Kansas City Coffeehouses



(photo credit: quaycoffee.com)

 

Throughout the course of starting my business, I spent many days working at different coffee houses around Kansas City.  I always felt inspired working at a coffee shop.  I experienced a level of creativity that I did not experience working from my home office.  I could take occasional breaks and observe those around me and listen to other’s stories. 

Entrepreneurs commonly work at coffee houses when they are in the startup phases of their companies.  I found that working at a coffee house not only brought out the creativity in me, but was a networking tool that I utilized every time I sat down to work.  I made it a point to introduce myself to people I saw regularly in a coffee shop because often, they too were entrepreneurs.  I have explored the different coffee houses throughout Kansas City to offer myself new environments, to experience the entrepreneurial community in different ways and to meet as many people as I could to build my network.  I recently came across an article about the coffeehouses in Kansas City and the opening line read, Kansas City, Missouri, has the best U.S. coffee scene you've never heard of.

So, in honor of all the entrepreneurs who set up shop in local coffee houses, here is a list of my favorites in Kansas City. 

Quay Coffee

 

 

ABOUT: Quay Coffee promise is to deliver amazing coffee to you every single time you walk though the door. Our menu is simple, and it is simple for one reason: our coffee is good.

 

 Mildred's Coffeehouse

 



 

 

ABOUT: Mildred's baristas and cooks have fed and caffeinated hordes of folks over the last 18 years. Mildred's Coffeehouse is one of the few remaining family owned and operated coffee and food establishments in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

 


The Roasterie Café

 

 

 

ABOUT: We travel to the ends of the earth to find the best coffee beans on the planet.  We source coffee for the discerning coffee connoisseur and air-roast them to the perfect temperatures to unlock the most exquisite flavor profile each coffee has to offer.  We spend our lives in coffee fields and cafés to learn everything we can about the beverage we love. Explore our website and find out why we're so passionate about coffee.

 

Parisi Artisan Café

 

 

ABOUT: Great coffee is motivational. Inspirational.  Timeless moments are often shared over a cup. So we take our coffee seriously. Selecting, roasting and brewing it right is an art. Parisi Coffee is our proud, passionate homage to our Italian heritage.  It's also our way to share our delicious traditions with you, so you can start your own.

Oddly Correct Coffeehouse

 

 

 ABOUT: Oddly Correct is its punk-rock older brother. Owner Gregory Kolsto learned his craft traveling to Central and South America buying beans for Krispy Kreme's coffee program. But he fled the corporate life to work for a Kansas City roaster before starting his own business out of a friend's garage. The shop now occupies a spot on gentrifying Main Street. Reclaimed wood from old coffee pallets and poured concrete form the counters; DJs pop in on occasion to spin records during the morning rush; and coffees roasted in their facility down the street are sold in bags with funky letterpressed illustrations. The shop serves three new coffees weekly—no sugar or milk allowed—and a selection of espresso drinks made with local whole milk. Watch for innovative experiments like their Hop! Toddi, a cold-brew coffee with hops. 

 

 

 

 

Leaders Eat Last



(photo credit: freshdev4.com)

After hearing Simon Sinek for the first time on TED Talks a few months ago, I knew I had to get his books (Link to his TED Talk below).  I recently read his book, Leaders Eat Last.   In my opinion, Sinek is one of the most astute observers of the human condition today.  This book explores the psychological reasons we exhibit certain behavior, drawing on both biology and psychology. 

Through surveys, scientific research and stories, Sinek describes the pain many suffer in workplaces.  Instead of thriving, we are preoccupied with internal rivalries and distanced from fellow humans by abstraction and scale.  The result is our defense mechanisms kick in, and the chemicals released make us more unhelpful, unhappy and unhealthy.  Understanding that humans biologically evolved to cooperate and that leaders emerged to protect the group, organizations that create environments paralleling those early conditions will bring out the best in us.  

Sinek talks about how to bring the balance back in our workplace so both companies and individuals can thrive side by side in a symbiotic relationship.  And he gives lots of examples such as Barry Wehmiller companies where CEO Bob Chapman is dedicated to ‘building great people who do extraordinary things.  And Charlie Kim, CEO of Next Jump who implemented a policy of lifetime employment. 

Sinek focuses on how the leader plays a role in service to the group, protecting it from external threats.  In short, quoting a Marine Corps general, Leaders Eat Last. 

This book will make you think differently about the business systems that prevail in our society and also give you a way to make the workplace more humane.  I encourage each of you to read this book, because if you are leading a team of people, you’ll be delighted and reinvigorated.

Check out Simon Sinek’s TED Talk here. 

Get a Grip

 

I am quick to admit that I make judgments about people based on how they shake hands.  Guilty as charged.  I have always been annoyed by a weak handshake but became increasingly annoyed after a conversation with some colleagues over dinner. 

