Luke Schneider is the Founder and CEO of Fire Dept. Coffee, a certified veteran-owned coffee company. Fire Dept. Coffee gives back to and supports injured firefighters and has been named to the Inc. 5000 list three years in a row. Luke is also a retired firefighter, paramedic, and US Navy veteran. In 2023, he received the Leadership award for Citizenship from the Specialty Food Association.

In a business environment dominated by duplicate products, brands must employ creative measures to stand out and capture consumers’ attention. This requires more than having a widespread presence on popular social media apps. How did a community-focused coffee brand gain recognition in thousands of Walmart locations?

Former firefighter and US Navy veteran Luke Schneider credits his coffee company’s growth to a robust community presence and a resonant mission. He emphasizes building a local community to convey your mission and cultivate a brand identity. For a broader reach, you can communicate your message on various social media platforms by targeting audiences who align with your mission to differentiate your products in the market. Luke maintains that a motivated team and influential culture can promote your community efforts and amplify your mission.

In today’s episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris chats with Luke Schneider, the Founder and CEO of Fire Dept. Coffee (FDC), about building a robust community and team to scale. Luke discusses social selling, FDC’s subscription offers, and how the company received its first publicity and navigated a trademark lawsuit.

Andrew Gerrie is the Founder of Mend, an independent public relations and communications agency for outdoor and active lifestyle brands. With nearly a decade of experience in PR and communications, he has built media strategies for brands, including Tecovas, Sims, Filson, and Costa Del Mar, helping them craft and amplify their unique brand stories. Before founding Mend, Andrew held several roles at Backbone Media, including Senior PR Account Manager and PR Account Coordinator.

Modern PR methods have become inauthentic, making it challenging to maintain genuine brand narratives. As the influencer culture evolves and the digital landscape becomes oversaturated with sponsored content and poor storytelling, how can brands cut through the noise to tell their authentic stories?

According to media strategist Andrew Gerrie, building relationships with writers and journalists is the first step to improving storytelling quality. This may involve offering these media professionals free products as gifts, allowing them to understand your mission and product initiatives to craft authentic messages. When expanding locations or launching new products, you can partner with local media outlets to generate a regional community presence and stand out in the market. If you want to reach a broader audience, consider integrating current trends into your PR campaigns, ensuring they align with your brand voice and story.

In this episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris sits down with Andrew Gerrie, the Founder of Mend, to discuss PR strategies for e-commerce brands. Andrew shares why products are the secret to effective PR campaigns, how to measure results from your efforts, and how to appear in popular holiday gift guides.

Mike Robinson is a Founding Member and the Head of Retail Solutions at The Eighth Notch (T8N), a technology platform enabling sustainable e-commerce delivery for shippers and carriers. With 30 years of executive experience, he has driven an $8 billion P&L and interfaced with the board of directors of a $27 billion public company. Mike also serves as an advisor and board member for several nonprofits, public companies, and startups.

Consumer deliveries are often made in multiple trips, with various delivery vehicles fulfilling orders at the same houses numerous times a day. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of these deliveries. One study found that 87% of people are willing to wait longer for eco-friendly shipping. How can brands minimize deliveries to improve profitability and environmental sustainability?

As an eCommerce executive, Mike Robinson advocates for fewer delivery trips by having the two major carriers — the Postal Service and Amazon — consolidate packages for each household. This condensed delivery method reduces packaging, shipping, and delivery costs for brands, saving the e-commerce industry hundreds of millions of dollars each year while reducing carbon footprints. Brands can offer eco-friendly box options at checkout and incentivize customers to select them by promising and fulfilling one delivery date for multiple packages. This also allows consumers freedom of choice and the ability to make a positive impact on the environment.

In today’s episode of the Up Arrow Podcast, William Harris welcomes Mike Robinson, the Founding Member and Head of Retail Solutions at The Eighth Notch, to discuss delivery density and optimizing last-mile delivery. He talks about delivery route optimization, the emerging role of automation and robotics in logistics, and his perspective on social media addictions.