brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by 28–60%
It’s important to note that coffee and tea contain other bioactive compounds (besides caffeine) that may also be beneficial.

May boost metabolism and fat burning

Because of its ability to stimulate the central nervous system, caffeine may increase metabolism by up to 11% and fat burning by up to 13%
Practically speaking, consuming 300 mg of caffeine per day may allow you to burn an extra 79 calories daily
This amount may seem small, but it’s similar to the calorie excess responsible for the average yearly weight gain of 2.2 pounds (1 kg) in American
However, a 12-year study on caffeine and weight gain noted that the participants who drank the most coffee were, on average, only 0.8–1.1 pounds (0.4–0.5 kg) lighter at the end of the study

May enhance exercise performance

When it comes to exercise, caffeine may increase the use of fat as fuel.
This is beneficial because it can help the glucose stored in muscles last longer, potentially delaying the time it takes your muscles to reach exhaustion
Caffeine may also improve muscle contractions and increase tolerance to fatigue
Researchers observed that doses of 2.3 mg per pound (5 mg per kg) of body weight improved endurance performance by up to 5% when consumed 1 hour before exercise
Doses as low as 1.4 mg per pound (3 mg per kg) of body weight may be sufficient to reap the benefits
What’s more, studies report similar benefits in team sports, high-intensity workouts, and resistance exercises
Finally, it may also reduce perceived exertion during exercise by up to 5.6%, which can make workouts feel easier

May protect against heart disease and diabetes

Despite what you may have heard, caffeine doesn’t raise the risk of heart disease
In fact, evidence shows a 16–18% lower risk of heart disease in men and women who drink between 1–4 cups of coffee daily (providing approximately 100–400 mg of caffeine)
Other studies show that drinking 2–4 cups of coffee or green tea per day is linked to a 14–20% lower risk of stroke
One thing to keep in mind is that caffeine may slightly raise blood pressure in some people.
However, this effect is generally small (3–4 mmHg) and tends to fade for most individuals when they consume coffee regularly
It may also protect against diabetes.
A review noted that those who drink the most coffee have up to a 29% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Similarly, those who consume the most caffeine have up to a 30% lower risk
The authors observed that the risk drops by 12–14% for every 200 mg of caffeine consumed
Interestingly, consuming decaffeinated coffee was also linked to a 21% lower risk of diabetes. This indicates that other beneficial compounds in coffee can also protect against type 2 diabetes

Other health benefits of coffee

Coffee consumption is linked to several other health benefits:
Liver protection.
- Coffee may reduce the risk of liver damage (cirrhosis) by as much as 84%. It may slow disease progression, improve treatment response, and lower the risk of premature death

- Drinking coffee may decrease the risk of premature death by as much as 30%, especially for women and people with diabetes

Decreased cancer risk.
- Drinking 2–4 cups of coffee per day may reduce liver cancer risk by up to 64% and colorectal cancer risk by up to 38%

Skin protection.
- Consuming 4 or more cups of caffeinated coffee per day may lower the risk of skin cancer by 20%

Reduced MS risk.
- Coffee drinkers may have up to a 30% lower risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). However, not all studies agree

Gout prevention.
- Regularly drinking 4 cups of coffee per day may reduce the risk of developing gout by 40% in men and 57% in women

Gut health.
- Consuming 3 cups of coffee a day for as few as 3 weeks may increase the amount and activity of beneficial gut bacteria

Keep in mind that coffee also contains other substances that improve health.
- Some benefits listed above may be caused by substances other than caffeine.

Safety and side effects

Caffeine consumption is generally considered safe, although habit-forming.
Some side effects linked to excess intake include anxiety, restlessness, tremors, irregular heartbeat, and trouble sleeping
Too much caffeine may also promote headaches, migraine, and high blood pressure in some individuals
In addition, caffeine can easily cross the placenta, which can increase the risk of miscarriage or low birth weight.
Pregnant women should limit their intake
Caffeine can also interact with some medications.
Individuals taking the muscle relaxant Zanaflex or the antidepressant Luvox should avoid caffeine because these drugs can increase their effects

Recommended dosages

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) considers a daily intake of 400 mg of caffeine to be safe.
This amounts to 2–4 cups of coffee per day
That said, it’s worth noting that fatal overdoses have been reported with single doses of 500 mg of caffeine.
Therefore, it’s recommended to limit the amount of caffeine you consume at one time to 200 mg per dose
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, pregnant women should limit their daily intake to 200 mg

The bottom line

Caffeine isn’t as unhealthy as it was once believed.
In fact, evidence shows that it may be just the opposite.
Therefore, it’s safe to consider your daily cup of coffee or tea as an enjoyable way to promote good health.

