In this week's discussion, Emily chats with Jarrhod ‘Rod’ Johnson, Co-Founder & Chief Values Officer at BLK & Bold, the specialty coffee and tea company that prioritizes domestic social impact. Through their 5% For Our Youth Program the brand donates to youth in need locally and nationally. They also quickly became the first Black-owned nationally distributed coffee company and a top seller on Amazon since launching on the platform in 2020. Rod joins Emily to share insights into the journey of creating a coffee company from scratch, highlighting the challenges and triumphs of scaling from Shopify to securing distribution in national retailers. The conversation delves into how BLK & Bold balances its commitment to social impact with the pursuit of product excellence. Additionally, Rod and Emily explore some of the exciting partnerships that the company has engaged in, such as their limited edition Change is Brewing flavor collaboration with Ben & Jerry’s.

TUNE IN FOR TOPICS LIKE:

1:52 Rod’s journey from nonprofits to entrepreneurship

4:14 The moment that sparked BLK & Bold’s start

5:47 Learning the coffee industry from scratch

7:25 Iterating and testing to find the perfect SKU

8:58 First distribution channels & sourcing feedback

12:31 Advice for founders looking to gain the attention of retailers

14:55 Getting clear on your message & values as a brand

17:21 What it means to be a B Corp

18:34 Securing partnerships with brands like Ben & Jerry’s, NBA, Black Panther

22:40 5% For Youth program and creating direct impact with your brand

26:12 Where to find BLK & Bold

27:02 Launching a non-profit foundation & brick & mortar coffee shops

Listen to this week’s Local Marketing School conversation!

Other episodes you'll enjoy if you enjoyed Rod’'s episode:

#7: From Local Markets to a National Spotlight | Steven Vigilante, OLIPOP

#8: Sourcing, Supply Chains, and Scaling from Scratch | Lucy Dana, One Trick Pony

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Connect with Rod: LinkedIn

Find BLK & Bold: Website | Instagram | Facebook

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This podcast is produced by Hummingbirds. Learn more about Hummingbirds at hummingbirds.com.