The Beginning of Snake Oil
This isn’t a love story, exactly, but there are parts of that here. We met in August of 2019, and we both knew immediately that this was setting us up for something different. Within a month of meeting we were already dreaming up business ideas together that united our shared passions. We both loved old and unique buildings, both yearned to build and engage in community, both had mild-to-severe addictions to coffee. We bounced several ideas around; looked at properties in Indianapolis, Elkhart, and Ft. Wayne. Coffee has been a part of these ideas from the beginning, and within a few iterations (and after a short Michigan elopement) we landed solidly on starting a coffee roastery near South Haven, Michigan.
What we’re doing, here, is building not only our future live + work space, but our future, period. We each traversed two distinctly different paths to get to where we are today: Kiki has collected a wide variety of knowledge and skillsets from a myriad of jobs over the past twenty years. She brings to this endeavor a strong understanding of accounting, business management, design and creativity. I (Luke) have meandered my way through most of my adult life, drinking coffee all the while and seeking to build and foster community. For nearly 6 years I've done that in the classroom; now, I aim to do that with coffee. I started roasting coffee a little over 10 years ago on a thrifted Mr. Popper air Popcorn Popper, and in 2014 sent an email to a guy in Maumee, Ohio that I read about in the newspaper that started a business roasting out of his garage. 6 years later I bought that same roaster from that same guy, and Kiki and I rented a minivan and drove up to get it.
What We Need (hence the 15k)
With your help, we’ll not only finish building our live + work space up in Michigan, but we’ll be able to avoid seeking traditional investors for our business. This means we’ll be able to pursue our dream the way we want to, and the fruits of our hustle will be ours to harvest. It also means we’ll be able to keep our loans as low as possible (currently 50k), which in turn increases our odds of success. We know this is a gamble, and it’s one we’re willing to go all in on. Any donations that we raise from this campaign will go directly into the business and build. We’ve made a lot of sacrifices and progress to get to where we are today, but we still have another big push ahead of us. Your donations will allow us to move forward with insulation, interior finish of the roastery, and running the electric throughout the building.
That's where we stand - staring squarely at the last three obstacles:
- Insulation: Complete insulation of the live + work space. We are still gathering quotes, but will likely hire the majority of this task out to a local professional. This is an essential step so that we can begin completing the interior buildout (which includes the following).
- Electric: This will include everything from purchasing and installing the panel to screwing on the last light switch face plate and everything in between: Romex, conduit, circuit breakers, you name it. An electrician friend of ours is going to help us with this step (we're really embracing this community aspect, here), but we'll be lending a hand (adequately gloved, I promise) at every junction (box).
- Interior Finish: This is everything from the drywall and paint to light fixtures and sanitization sinks (here we come, Habitat Restore!) to the inspection and certification of the food-safe roastery. We anticipate spending the majority of our weekends from here on out working on this aspect of the build. It'll be our most hands-on part of the project to date, and we are not only ready (tetanus shots pending), but eager - literally counting down the days.
The Stretch Goal (if we go above the 15k)
If we go above and beyond these immediate needs (fingers crossed), we’ll be putting donations towards:
- Green Coffee Inventory: Really the sky is the limit here. We’ve been purchasing small amounts of green coffee so far due to the limitations we currently have (money, namely, and storage space - they are currently stored in our landlord’s guest bedroom), but we’d love to get to a point where we can store and roast more varieties and in larger quantities.
- An espresso machine for the roastery (and/or our coffee truck?!) so that we can develop espresso roasts
- A commercial range for the roastery so that we can offer vegan croissants and donuts right off the bat instead of waiting around. After all, who wants to wait for vegan donuts?
What You Get
As a thank you gift for your contribution, we’ll be roasting up some special beans just for you! Additionally, you’ll be among the first core group of folks that get their hands on our new packaging (complete with new label and branding!). For a little more, you can score a Founding Supporter T-Shirt, designed by our newest English mate, a tattoo artist hailing from the UK, and printed by hand here in Indianapolis by the fine folks at Cat Head Press. Also up for grabs is a yearly coffee subscription, a 2-night stay in our future digs, and your very own signature roast. Each gift will come with a hand-written thank you note and a lifetime’s worth of our appreciation, gratitude, and humility.
But what if you don’t meet the goal?
