Death Wish Coffee's Ambassador Program: Why I am Perfect for it

I know everyone is getting tired of me writing about Death Wish Coffee. More posts about other companies are around the corner. I am saving a lot of my material for The Daily Brew Magazine, which is launching in January 2016. I came across a post that was of great interest to me and I felt like I had to write something about it.

Death Wish recently put out a call for brand ambassadors. For whatever reason, this post didn’t come to my attention for a few days. When it did, I threw my hat into the ring with absolutely zero hesitation.

The fact that I’m such an avid supporter of Death Wish has very little to do with what they do on the coffee side of their operations. I love their coffee and I think their products are at the top of the heap in terms of quality. The main reason I like them is their focus on the satisfaction of their customers.

Too many companies are stuck on too many parts of operating a business. They feel like everything else in their purview is more important than appreciating the people who keep their lights on. A company can’t claim that customer service is their highest priority unless they make it their highest priority.

Out of all the companies I’ve come across, Death Wish is the easiest one to contact. Any time a person emails them the chances are high that everyone on their team takes a look at the message. Their response is filtered through all the genuine, qualified people who work for their team.

Although Death Wish’s ambassador program is a relatively new innovation, I feel like I have been an ambassador for their brand for quite some. A lot of my posts have reflected the fact that I want to do more with them. I will continue to campaign to become more involved, even if I am not accepted as one of their ambassadors.

I will never say that I am more deserving than any other person just because I continue to yak about Death Wish. The subjects about which I decide to write are determined as I’m writing about them. I try to insert little nuances here and there that makes each post more useful than the last.

I love writing and getting rejected for something will never dissuade me from continuing on my path. Anyone who has tried to do anything in writing will tell you how much rejection they have dealt with in their careers. It’s par for the course, especially when it comes to writing for the internet.

Consider this post a public declaration of why I would be perfect for the Death Wish Coffee ambassador program. I have no idea of whether the words contained in this post will hurt or harm my cause. What I do know is I will continue to jump on board with these opportunities whenever they become available. I love Death Wish Coffee and that’s all there is to it.

Dillanos Coffee Roasters: Yet Another Tribute

Click here to read my LinkedIn Dillanos Article

When I started my career covering coffee, I found Dillanos without having to look too far. I sent them an email, expecting that I would never hear back. I was pleasantly surprised when Jeff Woods, the sales guru who used to work with them, contacted me back. We communicated back and forth and it was absolutely amazing. I got the opportunity to try many of their products, but it all came to an end when Woods moved from Dillanos to Peerless Coffee & Tea. Someone new took his place and I didn’t handle the transition well.

My relationship with Dillanos ended and I think that's unfortunate. I want to make them a major part of The Daily Brew Magazine, but that's not going to happen unless the lines of communication open again. The problem with restarting any kind of dialog is figuring out the best point of contact. Their system changed a great deal following the departure of Jeff Woods. I would assume that I contact David Morris, their CEO, but I’m not even sure about that.

I haven’t had a chance to try one of Dillanos products since my first experience with them. I understand that I could go to their website and purchase a bag or two just like everyone else; however, anyone who doubts my intentions must first remember the scope of my aspirations in the world of coffee.

It would not be financially feasible for me to try every product needed for me to be to have a comprehensive perspective of coffee in all its forms. I don’t want to have to wait too long to be able to try a product. The longer I choose to wait, the less likely people will want to listen to what I have to put forward.

Writing on the internet is a do it now or don’t do it at all business. The coffee industry is changing on a daily basis and I want to stay on top of it. I feel like it would be impossible to have an adequate conversation about coffee without including Dillanos. People who haven’t heard of Dillanos need to check them out right away. They’re a company that knows how to make a great cup of coffee while taking care of their customers in the process, which is a line I’ve written and rewritten a number of times but it’s a point I feel needs to be reiterated.

I want to be a part of Dillanos, not just someone who writes about them on a regular basis. I have thought about doing the same for other companies. I put the offer out there for a number of different organizations. I believe I presented it to the powers that be at Dillanos, but I forget what their response was, if they responded at all.

I have always wanted to contribute something to a coffee organization and I will continue to present it from time to time moving forward. I want to write for Dillanos because they’re a cut above in the coffee world and I would like to think I’m the same way in the writing world.

Introducing The Daily Brew Magazine

I have attempted to at least be considered to write a piece for one of the coffee magazines, but I have struck out each and every time. Rather than trying to do the same thing over and over expecting different results, I decided that it would be better to take a new approach. That's why I decided to start The Daily Brew magazine. This publication will step away from the other magazines’ limitations and open things as wide as possible.

