Coffee People Podcast: Nick Schmitt, Roastar Packaging

Bonus Episode: Nick Schmitt, Roastar

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S8: COFFEE PEOPLE BONUS EPISODE

Guest: Nick Schmitt, Roastar
Role: Inside Sales & Service
From: Wausau, WI
Online: www.roastar.com • @Roastar on Instagram
What he drinks: A hit and run, an espresso for there, and a drip coffee to go.

“I manage projects. I’m the guy that people call.”

Nick Schmitt

My chat with Nick—the first of many, I imagine—brought on a wave of nostalgia for me. Wausau has evolved since I grew up there. Mostly for good, but during this conversation, I was mostly scrolling through my Rolodex of memories.

It was only when I listened back that I realized how much smart commentary was interspersed along with hacky jokes about which high school is best.* My biggest takeaway was the idea that everyone has a big story to tell. That seems doubly true for most small businesses that have to share so much of themselves to make a dent against the establishment.

The first big story any entrepreneur needs to tell is the one they tell themselves.

This is what I can bring into the world. This is why it is needed. This is why it will succeed.

If they can make it past that first storytelling, they’ll turn outwards and begin to try to convince the rest of us. That’s where finding partners and collaborators who can help you put your best foot forward come in handy. That’s when you call Nick.

*It is Wausau West. Sorry, Nick.

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM OUR BONUS EPISODE

First off, The Princess Bride. A great film.
Roastar is a digital printing company that focuses on packaging. Coffee is their forte, but they also produce packages for pet food and treats, cannabis, chocolate, and snack foods. I may have mentioned on the podcast that I used to be a graphic designer, but when I went to school, the focus was still on traditional printing.

I wasn’t entirely sure what the differences were between digital and traditional printing until I found this quick primer from Prints.org. Digital printing is fast, efficient, and precise. Designs are sent from the computer to the printer. There is more flexibility because there isn’t the need to set up printing equipment. That’s what enables Roastar to offer smaller print runs and offer more options to small businesses.
Traditional printing requires more physical work to set up the printing machines, which makes it less flexible for doing quick print jobs. However, they do produce high-quality prints and some unique textures. There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
In 2015, Deathwish Coffee won a contest sponsored by Quickbooks to have a commercial aired during Super Bowl 50 (2016).

The Eastbay catalog was a big deal for athletes and sports fans across the country. The original (and only) retail store was in Nick and my hometown of Wausau, WI. They had a major impact on popular culture and, possibly more importantly, the economic future of our town.

At various times, I worked in the warehouse, on the phone, and in the retail store. It felt like a right of passage for any local high school-age athlete. Looking back, I really appreciate having to get a job when I was young. Those early jobs—bussing tables, working the drive-thru, taking calls, working retail service, and so many more—taught me so many skills. I learned how to talk to people. I learned functional math and how to deal with dysfunctional people.
I didn’t know then how big the company was outside our community. Apparently, if you knew, you knew. Click here to read the recent feature from ESPN about the catalog that was more than just a catalog.

CHECK THEM OUT

Nick shouted out two local coffee roasters. If you’re ever in the Wausau area, check out:

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More big news for First Light Whiskey. They just hired spirits industry veteran Sean Heal to be their VP of Sales & Marketing and are planning a big expansion of their distribution footprint. My only question is will they be expanding into Oregon by the weekend? Read the news in the Times Of San Diego.

Zumbar Coffee & Tea • First Light Coffee Whiskey • Steady State Roasting • Mostra Coffee • Coffee Cycle • Camp Coffee Company • Ignite Coffee Company • Ascend Coffee Roasters • Marea Coffee • Cape Horn Coffee Roasters • San Franciscan Roaster Company • Hacea Coffee Source • Crossings Coffee • Roastar