🎙️ How passion for community impact and continuous improvement transformed Stone Creek Coffee from a small Milwaukee roaster into a nationally recognized leader in specialty coffee.
In this inspiring episode, co-owners Melissa Perez and Eric Resch share their journey of building a values-driven coffee business that prioritizes employee wellbeing, environmental stewardship, and local community engagement.
✨ Key Insights You’ll Learn:
How Stone Creek Coffee’s commitment to being 100% employee-owned shapes their business decisions
The power of applying user experience design principles to create exceptional customer experiences
Why “Never Stop Learning” became a core philosophy that guided them through challenges like COVID-19
How their B Corporation certification provides structure to their social responsibility mission
The importance of balancing performance culture with community values to build sustainable success
🌟 Key Moments in Their Journey:
Eric’s early coffee exploration in Seattle when Starbucks had only 30 stores
How Eric invested an $18,000 inheritance to buy his first coffee roaster
Melissa’s background in user experience design and how it transformed Stone Creek’s approach
Their courageous decision to pay employees 100% during COVID shutdowns despite financial uncertainty
The evolution from “make money to change the world” to “change the world every day through how we operate”
👉 Don’t miss this thought-provoking conversation with two business leaders who prove that staying true to your values while striving for excellence can create a thriving company that makes a positive impact in its community.