The Folly Coffee Podcast

In another edition of DTF!, Folly Rob sits down with Chef Yia Vang to discuss, what is pizza? They run through the definition of pizza, the history of the classic dish, and attempt to clearly define what is and isn't a pizza. Enjoy! @yiavang70

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Eric Pfaff, the AM Food & Beverage Manager at Hewing Hotel in the North Loop of Minneapolis, MN. Eric is also the owner of Cornerstone Bed & Breakfast outside of Philadelphia, PA. Hear how he went from being a theater actor, getting a show cancelled after moving out east, and purchasing an historic bed & breakfast. His passion for hospitality and learning continues at the Hewing Hotel. They also discuss the challenges of small business ownership, balancing work and mental health, and mindset to creating building and maintaining a brand & reputation. Enjoy! @the_young_innkeeper

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Grant Nelson, Executive Chef at W.A. Frost & Co in St. Paul, MN. In a full circle moment, Grant was a line cook at W.A. Frost & Co nearly a decade ago. Since then, he has worked in many of the Twin Cities best kitchens. Hear his approach to building a new menu, and building skills as a chef to get where he is today. Enjoy! @chef_pony

In this solo episode, Folly Rob is making predictions about 2023 coffee trends. This includes coffee trends in cafes & restaurants, grocery/retailers, online, and business. Enjoy! @follycoffee

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Sonny Side of the Best Ever Food Review Show, the most watched travel food show on YouTube. Hear how he went from growing up in St. Cloud, MN, moving to South Korea, then Vietnam, and growing a YouTube channel with over 9.5 million subscribers since it's launch in 2015!  @besteverfoodreviewshow

Prepare yourself because this episode gets contentious! Folly Rob sits down with Chef Yia Vang to discuss a term that has become divisive in the food world, what is a foodie? They run through the history of the word, how it has changed, with some heated moments about what it has turned into. Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Pedro Wolcott, Chef & Owner of the recently opened Guacaya Bistreaux in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis. Pedro was born in Panama and moved to New Orleans with his family when he was 17. After Hurricane Katrina, Pedro moved to Las Vegas which began the story of his wild culinary career. There are too many details and crazy stops along the way to summarize here! Hear his story that led him to Minneapolis and opening Guacaya Bistreaux. Enjoy! @guacaya_tapas

Welcome back to another edition of DTF! (Define the Food). In this ongoing series, Folly Rob and Chef Yia Vang select different food and drink topics and attempt to define them. In this episode, the question is "What is sauce?". They discuss consistency, ingredients, use, and more to clearly define what a sauce is. Is a dip a sauce? Is soup sauce? Can you eat sauce with a spoon? Enjoy! @yiavang70

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Graham Messenger, Executive Chef at Pillbox Tavern in St. Paul, MN. Hear his story about starting in the industry washing dishes, and working his way up with many stops along the way. A great inside look into the life of a chef! Enjoy! @thepillboxtavern @thegmessenger

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Jake Haneman, founder and owner of Bootlegger Brewing Kombucha in Apple Valley, Minnesota. Jake started brewing his own kombucha using a family SCOBY, and used this same SCOBY to launch Bootlegger Brewing in 2015. Hear how he went from a career in engineering to creating one of the best tasting kombuchas around available in 100s of stores across Minnesota and more. Enjoy! @bootleggerbrewing

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Robyn Frank, owner and founder of Thumbs Cookies. Robyn launched Thumbs Cookies in 2012 using a recipe she would bake with her mom growing up in Minnesota. She moved back to Minnesota in 2014 and since then has grown the business from a farmer's market stand to grocery stores, an online shop, a cookiemobile, wholesale customers, and more! Hear her story here. Enjoy! @thumbscookies Website

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down for the second time with Bizzy Coffee co-founder, Alex French. Bizzy Coffee makes RTD cold brew distributed to retailers throughout the country, steep and brew cold brew bags, and coffee beans/grounds for cold brew. Alex outlines the changes and challenges of the business since the last episode in August of 2020 including increased competition as the #1 cold brew coffee on Amazon, raising funds to continue to fuel their growth, and keeping up with an increased demand during COVID while retail competitors faced out of stocks. Enjoy! @bizzycoffee

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Chef Yia Vang for another edition of DTF! In Define the Food, Rob and Yia attempt to define different categories within food and beverage. In this episode the question is, what is the difference between a restaurant and a cafe? They explore the history of restaurants and cafes and ask the most important question...is McDonalds a cafe? Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Peter Bian, owner of Saturday Dumpling Club. Hear how Peter used a family recipe to begin selling dumplings through Instagram. What began posting on his personal account and selling out his garage through DMs has led to a full scale operation creating weekly dumpling pick-ups selling out nearly every week. If you're lucky enough to get ahold of some of their dumplings, you'll know why they've become so popular. Enjoy! @saturdaydumplingclub

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Vince LaPelusa, owner of Fresh Steeps tea. After developing an obsession with tea, Vince left his sales job to launch his own business focused on loose leaf teas, balancing flavor and functionality to create blends that taste great and provide positive physical benefits. Vince is also the host of the Opteamized podcast. Here his story here. Enjoy! @freshsteeps @opteamized

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Ales Pospisil, one of the creators of European Coffee Trip. European Coffee Trip has amassed over 105k followers on Instagram and 229k subscribers on YouTube creating city guides, brew guides, and reviews of cafes, coffee, and coffee equipment. They are also the creators of the Aeropress Movie, a documentary about the popular brewing device. In town for Veecon all the way from the Czech Republic, they talk about how his passion for coffee culture began, launching and growing European Coffee Trip, and more. Enjoy! @europeancoffeetrip

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Tyler Liedman, owner of Impossible Coffee. Tyler started Impossible Coffee with the goal of connecting under-served coffee businesses and professionals with the resources they need to grow and thrive including education, training, equipment sales and service. He has over 15 years in specialty coffee and is an SCA certified barista trainer. Hear his coffee story and what led to venturing out in starting his own business. Enjoy! @coffeeimpossible impossible-coffee.com

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down once again with Chef Yia Vang for another episode of DTF; Define the Food. In this rendition, they debate "Are mashed potatoes the Irish version of Guacamole"? This includes a deep dive into the history of mashed potatoes and guacamole including origins and a surprising historical link between the two. Enjoy!  Also, is batman a potato? @yiavang70

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with returning guest Barnaby Holmes. Barnaby was one of the judges in the 2022 US Barista Championship. Morgan Eckroth, of social media fame @morgandrinkscoffee, was the winner of the Barista Championship created an interesting conversation around the championship itself. We go deep into how fame, resources, and training factor into the Barista Championship. Enjoy! To hear all the details on judging and the US Barista Championship, head to episode 10 (whoa) with Barnaby to hear all about it. @askbarn

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Jonathan Janssen, Sales Manager at Brother Justus Whiskey. J Starting as a server at Upton 43, Jonathan has served in many roles including in the restaurant industry and is an advocate for mental health and change. Hear his story here. Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down virtually with Tik Tok coffee creator and owner of Golden Triangle Coffee Dan McLaughlin, aka @softpourn. With just under a million followers and over 19 million likes, they talk about how he achieved his growth on Tik Tok and strategies for new or small creators. They also talk about how he got his start in the coffee industry and launching his own roasting business, Golden Triangle Coffee. This one is full of amazing insights! Enjoy! @softpourn @goldentrianglecoffee