We’ll figure it out and get there regardless. One of the reasons we chose this platform over one of the many others out there is that we get your donations even if our overall goal is not met. So, regardless of wether or not we meet that goal, your contributions will go toward all of the projects above (minus, perhaps, the green coffee inventory and espresso machine). We’ve learned a lot of things throughout this process so far, and one of those things is the value of adaptability and dedication. We sold our home, my prized motorcycle, took on summer jobs, and are hustling our wares around Indianapolis as often as we can. For us, it’s just a matter of time until it all works out.
The Impact
I think it’s pretty easy to understand why this project is valuable to us - the creators - but what about the community and world more broadly? For starters, we’re a small business that consistently wants to help support and bolster other small businesses. That’s why we’ve partnered up with our local print shop here in Indy for our T-Shirts, and why we sought out pins and pendants that were made in the good ole’ U.S. of A. We believe in what we’re doing, and we believe in the way we’re going about it. Already, less than 6 months into officially starting the business, we’ve worked directly with a farmer in Honduras to get our hands on some of his crops. Already we’re sacrificing profit margins for the greater good of both our local community and the coffee industry. From the beginning we’ve used environmentally friendly packaging - and our new bags are even more environmentally conscious. We want to help create sustainable businesses and sustainable communities, communities that encourage, challenge, and push one another. A few of our immediate community-centric goals when we move up to Michigan: Start a running club (caffeinated, of course, by Snake Oil Roasters), bring some delicious vegan baked goods to our pop-ups and events, and collaborate with other local businesses on projects that we care about (we’re coming for you, Three Blondes Brewing Company!).
Risks, Challenges, and Covid-19
Oh, we’re certain there will be (more) risks and challenges, and we’re ready for ‘em. We’ve already encountered a few obstacles along the way, and so far we’ve made it past them. (Who knew, for example, that it would cost us nearly $7,000 to get water to our property? Or that our structure would be ineligible for most new construction loans? Or that Covid-19 would dismantles so many of the traditional retail options for small startups like us?) Additionally, we are both acutely aware that there is an inherent risk, here. How many small businesses make it these days, anyways? But to us, it’s all about the mindset (and opportunities to brainstorm together, and, sure, a few moments of panic and frustration). Again, we’re counting on those past experiences and skillsets to get us through this. Kiki has helped several small businesses find their footing, and has successfully operated her own. I’ve spent the last 3+ years as a founding teacher at a new high school, and sure, while there is a difference between teaching high school students and starting a coffee roastery, there is a lot of overlap, too. We know more challenges are coming, and we’re eager to meet them, hopefully while barefoot standing on the shores of Lake Michigan with a coffee cup in hand.
Other Ways You Can Help
Listen: we understand that we’re launching a fundraising campaign in the middle of a pandemic. We know that millions of people have lost their jobs and incomes during this global catastrophe. And while we’re daily thankful for our own jobs and security, we’re also reminded that nothing in life is certain - nothing guaranteed - and that life is too short for us not to step every day toward our dreams. That said, maybe you’re not in a position to donate. That’s okay, there are loads of other ways that you can help us out, each one as meaningful and important to us as the last. Here are just a few ideas:
Spread the word! Maybe you know someone that likes specialty coffee, or is a vegan, or lives in Michigan near our future roastery, or takes summer trips to South Haven and might be interested in joining the running club some Sunday morning - the more people that are aware of us and what we’re doing, the better!
Share our story! Again, the more the merrier! Share our campaign, our Instagram, our coffee, emails, phone numbers - anything! This is a grassroots affair, and we need all the help we can get!
Know your way around HVAC systems? Are you an expert painter? Want to help us get those new fence post holes dug? If you’ve got the heart and willingness to come and aid in some of these labor intensive projects, let us know!
Did you recently upgrade an appliance? Is your old one sitting in the garage? We’re starting from scratch, here, so that 4 year old washer with the broken knob and finicky sensor looks pret-ty damn good to us! *Note: if your church is getting rid of their old commercial range and you can get us the hook-up, I will cook you elaborate vegan meals literally whenever you want!
Have a big truck and want to help us move in the Spring? (Or, have a 4x4 beater that would make a great driver for Michigan Winters?) We’ll be making frequent trips, I’m sure - just hit us up!