The Wisdom (Or Lack of It) Of Stirring in Politics with Your Business

How do you take your coffee: cream, sugar, politics? Like so many other retailers today, the coffee industry - led by giant Starbucks - has made buying a cup of java not just about taste, but also about where you stand on the hot-button issues of our day. In late 2014, Evan Hafer, a former Green Beret who did tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, saw an opportunity to appeal to fellow military veterans and 2nd Amendment advocates by launching a coffee brand aimed at them: Black Rifle Coffee Company.  Sure enough, the firearms specialist hit a bullseye. Salt Lake City-based Black Rifle Coffee has seen explosive sales growth and he has pledged to hire 10,000 veterans over the next six years to staff his rapidly expanding mail-order and franchise business.  This week pistol-toting Hafer joins host and reputation coach Dean Rotbart to talk about coffee beans, veterans, guns, and earning profits in an increasingly politicized marketplace. Photo: Evan Hafer, Black Rifle Coffee Company Posted: May 1, 2017 Monday Morning Run Time: 38 minutes 50 seconds