064: Decreasing Costs While Scaling Cold Brew Operations – Interview with Steve from Cheech’s Own
Summary: <br> In today’s episode, we’re joined by Steven “Cheech” Chiocchi from Cheech’s Own Cold Brew out of Somerville, New Jersey. Some of our discussion topics include starting a side business and growing/scaling it, working in a shared space, bottling, trial & error and much more. Thus far, Cheech’s Own has been growing organically through a heavy presence at farmers markets as well as at local festivals and events.<br> Subscribe: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/drips-draughts-make-serve/id1103024391" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external">iTunes</a> | <a href="https://goo.gl/app/playmusic?ibi=com.google.PlayMusic&isi=691797987&ius=googleplaymusic&link=https://play.google.com/music/m/I3ux7fpwne6lz7hpypcwdkafq44?t%3DDrips_%2526_Draughts:_Make_and_Serve_Craft_Beverages_on_Draft" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external">Google Play Music</a> | <a href="http://stitcher.com/s?fid=87814&refid=stpr" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external">Stitcher</a><br> <br> Highlights & Takeaways<br> Organic growth through a consistent schedule at local farmers markets/events.<br> Decreasing costs by purchasing in bulk and reviewing processes (<a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjsmpa3qs_UAhVX42MKHfaCAAcQFghfMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSix_Sigma&usg=AFQjCNHBb1nGUAd_3kqEaqag2l-9JDpx_w" target="_blank" rel="nofollow external">Six Sigma</a>)<br> <a href="#gallery">Gallery / Photos</a><br> <a href="#mentioned">What we mentioned on during this show</a><br> <br> Episode 64 Transcript<br> Brendan Hanson: All right, you’re listening to the Drips & Draughts podcast. As always, I’m Brendan Hanson. We’ve got Cary in the studio with us today. We’re joined by Steve from Cheech’s Own. How are you doing Steve?<br> Steve: I’m good. How are you guys?<br> Cary: Doing good.<br> Brendan: Doing great.<br> Cary: Thanks for coming out.<br> Steve: I’m very happy to be here.<br> Brendan: Awesome. I didn’t want to butcher your last name, so I’ll let you introduce yourself really quick.<br> Steve: Sure. It’s Chiocchi actually, hence Cheech. Everybody just shortens it up and it just turned into Cheech after high school.<br> Brendan: Right on. Well, mind giving us a quick background on yourself?<br> Steve: Yes, sure. Where do I start? I’m I guess what most people call a multi-startup entrepreneur. I’m 29 right now, about to be 30. When I was 20 years old, I quit my full-time job when I raised about half a million in funding for a mobile application startup, which is very similar to Groupon, or if you guys get Valpak over in California or not, but they are like coupon deliveries.<br> I made an app that automates all that, and tracks it, and lets people redeem it and empowers local businesses to bring more people in. I did that for about three years, and then just got interested in other things. I sold the company to another local marketing product and just started another agency after that, and dabbled around with web design and web development. I learned really quickly that hiring your best friends or good friends as business partners sometimes doesn’t work out.<br> [laughter]<br> Steve: I actually left that for a higher paying salary job and moved through my twenties doing director of business development for marketing agencies and stuff like that. I just learned really quickly that I am not somebody that can work for or under anybody at all. [chuckles]<br> Brendan: Entrepreneur in your blood, huh?<br> Steve: I just can’t. I flex and I bust out of every single scenario that involves a cubicle. Then I moved to Florida for a little bit and I started another agency called The Areli Group, which currently still has the lights on and is doing very well. That brings me to where I’m at now, balancing the agency. I started making cold brew in my kitchen and serving it out...