Credit to www.healthline.com

Gabe Hagen and Jesse Shank with Brick Road Coffee

February 4, 2022 by Karen

Phoenix Business Radio

Gabe Hagen and Jesse Shank with Brick Road Coffee

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Gabe Hagen and Jesse Shank with Brick Road Coffee

Brick Road Coffee is a locally LGBTQ+-owned coffee shop located in Tempe, Arizona serving artisanal coffee, pastries, and pizzas. Their name is inspired by the classic film, The Wizard of Oz where Dorothy sets out on a journey of self-discovery only to realize that all one really needs to find themself is self-realization and acceptance.

Co-owners (and husbands) Gabe Hagen and Jesse Shank took the film’s philosophy and made it their mission to accept everyone as they are, no matter where they are on their personal journey.

A great product is important to Gabe and Jesse who took their time selecting the perfect local roaster, CULT Artisan Beverage Company, and pastries brought in by Squarz Bakery in Tempe.

Supporting local was a must. Approachability and authenticity are important for their business as well as serving quality, locally made and sourced coffee, tea, and food items.

Community is just as important as the perfect latte for Gabe and Jesse. Along with their staff, they have cultivated a culture where friends and neighbors, new and old alike can come together and be accepted for who they are. The environment in their coffee shop is unique and inviting.

The focal point in their main seating area is a custom mural by Tempe artist Paige Reesor which depicts how one’s community can truly support them on their journey along the yellow brick road. Another mural located in the hallway leading to gender-neutral restrooms was custom made by Corrie Mattie (or the LA Hope Dealer) as she’s known in Los Angeles.

Jesse-Shank-Phoenix-Business-RadioX — Jesse Shank, Brick House Coffee

Gabe and Jesse’s commitment to diversity and inclusion is apparent in other ways as well. They set up a free LGBTQ+ lending library right in their cafe and often run promotions that give back to charities such as Aunt Rita’s and one-n-ten Phoenix.

Supporting local politics and leaders who want to make a change is important to them too. They’ve hosted several “Coffee with a Candidate” events where they’ve teamed up with city leaders to connect with the community they serve.

Gabe-Hagen-Phoenix-Business-RadioX — Gabe Hagen, Brick House Coffee

After moving out of their small Midwestern towns and meeting in Southern California, Gabe and Jesse realized just how much coffee shops are centers of the communities they serve. They are a gathering place for exchanging ideas, coming together in common endeavors, and building networks and relationships.

They left California to pursue careers in finance in Arizona but once the pandemic hit in early 2020, they wanted to do something that made a difference.

Their hope is that the community born at Brick Road Coffee will help elevate their neighbors and make a small yet meaningful impact on their lives.

“I want to be known for how I treat my employees and my community. I want to be known for my coffee, sure, but I want to be known for those two things more. ” – Gabe Hagen

Starting a small business is no easy feat but equipped with business finance experience and a passion to make a difference, Gabe and Jesse opened their doors in early November and slowly expanded their hours and staff to ensure they had everything down to a science ahead of their Grand Opening Event, held Jan. 27 – Jan. 29, 2022.

Complete with an official ribbon-cutting hosted by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce and a raffle held to benefit an organization near and dear to their hearts, one•n•ten Phoenix, they certainly had a lot to celebrate!

Follow Brick Road Coffee on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

Kevin Hartley, Cambio Roasters

January 11, 2022 by John Ray

Business Leaders Radio

Kevin Hartley, Cambio Roasters

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Kevin Hartley, Cambio Roasters

Cambio is Spanish for change, and Kevin Hartley founded Cambio to reimagine a K-cup which is not only recyclable but supports coffee farmers and their families in a meaningful way. Kevin and host John Ray discussed Kevin’s background with Keurig Green Mountain, Cambio’s “triple bottom line” focus of profit, people, and planet, their various coffee blends, and much more. Business Leaders Radio is produced virtually from the Business RadioX® studios in Atlanta.

Cambio Roasters

Through extensive experience and research, Cambio Roasters knows that people love their Keurig® coffee makers, but there are still problems to address. Over 30 million K-Cups® end up in our landfills every day! Beyond that, coffee farmers struggle to have enough food to feed their families at least 6 months of each year. Cambio knew that with our dedication, experience, and big hearts, we could do something to help.