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with CJ, Director of Coffee at The Get Down Coffee Co. in Minneapolis. Hear about his transition from Head Roaster at Spyhouse Coffee to the new Get Down Coffee Co. Also included are a game of "Is it Coffee?" and "Overrated/Underrated". Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Ali Kaplan, Editor in Chief of Twin Cities Business, VP of Content at MSP Communications, radio host of Shop Girls on myTalk 107.1 and more. Ali covers her career from her major in journalism at Wisconsin Madison all the way to her role as Editor in Chief. Along the way she picked up valuable experience and insights into the media industry she shares. Some of these include best practices for getting media coverage for small businesses, how they decide what to cover, and more. Enjoy! @alishops @tcbmag

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down once again with Chef Yia Vang fresh off his James Beard AWard nominations for Best Chef Midwest and Best New Restaurant Midwest for Union Hmong Kitchen. The conversation leads to a discussion of award, classifications for awards (specifically restaurants and what that means), and the feedback received from the nominations. Enjoy! @yiavang70 @unionhmongkitchen

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Brian Ingram, chef & owner of Purpose Driven Restaurants (Hope Breakfast Bar, The Gnome Craft Pub, Apostle's Supper Club) to talk down about the ins and outs of owning and expanding restaurant ownership. They dive into how leasing has changed since COVID, strategy and decision making in business focus, and more! Enjoy! @chefbrianingram

In this solo episode, Folly Rob reflects on four years in business and covers a range of topics including the pros/cons of sales channels (retail, cafe/restaurant, online), assumptions before launching to the reality now, shifting strategies with growth, and more. Enjoy! @follycoffee

Happy 2022! And what better way to start the new with than with DTF.  Yia is back! In another edition of DTF (Define the Food), Folly Rob sits down with Chef Yia Vang to discuss...what is soup? Is cereal soup? Is stew soup? What makes a soup a soup?  Also included in this episode is a review of the Cuisinart DCB-10 Automatic Cold Brew Coffeemaker, a home coffee brewer that claims to make cold brew in 25 minutes. Is it legit? Listen here to find out all your soup and cold brew maker answers. Enjoy! @yiavang70

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Sam Kjellberg, owner of St. Paul, MN based coffee shop and roaster SK Coffee Co. Here how his career in music in Boston led to a coffee roasting business. What started as an online subscription based service led to a full roastery and shop in St. Paul. Here his story here! Enjoy! @s.k.coffee

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Pip Hanson, Food & Beverage Director of Keeper's Heart Whiskey, made by O'Shaughnessy Distilling Co. in Minneapolis. Pip has been in the beverage industry for 25+ years including time in the Twin Cities, Tokyo, and London. Once named "one of America's best bartenders" by Esquire Magazine, Pip has spent time creating the beverage program for Marvel Bar in Minneapolis and as head bartender at London's Artesian bar, named four times "Best Bar in the World". Hear his story here! @mfpip @osdistillingco

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down virtually with Austin Demeter, owner of Epiphany Coffee in Boise, Idaho. Austin started his coffee career roasting at Dunn Bros, later with Bootstrap Coffee in St. Paul, spent a year in Wisconsin, and moved to Boise where is career continued leading to starting his own wholesale roasting business, Epiphany Coffee. Hear his story here! @austindebrewer @epiphanycoffee.co

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Jordan Carr, co-founder of Winnow MN. Winnow MN is an online based coffee subscription service, offering customers a different Minnesota coffee roaster each and every month. Launched during the pandemic, the business quickly picked up traction and has been featured in many publications including the Star Tribune and Artful Living Magazine. Hear his story here! Enjoy @winnow.mn

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Mike Hidalgo, one of the creators of K'ooben and beverage director at Sonora Grill. Mike combines a knowledge and passion for Mexican food and agave spirits in K'ooben, a pop up focused around Mexican cuisine. Upon creating the concept with a group of local chefs, they have sold out every event. Mike is also the beverage director at Sonora Grill, where he uses a selection of over 100 agave based spirits for a cocktail menu unlike anything in the Twin Cities. Hear his story of working in the Twin Cities food/bev scene and the lessons he learned along the way. Enjoy! @koobenmpls @blank_slatte

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Matthew Gundrum. You may know him from the Food Under Fire Podcast, which ended in 2021. Since then, Matthew has shifted to podcast production and has an exciting project in the works called Niver Niver Land, with restauranteur Tim Niver. Hear all about it here! @niverniverland @mattjgundrum @gleamtower

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Nick Kosevich, who can only be described as a food & beverage entrepreneur because he is involved in so many different things! Nick was the co-founder of Bittercube, the consulting and bitters company. He has since launched Drinks Apothecary, an elixr, syrup, and cocktail mix business while consulting for bars/restaurants across the country. He is a partner at Mr. Paul's Supper Club opening in Edina in November. Hear his story here. Enjoy! @drinksapothecary @mrpaulssupperclub @earlgilesmpls

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Ian David, owner of Blip Coffee Roasters in Kansas City. Launched as a coffee roaster 7 years ago doing pop-up pourovers on a custom welded motorcycle, Blip has grown in a unique way, creating a community behind the motorcycle and coffee culture of KC. Operating in West Bottoms, Ian has navigated a lot of moves, including his first cafe setting on fire to quickly moving out of a space during COVID into a 19,000 square foot facility. Hear the Blip story here. Enjoy! @bliproasters

Yia is back! In another edition of DTF (Define the Food), Folly Rob sits down with Yia Vang to discuss the difference between a burrito and a wrap. Is it the type of filling? Is it the temperature? Is it the size of the food? Listen to find out. Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down once again with Katy Gerdes, owner of Angel Food Bakery. The last episode was recorded in summer of 2020, in the midst of pandemic closures and lockdowns. Hear how Katy worked through the challenges of 2020 and towards opening a second location in St. Louis Park including the first brick & mortar launch of her frozen treats business, Frio Frio. Enjoy! @angelfoodmn @friofriomn

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Ben and Gabriella, owners of Bebezito Ice Cream in Minneapolis. Named best ice cream in Minnesota by Food & Wine Magazine, hear their story of starting with pop ups to opening one of the most popular ice cream shops as well as a second location at Malcolm Yards. Enjoy! @bebe.zito

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Kenny Ntwali of Higa Coffee. Kenny splits his time between the US and Rwanda, importing high end specialty coffees. Hear all about how he got into importing and the challenges of launching a new importing program. Enjoy! @higacoffeeco

This episode is being posted out of order because IT IS THE WEEK OF THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR! In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Jeremy Ely, CEO of Nordic Waffles. Originally founded in Norway by Stine Aasland, Jeremy joined the team in 2017 to launch and grow the business in the US. Hear how he started as a barista and worked his way up at Caribou Coffee, eventually making the switch to Nordic Waffles to create explosive growth with creative sales and marketing methods including the MN State Fair. Be sure to grab a cup of Folly Coffee and a Nordic Waffle when you go @nordicwaffles

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down again with Bradley Taylor, owner of The Donut Trap (formerly Sssdude-Nutz) to talk about how he navigated business through 2020, using the donut truck vs. farmer's markets, how he manages his time, and diversifying his financials. Enjoy!