I want The Daily Brew magazine to talk about everything having to deal with coffee. I feel like coffee is such a broad topic that there’s no reason to put limitations on any conversation surrounding it. For instance, a person who’s talking about coffee can also touch on tea, desserts, and pretty much anything else. The conversation can even venture into other topics that have nothing to do with coffee. As long as it’s presented correctly, everything will work out in the end.

I am fond of the way that Esquire approaches most issues. The content they write is second to none. They also don’t leave any issues off the table. I want The Daily Brew magazine to not only be about coffee, but also all the things you would talk about while drinking coffee. Since this magazine will be published daily, there’s no reason why every single base imaginable. I want this magazine to be one of the most diverse publications on the market today.

I want people who run any business that has something to do with coffee to feel like they can submit content for consideration for publication in Daily Brew. I have read and written so many articles about coffee businesses, but it’s strange that nobody has allowed them to write about themselves. The coffee drinking public would learn a lot about a business just by how they represent themselves in Daily Brew. I will not publish outright advertising pieces. The content has to be interesting and showcase a different side of the business in question.

As far as the date of when the first issue will be published, I’m not sure. I want to get the word out to as many coffee places as possible before production begins. Plus, it’s important for me to gather a list of potential subscribers to which I can send the first issue. I will charge $1 per issue, which amounts to roughly $7 per week or $30 per month. The actual cost will be a little more than that due to how much PayPal tends to charge in fees. This price will remain consistent for the time being.

Any time I have put something out there with a dollar figure attached people seem to run for the hills. I would love to give the magazine away for free; however, it’s not financially feasible in the long run. I would have to fill the magazine with ads, which is something I never want to do. Before the first issues come out, I would love to reach a subscriber total of at least 1,000. I have no interest in writing for my own amusement with this project. If I want to have any shot at becoming the most popular coffee magazine, I need to hit the ground running.

Click here to sign up for a daily subscription

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How to Keep The Coffee Encyclopedia Free of Advertisements

I don’t like it when I go to a website I enjoy visiting and I’m bombarded with all sorts of intrusive ads. These distractions detract from otherwise great content, making me dislike the website in the process. I also understand that, if someone is able to devote a great deal of time to a project, they need to make money off of it. They don’t do this out of desire to con their visitors or somehow sell out to their corporate masters. They do this because they would have a hard time surviving in this world if they didn’t.

I desperately want to devote more time to this blog. I enjoy writing about coffee and everything that happens in the world of coffee. However, I have reached a point where I need to either put in advertisements or shut the blog down entirely. I don’t want to do that again. I want this project to be one that lasts for many years. Coffee is a complex world and it’s my desire to cover it in a way that I feel like others haven’t. I am no longer able to divert focus from projects than pay the bills though.

This is where you come in. This post is a start of a program where I solicit sponsorships and donations. Sponsorships can come in the form of money in exchange for sponsored content or merely the mention of a brand name. I want to make donations as simple as possible. Crowdfunding is something about which I have become extremely disenchanted. Anyone who wants to donate to this project can contribute as much or as little as they want by clicking the PayPal link below.

Click here if you would like to donate to The Coffee Encyclopedia via PayPal

I am not against writing sponsored content, but I will also include a mention of the fact that it’s sponsored content in each post. I want to be honest with people who decide to visit this blog. That's why I have made it a point to include a mention of how my words can’t be bought and certain sentiments are my honest feelings in every post where I have glowing thoughts about a company. I will no longer include these words in posts. Instead, I will include a disclaimer stating how the post is not sponsored content.

I would never charge a ridiculous price for sponsored content. My price will remain a flat $100 dollars per 500 word sponsored post. If someone who wants to purchase this content wants to change the length, they can submit a request to my email address at allenglines@gmail.com. I think that including this option in my repertoire will add more depth to this blog. I am more than happy to venture off topic and talk about pretty much anything. I feel like coffee is a universal thing that applies to almost everything imaginable.

Click here if you want to order a post to be featured on The Coffee Encyclopedia (Link will take you to PayPal)

This will be the only time I will write a post like this. If I write a new post, this post will be deleted.

Roast Magazine - I Want to Write for You

Naturally, as a person who writes about coffee, I want to have the opportunity to write from one of the coffee centric publications. I have followed Roast Magazine for some time and I’ve even proposed particular articles to them. None of these discussions went anywhere; therefore, here I am trying to revive them.

