Matthew Little is a founder of Brothers Coffee, a coffee subscription service that introduces subscribers to roasters that have found new and unique ways of making the world a better place. Matthew’s career has always been about telling stories. An award winning film producer, Matthew has worked in many mediums, from film and books, to apps and video games. Matthew worked in Los Angeles as a marketing consultant for 6 years and has worked in various capacities with many startups.
1) How did you get started working from home?
I was in-between film projects and wanted to use everything I had learned producing movies on something new. I decided something eCommerce would be a great way for me to experiment and learn something new, but I had no idea this side project would blow up like it did.
2) How did you choose the work-at-home career you do?
I was getting into the specialty coffee scene but was having a hard time understanding how to purchase coffee that was sourced responsibly and high-quality. 3 months after that light bulb went off, my brother and I launched Brothers Coffee Company and haven’t looked back since.
3) How did you get started (basic initial steps)?
Market research was the most time consuming. How much would people pay for coffee? Could we still make a profit? How much is shipping going to cost?
As we figured those out, we created a launch page to collect emails and introduce people to our brand. Once everything was in place, we launched with a story at our local (at the time) TV station!
4) How did you get your first client or customer or job?
Friends and family!
5) How do you market your business?
Instagram, google adwords, Reddit ads, Facebook. But the best ROI is always word of mouth!
6) What does your usual day look like?
I have a big whiteboard with everything I want to get done that week, along with quarterly profits graphed to make sure I don’t get too absorbed in the small picture. Some days I’ll work on setting up social media for the next week, other times I analyze site traffic or do accounting. My favorite days are when I get to visit and connect with roasters that are passionate about what they do.
7) What do you know now that you wish you knew when you started?
It’s about knowing yourself. I need to setup a structure with some consistency in it. I have days set aside for certain projects each week or month that make sure I never fall behind. Getting the more mundane tasks out of the way allow me to be creative and brainstorm on other days, rather than feeling I’m just treading water.
8) What advice would you give someone who wants to work from home?
Be honest with yourself. If you aren’t productive at home, that’s OK! Try a number of different strategies to be most productive, but I’ve always enjoyed having community. You can still work from home from co-working spaces or your local coffee shop! Just try to find one that pays coffee farmers enough to live 🙂
Find Him Online:
Website: Brothers Coffee
Twitter: @BrosCoffeeCo
Facebook: Brothers Coffee Co.
Instagram: @brotherscoffeeco
