← Coffeez with Joe Shalaby
Coffeez with Joe Shalaby
Brewing Purpose: How Seven Weeks Coffee Is Funding Life with Every Cup | Coffeez for Closers
00:32:18
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- [00:00]
A
Now you're going to donate over a million dollars.
- [00:02]
B
Yeah. So actually.
- [00:04]
A
So you're giving 10% of gross.
- [00:06]
B
10 of gross sales. So this is a large portion of our profits. It can be upwards of 50% of our profits. We're still for profit company. We're still a profitable company.
- [00:16]
A
Welcome to another episode of Coffees. Thank you so much, Anton, for jumping on the show today.
- [00:20]
B
Joe, thanks for having me on.
- [00:22]
A
I appreciate you. So you know, Anton, I love the concept of a mission driven coffee company. A coffee company that does a lot more than just brew coffee, just provide coffee. Let me get just the reasoning model as to why you started a coffee company that's going to donate a significant portion of its profit to this cause.
- [00:51]
B
Yeah, So I mean it's a few things that were happening in my life personally and also to what was going on culturally. Silly. And the economy. So it was right post Covid. 2022 is when I had the late 21. So really 2022 is our or was our first year in business. But it was funny. It's actually two weeks after I got married in September of 2021, I called my wife. I say, I have this idea for a pro life coffee company. I think it's gonna be a great idea. She was definitely caught off guard. But really why it really hit me was I had a passion for coffee. I was working in the political movement. And you. I kept seeing all these businesses especially like corporate activism, especially in the, on the left, you know, this pushback on Bud Light, this pushback on Target, this idea that consumers, faith based, consumers, conservatives were being alienated where, where they spend money, they're giving money to brands that obviously didn't support their value. So I was like, you know, I don't, I don't feel good about that. I don't like that. I want to help make a change in that environment. So I love coffee. I was very passionate about supporting the pro life movement and so I literally googled pro life coffee and nothing came up. And it was the light bulb that spark sparked the whole idea. Similar to black rifle coffee, this idea that you can have a mission and a purpose behind a coffee company, what they're doing in the second amendment space. But there was really no one doing it for, you know, Christians or in the pro life space. So that's kind of the origins of it. And you know, I worked in politics for a few years before that, so I had a lot of experience and you know, nonprofit fundraising for profit, fundraising for candidates and PACs. And so that Kind of led to the idea of it as well as, like, what if you could provide a really good product and service to customers and actually make a difference with their money that they purchase from you. So, you know, instead of, you know, essentially what I did before, which is raise money for a certain cause, you know, where people would donate, people would buy coffee for a cause and they'd know exactly where their money's going. So that's why we ended up saying donate back 10% of every sale, which is a large portion of profits. But is the idea of that transparency? Every month we'll share how much we've donated and see how much we can raise for local pregnancy resource centers. So it started with that simple idea. In the first month, we sold 8,000 bucks worth of coffee and I dropped off a check for $800 to our local pregnancy resource center. And that was the genesis of it.
- [03:17]
A
Wow. And now you're going to donate over a million dollars.
- [03:20]
B
Yeah, so actually.
- [03:21]
A
So you're giving 10% of gross.
- [03:23]
B
Yes, 10% of gross sales. So this is a large portion of our profits. It can be upwards of 50% of our profits. We're still a for profit company, we're still a profitable company, but we're incredibly generous. And this donation model is really, you know, it's really what's led to our growth because consumers feel like their voice and that their dollars is being stewarded in the most transparent way possible where we were able to really make. So, yeah, from that first check of $800, we've now raised over a million dollars. And an update for you, we've actually supported over a thousand pro life organizations across all 50 states with funding. So we are donating tens of thousands of dollars each month consistently through the sale of our coffee.
- [04:06]
A
You know, Anton, when you give a little bit to God, he just pours it on, you know, so it's, it's a testament to what you're doing. Like you're given 10% of gross. That's insane.
- [04:17]
B
It is.
- [04:18]
A
That's amazing.