So, from their kitchen table in South Carolina and with their Keurig® coffee maker by their side, they envisioned a brand that was equal parts taste, recyclable, giving, and affordable! A brand that allowed them to give back to others, that shouts design, fun, and respect for the planet and its people. It’s tough to pick the priorities on that list, so they just went for it!

They package the best-tasting, small-batch roasted Arabican coffees from around the world and ship it in 100% recyclable coffee pods. They also respond to every inquiry right away, write hand-written notes to our customers, send them fun “surprises” at different times and offer free perks, just for giving Cambio a try. And, they donate 20% of our profits to Food 4 Farmers, who works with coffee farmers creating programs that help them feed their families during their “thin months.” They deliver affordable pods to your door, and make sure you receive a Welcome Package to say thanks! Who does all that?!

Company website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

Kevin Hartley, Founder and CEO, Cambio Roasters

Kevin Hartley is an accomplished C-suite executive with an impressive +25-year career that includes advancement to increasingly demanding leadership roles based on successful P&L management of several large, innovative businesses in a variety of industries. With a solid history of transforming organizations and implementing process improvements, he is as comfortable at driving revenues as he is in building top-performing leadership teams. His successes include founding and growing Green Mountain Energy, Innovation Partners, and Cambio Roasters in addition to driving Kuerig’s market cap from $100M to $14B as a member of the senior leadership team.

Most recently with Cambio Roasters, Kevin served as Founder and CEO for the country’s first 100% recyclable K-Cup brand focused on eliminating the annual waste of over 18B K-Cups. During this time, he led the organization through proof of concept and commercialization and launched the brand in all 50 states. Additionally, he championed a win-win product for consumers and farmers by returning 20% of all profits to coffee producers and their families while driving towards $100M in annual revenue.

Previously, Kevin served as a Chief Innovation Officer for Keurig Green Mountain. This role challenged him to aggressively scale Keurig’s footprint by developing and executing the innovation strategy to rapidly expand into new markets and utilize IoT technologies to drive sales. Accordingly, he built a world-class innovation team, positioned Keurig as the world’s premiere beverage systems company, and delivered $2B+ in top-line revenue by launching Keurig into new and adjacent markets. Also notable, he innovated the new single serve businesses model (Keurig Kold/Keurig Baby) and even earned a $2B+ investment from Coke. As a result, he helped sell Keurig for $14B, a market cap growth of 140X from when he joined the executive team.

Prior to this, Kevin founded Innovation Partners to help Fortune 500 brands such as 3M, Mobil, J&J, M&M Mars, GM, Bank of America, IHG, and others achieve phenomenal in-market results. By creating and executing strategies for marketing, product innovation, research, testing, pilots, and go-to-market launches, he delivered exceptional marketplace success for clients. As a result, he helped launch Heineken Light in North America, clarified BMW’s launch strategy for the MINI Cooper in a new market, and led the strategic research for Dunkin’ Donuts’ new evening food business.

Earlier in his career, Kevin founded, scaled, and successfully sold Green Mountain Energy, one of the nation’s most successful deregulated green-electricity brands, to British Petroleum (BP) for $100M in 1999. While leading this organization, he created and executed the deregulation strategy to drive the successful launch and spinoff of Green Mountain Energy as a separate, deregulated brand from Green Mountain Power. While serving in this role, he rapidly expanded the operational footprint by acquiring customers in deregulated markets such as CA, PA, MA, and TX. As a result, he earned the company a spot on the Inc. 500 list and recognition as nation’s most successful deregulated brand

Kevin launched his career upon obtaining his Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from the University of Vermont. He went on to earn his Master of Business Administration degree in Finance, Strategy, and Marketing.

Questions and Topics

Why are you attracted to triple bottom line companies, and what are they
Why did you start Cambio Roasters and what do you think is the opportunity
What makes Cambio Roasters different from all the other K-Cup brands
What do you most love about being a business leader
What are the top three tips you’d give to anyone looking to start and grow a business today
Tell us about the Keurig and Bob Stiller story

Business Leaders Radio is hosted by John Ray and produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. The show can be found on all the major podcast apps and a full archive can be found here.

