Get Paid to Drink Coffee!

A whopping 82% of businesses that fail go under because of cash flow problems.1 But what if they had more customers bringing more cash? As small-business advocates, we at Business.org want to encourage more Americans to frequent local businesses—and we’re starting with local coffee shops.

By Chloe Gawrych | September 9, 2019 8 min read

Are you a self-professed Starbucks junkie? We want to pay you $1,000 to ditch corporate coffee joints for a full month and frequent locally owned coffee shops instead. If selected, your job will be to document your experience—tracking and comparing the cost, benefits, and potential setbacks of moving to a buy-local lifestyle for your daily coffee fix.

Check out the details below, then use the form to apply! Applications close 09/30/2019.

Requirements

  • Our ideal candidate seriously loves their coffee. They’re also willing to share their experience going local.
  • Must be a self-professed Starbucks addict
  • Must be willing to share your experience on your own social channels
  • Must commit to a buy-local lifestyle to satisfy your coffee needs for a full month
  • Maintaining a strong social presence is a plus but not required

Responsibilities

  • Visit at least eight locally owned coffee shops over the course of a month.
  • Take a photo of your cup of coffee at each shop.
  • Log the key metrics necessary for our team to gain insight into your experience going local.
  • Write a short summary of your experience going local.

Perks

  • Literally get paid to drink delicious coffee
  • No office hours required—simply complete your log on your own time each day
  • No drug tests or background checks required
  • Get featured on the Business.org blog

Details

We will pay 25% of the $1,000 payment upon hiring and the full amount at completion of the job. We will provide an outline for the job recipient to track the important elements of their experiences such as cost, quality, customer service, and average wait time.

If selected, you will avoid Starbucks and all other corporate coffee shops and frequent only locally owned coffee shops for a full month. You will be required to track and log your experience going local using a tracking document provided by the Business.org team. You’ll work with the Business.org team to share insights from your experience on the company blog and social channels. You will also share your experience with your personal social audiences when you see appropriate opportunities.

Applications Closed

Terms and Conditions

1. The promoter of this Dream Job is Business.org whose principal office is located at 5202 Douglas Corrigan Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84116.
2. Employees of Business.org or their family members or anyone else connected in any way with the Dream Job or helping to set up the Dream Job shall not be permitted to apply.
3. Persons must be at least 18 years old, or otherwise have reached the age of majority under the laws of the state where you reside, in order to apply.
4. Only residents of the United States are eligible to participate.
5. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
6. There is NO ENTRY FEE AND NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO APPLY. Any purchase or consideration otherwise given by applicants will not improve one’s chances of receiving Dream Job.
7. Route to entry for the Dream Job and details of how to enter are available via Business.org. Individuals may apply by clicking on the participation link on Business.org’s website. Upon clicking the participation link, applicants will be asked to provide their name and contact information so that Business.org can notify the Recipient of the results.
8. Closing date for entry will be September 30, 2019. After this date, no further applications for the Dream Job will be permitted.
9. Only one Recipient will be selected from the entire pool of eligible applicants. A panel of Business.org employees will review all applications and select the applicant who is most qualified based on their previous experience as a patron of Starbucks and their ability to visit and review local coffee shops.
10. The Recipient will be notified by email and/or letter within 7 days of the closing date. If the Recipient cannot be contacted or does not claim the prize within 10 days of notification, we reserve the right to withdraw the offer from the Recipient and pick a replacement Recipient.
11. Business.org will provide $1,000.00 USD to complete a full review of their experience shopping local. Business.org shall pay the Recipient $250.00 USD upfront and the remaining $750.00 USD shall be paid upon completion of the review.
12. The selected Recipient must test and complete a review of their experience visiting a minimum of eight local coffee shops to receive the full $1000.00 USD.
13. Stipend subject to all applicable state and federal taxes.
14. The Recipient specifically acknowledges that the Dream Job is in no way affiliated with Starbucks or any local coffee shops that the Recipient visits.
15. Business.org will notify the Recipient how the stipend can be claimed.
16. No alternative to cash prize will be offered. Dream Job is not transferable.
17. The Recipient agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material associated with the Dream Job. Any personal data relating to the Recipient or any other applicants will be used solely in accordance with current federal and state data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the applicant’s prior consent.
18. Where legally required, the Recipient’s name will be available to those who request it 28 days after the closing date of the Dream Job. Requests can be made by sending a stamped addressed envelope to the following address: Business.org, 5202 W. Douglas Corrigan Way, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116.
19. Business.org’s decision in respect of all matters to do with the competition will be final and no correspondence will be entered into.

