We were lucky to catch up with Kelley Dufresne recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kelley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about your team building process? How did you recruit and train your team and knowing what you know now would you have done anything differently?

A lot of what people may not understand about starting your own small business- especially when you bootstrap the entire operation like we did- is that for the first few months/years you occupy every job within that company. You are owner, accountant, bartender, product maker, marketer, event planner, and custodian. And as a result of that, you become so self-reliant that it’s almost more difficult to begin the hiring process because you’re so used to doing everything on your own: letting go and delegating can be hard! It’s like leaving your kid with a babysitter for the first time.

We opened just five months before the pandemic and we were excited to start the hiring process heading into what we thought would be a kickass summer… And then COVID-19 hit. We had to take yet another step back and reevaluate- we really didn’t want to hire someone only to have to let them go. So we decided to keep going as our own little unit, hoping against all odds that none of us got sick and we’d be able to hire soon. We spent months trying to stay afloat, being as creative as we possibly could while also maintaining an approachable and welcoming atmosphere- which is hard when no one is allowed inside your taproom! So we as staff members became the atmosphere. When only outdoor dining was allowed, rather than turning the heat on inside and watching all of our guests freeze outside next to our small fireplaces, we suited up in all of our snow and ski gear, opened one of our garage doors and served our cider out of it. We put a long table our as an order station/bar so people would still get the interaction of chatting with a bartender and ordering “at the bar”. It was a really difficult (and cold!) time for us, but it ended up really putting us on the map in the neighborhood because we made a point to say that we were in this together. We were all going through this pandemic together and it really meant a lot to people to have us there with them in solidarity and not just watching them freeze while we stayed indoors in the warm. We wanted people to know we appreciated their support during the pandemic and weren’t just trying to take their money. We knew that if we kept our heads down and were dedicated not only to our craft but to our community, it would pay off and we’d be able to hire a decent crew.

When we finally were able to make our first hire, it ended up being a close friend of ours who had been let go from his previous job due to COVID-19 cuts. Lucky for us, Alex had been watching and encouraging our progress, so hiring him felt more like adding on an extension of our family, rather than an employee, and this kind of became our standard for any additional hires we made. We needed people who cared. Not just about getting a paycheck, but also about growing with our company and caring for the community we’re a part of.

Once we realized the vibe and personality traits we wanted in our staff, we very slowly began to put out feelers. I don’t think we ever really put out any ads, we just organically met people, and reached out to them inquiring if they’d like to become a part of our team when the time came.

That’s where our second hire, Jess, came into play. She was no stranger to the growing world of cider and she and her boyfriend would come into our place (often with her dog, Chloe) to enjoy a few ciders or coffee and just chat with us. That’s where COVID-19 really changed how we interviewed people and how we took new team members on. We wanted to feel connected with someone we hired, and we wanted them to feel connected to us as well. Our goal was to have our staff feel taken care of and listened to, especially during a time where paying bills and staying safe was becoming increasingly difficult. Collectively, we were all going through such a strange time during the peak of the pandemic and all we as a company really wanted was to give opportunity to hard-working people, as well as give ourselves the opportunity to take a step back and breathe for a moment after almost 3 years straight of no days off.

We eventually were able to hire another member- Stephen- to help launch and maintain our coffeehaus concept, and he has been incredible! He has the knowledge that we didn’t about creating drinks and brewing a stellar cup of coffee. He has been the face of our place in the mornings and we can’t imagine the company without him.

Now we have Todd as well who is such a dedicated worker and Scott who has an amazing understanding of a family-run business.

It’s really been great, because those we hired recognized how hard we were working and volunteered to take on more than was required of them and we would not be where we are now without that insane dedication. Our staff is so important to us and we can’t wait to repay their hard work!

As for if we’d do anything differently… In all honesty, I don’t think we’ would. Given the circumstances that COVID-19 presented, we were really able to discover good people who do good work, and there’s nothing better than that when running a mom & pop shop.

Kelley, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

For those who don’t know us yet, we are Denver’s one-and-only Swiss-inspired cidery! Many people ask, “So what make Swiss cider different than say, Angry Orchard or Crispin?” Well, let us tell you! Swiss cider is typically less carbonated and more unfiltered, which means you really get to experience the true taste of the ingredients without it being overly bubbly or so filtered out that you only get a hint of flavor.