Leticia and Harry Hutchins, Alma Coffee

September 3, 2021 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Leticia and Harry Hutchins, Alma Coffee

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Leticia and Harry Hutchins, Alma Coffee (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 389)

Leticia and Harry Hutchins can trace their coffee heritage back at least five generations, and they have extended the family legacy with Alma Coffee. They source their beans from Leticia’s family’s farm and nearby farms in Honduras, delivering freshly roasted-to-order coffee from their Cherokee County roastery. Joining host John Ray, Leticia and Harry discussed the roasting process, sustainability, their cafe, custom gift options, and much more. North Fulton Business Radio is broadcast from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta.

Alma Coffee

Veteran & Women-Owned, Alma Coffee is a coffee roastery and retailer that focuses on specialty coffee from our farm and surrounding farms in Copan, Honduras! They focus on sustainability, fair trade, ethical sourcing, and highest quality. Their vision is to source ethically & sustainably, empower farmers, and roast amazing coffee! Their slogan, ‘for those who care’ defines our vision perfectly. As farmers and roasters, they care about the coffee industry and are actively working to make it better throughout every step of the supply chain. They believe their customers will also live by this slogan, choosing to buy Alma coffee because they know the positive impact their purchase makes.

Company website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram

**Leticia and Harry Hutchins, Co-Owners, Alma Coffee**

Leticia Hutchins

With a passion for coffee and making a difference, Leticia co-founded Alma Coffee, a specialty coffee roastery and retailer that focuses on direct trade coffee from her family’s farm and surrounding farms in Copan, Honduras. Leticia’s goals include empowering farmers in coffee and bringing recognition to women’s crucial and impactful role in the coffee industry.

With a diverse, multi-cultural background, Leticia graduated in 2016 from DePaul University with dual majors in Accounting (concentration in Internal Audit) and Management Information Systems. Leticia previously had a career in risk advisory at KPMG in Chicago.

Harry Hutchins

Passionate about coffee and changing lives, Harry left his corporate career to pursue one in the specialty coffee industry. Along with his wife, Leticia, Harry founded Alma Coffee, a specialty coffee retailer that aims to bring the highest quality coffee from his family’s farm as well as neighboring farms in Honduras to customers who desire sustainable and ethically sourced coffee.

Harry’s goals are to disrupt the coffee industry for the better, and empowering farmers in the communities Alma Coffee sources from.

North Fulton Business Radio is hosted by John Ray, and broadcast and produced from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® inside Renasant Bank in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Special thanks to A&S Culinary Concepts for their support of this edition of North Fulton Business Radio. A&S Culinary Concepts, based in Johns Creek, is an award-winning culinary studio, celebrated for corporate catering, corporate team building, Big Green Egg Boot Camps, and private group events. They also provide oven ready, cooked from scratch meals to go they call “Let us Cook for You.” To see their menus and events, go to their website or call 678-336-9196.

Kristina Madh, Cloudland Coffee Company

April 30, 2021 by John Ray

North Fulton Business Radio

Kristina Madh, Cloudland Coffee Company

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Kristina Madh, Cloudland Coffee Company (North Fulton Business Radio, Episode 351)

Kristina Madh of Cloudland Coffee Company joined host John Ray to discuss how and why she started her company, the unique way she connects growers with her customers, her business with restaurants and other wholesale clients, her first retail location in Johns Creek, and much more. “North Fulton Business Radio” is produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.

Cloudland Coffee Company

Cloudland Coffee Company is a small batched coffee roaster founded in 2015 by our owner, Kristina Madh. Named after the beautiful Cloudland Canyon in her home state of Georgia, Kristina grew the business using the values important to her: Quality, Sustainability and Purpose. She incorporated these values into a philosophy that you will find on our bags: SAVOR, SUSTAIN, SMILE.

Cloudland Coffee is devoted to sourcing and roasting the best tasting coffees in the world. They work both directly with farms and with importers in finding the best quality coffees. They meticulously roast their coffee in small batches, paying close attention to detail, so they can best represent these beans that the farmers worked so hard to produce.

They want to leave the world a better place for the next generations, which is why they are devoted to sustainability. Their decisions on where they purchase coffee and how they operate are driven by environmentally and socially responsible programs including USDA Organic, Fair Trade, Women Coffee Producers, Rainforest Alliance Certifications, and more.

By integrating these values into the company to help the community and the world be a better place for the farmers, Cloudland’s employees, and their customers, they hope that they will put a smile on your face.