- [04:19]
B
On the, on the, you know, outside looking in, it's not a really good business practice. You know, when I first had the idea, it just sounded like a fun. It just sounded like a, a good way to give back, you know, kind of like tithing I wasn't super familiar with, you know, business models at the time. I was just learning it. I thought, oh, that'd be fun. 10 of every sale. And as it got going, it got real for me a few months in, because when I started seven weeks Coffee. I was working a full time job. Handful of months later, I got laid off from that job. And so I was at this crossroads, you know, do I pursue 7 weeks coffee full time or, you know, try to keep it on the side? And that's what it hit me is like, wow. Donating 10% of every sale was a lot of our money. And like, I was very nervous. I was actually considering changing that donation model because I was like, this isn't sustainable. It's, you know, I gotta make it profitable. And I remember praying though, I was like, lord, if you want this to work and then you want us to keep this donation model, I said, I will do it. I will do it, but you have to make it profitable so I can, you know, take earn income from this, pay for my, you know, family, you know, actually make this a legitimate career and job. And so I feel like kind of made this deal with God, if you will. And ever since then, we've been profitable every single month, every single year. And we've continued to donate 10% of every sale. So I would, you know, on outside looking in. It's not the best business practice on paper, but God has made it work. It works for us. And it's been a way we've been able to, you know, surely make a difference. So it's, it's cool. And, you know, now we've raised a million dollars, so it's been amazing.
- [05:51]
A
Anton, that's a phenomenal story. And you know what? I'm, I'm gonna be buying seven. Seven Weeks Coffee.
- [05:58]
B
Thank you.
- [05:58]
A
That's what I'm gonna be using.
- [05:59]
B
Yeah.
- [06:00]
A
For my coffee. Because to steward the money and knowing that 10 go is gonna. That's. That's incredible. Yeah, that's just incredible. So where did the name come from? Seven Weeks.
- [06:14]
B
Yeah, this is the. So I got to give credit to my wife. So when I had the idea for a pro Life coffee company, like I said, it was in September of 2021. I googled pro Life coffee. Nothing comes up. I'm like, I'm starting a pro life coffee company. So immediately pick up the phone, call my wife. Like, I got this idea. She probably thought something was the matter, but I'm like, no, it's, it's, it's cool. I get this business idea. Like I said, it was two weeks after we got married and I was like, I want to start a pro life coffee company. And then she said, what are you going to call it? And I had no idea. I was like, I'm not sure. And Then she asked me the question that inspired me. She said, sometimes moms who are pregnant will say, my little bean, kind of this term of endearment during pregnancy. And I was like, oh, that's interesting. She asked the question which was, so when is a baby the size of a coffee bean? I'm like, I don't know. I look it up. At seven weeks, a baby is the size of a coffee bean. It's the same time a heartbeat is detected on ultrasound. So our logo is the heartbeat. And that was our name and mission. Donate 10% of every sale to support pregnancy care centers and their ultrasound services so moms can hear their child's heartbeat for the first time. So that's how we got the name mission of.
- [07:19]
A
That is so cool. I should have known that. I knew it was something because I've been to four ultrasounds for my kids.
- [07:24]
B
Yeah.
- [07:24]
A
So do you have any kids?
- [07:25]
B
Yeah, we just had our first son three months ago. Yeah.
- [07:27]
A
Congratulations. Congratulations. That's amazing. God bless.
- [07:31]
B
Thank you.
- [07:31]
A
How's it feel to be a dad?
- [07:32]
B
It's awesome. You know, it's, you know, we're obviously pro life, and so this is like our or the real world. We're stepping into it as parents, and it's been nothing but a blessing of, like, living out, you know, raising a child and just seeing his development, you know, actually, and seeing his development in the womb. And obviously, what we're advocating for is protecting the unborn. And all the steps from pregnancy to the baby kicking to hearing the heartbeat, you just. You just know that, like, wow, this is a life in the womb. This is an unborn child, a human being full of unalienable rights, like you and me. And it just has inspired us more that, like, you know, their life is not optional, which obviously abortion is, you know, you know, taking that right away and, you know, killing the innocent in the womb. So it's been amazing and it's been inspirational to our mission to keep going forward.
- [08:22]
A
Incredible. Incredible. I love the mission. Now, you spent years in D.C. before launching a business.