In this solo episode, Folly Rob covers a variety of topics including the challenges and potential issues with growth and customer service, cash flow constraints, taking back the negative connotation on the term "sales", and briefly discusses optimizing the website for SEO. Enjoy! @follycoffee www.follycoffee.com

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Brian and Nikki, owners of The Salsa Collaborative. Hear how a life-altering event changed their mindset and led to the launch of The Salsa Collaborative. TSC is a St. Paul based business making delicious salsas and hot sauces from scratch launched in late 2019. Enjoy! @thesalsacollaborative

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with the founders and owners of Zen Box Izakaya, Lina Goh and John Ng. Hear their story how they met from across the world in San Francisco and New Zealand in an online chat room to starting one of the most popular Japanese restaurants in the Twin Cities, famous for their ramen. A great discussion about a variety of topics in and out of the food world. Enjoy! @zenboxizakaya

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Chef Yia Vang with the intention of discussing the perils of running a small business, then ranking the best candies. In typical small business fashion, the conversation careened out of control and it ended up being copletely about small business woes. Enjoy! @yiavang70

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Jason DeRusha. Jason is a morning news anchor at WCCO, food editor and restaurant critic for MN Monthly Magazine, part time host on WCCO radio show, has won 9 Emmy awards, is a James Beard Nominee, and was named one of the Most Influential People- Twin Cities. He also has a large engaged following on Instagram and Twitter. Hear his story here. Enjoy! @derushaj

Note: at 4:10 we lost some audio of Joe describing his role Fair Wave Coffee Collective. He is in charge of product development for coffee, drinks, and sourcing the coffees they roast. It’s a sad day for Minnesota coffee, as one of our favorites Joe Marrocco has taken a new role in Kansas City with Fair Wave Coffee. Joe has held nearly every role one can imagine in specialty coffee. Head to previous episodes to hear more about him. Sad to see him go, but thrilled for him for the opportunity! In this episode Folly Rob sits down with Roaster Joe to talk about his new role, then move on to predict trends within the specialty coffee industry in the coming years. Enjoy! @roasterjoe

In this virtual episode, Folly Rob sits down with Ryan Gawlik, aka Coffeefanatics to chat about his rise on Tik Tok, currently over 828k followers. Ryan is a seasoned barista and used his platform to launch a new line of coffee syrups, but with major challenges! Listen to hear his story. Enjoy! Tik Tok: @coffeefanatics Instagram: @coffeefanaticz

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Gustavo Romero, owner and proprietor of Nixta in Minnneapolis. Born in Mexico and moving to the US, Gustavo moved around the country working his way up through a number of jobs in the food and beverage industry (more than maybe any other guest in the past!). Hear his story how these jobs led to him opening Nixta, a tortilleria and Mexican takeout restaurant. Enjoy!

In this audio only episode recorded in Peru, Folly Rob and Jeff reflect and recap the trip to Villa Rica in Peru to visit Daniel's coffee farm. Jeff met Daniel at the 2019 Q Grader exam where the offer was extended to visit. Two years later and this became a reality! Listen along to hear how the trip went, what was learned, and everything in between. Enj

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Colin from the Zoe's Bakery & Cafe team. Hear how Colin's passion led from the east coast back to Minnesota to begin working with Zoe's. In 2020, Zoe's had begun work on opening a second location when circumstances led to them ending the lease on their original Uptown location.  However, work and focus shifted to the new location with an entirely new coffee program and beautiful new design concept. The new cafe is set to open in June in Minneapolis. Follow them on Instagram to keep up with the launch. Enjoy! @zoesbakerycafe

A Folly Coffee Quick Hitter is a 5-7 minute answer to common coffee questions. In this Quick Hitter, Folly Rob uses some learnings from the recent coffee farm visit at Villa Rica, Peru to describe the differences between Yellow Honey, Red Honey, and Black Honey processing. Enjoy!

In this virtual episode, Folly Rob sits down with Bryan of Koo Koo Kanga Roo, a Minnesota based band with nearly 200k followers on both YouTube and Tik Tok, millions of views, and over 200k monthly listeners on Spotify. Hear the story of how two best friends started a band with an iPod and microphones with dance along instructions and live shows unlike anything at the time leading to becoming a favorite of parents who wanted kid friendly music that was...well...actually good. Their new album "Slow Clap" comes out May 21st. Enjoy! www.kookookangaroo.com @kookookangaroo

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Area Manager at Performance Foodservice. Distributors are the key to success and growth of many food products, but is rarely highlighted. This episode is full of insights about the inner workings of distribution and some of those keys to potential success with a focus on small food/product makers. Enjoy! www.performancefoodservice.com

In this episode Folly Rob sits down with Chef David Fhima, Fhima's MPLS, Mother Dough Bakery, Artisans & Spice Catering, and non-profit organization The North Stands. Chef Fhima has amazing insights and perspective from his years in the industry including highs and lows. Born in Morocco, he found himself in LA by way of multiple countries where he found his start in the food industry. Listen to hear the rest. Enjoy! fhimasmpls.com @fhimasmpls @cheffhima

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Tina Rexing, owner of T-Rex Cookies. Hear how she went from the corporate world while competing and winning multiple blue ribbons in the MN State Fair Baking Competition to launching her own business with a bank loan and a successful Kickstarter campaign. Enjoy! @trexcookie www.trexcookie.com

In the second FOOD DEBATE w/ Chef Yia Vang, Folly Rob debates if the following are overrated, underrated, or appropriately rated; Fried chicken sandwiches, Artisanal donuts, Hard seltzers, Vegan/Vegetarian “meats”, At Home Restaurant Experiences, Pickled/Fermented foods and Small plates. There is also new segment called DTF (Define the Food) trying to define what a sandwich really is. Hold on for this fun, sometimes philosophical debate @yiavang70

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Jared and Johan, owners of Wesley Andrews Coffee and Tea based in the Whittier neighborhood of Uptown Minneapolis. Founded in 2017, Wesley Andrews focuses on sourcing and roasting high end coffees and has been named 3x Top 50 Coffee Roaster in the U.S. by Food & Wine Magazine. They also have one of the best tea menus in the area, sourcing teas from around the world directly.  This episode also features the first ever COFFEE DRAFT! (Starts at 44:59) In this NFL style draft, Rob, Johan, and Jared are each drafting menu items with the goal of creating the best coffee shop menu. The twist is, they have to choose menu items from a select list of items, and not all of them are good. Listen along as they reason their way through each pick. Head to the @follycoffee Instagram to vote on who you think has the best shop menu Enjoy! @wesleyandrews.cc www.wesleyandrews.cc

In this virtual episode, Folly Rob sits down with Host & Producer of the Top 100 podcast, Keys to the Shop, a podcast focused on equipping coffee retail professionals with industry knowledge. Chris Deferio is also the founder and owner of Keys to the Shop Consulting, focused on serving retail coffee professionals. Chris has over 20 years of coffee professional experiencing dating back to 2001 and has served a number of roles within the coffee world. This episode covers his coffee journey, how he got into podcasting/consulting, and discussion focused around common mistakes of coffee shop owners. Enjoy! @keystotheshop keystotheshop.com Keys to the Shop Podcast

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Kate Meier, owner of BA Craftmade Aprons. Hear this amazing story how making her chef son a custom apron after his new apron stained on his first day led to explosive growth including a new deal becoming the official uniform of U.S. nationwide! This is a great example how a superior product in a category with little to no innovation led to massive word of mouth through Instagram with some of the country's best chefs. Kate turned down investors looking to move production overseas and has instead built a completely self-funded business built around treating people right. Enjoy! @craftmadeaprons craftmadeapron.com

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Tara Coleman & Lisa Mangiameli of Hot Hands Pie & Biscuit in St. Paul, MN. Hear how both Tara and Lisa went from working with Girl & The Goat, a Stephanie Izard restaurant, in Chicago to launching Hot Hands in St. Paul. Lots of great insights into the importance of high standards and expectations in operations and execution. Enjoy! Click Here to get a free drip coffee a week after this episode! @hothandspie www.hothandspie.com

Many business owners struggle with the balance between giving back to the community and growing as a profitable business. As seen in Forbes, People Magazine, Sprudge, MN Monthly, and more Houston White has made businesses that grow culture and community through business and has a truly inspiring approach to entrepreneurship. In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Houston and discuss how he went from success in real estate beginning at age 21, to founding a barber shop in North Minneapolis, to launching a line of clothing, Back Excellence, that is now in 600+ J.C. Penny's and partnering with Dan Anderson, owner of Dogwood Coffee, to launching the Get Down Coffee Co in 2020 after a successful Indiegogo campaign. If you are an entrepreneur, you need to listen to this episode. @houstonwhite.co @thegetdowncoffeeco https://linktr.ee/hwmr

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Joe Marrocco, aka Roaster Joe, for a second time on the Folly Coffee Podcast. Joe has held a number of roles within coffee industry, currently a partner at List + Beisler,  Germany based coffee importer. We dig through common industry terms and what they actually mean including organic certification, ethical sourcing, and more. Enjoy! @roasterjoe www.list-beisler.coffee

A Folly Coffee Quick Hitter is a 5-7 minute answer to common coffee questions. What is a "dark roast" coffee? Listen to find out.

