Summary

Today, we dive into Mike Klemmer's entrepreneurial journey with Aerial Resupply Coffee, a brand that honors military logistics and support personnel.

Mike began his venture with minimal coffee roasting knowledge, emphasizing the importance of starting small and gradually scaling up. Through research and experimentation, he has became the most trusted voice in the veteran coffee space. Mike's innovative and unconventional marketing strategies include creating engaging characters for his brand and using humor to his advantage, which has helped set his brand apart in the competitive coffee market.

In this episode, Mike also discusses his navigation of the B2C and B2B markets, particularly his experiences with major clients like Kroger and leveraging Amazon's Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) service to boost online sales. He sheds light on building a robust social media presence, especially on LinkedIn, and the challenges of handling feedback.

Looking to the future, Mike shares his vision for ARC Coffee as more than just a business; he sees it as a community hub for veterans, with plans for further expansion and innovation.

This episode of "Harder Not Smarter" provides a fascinating look at how passion, creativity, and strategic thinking can forge a successful, community-centric business in the coffee industry.

Show Links

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Mike and Aerial Resupply Links

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelklemmer/

https://aerialresupplycoffee.com/

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:02 Inspiration for Starting a Coffee Company

06:20 The Importance of Logistics and Support Personnel

07:39 Learning About Coffee Roasting

10:09 Getting Started in Coffee Roasting

12:06 Favorite Style of Coffee

14:07 Starting a Coffee Company with Limited Knowledge

16:19 Scaling the Coffee Production

19:30 Launching the Business

20:55 Distinct Voice and Style in Marketing

23:37 Creating Characters for Marketing

24:32 Unique Marketing Ideas

27:15 Expanding the Business and Marketing

31:17 Opening a New Facility

34:23 Utilizing Supply Chain Knowledge

36:41 B2C and B2B Marketing

38:42 Landing Big Business Customers

42:00 Getting into Kroger and the Challenges

45:55 Introducing Products into Kroger's ERP System

49:06 Expanding through the Kroger System

51:54 Selling on Amazon and Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)

54:58 Building a Presence on Social Media

58:11 The Power of LinkedIn

63:50 Different Personalities in the Military

65:18 Creating Characters from Different Military Branches

66:17 Creating Content in the Style of The Office

67:01 ARC's Future Plans and Expansion

68:20 Exploring Novelty Coffee Ideas

69:00 The Importance of Consistency in Content Creation

72:29 The Potential of Jack Shack Coffee

74:20 Encouraging Veterans to Put Themselves Out There

76:08 Sourcing and Naming the Novelty Coffee

78:35 Finalizing Plans for Jack Shack Coffee