We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erik Johnson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Erik thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

I had been working in the coffee industry as a roaster for a few years and got a new role working with farmers and mill workers in Cameroon. While working with farmers in Oku and with millers in Bamenda, I saw the size of impact coffee has on people and the earth. Just a handful of containers of coffee produces enough money to take care of everyone from the farm and the farmer to the mill, all the way to the roaster and retailer. I experienced coffee bridging all the things that are used as tools for division: nationality, language, race, religion, economics, etc.

When I saw what was possible, it struck me immediately. I found what I am here to do. It wasn’t being actualized through the program at the time I was there, but I saw what was possible. It was clear that it was quite simple, but needed to be brought into existence. It needed to be intentionally created.

So then I begin to work towards that goal and it changed everything in my life. Where I live and work, who I am around and where I focus my energies. Here I am 8 years later with my own company that is purchasing from/contributing to 14 different countries and supporting 21 different communities.We have formed a few strong relationships with specific farms and also individuals who connect us to farms in different regions.

I want to have our life be sustained through harmony between people and the earth. Working with coffee allows this to happen. We have made a chain of people who share these same values – from households here in my small town to farms across the globe. We want to care and provide good things for each other.

There is enough for everyone – our job is to create a system that allows for all to give and receive. What we are building is a global community of people who want to provide purposeful, meaningful work and connection for the benefit of all involved.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

A friend told me that I could roast coffee at home on an old popcorn popper. I was into coffee – mainly the process of brewing – and when I heard that I could roast it at home I had to try it. That day I roasted my first batch and while I waited for my coffee to brew I had what I can only describe as a spiritual experience. I knew I had to roast coffee. I stopped my masters degree work and left my carpentry job and sought out roasting coffee. That was 12 years ago.

That same seeking and discovering has led us to today. We provide craft-roasted coffee for people who love to brew at home and work. We approach roasting as an art – like pottery, painting or sculpture. Each batch is treated as its own unique creation – and we represent that by using the Finish Roast Temperature on each bag.

We put people and the earth first in our practices and intentions. We are working to provide the best coffee, made with love and harmony.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn what I was brought up believing about people. I had to learn that the vast majority of people are simply looking out for themselves, and have no real drive to make a collective positive impact..

I had grown up being taught that we are all in this together, trying to work toward positive change in this world, and that we are able to work so that all people involved can be taken care of. I believed it was the outlier that only sought for their own gain. Unfortunately I was totally wrong.

As discouraging as it was, there is another truth to that reality: though it’s not the majority, there are people who really, actually care and want to work together and make life better for others. And that group of people can be found and can exist together to make something beautiful to share with the world and for others to see.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’ve had to recreate/reform my coffee business 5 times in 5 years.

We took over a coffee/ice cream shop. After 2 1/2 years of operating as it was, we dropped the ice cream, changed our name and concept. That was Jan 1, 2020. Then we had to reinvent ourselves when the pandemic hit – no inside service. We built a home roasting studio, moved out of our space and focused on roasting coffee for households. We moved into our current amazing space 2 years ago, where we have a larger production roaster.. Our business has continued to grow, and now we sell online.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thinkwell.coffee
• Instagram: thinkwell.coffee
• Facebook: thinkwell.coffee
• Youtube: @thinkwell.coffee

Image Credits
Erik Elstran