Company website | Facebook | Instagram

Kristina Madh, Founder, Cloudland Coffee Company

Kristina Madh is the owner of Cloudland Coffee Company. After working in commercial real estate finance for nearly 10 years including getting laid off during the financial crisis of 2008, she decided to pursue her hobby of roasting coffee and started this company in 2015. Originally a cottage food business, it has grown over the past five years into a successful commercial coffee roasting business. In 2021 they opened their first retail location after years of just wholesaling, selling online and at the farmer’s market. You can find Cloudland Coffee each year at the downtown Alpharetta Farmer’s market, one of their favorite places to be each week!

Questions and Topics in this Interview:

How they got their start
What makes them unique from other coffee roasters
How they managed during the Covid pandemic
Their new brick and mortar location in Johns Creek
What the future holds for Cloudland Coffee Company

“North Fulton Business Radio” is hosted by John Ray and produced virtually from the North Fulton studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta. You can find the full archive of shows by following this link. The show is available on all the major podcast apps, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google, Amazon, iHeart Radio, Stitcher, TuneIn, and others.

Franchise Marketing Radio: Michael McFall with BIGGBY COFFEE

July 22, 2020 by angishields

Franchise Marketing Radio

Franchise Marketing Radio: Michael McFall with BIGGBY COFFEE

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Michael McFall doesn’t have a yacht, a podcast or an MBA, and you won’t hear him talking about being disruptive, leveraging assets or changing paradigms. He is, however, the founder of Global Orange Development, the co-CEO of BIGGBY COFFEE®, a fast-growing $100-million-dollar coffee franchise with 250+ locations across the Midwest and quickly expanding into the East Coast in 2020, and is author to the Inc. Original, Grind.

Mike’s story in the business world began during the Spring of 1997 when he and BIGGGBY founder Robert Fish went on their ‘infamous’ walk to discuss Mike’s role within the company which at the time had one location in East Lansing, Michigan. Two hours later, they were no longer talking about Mike managing a second store, but were agreeing on terms for creating a franchise and growing the brand. A handshake sealed the deal, and suddenly, they were partners of what is now the third-largest coffee franchise in the United States.

Having originally started with BIGGBY in 1996 as a minimum wage barista, Mike has since held every subsequent position within the company, including his current title as co-CEO (May 2016). Mike believes his time in each of his previous roles has allowed him to form a bond with his employees based on understanding, credibility, and respect. Two decades later, Mike shares his personal experiences having led Biggby through survival mode, stability, and aggressive growth.

One of many turning moments for Mike as a leader was the realization that just because BIGGBY was making money, didn’t mean they were doing a great job. From employees leaving without any notice to those who had no passion in what they were doing, Mike and his co-CEO came to the conclusion that something needed to change. After that pivotal moment, Mike was committed to making positive improvements, including creating a workplace culture based on love.

Connect with Michael on LinkedIn and follow BIGGBY COFFEE on Facebook.

ProfitSense with Bill McDermott, Episode 10: Kelly Taylor, Chrome Yellow Trading Co., Tim Ramsey, Bodker Ramsey, and Martha Monroe Schuon, Schuon Kitchens and Baths, Inc.

June 13, 2020 by John Ray

North Fulton Studio

ProfitSense with Bill McDermott, Episode 10: Kelly Taylor, Chrome Yellow Trading Co., Tim Ramsey, Bodker Ramsey, and Martha Monroe Schuon, Schuon Kitchens and Baths, Inc.

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ProfitSense with Bill McDermott, Episode 10: Kelly Taylor, Chrome Yellow Trading Co., Tim Ramsey, Bodker Ramsey, and Martha Monroe Schuon, Schuon Kitchens and Baths, Inc.

Coffee, succession planning, and kitchens were on the docket for this edition of “ProfitSense with Bill McDermott,” as Bill welcomed Kelly Taylor, Chrome Yellow Trading Co., Tim Ramsey, Bodker Ramsey, and Martha Monroe Schuon, Schuon Kitchens and Baths, Inc. “ProfitSense with Bill McDermott” is broadcast by the North Fulton Studio of Business RadioX® in Alpharetta.

Kelly Taylor, Co-founder and Owner, Chrome Yellow Trading Co.

Husband-and-wife duo, Kyle and Kelly Taylor, started Chrome Yellow in the winter of 2013, opening up in short term, pop-up spaces around the city, while searching for the right location to put down more permanent roots.

In August of 2015, they opened their coffee and dry goods shop in Atlanta’s Old Fourth Ward. Their vision was simple: to create a clean, inspiring atmosphere that welcomed a wide range of people to meet, work and gather.