A few years ago I worked with a gentleman who may have been the funniest person I have ever known in My. Entire. Life!  One evening at dinner after a day of training, a group of us got on the topic of a weak handshake.  Scott proceeded to impersonate a time when he was greeted with a weak handshake from a gentleman and I thought I was going to lose it, I was laughing so hard at his impersonation.  After the tears of laughter slowed and the evening settled, I began thinking about the power of a handshake.  So, I did a little research on the power of a handshake.  Here is what I found…

Research shows that the handshake matters.  It does in fact contribute to “first impressions.”  Your handshake actually reflects certain personality characteristics.  And the research shows that when it comes to self-promotion, handshake etiquette may be more important for women than for men. 

A handshake speaks volumes.  A handshake that isn’t firm will signal a lack of authority, a lack of confidence.  One that is too firm could make you seem overly aggressive.  According to an article by University of Alabama psychologist William F. Chaplin, a firm handshake corresponded to the measured personality factors and found that it does correlate with factors such as “openness to new experience” and extraversion.  Those who did not have a “firm handshake” were found to score higher on measures of “neuroticism” (which means that they tend to be more prone to anxiety) and to display more “shyness.”  In other words, from your handshake, people can learn whether or not you are shy and anxious, and whether you are “open” and outgoing.  The key points here may seem obvious, but it is worth repeating: people do in fact form impressions based on the quality of your handshake, and those impressions do reflect certain elements of your personality.

 So, for the love of all things holy, if you have a weak handshake…stop it.  Stop it already.  If you aren’t ready to commit to a stronger handshake, then by all means…confuse them with a  fist bump despite its informality…it may leave a better impression.    

I felt the discussion of a handshake is imperative to the life of entrepreneurs because let’s face it, we start with little to nothing when we take the risk of starting our new ventures, but the one thing we do have to sell to all that are paying attention, ourselves.  We sell our personality, our commitment, our strength, our ability to engage people and grow a following…well guess what, this starts with a handshake. 

 

Everyone Has a Story

I am so fascinated to hear other’s stories.  The stories of their childhood, stories of what drives them, stories of failure and success and the path that led them to the very moment they are, at the time we have the opportunity to speak.  Often times, I will stop and ask people I meet in airports or a stranger at a coffee shop, what their story is.  It’s fascinating to watch their faces go from utter confusion to being lit up that someone would be interested in their story.  It may be one of the most fulfilling questions I ask people, because one of two things happens.  Either they are reminded of why they are who they are and what they are fighting for in this one life we are given or it brings them to a quiet place that allows them to reflect on areas of their life they want to change.  This then leads into a conversation that we both benefit from.  I am either encouraged by their story or I am given an opportunity to encourage them.  Either way, it’s an incredible moment to share with people, strangers…I dare you to try it. 

So, what’s your story?  What led you to entrepreneurship?  What drives you?  Think about it.  Sometimes it is thinking about our story that brings us back to where we need to be or to keep us moving ahead.  The last year, I have experienced some pretty incredible trials in life.  I’ve had to make some really tough decisions, I’ve had to get so far out of my comfort zone that I often felt as though I was standing on a tight rope so far from safe ground that one wrong move would send me crashing down.  I have had to be very intentional about focusing on my story and why I started my company in the first place.  Spending some time reflecting on “my story” and the end goal is exactly what I needed to get rebalanced.  I encourage anyone who is struggling as an entrepreneur or anyone who just needs to be reminded to go there.  Go back to your beginning and remember why you are who you are and why you are pursuing your dreams as an entrepreneur.  I promise you won’t be disappointed. 

Relating to entrepreneurship, it’s easy to get so wrapped up in the struggles that accompany starting and growing a business that we lose sight of the fact that every entrepreneur is either dealing with the same or similar struggles or has in the past and has persevered.  Sometimes hearing their story is exactly what we need to hear in that moment.  So, whether it is a stranger in an airport or someone you meet at a networking event, stop and ask them what their story is. 

 

Success

Success

William Arthur Ward

Success is more than arriving – it is also attempting;

More than realizing – it is also reaching.

Happiness comes not from having much to live on but having much to live for.

Success never resides in the world of weak wishes, but in the palace of purposeful plans and prayerful persistence.

Pessimism achieves no success over persistence.

Temporary defeat never spells total failure; one victory never assures permanent success.

A real success is one who makes his mark in life without smearing others.

Excellence without effort is as futile as progress without preparation.

Work can be our friend or foe, or joy or our woe.

Success, like happiness, is more than a destination – it is a venture;

More than an achievement – it is an attitude.

The greatest failure is the failure to try.

Alter your attitude and you will change your life.

Who seeks success, let him prepare.

Improvement is the son of discontent; success is the offspring of preparation.

To emphasize the positive – the affirmative – is to travel the high road of joy.

