Summary
The Up in Your Family Business podcast features Todd Rimer interviewing Brian and Janine Ingenin Gillum, the owners of Coffee at the Crossing in McCordsville, Indiana. The podcast explores their journey of transforming a historic caboose, previously Janine's father's barbershop, into a thriving coffee house. The discussion covers the family's entrepreneurial legacy, the challenges they faced, their strategies for building a sustainable business, and the impact of community support. The podcast aims to provide insights and inspiration for family business leaders.
The podcast delves into Janine's father's entrepreneurial influence and how her family's history of entrepreneurs shaped her values and vision. Janine shared that almost every member of her family is an entrepreneur, including barbers, painters, and her father, who ran a barbershop in the caboose for 52 years. This environment instilled in her a willingness to take risks and a strong work ethic. Brian mentioned that he was intrigued by unique things and history, which helped him support Janine's vision.
The discussion highlights the challenges Brian and Janine faced in the early days of opening Coffee at the Crossing. Brian, with 27 years of construction experience, managed the construction, noting the difficulties in coordinating subcontractors and dealing with unexpected issues like moving a power line. Janine emphasized the shift from a corporate environment to wearing multiple hats as a business owner, including working 12-14 hour days. They both stressed the importance of being hands-on in the business, especially in the beginning.
Strategies for building a sustainable and scalable business were discussed, including creating systems and processes, empowering their team, and achieving work-life balance. Janine mentioned implementing opening and closing checklists and recipes to ensure consistency. She also emphasized the importance of thoroughly screening and onboarding employees, communicating the brand's mission, vision, and values. Brian highlighted the need to hold people accountable and foster a team environment. They both acknowledged the challenges of work-life balance, noting the need to get back to normalcy and take vacations.
The role of integrity in maintaining quality, building trust, and creating a culture of accountability was emphasized. Brian stressed the importance of quality in coffee beans, the physical space, and customer service. He shared advice from a former business partner to never cut quality, as people will pay more for better quality. Janine added that she transferred skills from her corporate job to save money, such as decorating, digital signage, and web design. The impact of community support on their success was also discussed, with Janine sharing heartwarming customer stories and the way Coffee at the Crossing has become a local gathering place.
Janine shared stories of customers who were moved to tears upon seeing the caboose preserved, expressing gratitude for saving a piece of local history. She recounted a story of a former customer of her father's who climbed the cupola for a nostalgic photo. Brian and Janine also discussed their commitment to giving back to the community, such as allowing vendors to set up at no charge. They emphasized the importance of staying true to their passions and values, with Janine highlighting the need for hard work, passion for people, and authenticity. Brian added that it's easy to focus on dollar signs but important to stick to the original plan and values.
Continuing the family legacy and growing a business that's as meaningful as it is sustainable was a key theme. Janine expressed that continuing her father's legacy means having a place where people can come together and reminisce. She also mentioned that the coffee shop allows her to continue giving back to the community, as her father did with his barbershop. Brian shared that his dream is for their children to continue the business someday. Janine stated that her definition of success is to make her mom and dad proud, while Brian said his greatest achievement was building the coffee shop to make Janine happy.