Chrome Yellow Trading Co. is a specialty coffee shop in Atlanta featuring guest roasters from across the nation, along with a small stationery and gift retail section. The name was loosely inspired by Aldous Huxley’s first novel, Crome Yellow, about an old English manor where like-minded artists, writers and creatives gathered. Chrome Yellow was started with a mission to inspire their community, with hopes to gather people of all ages, races, education and backgrounds with the help of amazing coffee, friendly staff and a beautiful, minimally designed space.

For more information visit their website or call 404-259-5030. You can also reach Kelly by email.

Tim Ramsey, Attorney, Bodker Ramsey

Bodker Ramsey is a mid-size Atlanta law firm (16 attorneys) that prides itself on providing cost effective solutions to mid-market companies as outside general counsel since 1986. They have successfully handled legal and business matters and commercial transactions for clients ranging from entrepreneurial startups to established businesses. Their practice covers a wide variety of industry areas including sales, manufacturing, distribution, logistics, software and technology applications, services and systems, intellectual property, professional services, real estate development and leasing, retail, and hospitality.

Typical representation includes such matters as corporate organization and governance, growth and succession planning, foreign investment and US inbound transactions, tax and business planning, employment arrangements, and ownership rights. They also handle family disputes for high net worth individuals including divorce, child custody, and estate and trust litigation.

A North Carolina native, Tim Ramsey graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science degree. Before attending law school, he obtained his North Carolina Real Estate Broker license. Tim attended the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia where he obtained his Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Finance. He simultaneously attended the University of Georgia School of Law where he obtained the degree of Juris Doctor Magna Cum Laude. Tim is licensed to practice in the states of Georgia and North Carolina. He is a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the Georgia State Bar, and the Atlanta Bar Association (Chair, Real Estate Section 2006-2007, Board of Directors 2007-2010; Co-Chair of Managing Partner Committee 2007-current). He is also member of the Council for Quality Growth, and the Association for Corporate Growth. Tim is an approved attorney and issuing agent for Investors Title Insurance Company.

Mr. Ramsey provides general business representation to a variety of clients with emphasis in commercial real estate, business organizations and commercial transactions. Clients served include entrepreneurial business owners, software development and licensing companies, automobile dealerships, franchisees, professional service providers, insurance agents and brokers, financial advisors, commercial real estate owners, investors, developers and builders, industrial manufacturers, and retailers. He plays a key role in growth and exit strategic planning with his clients and results oriented implementation.

More information is available at the Bodker Ramsey website or call 404-351-1615.

Martha Monroe Schuon, Owner, Schuon Kitchens and Baths, Inc.

Schuon Kitchens and Baths is a kitchen and bath design firm providing cabinetry, countertops and minimal construction. Martha Monroe Schuon is retired from IBM as a Services Executive and is now an evangelist for Schuon Kitchens. She also provides business consulting and financial leadership to the company. Schuon is pronounced shoe-on.

For the last 24 years, Schuon Kitchens and Baths has built an outstanding reputation for designing and building fine kitchens and baths that are “done right the first time.” The reason is their people; they’re professionals that have the required expertise, knowledge, experience, attention to detail, and they genuinely care about our clients. Their designers, factory craftsmen, installers, sub-contractors and suppliers are all committed to client satisfaction. Schuon Kitchens and Baths offers professional kitchen and bath design services by the company’s owner, Hans Schuon, who is a certified kitchen designer and Universal Design Certified Professional. Hans Schuon has over 40 years of award-winning design experience.

You can learn more about Schuon Kitchens and Baths at the company website, or call 770-643-9000.

About Your Host, Bill McDermott

Bill McDermott is Founder and CEO of McDermott Financial Solutions. After over three decades working for both national and community banks, Bill uses his expert knowledge to assist closely held companies with improving profitability, growing their business and finding financing. Bill is passionate about educating business owners about pertinent topics in the banking and finance arena.

He currently serves as Treasurer for the Atlanta Executive Forum and has held previous positions as board member for the Kennesaw State University Entrepreneurship Center and Gwinnett Habitat for Humanity and Treasurer for CEO NetWeavers. Bill is a graduate of Wake Forest University and he and his wife, Martha have called Atlanta home for over 40 years. Outside of work, Bill enjoys golf, traveling and gardening.

Connect with Bill on LinkedIn and Twitter and follow McDermott Financial Solutions on LinkedIn.