 

 

 

 

 

Punch Fear in the Jugular

                                                                                        (photo credit: lifehack.org)

Fear and I have been in a massive battle recently.  It’s the first time in my entrepreneurial journey that I have really let fear have a stronghold on me.  I believe it is a result of other areas of my life that have been challenging, but for a while, fear had the upper hand.  I was fearful of failure, fearful of risks, fearful of financial insecurity, fearful of what others will think, and even fearful of growth.  And then I stepped back and punched fear in the jugular. 

As entrepreneurs, we cannot allow fear to navigate our path, because the only path navigated by fear is destructive, full of unnecessary hurdles, and ultimately failure.  The type of failure that could have been prevented; the type of failure that we are not proud of.  So, today we are punching fear in the jugular and we are going to make those scary decisions for the growth of our companies, for our future. 

Here are five quotes about fear that every entrepreneur should know.  I came across these quotes in Entrepreneur magazine and had to share.

 

                                           

Fight your fears and you’ll be in the battle forever.  Face your fears and you’ll be free forever.  - - Lucas Jonkman
 

 

We should all start to live before we get too old.  Fear is stupid.  So are regrets. - - Marilyn Monroe

Do not fear mistakes.  You will know failure.  Continue to reach out. - - Benjamin Franklin

What Franklin said is perhaps the best way to think about fear, not as a thing to worry over, but to know that failures are a certainty in life but that you can choose to keep going forward toward your dreams and successes. 

Women are rising to the top of the startup scene...

                                                                                                  

                                                                                                        (photo credit: EYIF.wordpress.com)

I begin each morning with a cup of coffee and an insatiable appetite for reading.  That is the time of morning that my mind is most clear and I soak up as much as I can.  I attempt to read before bed but I open a book, a magazine or an article and it has the same effect on me as does the humming of a fan or a couple of glasses of wine…it knocks me out.  So, morning is my time to read. 

Friday morning I was reading through some Inc. magazine articles (my favorite publication for entrepreneurship) and came across their 6 Essential Resources for Women Entrepreneurs.  I thought the resources they provided were essential and in the event you missed their article, I wanted to publish the resources they highlighted on my blog.  I encourage you to share these resources with all the women entrepreneurs you know.  Enjoy!

1. Women Who Startup

There’s strength in numbers, and Denver-based Women Who Startup aims to bring women coders, founders, and entrepreneurs together through networking events and summits. Also, their Women Who Startup podcast lets entrepreneurs around the world participate in the conversation.

2. The Women’s Venture Fund

The Women’s Venture Fund is a New York and New Jersey-based organization that offers training programs, one-on-one advisory services, and business loans to women entrepreneurs. Their goal is to make information and resources available so that their clients’ businesses can succeed.

3. Women’s Tech Radio

A podcast produced by Jupiter Broadcasting, Women’s Tech Radio hosts conversations between women who work in all areas of the tech world–from coders, developers, and engineers to founders and entrepreneurs. If you’re looking for community and role models, this is a great place to turn.

4. In Good Company

In Good Company is a New York-based co-working space that also offers much, much more: networking sessions, group "get S$% done" sessions, classes, and peer mentorship opportunities for women entrepreneurs. Beyond simply providing resources for women, In Good Company aims to help women empower themselves to succeed in business. Their blog offers refreshing advice on topics from dealing with sexism to figuring out how to take maternity leave as an entrepreneur.

5. 37 Angels

37 Angels addresses the untapped potential that women can bring to investing, with the goal of achieving gender equality in angel investing. The vast majority of investors are men, and 37Angels thinks that including more women in the process can result in greater innovation. Their mentorship network works with women who want to become investors, and their investor training boot camp empowers women investors with knowledge and resources.

6. Astia

San Francisco-based Astia identifies and promotes high-potential women-run ventures, providing networking opportunities, mentorship, and, crucially, access to investors and capital. By involving entrepreneurs, advisors, and investors, they’re working to change the startup ecosystem.

While the startup world can still be a challenging place for women, there’s no reason that it needs to stay that way, and these groups are changing it for women at all levels of entrepreneurship.

I encourage you to subscribe to Inc. magazine if you have not already.  It has been one of the largest sources of inspiration for me during my entrepreneurial journey. 

Cheers to Improving Yourself!

 

"Even the most talented leaders are constantly

striving to do better."

 

More now than ever, I have been intentional about improving myself in order to be the best person I can be in all areas of my life and that includes my business.  This may be a result of my Type-A personality, but I believe that if we are healthy physically, emotionally, spiritually and financially, then we will be positioned to succeed in ways that would otherwise be hindered by these areas of our lives that need improving.



