DID SOMEONE SAY 'COFFEE?'
By Christina Mortel
Meet Scars and Stripes Coffee Company
If you ask a veteran what they miss most about the military, they will likely answer the "sense of camaraderie." Often hard to describe yet simply understood, there is a bond created between those who served in uniform. Earned through sacrifices and vivid experiences, friendships forged in the fire are rare, unique, and not likely replicated. Can this unique connection continue outside of military service?
You may think Scars and Stripes Coffee is just another craft coffee company, but here, the coffee is only the vehicle. Founders Chat Watts and Brad Dean created Scars and Stripes Coffee as a reintegration program that offers vets a chance to reconnect with a team while building a business. Empowering veterans is the cornerstone of this thriving business and the reason it is today a 200-member organization with a 100% veteran sales team.
Although Chad is not a vet, he worked extensively at VA Hospitals and came face to face daily with veterans who suffered devastating physical injuries and emotional scars.
These same soldiers though, had a deep connection and could lift each other up despite their circumstances.
Witnessing this connection drove Chad to create a path for veterans who would soon transition to the civilian community. Chad brainstormed a business framework, pulled in his friend and National Guard Officer Brad Dean aside, and shared the idea and Scars and Stripes Coffee was born.
Chad’s framework took the familiar military rank and structure–and built a business model that would fill the void created when exiting the service. “How do you prepare for something where you lose your family, so to speak, and you don’t know where you are going?” Scars and Stripes seeks to answer that question by creating a team of veterans who raise each other up, and hold one another accountable, while building a business, and community.
“Five things we continue to hear about, high suicide and unemployment, divorce, homelessness and high drug and alcohol abuse, - these symptoms aren’t really getting better according to the data”. Scars and Stripes wants vets to know they are incredibly special adding “you are not done yet and we are here to get you back into the fight.” The name says it all: “Scars are what vets live with every day; Stripes refers to the healing power given to us through Jesus- Through his stripes we are healed”- Isaiah 53.5.
How it Works:
When a vet joins Scars and Stripes Coffee, the vet is plugged into a team of 6-10 members lead by a squad leader. The new team member obtains a startup kit that provides the materials to become familiar with the coffee products and sales processes.
Communicating weekly during Monday Morning Muster, the group connects on wins and challenges, and shares how the business is going. Chad notes that first it is a check on everyone’s headspace how everyone is doing, and then it’s on to the business conversation. Not only is this a great networking opportunity, but it helps to grow the communication skills of the team. Besides the Monday Muster, YouTube trainings are available to help new members ramp up on the mechanics of running the business.
These tools are the foundation to help the vet understand the sales process, but most importantly, the mission to help vets integrate successfully and transition into civilian life.
The key to success is the supportive network. The squad leader and teammates are available to help support onboarding, attend events with the new member, and help with the sales conversation. The vet receives a unique link and is set up with an ecommerce website. When a customer uses the unique link, the vet receives a 20% commission from a sale.
Not your average cup of Joe
Roasted by a local small batch coffee roaster, most beans are single origin, but coffee blends are available and come in whole bean, ground, and now in special steeping coffee bags. There is something for every coffee lover, and Chad mentioned that more coffee options will be added to the lineup.
Branden Baxley, an Afghanistan veteran who served in the Oklahoma National Guard, joined Scars and Stripes in 2019. Branden started as a team member and now serves in a First Sergeant role.
A 15-year Oklahoma law enforcement officer, Branden really loves the mission of empowering veterans to get back together. As part of his law enforcement duties, Branden is a veteran liaison for the veteran community. By helping my department with our veteran community outreach, I thought I could bring that experience to the company and that is why I joined. The Scars and Stripes model brings veterans together and ignites the camaraderie that vets previously experienced.
I just saw a real need for it. In his role, Branden speaks to employee leaders, regularly receiving feedback on processes, listening for challenges, concerns, and recommendations, and addresses these up and down the chain.
WHY IT WORKS
Besides America’s love affair with a cup of Joe, this model is both scalable and sustainable.
Team members are in their community selling the coffee face to face through local events. When a customer purchases coffee, they help that veteran in that community. It is a shining example of a grassroots effort and a way to thank a vet for their service to our country.
The headquarters office manages sourcing, packaging, branding, and distribution, allowing team members to focus on sales and planning, not time-consuming or back-end operations.
If there is not a Scars and Stripes representative in an area, the Vet Generator can be found on the company website. When a customer places an online order, the customer can select a veteran who will receive 20% from the purchase.
Veterans have the flexibility to build their business in a way that makes sense for them. This includes taking part in local events, farmers markets, military appreciation events, and outreach activities specific to their community, while offering the convenience of online ordering.
Vets help other interested vets join the team. This builds community, brand awareness, and kick starts camaraderie.
“When you combine a motivated sales force who connects with the community, it is a recipe for success” says Jon, a Houston-based Veteran. Jon started with Scars and Stripes in late 2019, after retiring from the Air Force, and is now a squad leader. Since starting, Jon has had a meaningful experience and receives wonderful feedback from customers and clients.
Although he loves coffee, he notes that it is the whole program that makes him feel right at home again. “It was like Scars and Stripes was filling a hole that I had just realized was there. Something was missing, and this experience helped me regain my confidence in community, having conversations with people I probably would not have otherwise met.”
Jon’s advice to veterans - “If you are a veteran out there considering doing something different, seeing new parts of town, or wish to try something new, I would say go for it! The worst thing is you say you don’t want to do it anymore; but the best thing is you could develop a small business with Scars and Stripes that can take you anywhere in the US.”
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT
Chad shared that more products are coming as part of an all-new curated veteran marketplace. In 2022, the online store will feature unique items and fun gifts for the vet and the coffee connoisseur alike.
There are plans to eventually have a brick-and-mortar facility as well to host events and train the team. Most of all, Chad keeps the company laser focused on the veteran adding, “they served our country, they did formidable things, and we can’t thank them enough.” Speaking to vets he adds, “but this is just half time for you… you have a whole other life to start so join us and get ready to go to work. I promise you; you’ll be better for this if you just give it a try.”
Learn more about Scars and Stripes at Scars & Stripes Coffee - Scars & Stripes Coffee (scarsandstripescoffee.com)
For Veterans Day, I feature Chad and Jon on my podcast Texas Veterans Mean Business • A podcast on Anchor. Check it out Spotify and Google Podcasts.