Chapters
Introduction to Up in Your Family Business Podcast and Guests 00:00:04
Speaker 1 introduced the podcast, its purpose, and the guests, Brian and Janine Ingenin Gillum, owners of Coffee at the Crossing. 00:00:04
Speaker 1 mentioned that the goal of the podcast is to help family business leaders gain insights, solve problems, be inspired, seize opportunities, and achieve multi-generational prosperity. 00:00:04
Speaker 1 noted that Brian and Janine transformed a historic caboose into a thriving local coffee house rooted in family legacy, creativity, and community connections. 00:00:04
Talking Points and Excitement for the Interview 00:01:14
Speaker 1 expressed excitement about interviewing a husband and wife team, a first for the podcast. 00:01:14
Speaker 1 mentioned several talking points, including Janine's father's entrepreneurial influence, the connection between Janine's love for model trains and the coffee house's branding, and the challenges Brian and Janine faced in the early days. 00:01:14
Speaker 1 listed additional talking points such as strategies for building a sustainable business, the role of integrity, the impact of community support, and continuing the family legacy. 00:01:14
The Story Behind Coffee at the Crossing and the Caboose 00:05:14
Speaker 2 (Janine) shared that her father was a barber who started in McCordsville in 1972 and always wanted a barbershop inside a train caboose. 00:05:14
Speaker 2 mentioned that her father found two cabooses in Evansville in 1994, one of which he used for his barbershop, creating a landmark in McCordsville. 00:05:14
Speaker 2 noted that after her father passed away in March 2022, she decided to open a coffee shop in the caboose, with her brother, Andy, naming it Coffee at the Crossing. 00:05:14
Speaker 1 pointed out that the caboose has become an unofficial landmark and is increasing in value. 00:05:14
Family's Entrepreneurial Spirit and Its Influence 00:09:35
Speaker 2 stated that almost every member of her family is an entrepreneur, including barbers, painters, and her father. 00:09:35
Speaker 2 shared that she grew up around the idea of taking risks and working hard, inspired by her parents' work ethic. 00:09:35
Speaker 1 mentioned that Brian and Janine have their own painting company, Gillum Painting, doing industrial, commercial, and residential work. 00:09:35
Speaker 3 (Brian) mentioned that he was never drawn to trains but helped Janine's father in the caboose for years. 00:09:35
Carrying Forward the Family's Legacy 00:13:13
Speaker 2 emphasized that her father created a community gathering place, and she wants to continue that with the coffee shop. 00:13:13
Speaker 2 shared that she had over 1000 customer contacts from helping her father during the COVID pandemic, which inspired her to open the coffee shop for his old clientele. 00:13:13
Speaker 2 noted that her father was a godly man who shared his experiences with church, and she wants to maintain that open, genuine environment. 00:13:13
Speaker 3 added that the coffee shop is now for everybody, including women who never felt comfortable going into a men's barbershop. 00:13:13
The Connection Between Model Trains and Coffee House Branding 00:16:39
Speaker 2 mentioned that some of her father's favorite model trains are displayed in the caboose. 00:16:39
Speaker 1 pointed out the silhouettes of people inside the caboose, reminiscent of model trains. 00:16:39
Speaker 2 explained that she wanted to create privacy and a Polar Express feel, using silhouettes of her family members on the windows. 00:16:39
Challenges and Surprises in the Early Days 00:21:01
Speaker 3 shared that he knew construction would be challenging but didn't anticipate the extent of the delays and unexpected issues, such as moving a power line. 00:21:01
Speaker 3 mentioned that coordinating subcontractors and dealing with no-shows was tough. 00:21:01
Speaker 2 noted that the biggest surprise was adjusting from a corporate environment to wearing all the different hats of a business owner, including working 12-14 hour days. 00:21:01
Building Systems and Processes for Scalability 00:29:24
Speaker 2 mentioned that she had experience in a coffee shop that helped her understand the efficiencies needed. 00:29:24
Speaker 2 stated that she screens people thoroughly, had over 120 applications initially, and focuses on onboarding people properly with clear expectations and values. 00:29:24
Speaker 3 added that it's important to be one-on-one with employees and be genuine with them. 00:29:24
Speaker 2 noted that all baristas bring a creative aspect to the shop, and they try to play up to those strengths. 00:29:24
Commitment to Quality and Customer Service 00:34:30
Speaker 3 emphasized that the three most important things were quality (coffee beans and the physical space), customer service, and uniqueness. 00:34:30
Speaker 3 shared advice from a former business partner to never cut quality, as people will come for it. 00:34:30
Speaker 2 added that she saved money by using her skills in decorating, digital signage, and web design. 00:34:30
Sustainability and Scalability Through Systems and Processes 00:39:25
Speaker 2 mentioned having opening and closing checklists to ensure consistency. 00:39:25
Speaker 2 stated that they have recipes for consistency and train baristas to follow them. 00:39:25
Speaker 3 added that everyone is held accountable and works as a team. 00:39:25