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down for the second time with Food/Bev entrepreneur Kamal Mohamed, founder of the Uptown Food Truck Festival, Juicebot, Nashville Coop, and now Love You Cookies and Stepchld (MPLS based restaurant). In the second episode with Kamal, we chat about how he started Love You Cookies during 2020 and launched Stepchld in 2021. Topics include how to build an effective team, stepping aside to allow your team to succeed, opening a fine dining restaurant with no prior experience, and more. Enjoy! https://loveyoucookie.com/ https://www.stepchld.com/

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Luke Derheim, Creative Visionary of Craft and Crew Hospitality. Craft and Crew currently consists of The Block, Stanley's, The Howe, Pub 819, and The Bar Draft House. Craft and Crew is an industry leader in restaurant concepts, staying ahead of the curve and constantly updating based on a combination of trends, intuition, and a direct connection to their neighborhoods and customers. C&C thrived during COVID with quick pivots including a brand new concept called Biscuits, and Cookies & Custard. Hear his story here!

In this remote episode, Folly Rob sits down with Whistler (drums/vocals) and Zach (bass/keyboard), members of a Folly all time favorite band, Hippo Campus. Hippo Campus is a St. Paul, MN based band formed in 2013 and has since experienced success in the music industry including a record deal, multiple albums, nearly half a billion streams on Spotify, and national headlining tours. Listen to their story of starting in high school to where they are now. Enjoy! https://hippocampus.band/ @thehalocline

Folly Rob Rambles is a new series within The Folly Coffee Podcast hosted on the Clubhouse app by Folly Coffee owner Rob. Clubhouse is an app where presenters can host or co-host conversations where listeners can join "on stage" to engage in conversation, or simply listen in. In this first episode, Folly Rob hosts a Clubhouse on why he joined. Drop ins occur from none other than a brief moment from Rob's mom, and Food Under Fire host Matt Gundrum, who gives his take on the app and the way it is being used within the cryptocurrency community. Check out the Food Under Fire Podcast

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Carley Kammerer, owner of Wildflyer Coffee, a non-profit coffee company dedicated to empowering homeless and and at risk youth. Hear the Wildflyer story, starting with a coffee cart at weekend farmer's markets, a successful Indiegogo campaign, and now a full coffee shop in south Minneapolis. Wildflyer has great coffee and an even greater mission. Enjoy! @wildflyercoffee www.wildflyercoffeecom

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down virtually with Alyza Bohbot James, owner of City Girl Coffee & Alakef Coffee based in Duluth, MN. Alyza's parents founded Alakef Roasters in 1990, roasting specialty coffee. Fast forward and Alyza found herself in a position to take over the business and also create a brand new concept with City Girl Coffee. Hear her story here! Also, check out her brand new podcast the City Girl Empower Hour! @citygirlempowerhour @citygirlcoffee @alakef_coffee

In the second ever Folly Coffee Podcast DEBATE, Folly Rob sits down with renowned Chef Yia Vang, owner of Union Hmong Kitchen and future purveyor of Vinai. In this debate style episode, Rob and Yia debate different types of food and if they are overrated, underrated, or apropriately rated. Get ready for some hot takes and strong words. Enjoy! @chefyiavang

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with coffee roaster Tony Querio, owner of Acorn Coffee Club and Silverbird Roasting Co. Before launching Acorn Coffee Club and Silverbird, Tony was the Head Roaster and Director of Coffee at Spyhouse Coffee in Minneapolis and won the US Roaster's Championship in 2016. Hear his story how he got into coffee roasting and everything in between. Enjoy! @acorncoffeeclub (www.acorncoffeeclub.com) @silverbirdcoffee (www.silverbirdcoffee.com) @tonyqtostador

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Marcus Parkansky, owner of Misfit coffee based out of Minneapolis, MN. Marcus began working on the first Misfit Coffee truck at 17 years old. Since then, they have expanded into a brick and mortar shop, full roasting program, and more! Hear his story how he built the business from scratch and plans for continued growth. Enjoy! @misfitcoffee www.misfitcoffee.com

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Zach Vraa, owner of A to Z Creamery (@atozcreamery) and popular food Insta @vraamoney_eats. Hear how he went from a star wide receiver at NDSU, to starting a popular food Instagram account, eventually leading to starting the small batch ice cream business A to Z Creamery. A to Z has weekly releases of unusual and delicious flavors. Enjoy!

In this episode, Head Roaster and Director of Coffee Folly Jeff Mooney and owner Folly Rob sit down to discuss the exciting plans for 2021 (knock on wood). We have some amazing things in store and are looking to continue to push the boundaries of what we do as a business while continuing to solidify the foundation of the business. Get ready for some amazing coffee and foolishness in 2021!  @follycoffee www.follycoffee.com www.coffeehotsauce.com

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Madi Stone. Madi is in the planning stages of opening up a coffee shop in Northern Minnesota, so we decided it would be fun to do an episode early in the planning process to discuss everything that goes into planning the opening of a new shop. After opening, we will record another and talk about everything else involved. Madi will be taking over an existing coffee shop, creating a unique opportunity to capitalize on an existing clientele while looking to grow within their community. Enjoy!

Did you know that Prince (yes, that Prince) had a favorite cheesecake? Folly Rob sits down with Vanessa Drews, owner of Minnesota based Cheesecake Funk. Vanessa makes absolutely delicious cheesecakes in Chaska, MN. What started out of passion in making cheesecakes for friends and family, led to Prince himself tweeting out about her desserts, to quitting her job and going full time just 4 months before the pandemic. Enjoy! @cheesecakefunk cheesecakefunk.com Show Notes Casey Cornell with Ope! Brands built the Cheesecake Funk website www.opebrands.com Cheesecake Funk is currently offered at all Twin Cities Crave American Kitchen & Sushi Bar restaurants; Bearpath Country Club, in Eden Prairie; Tequila Butcher, in Chanhassen; Soul Bowl and B.A.D. Wingz, in Minneapolis; and, Cologne House Café, in Cologne.