- [08:28]
B
Yeah.
- [08:28]
A
What pulled you away from politics and toward entrepreneurship? Because that's a big risk.
- [08:34]
B
Yeah.
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A
And you went from something totally stable.
- [08:36]
B
Right.
- [08:37]
A
To something, you know, totally, very, very dangerous for any sort of parent or married couple. Not only did you do something very, very risky, but you also decided to give 10% up of gross profit.
- [08:55]
B
Yeah.
- [08:55]
A
From a very stable position. And it just sounds, you know, I'm an entrepreneur, and most entrepreneurs are crazy. But I just want to know what was your. Your. Your mind at the time. What was your mindset? What were you thinking? What drove you.
- [09:08]
B
Yeah.
- [09:08]
A
What took you away from politics?
- [09:09]
B
It was definitely a few things. So, you know, politics was. Was good. I. I learned a lot about marketing, fundraising, but. But in anything. The. One of the main reasons I moved to D.C. was I was very passionate about biblical values, conservative values, and this idea of, like, advocating for life and family within Washington, within government, working in fundraising. And you kind of realize everything's a stalemate here, like 24, seven. Very little things, very little happens, very little change happens. Everything's kind of always tied up. And while it's important to advocate for policies and laws, especially from pro life policies and laws, you can actually have a bigger impact or a more. Let's rather a more immediate impact, like what we're doing with seven Weeks coffee by just working in the private sector, you know, by using business or, you know, whatever it is to actually help people who are facing, you know, the challenge or contemplating abortion. So it was kind of like a moment of like, you know, politics is fine, but not a lot of change happens sometimes. So it was a little disheartening in that moment. And so that was going on then. The business side, I hated working 9 to 5 for someone else. I mean, that's as simple as I can put it. Like, I always wanted to work for myself. I love the idea of, like, stepping into starting a business, you know, wanting to, you know, forge my own path, if you will. And that was definitely behind it where, you know, I was, you know, working in fundraising. But in the back of my mind, I'm thinking of, like, you know, what can I do? What business can I start? How do I, like, you know, actually, you know, do something on my own? I just like the idea of that risk was fine with me. That and just like, taking ownership of an idea. And it's been. It's been awesome because I was always so motivated by using business for faith and advocating for family values. And so I'm able to really live that out with seven Weeks coffee. So entrepreneurship has been nothing but a blessing and a dream of mine from probably a really young age. But, you know, after working for a few years for other people, I realized that's not what I want to do long term.
- [11:17]
A
So were you an entrepreneur when you were younger?
- [11:20]
B
I was. I was definitely a tinkerer for sure. Like, I always wanted to figure out different ways to either make money or think of different products. I was always interested in, like, you know, Shark Tank and all these things. So there's Probably a lot of early indicators that I was. I was always wanting to, like, do something for myself. Like, I was always a contrarian to, like, why followed? Why follow the herd? Like, I'm very comfortable going in the opposite direction. I don't know. That's always been my inkling. And on top of that, I've always loved politics. Like, I used to watch Glenn Beck when I was a kid, you know, 11, 13 years old, and I always used to watch Fox News. And, you know, when my first taste in politics was, we working the Republican National Convention when I was in Cleveland, which is where I'm from, from. And that's where Trump spoke. And I was, like, very enamored by him and what he was doing and like, the MAGA movement in early 2015, like, you know, 2016. So I was, like, always, like, interested in politics, very interested in business. So from years ago. So it's funny how, you know, looking back, it's, it's. It seemed to be meant to lead to what I'm doing today.
- [12:30]
A
Incredible. So how, how old were you when.
- [12:33]
B
You moved to D.C. i moved right after college. I was 24, 25. So I graduated. I didn't know what I wanted to do in life. I didn't know I didn't like my major. So for context, I played college golf. I graduated in 2019. I only knew college golf. I had an injury, though, so I couldn't, like, pursue it professionally. I had a major in supply chain management, which I hated. And so I felt like I was starting from square one after I graduated. And all I knew was, I like politics. And, you know, I like. I did like business. I was like, you know, I'll try to find an internship. So I found an internship in D.C. and, you know, kind of the political movement, and that was my first in. And then I got a job in fundraising after that. But there was no, like, clear plan in front of me of, like, what I was going to do. I was just kind of, you know, piecing it together as I went along and, you know, taking the opportunity, which, you know, then led to the next. So now I'm here. I've been living in the area for over five years.
