Great things happen when we plug into community and open ourselves up to the learning process. This is especially true when you begin your own business and apply those things you have learned from your experiences. It opens up entirely new levels.

Today on this 36th episode of Rate of Rise, brought to you by our friends at Mill City Roasters, we are talking with Alex Jacob of Vital Coffee Roasters.

Alex Jacob is the founder of Vital Coffee Roasters, Head Roaster for Ascension Coffee Roasters, and a 2025 Fellow with The Chain Collaborative. He holds two master's degrees in Public Health and Public Administration and is a licensed Q Grader. His passion for coffee began as a hobby and developed into positions as a barista and roasting assistant during graduate school. It was a desire to combine his passions of community impact and coffee that eventually led him to change careers, leaving the world of healthcare. Alex's aspirations had him seeking ways to better understand the coffee supply chain and how to use coffee as a method of impact. This path of continuous learning and community-focused development is what fuels his work today. We learn:

• Alex' start as a hobbyist during graduate school
• How his background in biochemistry influenced his approach to coffee roasting
• Why building confidence in roasting comes from positive reinforcement and experience
• Why community interaction is crucial for business success in the coffee industry.
• Behind Vital Coffee Roasters: a mission to impact the community positively
• Importance of being open to learning and new ideas.
• How he adapted his roasting style to meet consumer preferences
• Why networking and face-to-face interactions are key to building relationships in business
• The importance of continuous growth and learning are essential for success in entrepreneurship.

Links:

https://vitalcoffeeroasters.coffee/ https://www.instagram.com/vitalcoffeeroasters/

Related episodes:

• Founder Friday! w/ Rachel Lehman of Crema Coffee Roasters in Nashville, TN
• 452: Championing the Customer Experience in Coffee w/ 3x SA Barista Champion, Winston Douglas Thomas of Cedar Coffee
• RoR #25 : Training Up the Next Generation of Roasters w/ Steve Lee of Pocket Knife Consulting + Linea Caffe
• ROR #24 : Perspectives on Roasting for Espresso w/ Jaroslav Tuček of Doubleshot, Czech Republic

Our Sponsor for Rate of Rise!

www.millcityroasters.com