In this impromptu solo episode, Folly Rob utilizes the mobile podcast setup to reflect on one of the most.....interesting years in 2020 going all the way back to January, plans that were in place, to where the business stands today. Happy New Year everybody! Your continued support of Folly and this podcast is greatly appreciated and we look forward to all we have in store for you all moving forward. Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Ben Banse, owner of FRGMNT Coffee in the North Loop of Minneapolis. FRGMNT Coffee is a multi-roaster cafe located in The Nordic building bringing in coffees from roasters all around the world. Hear Ben's story which starts in Jacksonville, FL and brought him to a number of specialty shops around the Twin Cities, ultimately opening up his own shop. Enjoy! @frgmntcoffee https://www.frgmntcoffee.com/

Folly Rob sits down with Chef Karyn Tomlinson (@katomlinson), owner of Myriel (@myrielmn) in St. Paul, MN. Hear her story of shifting to a culinary life in her early 20s including (but not limited to) moving to Paris, France to study at Le Cordon Bleu, working her way to run the pastry program at Borough in Minneapolis, working at a Michelin starred restaurant in Sweden, Chef de Cuisine at Corner Table in MPLS, to opening a new restaurant during a pandemic. Pre-order your holiday dinner now at myrielmn.com (I highly recommend the apple pie) and check out the weekly takeout menu

Folly Rob sits down with two University of Minnesota students, Josh and Matthew, who have a business concept based on single origin espresso. They contacted Rob to meet and discuss the plan and potential opportunities and challenges which turned into this episode. Listen along with the discussion as potential strategies and pivots are discussed in changing a pop-up concept into an educational platform with a digital and physical presence. Topics discussed include but are not limited to: Challenges of a physical space How to grow without increasing your time commitment Focusing within a niche to capture an audience How to build a trustworthy brand without your own expertise

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Ross Jett, owner of Second State Coffee in Charleston, a cafe and coffee roaster with multiple locations. Beginning 9 years ago as Black Tap Coffee, they began roasting their own coffee two years later and rebranded to Second State. Hear his story of starting from one cafe ahead of the specialty curve in Charleston, expanding to two, and now three with their most recent purchase of a specialty cafe. Enjoy! @secondstatecoffee secondstatecoffee.com

This episode is a must listen for anyone who is or aspires to be an entrepreneur, especially within food & beverage. Folly Rob sits down with Kamal Mohamed, former founder of the Uptown Food Truck Festival, Juicebot, and most recently, Nashville Coop in St. Paul. Nashville Coop combines the popular Nashville Hot Chicken with the traditional Ethiopian spices Kamal grew up with for an incredible and unique blend. Hear how a nightmarish first year of the Uptown Food Truck Festival (from too many people showing up!) led him down an entrepreneurial path of multiple successful businesses within food & beverage. Enjoy! @nashvillecoop www.nashvillecoop.com

Recorded November 9th, 2020 If you live in Minnesota, you likely know the name. Chef Justin Sutherland (@chefjustinsutherland) has blown up over the past few years from launching Handsome Hog in St. Paul, winning Iron Chef, competing in Top Chef, and much more. He even has a new show, Fast Foodies, launching on TruTV. Hear how he went from packing up on a whim and living in Costa Rica after a life-changing car crash to becoming one of the most popular chefs around. Enjoy! @chefjustinsutherland @handsome_hog

If you live in the Twin Cities, you likely follow @eatdrinkdishmpls one of the most popular food Instagram pages in Minnesota with 70.9k followers. Folly Rob sits down with the person behind the page, Golnaz Yamoutpour, who started the page in 2014 and organically grown a following through engaging content and intelligent social media marketing strategy. Golnaz also recently announced the launch of Eats with Eddy (www.eatswitheddy.com) a curated Twin Cities food and restaurant guide as well as being an independent social media consultant. Hear her story here! Enjoy! @eatdrinkdishmpls @eatswitheddy www.eatswitheddy.com @teameatdrinkdish

This impromptu episode happed when Jake was in town from Duluth to pick up some green coffee from Cafe Imports in Minneapolis. Folly Rob sat down with him to discuss his journey in coffee from barista, to head roaster, all the way to launching Underwood Coffee Roasters (now available!). Jake is humble, hard working, and roasts a damn good cup of coffee. Hear his story here! @underwood_coffee underwoodcoffee.com

This is like a 2 for 1 special, because the massively growing business of Revitalyte (a hangover/hydration cure) is not his first venture. Hear how Ryan started a frozen pizza business specializing in mac n cheese pizza and ended up in the business of a unique hydration solution. This is a great example of how hard work and feet on the street can be the game changer for a business. Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Alexa Score. She is a professional TV Personality with the MN Vikings, Made for the Outdoors, Destination Polaris, CW Twin Cities, and even had a role in 2 Headed Shark Attack (it's as amazing as it sounds). Here how Alexa went from surviving leukemia at age 16 to graduating high school early to become a professional wakeboarder at 21. Since then she has made a name for herself with appearances on MTV, ESPN, Travel Channel and more. Alexa has a great outlook on life and this was a fantastic conversation. Enjoy! @alexascore

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with E. White, a radio DJ at KDWB. KDWB is a radio station that is a part of the iHeart Network. Originally from Philadelphia, E. spent time in Des Moines until eventually ending up in Minneapolis. He continues to build a highly engaged crowd of Minnesotans on Tik Tok with his love of hockey, local spots, and the life a radio DJ. Enjoy! @ewhiteonthemic

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with St. Paul based restauranteur Brian Ingram, who, with his wife Sarah, has opened three restaurants in the past year, including a dramatic pivot during COVID closures to a community kitchen feeding the community out of their own pockets (over 100,000 meals served to date!). Hear his story of ups and downs from Alaska, San Francisco, becoming one of the youngest executive chefs in the country at 19 years old, Las Vegas, New York City, and now St. Paul, from being on top, starting from scratch, and coming back with the 2017 Hot Concept of the Year. The restaurants of Brian and Sarah all have a mission and give back to the community. A jam packaged episode with a great person! @hopebreakfastbar @thegnomepub @woodfiredcantina

We are launching the Folly Coffee Hot Sauce! Head to the Kickstarter here to check it out: http://kck.st/3k87AFI Since we are launching the Folly Coffee Hot Sauce, Folly Rob sits down in a solo episode to discuss everything that goes into a successful launch of a new product. He first explains how we came to the decision of launching a hot sauce, despite being a coffee business. Then, Rob explains everything that goes into a successful product launch in the following two scenarios: You want to start a business/launch a product, but don't have a product in mind You have a product, and want to launch it effectively Find the best framework for launching a new product To hear about why we're launching a hot sauce and all the decisions that went into that, start from the beginning. To skip the decision making process on the Folly Coffee Hot Sauce and get right to launching a new product head to 17:00 @follycoffeehotsauce  coffeehotsauce.com

Folly Rob sits down with Nyle Flynn (@nylewflynn), Executive Chef at Hewing Hotel & Tullibee in the North Loop of Minneapolis, MN. Hear how an unconventional path with a nomadic lifestyle led Nyle from Detroit, to traveling Southeast Asia, to living on organic farms in the Pacific Northwest, crashing with some Upper Peninsula monks making jams, all while picking up the skill set that led to becoming the Executive Chef at Hewing Hotel & Tullibee. Stop by Hewing Hotel to check out the now open bar and lounge area and keep an eye out for the reopening of Tullibee! @nylewflynn

This is the only debate worth listening to in 2020. In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with two-time Folly Coffee Podcast guest, CJ from Up Coffee, now with Spyhouse Coffee in Minneapolis. In this debate style episode, Rob and CJ go through a list of coffee drinks, roasts, and processing methods and debate is each one OVERRATED, UNDERRATED, or APPROPRIATELY RATED *EXPLOSION SOUNDS*. There are also breaks in the episode for both Rob and CJ to rant about coffee industry pet peeves. Enjoy! @caffeinatedcj

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Kat Melheim, founder of Coffee People Zine (get your subscription or submit your art at https://coffeepeople.org/). Coffee People Zine is a quarterly magazine that focuses on the artists and celebrating creativity within the coffee community. Issue 10, the most recent zine, is focused completely on black creatives with the help of KP (@hoosierqueenkp). Kat is extremely thoughtful and this episode had great conversations around not only her journey starting and publishing Coffee People, but also around issues in and out of the coffee community. Check out the issue and follow them at the handle below! @coffeepeoplezine coffeepeople.org

A Folly Coffee Quick Hitter is a 5-7 minute answer to common coffee questions. Is there a difference in caffeine content between light and dark roast? Listen to find out.