- [13:30]
A
Now. Tell me about the moment you realize seven weeks coffee is going to be more than just a coffee, it's going to actually be your career.
- [13:42]
B
So it's anything. It's like anything with, like, I think business owners. Like, externally, you never would say that early on, but internally I was like, this could really catch on. Like, this could be a really big deal. I remember the first event, so it's funny. So I had the idea for seven weeks coffee in September. I started in November. I got like 2000 bags of coffee made for us through a private label. And we went to this event in D.C. so during the March for Life, which is in January, it's this big pro life weekend. I was like, oh, we should get a booth at this big conference there. It's all these pro lifers. And it was 2,000 bucks for a booth. And I literally put $3,500 in a business account. And so I. And then I spent some of it. So I didn't even have the 2,000 bucks to cover the sponsorship. And I emailed them. I said, hey, if you just let us donate back the 10% of every sale to your organization, would you let us have a booth? And they said, sure. So I go down there, you know, gets a couple T shirts made. You know, my wife comes and I bring a friend, give him a T shirt. So he kind of looked like a company, but really it's just three of us with T shirts and we start selling coffee. And it just. People are like, enamored by it. Like, I remember one person was crying, like, this is the coolest thing ever. I love the name. I love the mission. Where's this been? How long have you guys been around? I'm like, it's been two months and we're just getting started. But like, that initial reaction from, like, you know, really the first customers that ever heard of it was awesome. And then I was like, okay, there's like, there's like something here. Like, this is meeting a need. People are resonating with what we want to do as a brand and a company. And I really just kind of took off from there, honestly. Like, it's funny, like, you know, good products and good names that, like, really serve a mission. And, you know, it. It kind of is self explanatory when a customer sees it. And that's the experience we had. So I think early on I knew it could be something. But if you said, we, you know, raise a million bucks in our first four years of business, I would. I would not believe that. So it's definitely surpassed what I thought you're.
- [15:40]
A
Yeah. So what has been the biggest catalyst to its growth has been for marketing. Has it been the mission? Has it been social media? Marketing has been word of mouth. Like, how did you get to $10 million in sales on just coffee beans in such a short period of time?
- [15:55]
B
Yeah, it's. It's definitely a multifaceted approach. So a few things we started digital marketing especially like Facebook ads and just you know, very like organic ugc like moms with the coffee, telling the story, what, why they enjoy it, why they support the mission, showing the impact of what we're donating. And our digital marketing really took off from there. So that's been a huge catalyst. We've had some great partnerships with podcast hosts and that's been a very big brand recognition and also growth in terms of, you know, sponsorships. But yeah, there's that third element of word of mouth where you know, we'll go through our reviews and people are like, I'm telling everyone, I'm sharing it at our bible, say I'm telling our friends. And like that is a true organic growth of the company that has led to a lot of this rapid success. And you know, and then on top of that we'll do 10 conferences a year where we're there selling coffee, we're meeting with you know, thousands of people over the course of these conferences. So it's really multifaceted but you know, everything kind of plays in. But because we've had a great digital advertising program over the last few years and then word of mouth, you kind of get this like compounding effect where we've kind of established ourselves as you know now America's pro life coffee company, really probably the largest faith based coffee company in the country. And that's what we want to be like. We want to be America's like faith based Christian coffee company where we can really stand for pro life and Christian values and have a very huge impact, a tangible impact supporting life. So I think people just resonate with that.
- [17:25]
A
I love it. You know, I'm a, I try to be a faith based leader and, and, and a servant of the Lord and everything that I do. No, but when I hear a company that starts with a cause before a product, it's like really touches me. So whatever I can do to, to push your brand, I'm going to do it.
- [17:45]
B
Thank you.
- [17:45]
A
Now how did you change the way you built your brand when you started with just a cause, you didn't even start with a product.
