A little under a month ago, Molly Young wrote an article for the New York Times titled "The Calorie-Packed Perk," addressing employee benefits and perks. This article was especially relevant to me. First of all, as an intern, it has been incredibly helpful to be working at a startup, especially one that is in the midst of such rapid growth. Although I am a Social Media and Advertising Intern, I still get to see other aspects including sales, business development, and even the manual aspects, such as equipment and warehouse management. More specific to this particular internship, I get to learn about the ever-growing industry that is coffee.
I think it's a really important experience to work at a startup for anybody who wants to see an incarnation of "started from the bottom now we here." (I'm probably about to be slain for writing that.)
In terms of tangible perks at a company, I get bags and bags of some of the best coffee beans (Stumptown, Intelligentsia, Blue Bottle, Joe...), stickers and temporary tattoos from the companies we deliver to, as much coffee as I want in a day, and carbonated water!
Joyride Coffee, Start-ups
Although, as an intern, my perks are a little less significant than, say, healthcare, benefits however small are important. They keep employees happy and motivated. They make people want to stay in the office longer, because they're comfortable and having fun. In terms of recruiting, it seems that the weirder or more unique the perks are, the more people will want to apply for jobs at the respective company.
For example, one of our accounts, Warby Parker provides warm cookies, barbecue, and even Pinkberry frozen yogurt. Artsy does a weekly happy hour. At Squarespace, another one of our accounts, midday meals are prepared for employees four days a week, and on the fifth, they order out. In other words, happiness.
As mentioned in the NYTimes article, one of Bitly's perks is our office coffee, as it is for many of these tech companies in NYC.
Ultimately, perks seem to promote a happier and more productive working environment, and if that means an extra naptime or cold brew kegerator, so bean it.
Classic Coffee Joke Tuesday: Hold the sugar please, you're sweet enough for the both of us.
-Kristen Lee, aka Kristen Cavill
Cold Brew Kegerators
Cold brew coffee on tap, in your office. Joyride's cold brew kegerators are the new "water cooler". Some of the world's most innovative companies now enjoy a cold brew keg in their office, serving iced coffee on tap through their cold brew kegerators. Joyride is a leader in distributing cold brew kegs to offices and cafes.
Noah Belanich – Staff Bio
Noah Belanich, Joyride Coffee
Hometown?
Great Neck, NY.
Alma Mater/Degree:
Pomona College. PPE, an interdisciplinary major combining philosophy, politics, and economics, with a concentration in economics.
How did you get into coffee?
Through Joyride. Before starting at Joyride, I just saw coffee as an energy drink rather than the delicious nectar of the gods I know it to be now.
What is your first coffee memory?
It would have to be my father drinking coffee when I was really young, but I don't know if that really counts. My first memory of coffee where I actually consumed it was when I ate chocolate-covered coffee beans in the San Jose airport when I was fourteen years old. My flight had been delayed, and I was there alone when I discovered a little gift shop selling local products with free samples. I must have had a half-pound of those things. They also had some coffee liqueur, which I most definitely didn't try – definitely not.
How is it working with your brothers?
Complicated, but the best part is that we can be honest with each other without worrying about hurting anyone’s feelings.
What are your thoughts on tea vs. coffee?
I like a good tea now and again, but I have never been blown away by any tea the way I have been with some great coffees. I am a fan of homemade unsweetened iced tea with just a little vanilla extract in it, particularly on a hot day when I have already drunk too much cold brew.
Pet Peeves?
Mornings. Organized people.
Bad Habits?
Netflix. Canceling plans last minute.
Favorite Color?
Aubergine.
Favorite Music?
Sheet Music.
Favorite Cup of Coffee?
2012 Natural wash Yirgacheffe from Blue Bottle.
Favorite Alcoholic Beverage?
Bourbon, any kind really, right now I pretty much get Bulleit 10.
Favorite Non-Alcoholic Beverage?
Coffee, of course, and I don't really have a particular preparation I love above all. It really depends on my mood.
Gracie Bialecki - Staff Bio
Team Profile: David Belanich
David Belanich - Portrait on Food Truck
A Francophile and the oldest of three brothers, David takes on the world of haute café, sans problème.
Hometown?
Great Neck, NY, but my soul is from Paris, France.
Alma Mater/Degree:
Middlebury College, BA in Political Science.
Yale University, MA in Political Science.
What is your earliest coffee memory?
During one summer in high school, I lived with a French family in Paris while studying the language. My host-mother used to make me these large, strong pour-over coffees every morning, which kept me wired all day. I think my love of Paris and love of coffee coalesced that summer.
How and why did you get into the coffee business?
After launching the Joyride Truck, which served frozen yogurt and Stumptown coffee on the streets of Manhattan, we came up with the idea of bringing the same awesome coffee to the workplace. Office coffee generally sucks, but there's no reason why it has to. Since then, we've developed relationships with other great roasters, and the rest is history.
How is working with your brothers?
We've always been a close-knit family, so working with my brothers came naturally to me. Our father and uncle were business partners, so we had always known about a successful brother-business model in our minds. Plus, it's a real privilege to be able to see your brothers almost every day. Sure, we fight, but having that bond makes for a much less stressful work environment.
Do you work uniquely with tech start-ups? If so, why?
The short answer is no; we have customers in advertising, publishing, production, finance, in addition to tech.
Our customers do, however, have much in common: they tend to be firms at the cutting edge of what they do with a real emphasis on employee satisfaction.
Where do you see the coffee industry being in a few years?