Yesterday I spent the better part of my afternoon evaluating my goals.  I made sure that my goals included every area of my life that I wanted to improve (Another post coming shortly about setting goals).  So, what follows goal setting?  Accountability!  Maybe some of you can breeze right through your goals without any form of accountability.  Without accountability, I just fail...and miserably.  I am driven and motivated, but I set some pretty large goals that scare the crap out of me sometimes (Thank you Eleanor) and without the accountability, those goals can be debilitating. 

 

"Do one thing every day that scares you." -- Eleanor Roosevelt





 

What have you done lately to improve yourself?  Do you set goals that make you uncomfortable and scare you?  You should.  Is goal setting an area of your life that is intentional?  If it isn't, it should be.  Without a vision, the people parish.  I believe this wholeheartedly...and I'm not the only one.  Here are some really fantastic quotes from Inc. Magazine about self improvement.  So, cheers to improving yourself.  Let's do it together.  I will follow up with some of my own goals and I hope you will also share some of yours.

 

I hope these quotes inspire you, because we all need a little inspiration!

 

"We can each define ambition and progress for ourselves. The goal is to work towards a world where expectations are not set by the stereotypes that hold us back, but by our personal passion, talents and interests. --Sheryl Sandberg

 

"Sometimes it's the people you can't help who inspire you the most." --Melinda Gates

 

"Work harder than everybody.  You're not going to get it by whining, and you're not going to get it by shouting, and you're not going to get it by quitting.  You're going to get it by being there." --Barbara Walters

 

"If you don't like something, change it.  If you can't change it, change your attitude." --Maya Angelou 

 

"I've come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that's as unique as a fingerprint - and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others int he form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you." --Oprah Winfrey
 

"Without pain, there would be no suffering, without suffering we would never learn form our mistakes.  To make it right, pain and suffering is the key to all windows, without it, there is no way of life." --Angelina Jolie

 

"We all need people who will give us feedback.  That's how we improve." --Bill Gates

 

"When I had challenges, it taught me to be more on top of it for the future.  Things go wrong all the time when you're running your own business, but it's how you perceive it and deal with it that matters." --Lori Greiner

 

"You must do the thing you think you cannot do." --Eleanor Roosevelt

 

"It's not about money or connections - it's the willingness to out work and outlearn everyone...And if it fails, you learn from what happened and do a better job next time." --Mark Cuban

 

"Don't you dare underestimate the power of your own instinct." --Barbara Corcoran

 

"I always did something I was a little not ready to do.  I think that's how you grow.  When there's that moment of 'Wow, I'm not really sure I can do this,' and you push through those moment's that's when you have a breakthrough." --Marissa Mayer

 

"We need to accept that we won't always make the right decisions, that we'll screw up royally sometimes - understanding that failure is not the opposite of success, its part of success." --Arianna Huffington

 

"Follow what you are genuinely passionate about and let that guide you to your destination." --Diane Sawyer

 

Here is a list of books to help you improve as a leader and an Entrepreneur:

1.      Rework: Change the Way You Work Forever by David Henemeier Hansson and Jason Fried

2.      8 Lessons in Military Leadership for Entrepreneurs by Robert T. Kiyosaki

3.     Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter by Liz Wiseman

4.     Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek

5.     The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

6.     Ask by Ryan Levesque

7.     Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business by Gino Wickman

8.     Welcome to the Funnel: Proven Tactics to Turn Your Social Media and Content Marketing up to 11 by Jason Miller

9.     Reality-Based Leadership: Ditch the Drama, Restore Sanity to the Workplace, and Turn Excuses Into Results by Cy Wakeman

10.  Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek

11.  The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It Takes a Village

 (photo credit: Bloomberg.com)

“One of the metaphors that I use for start-ups is you throw yourself off a cliff and assemble an airplane on the way down.”  Reid Hoffman You can’t expect to assemble the plane alone; that’s where good mentors can help says Rob Ebrahimi in his article Why Entrepreneurs Need Good Mentors. 

The Entrepreneurial path is lonely enough, why go it alone?  Having a mentor is invaluable.  I have recently been reflecting on my mentors.  I would not be where I am today without the guidance of a few mentor’s in my life.  I believe having a mentor is imperative to the growth of an individual as well as the success of one’s career.  Rob Ebrahimi says it well:

"As an aspiring company-builder, you always find yourself in situations where you “don’t know what you don’t know” but you have to stay in motion and make decisions regardless.  Without a savvy guide, in the form of a mentor, you may wind up making crucial early mistakes that would have otherwise been avoidable.  The smaller your company, the faster you need to move, often without enough information to make perfect choices.” 

Let's hear from some experts who speak so eloquently on the topic.  Check out these great articles on the topic of mentors:

Why Entrepreneurs Need Good Mentors – Rob Ebrahimi 

How to get a mentor who’ll transform your life. – Angela Priestly 

Mentors: A Young Entrepreneur’s Secret Weapon – Adam Toren