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with college friend Luke Peters, a comedy writer based out of LA. After living in Chicago taking classes and performing at the legendary Second City comedy theater, he packed up with his girlfriend to pursue his career in LA. This conversation went all over the place including living with a Craigslist roommate that left out warm raw turkey meat all over the home, living with a strange French man that later became a famous Netflix reality show star, and working on the writing team at HBO before COVID shut down the entertainment industry. Also, he got a corgi puppy which makes an appearance at the end of the episode. Enjoy! @pukeleters

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Lee Carter, Founder of Five Watt Coffee & Big Watt Beverage. Five Watt Coffee is a group of 4 cafes with a coffee roasting program in Minneapolis. Big Watt Beverage produces primarily a line of canned RTD cold brew and has expanded into other beverages. Listen to his story of how he went from touring with a band working a coffee job on the side to founding a group of cafes, roasting program, and nationally distributed cold brew. Enjoy! @fivewattcoffee @bigwattbeverage

Oily beans mean they're fresh roasted right? RIGHT?! Kinda... A Folly Coffee Quick Hitter is a 5-7 answer to common coffee questions. Tune into this QH to learn why some beans are oily and some beans are dry.

Folly Rob sits down with Katy Gerdes, owner of Angel Food Bakery. Learn how she went from being a contestant on Project Runway to starting one of the Twin Cities' most popular bakeries. She has since opened an airport location, competed on Beat Bobby Flay, and recently won Chopped Sweets. One of my favorite people and hardest workers around. Enjoy!

A Quick Hitter is a 5-7 answer to common coffee questions. In this QH, Folly Rob answers a question we received multiple times at the launch of our new Tasting & Tour Room, "What is the best way to grind coffee for X brewing method?" and "What size grind is best?". Rob discusses the effect grind size has on flavor, and general recommendations for grind size.

In this episode, owner Folly Rob sits down with CEO and Founder of Maddy & Maize Gourmet Popcorn, a line of high end popcorns with unique and bold flavors. Brett started the concept as a brick & mortar self-serve idea, but quickly pivoted into the business as it is today. Maddy & Maize is nationally distributed in major chains and even has a partnership with Edible Arrangements. Hear his story and very open and honest conversation about the life of a food entrepreneur. @maddyandmaize www.maddyandmaize.com

15:00- Folly Rob finishes telling the Folly Coffee story to Niles An early release of Episode 50 at same time as our Darkest Day Halloween Roast and Limited Edition Stoneware Mug made by Deneen Pottery In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Niles Deneen, of Deneen Pottery. Niles' parents began Deneen Pottery in the early 70s creating hand thrown pottery. The business went through many ups and downs. After traveling the world as a model, and nearly committing to a lifelong career as a pilot, Niles decided at the last minute to join the family business and take over the sales and marketing. Deneen Pottery is nationally renowned and includes customers including numerous national parks, Death Wish Coffee, among many others (and now Folly Coffee!). Enjoy!

In this episode, owner Folly Rob sits down with Kieran Folliard, an entrepreneur originally from Ireland who started his journey selling dairy in the Middle East. From there, he opened some of the Twin Cities' favorite pubs including Kieran's, The Local, and The Liffey. This led to the creation of 2 Gingers Whiskey, which was acquired by Jim Beam 18 months after their launch in a purchase of the Kilbeggan distillery in Ireland. Kieran now owns and operates The Food Building in Northeast Minneapolis, home of Alemar Cheese, Red Table Meats, Baker's Field Flour, and Kieran's Kitchen. Enjoy! @kieranskitchennortheast https://www.foodbuilding.com/ @2gingers Show Notes Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim, Renée Mauborgne

Owner Folly Rob sits down with Andrew Miller, Founder and Partner at Cafe Imports, one of the country's prominent specialty coffee importer to discuss how he went from an English major to starting Cafe Imports while waiting waiting tables. Cafe Imports was founded in 1993 and was the first importer Folly Coffee Roasters ever worked with. This was a great episode to record and it is always inspiring to hear from founders that built a business from scratch. Enjoy! Instagram @cafeimports www.cafeimports.com

This is an all time great episode. Owner Folly Rob sits down with one of Minnesota's most popular chefs, Yia Vang. He talk about going from pop-ups, to a residence at Sociable Cider Works with Union Hmong Kitchen, to the future opening of Vinai, named after the refugee camp he was born in. An incredible story with a lot of great takeaways. Check out his podcast "White on Rice", follow him on Instagram @chefyiavang @unionhmongkitchen and @vinaimn Show notes favorite kitchen utensil- Cleaver by Zimknives (zimknives.com/shop) White on Rice Podcast available on popular podcasting platforms (give it a listen!) Union Hmong kitchen is located at Sociable Ciderworks in NE MPLS Vinai is aiming for opening Spring 2021

In this episode, owner Folly Rob and Head Roaster/Director of coffee Folly Jeff sit down to hype up and announce all the plans of everything we have been working on since the beginning of the year. We go in depth about the Folly Coffee Tasting & Tour Room launching Sep19, our Good Food Awards submission coffees this year, new additions to the seasonal coffee program, launching on Amazon, Folly Coffee Hot Sauce, and more. Enjoy! Show notes: -Loma La Gloria Farm in El Salvador @lomalagloria & @anny_ruth -JNP coffee from Burundi and the Turihamwe Turashobora group

Chef Steph Hedrick has been in the restaurant industry for over 25 years, starting as a dishwasher and working her way to executive chef of The Lynhall in Minneapolis and now Edina. Lots of great stories and a great perspective on what can be a very difficult industry. Follow her on Instagram @chefstephmn and check out her new YouTube channel with the link below. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT0t28mUI_3DPz4Uu6t1Luw

In this solo episode, owner Folly Rob discusses a trend and potential mistake many new businesses (including us) are making when creating brand messaging and content. "Trickle Down Marketing" is a phrase Rob has coined to describe businesses that emulate too closely what larger, more successful brands are doing. This episode is full of examples, tips, and tricks to avoid this happening as small business. Enjoy!

This is a coffee filled episode as Folly owner Rob sits down with Bradley & George, coffee roasters at Minneapolis based Northern Coffeeworks (@northerncoffeeworks). Northern Coffeeworks is a Minneapolis based cafe and roaster from the same ownership as Angry Catfish, a specialty cafe/bike shop in Southern Minneapolis. Enjoy!

Hear the story of how Bizzy Coffee went from raising $1million for 2oz coffee shots, failing, to becoming the #1 selling cold brew on Amazon and the only independently owned widely distributed cold brew coffee in the country. This interview is with Co-founder and CEO Alex French of Bizzy Coffee and has all the twists and turns you might expect from a fast paced entrepreneur. This was one of my favorite episodes to record and found myself furiously taking notes. Enjoy!

Folly Coffee Quick Hitters are answers to common coffee questions in under 7 minutes. Are espresso beans the same as coffee beans? Can I brew espresso beans regularly? Can I use regular coffee for espresso? Questions answered in this QH. Enjoy!