The Coffee Challenge Winner: Her Experience

Coffee.

To say that one word is a culture in itself is an understatement. It gives us reason to rest. The easiest gift idea ever. Excuses for more cake. Plus evidence that personality can actually be found in a cup.

Personally, my caffeinated quest began little more than eight years ago. Rocking my youngest child, completely sleep deprived, I looked at his lovely face . . . and swore I’d never go without coffee again. The next day he was nursing a bottle and I was brewing up a whole new blogging career.

Ya’ll, I went six months without caffeine for my son. So when approached with a “Shop Local Challenge” from Business.org to give up my corporate coffee habit for 30 days? Puh-lease. Bring on the dream job in my little caffeinated mecca of Ann Arbor, MI. Because how easy was this going to be?

People. Was I ever wrong.

This challenge has been epic, from finding new coffee shops to testing drink consistency to seeing how it impacted financially. The convenience aspect was hardest. Corporate coffee really addresses lifestyle. It’s been amazing to see the “Latte Effect” applied to just time and effort (like I had to walk in 99% of the time). I thought I was just replacing a specific coffee for a month. But I replaced a mindset.

Finding new coffee shops

And what was part of that new mindset? That I had to get out of the car and face people. I mean, the nerve of these stores actually wanting a line of conversation before 9 a.m.

It got worse when I realized I actually had to wear more than what’s trending in the school drop-off lane each morning. A MOMent of silence for yoga pants and messy buns aside, My name is Rachel and I’ve gotten fully dressed every morning for the last 28 days.

Drive thru sign at coffee shop

Drink consistency

One of the biggest reasons I was looking forward to supporting my small-business baristas? To see if slowing down meant a better cup of coffee. Holiday drinks bring on holiday habits. It’s a seasonal effect we all look forward to.

Lately, I’ve noticed many people agreeing that corporate chains aren’t consistent in delivering the same advertised drink. What this local lifestyle clarified? That coffee shops that create a menu listing their own coffee roasts and specialty drinks did do a better job than their corporate counterparts. Great coffee takes time. And rushed registers or a backed up drive-thru won’t offer you that same quality you expect.

Financially woke

In a world of $6 lattes, the $7 pour-over brings on enough adrenaline that you don’t need caffeine anymore. My first week in the small-business circuit meant searching out my favorite blends, cups, and requests. Normally, a large cup of drip coffee with two shots of espresso costs $3. I’m handed my espresso, then happily mix the French Roast with the House Blend at the DIY counter. Sprinkle in my sugar, cream and I’m out the door.

My first attempt at recreating this favorite locally cost $6.90. Apparently only one-drip brew was immediately available. The rest is brewed as a pour-over method upon request. The espresso added meant I wasn’t dumping out room for cream. One scalded tongue and lesson learned later? A$k que$tion$.

Matter over mindset

In the end, choosing who you take your coffee from each morning is literally choosing your mindset that day. Like focusing on positive thoughts bring better moods. The businesses you support are essentially the foundation for the life you’re creating. Supporting local coffee shops introduces a community that ends up supporting you.

I ended up drinking a lot less coffee this past month. Even with all the local coffee shops near me, it wasn’t always easy to access them—depending on the time of day, my agenda, or whether my children were with me. Ya’ll . . . a drive-thru is life to the hustle and bustle we need to juggle. And I just couldn’t walk in every time.

Not to mention that there is a huge hole in local options for single-serve coffee at grocers or gas stations. I’ve gained five pounds this month from getting soda or sweets when a local coffee option wasn’t available. About three weeks in, I just started to brew my own ground coffee at home. By then, however, I missed my local people.

What I would love to see? Coffee shops that have cost-effective menu items for kids. Larger shopping chains offering local, ready-made coffee options. Or let’s see local roasters partnering with dairy farms to offer cold brew and creamer bottle delivery service. Goodness knows the school drop-off lane would thank you.

A blogger and social influencer, Rachel Everheart is the coffee lover behind Roasted Beanz. A caffeinated lifestyle blog showcasing fun, food, and family in the Midwest. Make sure to follow @roastedbeanz on social media for even more food, products, and life hacks she’d love to show you. Not to mention her newest Coffee Challenge adventures with Business.org!

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