Fun and Colorful Bags of Coffee

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michael Craig, founder and CEO of Creature Coffee, located in Austin, TX, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My name is Michael. I'm a coffee geek who loves to introduce people to exceptional coffee! I'm the founder and CEO of Creature Coffee, a quality-focused small batch roaster in Austin, TX. We respectfully source and carefully roast specialty grade lots, the top 3% of all grown coffee in the world. The farmers and cooperatives we partner with grow their crops the right way, taking care of their harvest, the environment, and local wildlife in the process.

We sell our fun and colorful bags of coffee online, direct-to-consumer. We also have a growing number of wholesale clients, such as coffee shops, retail stores, and national online subscriptions. Our customers want the best and are happy to pay a little extra for a dang tasty cup of coffee!

Tell us about yourself

I'm British born, and growing up, I hated coffee! When I lived in Melbourne, an incredible city for coffee, I was introduced to specialty coffee, and my mind was blown. Why didn't all coffee taste this good?! Finding out the story behind coffee and the many people and processes involved, I was hooked. The craft, the farmers, the science, the equipment, and the precision needed in specialty coffee still fascinate me to this day - and I'm still learning! I wanted to roast my own coffee and grow a business that did right for all the people involved. I had a bundle of energy and passion but no experience or funding, so I got scrappy and made it happen!

I spent a couple of years planning and researching hard, pestering roasters and baristas to learn as much as I could. I took a barista job to delve deeper into the world of coffee and learn. I somehow pulled together a coffee cart with friends' equipment and started doing pop-up coffee at events. The side-hustle was born. The money I got from each event went back into growing the business. I worked hard, really hard!

Four years and a pandemic later, we have a fleet of coffee carts, an amazing team of coffee professionals, and we roast our own coffee. I'm proud of what we've achieved, and I'm equally proud that we care about our farmers and our staff and we do the right thing for our environment. Our slogan is 'let's be friends,' and we all live by that.

Many things motivate me - my team, our farmers, delighting a client, the pursuit of excellence, bettering our processes, bettering our product... I love what I do and the people that surround me. They all inspire me daily.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Coming through the pandemic, shining, growing, and thriving! It was tough. We lost a coffee shop and all our staff at the beginning of the pandemic, and the momentum we had, came to a sudden stop. We had to make some hard decisions, and the future was uncertain. We couldn't plan for anything as things kept changing. The pandemic gave me some time to focus on the future and where Creature Coffee should go. I made the business incredibly lean, and I rolled through the stops and starts - and we're now back at it and growing at an incredible speed.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

I find it hard to shut off and enjoy time with my family. There's always something that needs my attention, and there's always a process that I can make better. I put in 80-90 hour weeks regularly and worked harder than I've ever worked before, without a day off for weeks. My work-life balance is much better now, and I get to enjoy my weekends with my wonderful family, knowing my team has got control of everything. I now schedule time for fun, exercise, and my family. These things are important to me, so I have to make time for them!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Just get started. Nothing will be perfect, you'll learn as you go.
Go above and beyond for your customers and your staff. Be the best.
Never stop learning.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://creaturecoffee.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creaturecoffeeco
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/creaturecoffeeco/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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