Use code "FOLLY" for 25% off at stigmahemp.com Follow @stigmahemp Curious about CBD? What is it? Where does it come from? What's the CBD industry like currently? For this episode, owner Folly Rob sits down with Tim Anderson, the COO of Minneapolis based Stigma Hemp to talk all things CBD, including some striking similarities between high quality producers of CBD and coffee. Great products from an awesome company and they were cool enough to create a code for our listeners. Enjoy!

A Folly Coffee Quick hitter is a 5-7 minute answer to common coffee questions. In this QH, a listener asks about paying for one's own education vs. seeking an employer that will pay vs. self education online. While the answer is specific to coffee, the thoughts can really be applied to anyone looking to advance their own education in any given field. Enjoy!

Third Wave Water is one of my favorite coffee products. Third Wave Water is a company that creates mineral blends to mix with distilled water to create the best water profile for brewing coffee at home. Taylor Minor met co-founder Charles and this led to a successful Kickstarter campaign, and eventually a spot on Shark Tank all within their first year of business. This is a great coffee business story with a very smart and strategic team. This is a great example of finding a hyper-specialized niche and being the best within that niche. Check out their website below to get your own https://thirdwavewater.com/

Folly Coffee Quick Hitters are coffee answers under 7 minutes about commonly asked coffee questions. In this QH, owner Folly Rob answers the question, "Which is more important, the bean or the roast?". Is sourcing high quality beans or having a skilled roaster more important?

I'm geeking out. Cook Thugless is a band that I recently discovered and they quickly became my favorite. I messaged them to podcast. THEY SAID YES. Here is that episode. We talk how they went from playing shows at Rutgers to breaking out to millions of YouTube views and Spotify streams. This episode was a blast to record. Enjoy! To support get their merch!! https://cookthugless.com/ New Folly Coffee Roaster's Choice Playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1Y8MWXv2uGSNA8YiQLKBa5?si=9dKsl256RxenfzGAoHEsMA 

Folly Coffee Quick Hitters are 5-7 minute answers to common coffee questions. In this QH, owner Folly Rob breaks down processing methods; natural, washed, honey/pulped natural and a brief blip on anaerobic fermentation. Enjoy!

In this episode, owner Folly Rob discusses using Tik Tok as a small business marketing tool. We joined Tik Tok in September of 2019 and have since had multiple videos with 100k+ views, 35k likes on our videos, and found ways to utilize Tik Tok outside of the platform as well. Rob goes through tips and tricks to being effective on Tik Tok both as a content creator and a user. Think Tik Tok is only for kids? Listen to this episode and you may be convinced otherwise.

Introducing the Folly Quick Hitters! We get some coffee questions that are important, but don't need a full hour to answer effectively. That's where the Quick Hitter comes in. In this series, we answer common coffee questions in an effort to improve your coffee experience.  In this QH, owner Folly Rob goes over a common issue many coffee drinkers face when switching from cheap dark roasted coffee to a lighter roasted high end coffee...the coffee still tastes bad! Very commonly the issue is a lack of proper cleaning, leaving the taste of the old coffee oils and scale. This episode covers what is needed to effectively clean your brewers resulting in a better tasting cup of jo.

In a role reversal, this episode is an interview of Folly Rob, owner and founder of Folly Coffee roasters, by Austin Romansky of Crema.co. Crema.co is an online Netflix-style coffee website where users can curate a list of coffees that get automatically shipped over time. They made a unique move recently, announcing they are leaving social media to focus on more meaningful connections with their customers. This move includes a new newsletter in which they interview people from the roasters they partner with. This episode is the first interview of their newsletter series. Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob sits down with Bradley Taylor, owner of food truck The Donut Trap in Minneapolis, MN. Coming from California to Minnesota to attend college to become a nurse, how did Bradley end up with a donut shopped named best in Minnesota and later a donut truck? Listen in to find out! Heads up, there is most definitely swearing in this episode. 

Join Folly Rob, the owner of award winning MN based Folly Coffee Roasters as he talks all things coffee, small business, people and stories. Enjoy!

This was a great episode with John Waller, co-founder and CEO of Humble Nut Butters (www.humblenutbutter.com) a high end nut butter company focusing on savory flavors with quality ingredients and unique spice blends. They grew through farmer's markets, local co-ops, recently launched in Whole Foods in the Twin Cities. John has a background across many different roles including a two year stint at Intelligentsia Coffee Roasters. This was a great episode and John has a lot of smart business insights. Also, the Humble Nut Butter samples he left are already gone. Enjoy!

In this episode, Folly Coffee owner, Folly Rob, has a discussion with Media Supervisor Emily Bathe as Folly beings to venture into paid digital media advertising. This is a very information dense episode with a lot of valuable takeaways for anyone looking to run paid ads on social media. The discussion covered, but not limited to:Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, Pinterest, Google AdsImpact of time spent in app on ad effectivenessROI, ROAS, KPIConversion tactics vs. Awareness tacticsAd strategies for big brands vs. small brandsAdvertising for follower growth and if this is worth itVideo vs. still picture strategy for adsStrategy for email list growthHow much to spend on ads over what length of timeThe new Facebook and Instagram Shop recently announced and predictions of impact on marketEnjoy!

In this episode, Folly Rob chats with comedian Zack Lyman of the Zack Lyman Podcast (@zacklymanpodcast). A range of topics is covered including how he landed a job as head of marketing for Diedrich Coffee Roasters, his career as a stand up comedian, how he markets himself, and podcasting among others. Enjoy!

This was a great time chatting with CJ from Up Coffee in Minneapolis. He is a roaster at Up and provides valuable insights for anyone interested in pursuing a career in roasting. We also discuss origin trips, briefly discuss what the COVID closures have been like, and he gives his recommendation for most underrated burger in the Twin Cities (hint: it’s the Triple B burger from The Nook and Shamrock's in, both in St. Paul). This was recorded live on Instagram.

In this episode of the Folly Coffee Podcast, Folly owner Rob discusses all the components that went into the most successful promotion since Folly Coffee has launched. It involved an announcement on live TV and resulted in Rob having to run 208km, about 130 miles, in 7 days. He breaks down why the program worked and how to replicate the success in other promotions.

This interview episode features the new host of Cooking with Coffee, Kevin Coughenour aka Kevin Coke. This podcast episode was filmed/recorded immediately after the filming of Episode 1 of Coffee and Cooking, a new Folly Youtube show featuring recipes that cook with, pair with, and utilize specialty coffee. We discuss the premise of the show, future episodes, and of course cover briefly our opinion on Love is Blind. Enjoy the episode and keep an eye out for the announcement of episode 1 of Coffee and Cooking on Youtube!

Episode 27 of the Folly Coffee Podcast features coffee industry professional, Joe Marrocco, aka Roaster Joe. He has been a coffee roaster, educator, roaster salesperson, importer, and more. It is a great conversation covering coffee roasting, coffee roaster machines, Joe's coffee career, how he became a YouTube coffee celebrity, and how collaboration between coffee roasters, especially third wave style coffee roasters, has changed over the past decade. We also briefly discuss the significance of Fair Trade and Organic certified coffee farms. This is a great episode for all you coffee nerds out there. Enjoy!