We chose to focus on Swiss cider in particular because Co-Owner, Ruth, was born in Switzerland and her father, George, was a cidermaker himself! During the beginning of WWII- at the age of sixteen- George actually helped dig out the cellar of the original Waldschanke, which was located on a forest preserve in Romanshorn, Switzerland. This is where the cidery got it’s name, as Waldschanke translates to “forest tavern”! We’ve translated the atmosphere of the original cidery by creating a taproom that feels very cozy and European with locally-sourced beetle-kill wood, earthy colors, and lots of natural light.

I think this all sets us apart in many ways. Cider can often get stuck between being considered a wine or a wine-cooler- either dry and expensive or sickly sweet. We’ve tried to get ourselves into the niche of something between high-quality wine, and approachable beer. Our goal is to keep our prices reasonable while also providing a delicious and unique drink that you can’t get anywhere else.

We’re proud to be able to represent not only our family, but our family values with our little taproom. We wanted to create a space where people from all walks of life felt welcome and cared for. We make a point to learn about each individual that comes through our doors, and make real connections with real people. I believe this showcases our values; while George’s original cidery provided a sanctuary during a tumultuous time in history where the village could come together and enjoy a peaceful drink, we also wanted to be able to provide a safe place for people to enjoy and reconnect during a global pandemic.

In addition to providing a relaxing European atmosphere, we also want to educate those who may not know much about cider. We are always happy to answer questions and provide samples to anyone who wants to discover more and test the waters a bit.

Most Americans think of cider as an import from Europe or as a somewhat new phenomenon, when in fact hard cider has been a part of booze in the U.S. since before the Founding Fathers (it’s rumored that John Adams consumed nearly a tankard of hard cider a day)! Before Prohibition, hard cider was often the drink of choice due to the high volume of apple orchards planted by John Chapman (AKA Johnny Appleseed). Once Prohibition was enacted and most of the orchards were either cut or burned down, cider was dubbed “The Devil’s Brew” and all but disappeared! We now feel responsible to re-educate those who stop by our taproom on the history of cider, our family connection to it, and to showcase how delicious and versatile hard cider can be!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Social media is such a fickle medium to work with. Everything is constantly changing and evolving, and the second you think you’ve caught up and are on-trend, the trends change! Social media trends are just as fleeting as fashion trends, if not more so- one day you’re in, the next you’re out! With trending fonts, colors, sounds, and hashtags it sometimes feels impossible to keep up with.

For this reason, I strive to stay true to our mission of just being an approachable mom & pop shop above all else, and then utilizing trends that fit into that mentality, rather than changing our whole vibe in order to conform to the latest trends. I’m not sure how others feel, but I believe that the more genuine, authentic, and honest you are with your audience, the more connected they feel to you and your brand, which creates a genuine loyalty. By operating this way, we’ve made some incredible connections with our community and have honestly become great friends with many of our followers and regulars- it’s a win-win!

Okay – so how did you figure out the manufacturing part? Did you have prior experience?

We are actually just starting to manufacture/distribute! Beginning this summer we will hopefully be getting our cans out in local liquor stores as well as in some other bars and restaurants.

We knew the basics of how the canning process worked as Co-Owner, Keane, worked in the craft beer industry for about 8 years prior to starting this venture. In fact, one of his very first jobs in the industry was working an internship on a canning line for Sanitas Brewing, which acted as a one of the first platforms to fuel his education and knowledge that’s helped us so much with Waldschanke today.

Self-distributing can be a challenge, for sure, and we’ve really had to tweak and dial in our recipes so that they stay consistent with each batch. The particularly wonderful thing about our cider is that we use real, locally-sourced ingredients as much as possible, but this can also mean that each batch can turn out slightly different. It’s a characteristic we love about our process, but with growth and distribution we must adapt and pivot to provide a consistently yummy product. It’s a challenge we’re totally willing to take on and we’re excited to be sharing our cider with as many people as possible!

Contact Info:

• Website: Waldschankeciders.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waldschankedenver/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/waldschankedenver
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/waldsch%C3%A4nke-ciders-coffee-denver?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)