Any time I have to prove myself to an entity for which I want to write I am at a loss for words. I never know what they want and it seems like most things I could say are off base. For this discussion, I want Roast Magazine to set the tempo.

Normally, a magazine requires prospective writers to suggest topics. I don’t like to do that because it creates the impression that I can only write about that one thing. Whatever happened to editors saying “Here, write about this” and then the writer actually writes about it?

I love writing and I feel like I can write about anything. Coffee, in particular, seems to be the topic that gives me the least amount of difficulties. I want Roast Magazine to be able to see this fact and send me my first assignment.

I plan to write about my desire to write for Roast Magazine until it’s something that turns into a reality. I don’t think anyone should give up on something that they want. Plus, I want Roast Magazine to know I mean business.

I will never buy into the way content creators think nowadays. Many of them believe that they can do things themselves, but I think this is a very self-serving approach. I like collaborating with others.

I look forward to the day when I will be able to see my name staring back from the pages of Roast Magazine. The presence of my name on the printed page makes no difference to me. It would merely signify that I was able to add something to such a quality publication.

If anyone from Roast Magazine would like to get in touch with me, they can do so by emailing me at allenglines@gmail.com. I anticipate starting a conversation with them.

Blue Bottle Coffee: Maybe One Day I'll Break Through

Blue Bottle Coffee is like the cool kid in school. You want to be around them, but they don't want anything to do with you. 2015 marks the third year in which I have been trying to get in touch with Blue Bottle Coffee with no success.

I have an intense amount of respect for Blue Bottle Coffee and what they’re trying to accomplish. Their array of coffee shops and types of coffee they offer is impressive. I’m jealous of the Bay Area, New York, Los Angeles, and Tokyo because they all have Blue Bottle Coffee shops and my state doesn’t.

I’m perplexed that I have heard nothing from Blue Bottle Coffee. I understand that they’re a huge company that has bigger fish to fry. The fact that I didn’t hear a word from even a representative is confusing.

Other coffee companies have representatives waiting to email anyone who sends any concern their way. Blue Bottle Coffee is not one of them. It would make more sense if I heard from someone who said that I’m small potatoes and I need to become more visible to play.

It’s plain to see that Blue Bottle Coffee is one of the best coffee companies in the country. They have to be to garner the international following they have thus far. All I’m asking is for a seat at the table and the opportunity to have a conversation.

I would love it if I had the opportunity to make Blue Bottle Coffee a regular part of this blog. I am looking for a number of companies I can profile often. I like the idea of covering a company from all angles rather than posting one profile and leaving it at that.

This is not the last you're going to hear from me about Blue Bottle Coffee. I plan to write a number of posts in the near future in the hopes that someone who works there will eventually respond. Perhaps we can strike up some sort of partnership that will last into the future.

Who knows. What I do know is that if you work at Blue Bottle Coffee, you can get in touch with me at allenglines@gmail.com.

Black Rifle Coffee Company: Why Can't We Be Friends?

Sometimes something hits me right between the eyes and makes me wonder where I've been. That's definitely the case with Black Rifle Coffee Company, a Utah coffee company with an enormous following on Facebook. I'll be the first to say I don't know anything about them. I, for one, would like that to change.

I love Black Rifle Coffee Company's concept. It's dark and militaristic. All of these messages make me think of strong coffee.

Utah coffee companies have a history of ignoring me, which is strange since Utah is my state. I have never reached out to Black Rifle Coffee Company. I hope they're an exception to the rule.

Black Rifle Coffee Company's Facebook following is larger than most independent coffee companies I've come across. It's rare for little coffee companies to garner any sort of following. When one does, we all should pay attention.

I want to get to know every aspect of Black Rifle Coffee Company. The more I learn, the better my coverage of them will be. While this post makes regular mentions of Black Rifle Coffee Company, it provides little in terms of actual information.

The reason why I'm writing these fact finding posts is to present my case for why I want to learn more about these companies in the most complete terms possible.

A simple email here or there isn't going to do the trick. Requests such as these need to have more substance.

I have an unwavering belief in my material. I know that any partnership I form with any company would be positive for everyone involved. I would not do what I do if I didn't believe in both of those things.

That being said, the success of a writer depends on the cooperation of their subjects. An uninformed writer should lose their opportunity to have an audience. I'm not an uninformed writer.

I could never consider this blog complete until I covered Black Rifle Coffee Company. I look forward to getting to talk with them soon. I want to be able to make them a regular fixture on this blog.

If you work with Black Rifle Coffee Company, get in touch with me at allenglines@gmail.com.