To adapt to the times, we at Folly Coffee are pivoting heavily into the digital side of business. However, we don't want to do it half assed. A solo episode with owner Folly Rob, this episode covers small business strategies for websites, Instagram, Youtube, Podcasting, and more. This episode features all the upgrades we have made and ideas we are working on to create quality digital content; audio, video, and otherwise. Below are the products mentioned in this episode. AudioBlue Yeticaster w/ boom: great stationary solo mic for podcastingUse with lightning cord adapter to plug directly into iPhone for high quality audioSmartmike+: Wireless Bluetooth microphonesGreat for capturing someone moving while talking without the hassle of cordsRode iPhone microphone: capture entire scene audioVisualSony A5100: high quality point and click photography, good for still videosiPhone 11: a more affordable option to higher priced video cameras -

This is an interview episode that features Brandon Martin (@baristabrandon), Brewmaster of Philtera Cold Brewed Coffees (@philteraco). Philtera Cold Brewed Coffees partners with specialty coffee roasters, using their beans to create small batch cold brewed coffees served on tap. It is his story leading up to starting Philtera, and a lot of cold brew talk. Enjoy!

COVID-19 shut down the entire live music industry. Venues closed, gigs were cancelled, and musicians were left without either their entire or at least a good chunk of their income. Seth Duin (@sethduin and www.sethduin.com/petsongs), a local Minneapolis & Twin Cities musician, quickly pivoted and began writing jingles about peoples' dogs for $5. Best of all, $1 of every jingle went to a local nonprofit. This story was quickly covered both locally in Minnesota and nationally syndicated news channels and the video orders started rolling in! Head to sethduin.com/petsongs to get your jingle or head to our Youtube channel to watch the video!

FROM THE VAULT- we recorded this episode at U.S. Coffeechamps Nashville of 2018. I stumbled upon the recording while organizing audio files. Folly Rob and Jeff sit down with Levi Andersen (@drinksonlevi) about his coffee story and it is a GREAT one. He has had every role in the industry including opening his own shop. He is now a liquid chef for Davinci Gourmet (yes, it's a thing) and is the most impeccably dressed person at every major coffee event. Enjoy!

Rob sits down with Will Forsman (@w_forsman), owner of the Café Steam (@cafesteam) locations in Rochester, MN while he is in town to address what is happening with COVID-19 (coronavirus), how it has impacted him as a café owner, and tips from Will on how to handle it. Below are the topics discussed:Potential of Shelter in Place Ingress/Egress rules for eating/drinking establishmentsStaff layoffsHow to apply for unemploymentUnemployment law changes to benefit those laid offHow to maximize unemployment as an industry worker (barista, server, bartender etc.)Impact of small business on the economyChanging communication and increasing transparency during this time as a small business owner- customers and employeesCreative solutions to take out- Jamie Malone of Grand Cafe/Eastside Eat+Drink@grandcafe_mpls @eastsidempls @jamieannmalonePost on Grand Café about creative solutionsLeadership in fighting for relief with petitions- Gavin Kaysen@gavinkaysen Link in bio to support

Originally recorded posted March, 15th, 2020, Folly Coffee owner Rob goes over the most effective forms of small business marketing and breaks it down into digital marketing, word of mouth marketing, and traditional marketing. Enjoy!

The long overdue podcast from the 2020 Regional U.S. Coffeechamps Cup Taster's Championship in January. This episode with Folly Jeff and Folly Rob is recorded half before we both compete in the competition and the second half recorded nearly two months later recapping the competition and looking forward to....nationals? Not qualifying? You'll have to listen to know! Enjoy!

In this episode, Rob sits down with Minneapolis based musician Kai Brewster of General B and the Wiz, A Little Too Short to be Stormtroopers, and about 80 other bands and chats about his story in what led to a life as a full time musician. Check out his Instagram @kaibrewster to keep up with all of his music!

In the final installment (finally) of the three part Folly Coffee Story, owner Rob talks about the major milestones that happened in 2019 that led to the growth of the business. This episode everything from awards, recognitions, competition, new customers (and how those happened), and Rob getting a little too philosophical about hot bean water. Enjoy!

In this solo Episode, owner Rob takes a break from the Folly Coffee Roasters to tell the story of Philtera Cold Brewed coffees, which which he is also a co-owner with Brewmaster Brandon Martin. Philtera Cold Brewed Coffees specializes in high end cold brewed coffees. This is the story of how it came to be and the strategy of launching to market in the Twin Cities. Enjoy!

In part 2 of the Folly Coffee story, owner Rob goes over how he decided which sales channels to focus on and how he found and grew the retail customers for Folly Coffee. This episode starts just before 2018 and finishes at the end of the year. Next week will be all of 2019 and a teaser for things to come in 2020!

In Part 1 in the story of Folly Coffee, owner Rob talks about the path that led him to start Folly Coffee, the physical steps that needed to happen, how the brand was built, and everything else leading up to the launch. Stay tuned for part 2 as Rob gets more into post-launch and the launch of Philtera Cold Brewed Coffees. Enjoy!

From the vault! In January of 2019, both Folly Rob and Folly Jeff competed in Nashville for the U.S. Coffeechamps regional Cup Taster's competition, a competition designed to determine the best coffee tasters in the region and eventually the country. Rob absolutely bombed, Jeff advanced and ended up placed 14th in the country! This episode was recorded in Nashville before and after the competition about the prep that went into it and the competition itself. Enjoy!

In this solo episode, Folly Coffee owner Rob discusses how to upgrade your home coffee brewing equipment, which order to upgrade, and some tips/tricks for making great coffee at home.

In this solo episode, Folly Coffee owner Rob discusses his predictions on where the coffee industry is headed in the next 5-10 years. Enjoy!

Running a business is so fun!! Right?!? Rob breaks down the good, the bad, and the ugly of owning and running small businesses. Enjoy!

In this episode Rob sits down with Barnaby Holmes of Intermix Beverage/Espresso Services Inc. Topics covered include his introduction to good coffee, moving from Wales to Minneapolis, sales, and his work as a coffee competition judge. Barnaby's enthusiasm for coffee and the industry shines through in this episode. Enjoy!

This interview style episode is with Folly Coffee Roasters COO/Green Coffee Buyer Jeff Mooney who recently passed the harrowing process of becoming a Certified Q Grader, the coffee industry's standard for coffee evaluation. We dive deep into what it took and the exam itself. Enjoy!

In this solo episode, Rob (owner of Folly Coffee Roasters, co-owner Philtera Cold Brewed Coffees) ranks his Top 6 favorite business books of all time that influenced the way he built and does business. Enjoy!

What do you picture when you think of a coffee beer? Probably a dark beer with dark roasted notes? Rob headed down to St. Louis, MO to discuss all things craft beer and coffee beer with head brewer Ronnie Fink of Six Mile Bridge Brewing as well as plan future coffee beer collaborations to come in 2020. Enjoy!

In the first ever Folly Coffee Podcast interview, I headed down to Rochester, MN to interview Will Forsman. Will is the owner of Café Steam, a amazing specialty café with four locations. We talked about his experience starting and expanding a café while getting distracted by other topics like culture and water. Enjoy!

This is a combo Coffee & Business episode all about what specialty coffee roasters can do better. This is mainly related to the marketing and communication style of specialty coffee roasters and how to bring more customers into the specialty coffee market as opposed to excluding and intimidating the casual coffee drinker. Enjoy!

This week I go over how we at Folly Coffee grew our Instagram following to over 12,000 followers during our first year and a half. Tips, tricks, and strategy. Enjoy!

Buckle up your seatbelts because I am throwing fire out there this week and ranking definitively the best ways to brew specialty coffee. #factsonly but actually completely opinion. Enjoy!

In this episode, I go through the steps of starting a Food & Beverage small business startup. I begin with more general business models, and then reflect on the more exact steps I took to start both Folly Coffee Roasters and Philtera Cold Brewed Coffees.

In this episode, I explore the broad things that go into a great cup of coffee from the farm to your cup including growing, processing, exporting/importing, roasting, and brewing.