- [17:54]
B
Well, we had to figure that out. You know, we, I had, I found a coffee supplier right away and one of the interesting thing is I was very interested into coffee. Coffee sourcing, studying coffee. And this is actually want to highlight is like, you know, you can find very cheap coffee and just in general cheap products and slap your label slash mission on top of it. And you'll get a bunch of people to buy it for the first time. But you're not going to have enduring success or long term growth if people won't buy it again because they like the product. So on a coffee level, our product is really second to none. It's all directly sourced from farmers which is a huge benefit. Means we don't buy through a middleman. It means we know every farmer co op that grows our coffee, we pay them transparent wages which is three times a fair trade requires. So we actually get to see the impact we have on the farmer level. It leads to exceptional quality, traceability and it's the highest, you know, some of the highest specialty grade coffee you can get. So in terms of sourcing, it's direct trade, which is the best you can get, specialty grade, which is the highest quality coffee you can get. We also lab test to make sure it's mold free. So it's very clean coffee. It's also pesticide free, organically farmed. So on a coffee level level we're much better than anything out there in terms of competitors. So that's been awesome because so many people.
- [19:06]
A
That's great to hear.
- [19:07]
B
Yeah. Because so many people will buy a product. This is like I love telling, you know, their business owners. It's like you have to have a product that will win on its own. Like on its own. You have to have something that will compete with market because people aren't going to give you their hard earned dollars unless they know it's a good product. Like we're not a charity, we are a for profit entity that wants to provide a better product on its own and also, you know, share this incredible mission. So it's a really, it's a twofold approach. You know, customers are buying it for the first time for the mission. They're buying it again because they love the coffee. And that's really important to us because we don't take their money for granted. We want to provide them with the best coffee experience possible. And you know, that's what we've been doing.
- [19:47]
A
That. That's great to hear. Now what does, what's donating? You've done it to 700 pregnancy care centers. How do you choose where to give and how do you, how do you make the impact for you feel personal?
- [20:03]
B
Well actually so it's funny, we've actually raised, it's actually been a thousand centers now, so. Wow. Rapidly. So it's pretty simple. There's around probably 2500-3000 pro life organizations in the US, they're all local, meaning they're local to your town or, you know, county or, you know, city. They serve a local community. So our biggest thing is donating locally. We want dollars to go into the hands of local organizations who know how to, because they know how to use the money the best. So we have a program. Simple put you're a pro life organization. You sign up, we vet you, obviously making sure you're legitimate pro life organization.
- [20:36]
A
You're.
- [20:36]
B
You have the same pro life worldview that we support. And then once you're vetted, you get into an enrollment sheet and it's pretty simple. You're pro life, we want to support your work. You, you know, you have a pro life worldview. You just enroll in a month and we'll just send you a check during that month. So each month we're donating between like, you know, 20 and 40 pregnancy resource centers or pro life organizations. And they're just getting a check from a portion of our sales so they can enroll multiple times a year. They can receive funding from us. We also, like, do a lot of donations with free coffee for their events. We send them coffee for, you know, galas and things like that, donor gifts. And so we try to be like this resource for pro life organizations. So. Yeah. And, you know, for us, we. Every month I go in and we just allocate our funds from our, the dollars we raised that month to these organizations. And then we go out and process these donations and send them the money. And that's the most personal part is like, we literally get to see each and every center every month. You receive a portion of our sales through, through a check. So it's the best. It's the best part of the month.
- [21:42]
A
I love that. Now I want to ask you a question. You don't have to answer. You could. But have you had a moment in time where you really felt like this is incredibly challenging? And I know we kind of alluded to it before where it was like, man, I don't know if I'm gonna make it, but like, where you really just like, had to put your faith in God.
- [22:02]
B
Yeah.
- [22:03]
A
To get through that moment. Because you built a mission based business, we were giving away half your profit. Like, when was it, when was that breaking point for you?
- [22:15]
B
You know, there's. I cannot tell you how many times the prayer it's been, lord, just protect me, protect this company, and just help me make the right decision. Because there's so many times there's decisions that come up that you have no idea. What to do. There's been multiple times where I almost sold a portion of the company to investors that got very close a few different times. And I'm very happy and I never did that and was able to just, you know, keep ownership of the company. That was a very difficult time. I've had, you know, issues where, you know, people have tried to rip us off or copy us. I'm a supplier and it's very unethical. And that's been. That was very harmful and hurtful. Personally.
