524: Creating Values Worth Standing By with Oliver Stormshak

 

With 23 years experience Oliver Stormshak has worked in all aspects of the industry including barista, manager, roaster, production, and green coffee buyer. He is passionate about improving lives around the world through quality coffee, equatable trading, and global transparency. In 2010, with Sam Schroeder Oliver purchased Olympia Coffee Roasting. Together they've grown the brand to 5 locations through Seattle.

Show notes…

Favorite Success Quote or Mantra.

"Focus on doing good in the world. Business should exist to do good in the world."

In this episode with Oliver Stormshak, we discuss: 

• What it was about being a barista that sucked Oliver in. 
• What Oliver learned about creating systems while working Starbucks.
• Leading with too much passion and not enough compassion.   
• Demystifying complicated and intimidating things to make it more approachable. 
• What discipline looks.
• If you hire someone to do a job and to make a change in your business, let them do the job. 
• Constant improvement in what you do.  
• Knowing that you can't change an organizations passion, values, and vision. You're better off trying to find an organization that has passions, values, and visions that align with your own. 
• Why Oliver chose to buy Olympia Coffee roasting VS compete with it. 
• Making it a core value to only do business with those who have the same core values.  
• Creating the infrastructure before growing so you have something to grow into. 
• Only hiring people who share your values. 
• Taking the focus off of yourself and putting it on everyone else your business touches.  

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Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?

   • Determination.

2. What is your biggest weakness?

   • Fear of failure.

3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?

   • Determination.

4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?

   • Staffing. 
   • They're combating this challenge by always looking for ways to improve them benefits package

5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.

   • Empathy. 

6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?

   • Connect on a personal level with your guest. 

7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner?
   GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM 

   • Espresso Coffee: Professional Techniques

8. Share an online resource or tool.

   • Sprudge.

9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted in your restaurant and how has it influence operations?

   • Instagram.

10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?

    1. Lead with your heart
    2. Be remembered as a great employee
    3. Be remembered for great quality. 

Contact Info

@olympiacoffee

Thanks for Listening!

Thanks so much for joining today! Have some feedback you’d like to share? Leave a note in the comment section below!

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Huge thanks to Oliver Stormshak for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

 

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