I am thrilled to present this amazing conversation w/ Klaus Thompson to you all today! The Coffee Collective is at the top of a very short list of the world's best and most influential roasters.  Today's guest, Klaus Thompson, is not only a Danish barista champion but is also the 2006 World Barista Champion. In 2007 Klaus, along with his co-founders Peter N. Dupont and Casper Engel Rasmussen, founded the Coffee Collective with a mission to build a different kind of coffee business from the ground up. One the focused on sustainability and hospitality both at the farm and in the cafe.  For the last 13 years they have been growing the company slowly, responsibly, and are what many consider the vanguard of direct trade, transparent business practices, and the epitome of quality from seed to cup. Today they have a thriving wholesale business, global web store, and 6 amazing retail locations, and continue their positive impact on the specialty coffee industry.  Of course, you don't get to this level without challenges, grit, determination, and lessons learned along the way. In this conversation we get an inside look into the story of the Coffee Collective from the first day until now and Klaus truly delivers some great insights and wisdom that we would do well to follow. We discuss: What it took to get started The goal of transforming the way coffee business is done Challenges in the early years Site selection and lessons from failures  The value of starting small  How retail fueled wholesale Creating a practical and personalized space  Scaling the business and engaging customers  Becoming more professional  Prioritizing areas of the business Approach to sustainability  Become a B-Corp Their long term goal and why it is never about profit Links: www.coffeecollective.dk Coffee Collective on Instagram Coffee Collective Youtube channel   Related Episodes:  242 : A Conversation with James Hoffmann 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano 118 : Founder Friday w/ Phil & Sebastian Coffee Roasters founders, Phil Robertson and Sebastian Sztabzyb 145: Founder Friday w/ Red Rooster Coffee Roasters co-founder, Haden Polseno-Hensley   Starting a shop -or- want to level up you operations? KTTS Consulting can help!  |  Email me: Chris@keystotheshop.com   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service