Speaker 2 noted that baristas split their time between the POS and bar to do a little bit of everything. 00:39:25
Carrying on the Legacy and Community Impact 00:49:04
Speaker 2 emphasized the importance of hard work, passion for people, and being genuine and authentic. 00:49:04
Speaker 2 stated that she is trying to give back to the community as much as she can, with the schools, teachers, firefighters, and first responders. 00:49:04
Speaker 2 mentioned that the coffee shop is a way for her to continue doing for the community what her dad did with his barbershop. 00:49:04
Speaker 2 shared stories of people crying and thanking her for saving the caboose.00:49:04
Advice for Entrepreneurs: Staying True to Passions and Values 00:55:25
Speaker 2 emphasized the importance of integrity and loyalty to values. 00:55:25
Speaker 3 added that values often come from parents and upbringing. 00:55:25
Speaker 3 stated that it's easy to just think about the dollar signs, but it's important to stick to the original plan and values. 00:55:25
Speaker 2 mentioned that she has her dad's picture up in the back of the caboose to remember why he started what he did. 00:55:25
Work-Life Balance and Future Vision00:59:14
Speaker 3 shared that they are trying to pull back a little bit to get back to some normalcy and take vacations. 00:59:14
Speaker 3 mentioned that it's important to have time for kids and do stuff with them. 00:59:14
Speaker 2 stated that she never expected to go into the coffee business, and priorities can shift. 00:59:14
Speaker 3 shared that his dream would be for their kids to continue the business someday. 00:59:14
Speaker 2 noted that their vision for the future hasn't changed, and they may expand someday. 00:59:14
Dad Jokes Segment 01:05:04
Speaker 1 shared several dad jokes related to coffee, with Brian and Janine serving as judges. 01:05:04
The jokes included puns and wordplay related to coffee beans, espresso, and coffee shops. 01:05:04
Lessons Learned and Future Plans 01:11:32
Speaker 2 stated that the most important lesson learned was to have patience and let things grow organically. 01:11:32
Speaker 2 mentioned that not everyone will see the business the way you do, and it's important to accept that. 01:11:32
Speaker 3 added that he sees all the flaws in the construction, but people compliment it and love it. 01:11:32
Speaker 2 noted that it's hard for her to get over the fact that not everyone knows what they've put into the place. 01:11:32
Speaker 3 shared that planning for it a little sooner would have been nice. 01:11:32
Excitement and Success 01:18:56
Speaker 3 stated that his favorite thing is still enjoying going to the shop, meeting new people, and meeting the regulars. 01:18:56
Speaker 2 mentioned that she enjoys creating the recipes and doing the menu board, as well as the design work and social media aspect. 01:18:56
Speaker 2 noted that they have a really good customer base and a good community. 01:18:56
Speaker 3 shared that they've had people from other countries around the world come in and love their coffee. 01:18:56
Speaker 2 stated that her definition of success is to make her mom and dad proud. 01:18:56
Speaker 3 said his greatest achievement was building the coffee shop to make Janine happy. 01:18:56
Closing Remarks and Community Support 01:31:24
Speaker 3 shared that they want to be like a family to other coffee shops and help them in any way they can. 01:31:24
Speaker 2 emphasized the importance of staying true to yourself. 01:31:24
Speaker 1 shared resources for learning more about Coffee at the Crossing, including their website, Facebook page, Instagram, and articles in the Greenfield Daily Reporter and WRTV Indianapolis. 01:31:24
Janine decided to open a coffee shop in the caboose, with her brother, Andy, naming it Coffee at the Crossing. 00:05:14
Brian and Janine will start going more back into what they were doing before the coffee shop. 00:28:02
Janine will screen people thoroughly, had over 120 applications initially, and focuses on onboarding people properly with clear expectations and values. 00:30:24
Brian will make sure to be one-on-one with employees and be genuine with them. 00:30:24
Janine will create recipes for consistency and train baristas to follow them. 00:39:25
Brian will hold everyone accountable and works as a team. 00:41:18
Janine will give back to the community as much as she can, with the schools, teachers, firefighters, and first responders. 00:49:42
Brian and Janine will find a way to help other coffee shops and be like a family to them. 01:31:24
Action Items
Janine decided to open a coffee shop in the caboose, with her brother, Andy, naming it Coffee at the Crossing. 00:05:14
Brian and Janine will start going more back into what they were doing before the coffee shop. 00:28:02
Janine will screen people thoroughly, had over 120 applications initially, and focuses on onboarding people properly with clear expectations and values. 00:30:24
Brian will make sure to be one-on-one with employees and be genuine with them. 00:30:24
Janine will create recipes for consistency and train baristas to follow them. 00:39:25
Brian will hold everyone accountable and works as a team. 00:41:18
Janine will give back to the community as much as she can, with the schools, teachers, firefighters, and first responders. 00:49:42
Brian and Janine will find a way to help other coffee shops and be like a family to them. 01:31:24