- [22:51]
A
Copy you with mission based.
- [22:52]
B
Yeah, yeah, it's, you know, it's sad. You see people kind of like, get too inspired by what your mission and, you know, people, you know, and that, that's. That was very hurtful. And it's tough because you have to build up a resiliency. And that's what I've kind of done more and more because it's so easy to take it, you know, personally. But what I've come to realize is if you stay pure in your mission and what you're trying to accomplish, I can let the results fall as they may. We're not trying to copy anyone. We. We. I started this with the intention to fund the pro life movement. No one was doing this through coffee. It was a new idea. If people want to copy us, you know, so be it. But there's something to be said when you're not trying to copy anyone. You're just trying to follow what God put on your heart. And that's. That's what we're trying to do.
- [23:42]
A
Love that now. Blending faith and business. You're doing that in a big and bold way.
- [23:49]
B
Yeah.
- [23:51]
A
What advice do you have for someone trying to build something aligned with their faith?
- [23:57]
B
Yeah, I think it's important for more entrepreneurs. One, we need more Christian spiritual entrepreneurs. The idea that as. So this has kind of been my, my thought over the last few months. There's been a, a misnomer that ministry has to take place in the four walls of the church or within nonprofit when business and for profit entities can have the biggest impact for what you believe. And so we need more entrepreneurs. We need more entrepreneurs to live out their faith in their business. We want. I want people to understand that they can have influence and that they can have bias towards their values and beliefs. You know, for me, it's Christian values and Christian beliefs. And I just want to see more people, like, live those out. It doesn't have to be in the same capacity as like, we're doing, which is, like, outwardly, you know, explicitly Christian base that you could have an H VAC company, but you were. As an owner, as a Christian, you should have influence over the people that work for you. You should have an influence over the people you interact with and your customers. Like, you can have an area of influence. And it just has. It just might be a different way than what we're doing. So my advice is that we need more people to do it.
- [25:11]
A
I love that, and I try to live out my Christian principles. But when you have a big company, there's boards, and you got to just kind of like, you don't put your Christian values aside, but you do have to accommodate non believers. So there's. You got to tread lightly. The bigger the company, the more lightly you tread. And I wonder, you know, who knows, maybe you become Starbucks. And then you're like. And there's a. Because now we're seeing a bigger shift towards faith, I feel like, than ever.
- [25:48]
B
Right.
- [25:49]
A
Especially after what happened with Charlie Kirk.
- [25:51]
B
Exactly.
- [25:51]
A
You know, and I'm Egyptian, I'm Christian, and we come from the Church of the Martyrs. And I was saying this to someone else, like, Charlie Kirk was the first American martyr. I come from a lineage of Coptic martyrs or churches painted in purple and red for the blood of the martyrs. We're gonna see a bigger shift towards faith in the next couple years, and what you're gonna see is more martyrdom for that in the next couple years. Much more. So this is the time for those who are faith based to really step up. This is the time for entrepreneurs to step up. This is the time for, you know, even, like, entertainment companies to step up and step out of the wickedness of all the content we've been consuming and all the. The different, you know, insane, you know, leftist movements that. Extreme left movements that have been really toxifying this generation, you know, and. And the kids that have been just so. Just confused.
- [26:58]
B
Yeah, I agree. I couldn't agree that more because, like, and especially from the business perspective, there's been so many businesses that on the other side have taken, like, an activist stance in the economy. And so it's like, well, why can't we take the same, like, activist stance and advocate for what we believe? And, like. Like what you said with Charlie Kirk, so inspirational to me and what he did. And, like, it's okay to be bold. It's okay to be loud. And, like, we need more of that, not less.
- [27:25]
A
Yeah, yeah. So you're being bold, you're being loud, you're, you know, and who knows, if you get the. The the crown of heaven and get shot. Just like Charlie. You get that instant sainthood, you know.
- [27:36]
B
And I hope that hasn't happened, but it is true.