The coffee's only getting better, and the number of talented people who are dedicating themselves to artisanal direct-trade coffee is only increasing. So you can expect better and more.
What are some goals for your company, short-term and long-term?
That's a tough question to answer. In the short-term, I want to continue to solidify our position as the premium office coffee service in New York City.
Pet Peeves?
Careless errors, mistakes that are made out of laziness.
Interests?
Intellectually, everything. Physically, great food and drink (coffee included of course), skiing, traveling, and all things French.
Best Feature?
My wife Tesalia and my boxer dogs, Otto & Lola.
Bad Habits?
I steal other peoples' pens in the office. Then fly into a rage whenever anyone takes one of mine.
Favorite Movie?
The Rock. "Carla was the prom queen."
Favorite Musicians?
Johnny Cash and Mozart.
Favorite Cup of Coffee?
Ethiopia Yirgacheffes. They're in season right now, and I'm in heaven.
Favorite Alcoholic Beverage?
Depending on my mood and the situation, either Bourbon on the rocks or an extra dry Tanquaray Martini straight-up with a twist in a rock-glass. (I hate Martini glasses.)
Favorite Non-Alcoholic Beverage?
Other than coffee? Orange juice or Grapefruit juice.
Café Review – OST Café
This summer, Joyride will be assembling an interactive map that functions as a café guide. I'm Kristen Lee, the Social Media Intern, and I'll be visiting cafes throughout NYC and getting a taste of the wonderful beans the Big Apple has to offer. For my first stop, I went to OST Café in the East Village. I walked in and found myself in a modest, naturally-lit, unassuming setting. To the left is the coffee bar and directly in front is a full wet bar. There are a few large, leather booths, a few scattered tables and stools along the bars. It's not a setting for a huge gathering, but it's mellow enough for a nice hangout with a friend or two.
OST Cafe, Joyride Coffee
OST Cafe, Joyride Coffee
I ordered a latte. It was exactly what anybody would ever want out of a latte - just smooth, creamy, and milky enough that I still taste the comforting, clean coffee. They also use some great beans, including some from our very own Intelligentsia.
OST Cafe, Joyride Coffee
They have a relatively simple menu, with classic café drinks, but they also have a heartier menu with cheeses and charcuterie. Between the menu and the Parisian paintings on the walls, the cafe has a distinctly European feel. OST is right on the corner of 12th and A, so it would be perfect for people watching through the window if it gets too cold or too hot to be sitting outside. I feel like it would be a nice place to go around late afternoon or evening, more so than the morning, perhaps to grab a coffee and maybe a drink or two as twilight hits.
OST Café 441 E. 12th St. (Between Ave A and 1st St.)
Coffee by: Intelligentsia
Team Profile: Kristen Lee
Kristen was born and raised in beautiful California and doesn't understand why she ever left to go to school at Amherst College, where she studies Art History and French. She enjoys golf, eating food, taking pictures of food, cooking food, singing, painting, hanging out with friends, and maintaining her food blog (shameless plug: http://lehungryotter.wordpress.com). Her favorite food is Korean, and she often goes by the name of Kleeball.
Kristen Lee, Joyride Coffee
Hometown?
Los Altos, CA.
Alma Mater/Degree:
Amherst College, 2014. Art & the History of Art, French.
What's your first coffee-related memory?
I remember walking to the nearest Starbucks by myself and feeling really old, when I was around 7 or 8 years old. I think I ordered a Tazo Wildberry Tea – not a coffee, unfortunately.
How did you find Joyride Coffee? Why did you decide to work here? Are/were you a coffee drinker?
I had worked at an investment company and a PR company, and I wanted to try something different this summer. Having grown up in Silicon Valley, I wanted to try my luck at a start-up. I also wanted to be in New York, so I looked up "Top Start-Ups in NYC" and came across Joyride. It was also perfect because I wanted to learn more about the food and beverage industry.
Are you the type to sit down at a café and slowly sip a cup of coffee or do you usually grab n go?
I love just sitting and people watching at cafés. I think it's the perfect setting for a good conversation with a good friend or two.
Do you consider coffee a trendy drink?
I used to only drink coffee purely as a strong source of caffeine, but I'm slowly learning all of the nuanced tastes that come with different cups of coffee, and the differences between a good cup and a bad cup. It's just as delicate as wine is, and the wider public, including myself, seem to be learning that. With that in mind, good coffee is becoming a much more interesting and trendy product.
Pet Peeves?
Rude people. Entitlement. Dirty surroundings.
Interests?
Golf. Painting. Singing. Music. Food. Photography. Blogging. People.
Best Feature?
My general love for people.
Bad Habits?
I'm sensitive in every way.
Ideal Date?
Good dinner, good conversation, good bar for drinks, karaoke in K-Town.
Celebrity Crush?
Celebrity Crush(es): John Krasinski, Darren Criss, Leonardo DiCaprio.
Favorite Color?
Shades of blue and bright pink.
Favorite Movie?
Finding Neverland. Pan's Labyrinth. The Great Gatsby. Inglourious Basterds.
Favorite Music?
Pretty eclectic mix.
Favorite Book?
Harry...Potter...among others – The Alchemist. Just too many. I feel bad for asking everybody else these questions because they are impossible to answer without over-analyzing what the choices will say about you.
Favorite Cup of Coffee?
Turkish or Vietnamese Coffee.
Favorite Alcoholic Beverage?
Red wine. Mojitos. Mango Beer from Delirium Café in Brussels.
Favorite Non-Alcoholic Beverage?
Tiger Spice Chai from Coupa Café, tea and coffee – le duh.