- [27:39]
A
You, you know, I hope it does happen to me, but I don't get the. I don't have a job to do that. Like, I don't get the benefit of any way to do that right now.
- [27:48]
B
Right.
- [27:49]
A
I can't talk about it through mortgage. Maybe through podcasting up, I'll piss off enough people.
- [27:54]
B
There you go.
- [27:56]
A
Now, what's something about the coffee business you didn't expect to love or didn't expect to be so hard?
- [28:02]
B
You know, what's, what's come to be, something most interesting is just learning the supply chain. I got to visit one of our firms you work with in Dominican Republic earlier this year and just really cool to see the impact behind the coffee. The story behind the coffee. Coffee is the second largest commodity in the world outside of oil shipped. It's the biggest, second biggest commodity transported around the world, which is coffee. It's such a huge industry and it's grown all over the world. And most times farmers are paid pennies on the dollar. And so for us, by working directly with farmers, we're able to have a true impact with them and like, growing their local communities. Because coffee obviously comes from most third world countries where people, you know, live on very little and don't have, you know, good accommodations. And what's awesome is, like, our coffee helps, like, reverse that trend. Like, we're able to, like, truly, you know, you know, give, you know, life back to the farmers we work with. So it's really cool to see that. Yeah, it's awesome. I mean, coffee is a painstakingly tough industry, from a growth to transportation to roasting and. Yeah. But everyone relies on it. So it's, it's been fun to learn.
- [29:14]
A
That's incredible. Now, a couple of last goals I have for you. A couple last questions I have for you. One of them is about goals.
- [29:19]
B
Yeah.
- [29:19]
A
Three pronged question. What's a personal goal that you have for yourself? A family goal. I know you just had your, your brand new. It was a son or daughter.
- [29:25]
B
A son. Yeah.
- [29:26]
A
A brand new son. Again, congratulations. A family goal and then a business goal that you have for seven weeks. Coffee.
- [29:34]
B
Yeah. Personally, yeah. I'm not the best with goals. I have to be honest. I'm more of a process guy. But I've been trying to challenge myself with more goals. Personal goal. So it's actually funny, like I was saying before when I, I grew up As a playing competitive golf my whole life over the last, since I played in college, I know the last five years, I really haven't played competitively anymore. So personal goal, I'm trying to get back into, like, competitive golf. I want to play at a high level in terms of, you know, amateur golf and get back into competing again. I love competition. It's probably why I love business. I love, you know, I hate losing more than you like winning. It's kind of like that old adage. So playing, you know, competitively again is thing I really want to do. Family goal, you know, I'm, I'm very blessed. Where we're at, we have a beautiful family, baby's healthy. So I just. The prayer is that we continue to be a happy, healthy family. And then a business goal. I think we're just getting started with our company in terms of, like, opportunity. You know, a million dollars donated is great. I think we have tens of millions of dollars to donate to. Go.
- [30:37]
A
I love that. And I'm gonna do my small, tiny little part to continue to advocate for you guys. Now my last question. When you're in front of the pearly gates, what do you think God's going to tell you?
- [30:52]
B
I hope he says, well done. Staying true to the mission from start to finish, that's the biggest thing I could help. You know, it's so easy to start something well intentioned. I think it's really hard to finish it well intentioned. And because, you know, as things grow, things change, numbers get bigger, dollars get bigger. And how do you actually continue with the same, you know, you know, authenticity and ethics behind it is the biggest challenge. And so, God willing, we're still doing that. And, you know, when this is all said and done, we're still doing that.
- [31:26]
A
Anton, you've been an absolute blessing to have on the show. If people want to connect with you or seven weeks, how do they find you?
- [31:32]
B
Yeah, seven weeks coffee dot com. That's where our website is. Feel free to look it up, get some good copy.
- [31:37]
A
This Christmas season, guys. Make sure you connect with him. Buy that coffee and know that you are being a good steward, buying that coffee because that money is going to help thousands of people. God bless you. God bless your mission. I hope you hit every single one of your goals. Thank you for jumping on the show today.
- [31:57]
B
Thank you for having me.
- [32:05]
A
Sam.