Thankfully | Alex Shotts | Episode #29

This week on Entrusted, Blayne is joined solo by his good friend Alex Shotts, founder and roaster of Thankfully Coffee, for a conversation that spans a childhood in the middle of the Pacific Ocean to building one of Auburn's most-loved coffee roasters from a single 50-lb bag of green coffee. Alex grew up on a tiny island in the Republic of the Marshall Islands — population 1,500, graduating class of 18, nearest landmass roughly 2,500 miles away in every direction — before moving to Auburn for college in 2012. He shares how a Camp War Eagle counselor's invitation to church led to a slow, honest wrestling with faith, culminating in a moment reading John 14:6 alone in his apartment that changed the direction of his life. From there, the conversation traces a winding early career (coffee shops, Home Depot's Pro Desk, and a hard season working at a youth correctional facility), meeting his wife Robin through a missional community called Launch, and the Thanksgiving Day decision in 2019 to start roasting coffee on his own terms. Alex and Blayne dig into what makes Thankfully's coffee distinct — from green coffee sourcing to the difference between drum and air roasting — and how word of mouth carried the business from one Auburn coffee shop to accounts across the country, a guest-roaster takeover in New York City, and a Final Four finish in a nationwide coffee roaster poll. Underneath it all is a story about discerning calling without rushing it, working hard without losing sight of who it's for, and letting gratitude — not just growth — define success. In this episode: growing up in the Marshall Islands; coming to faith through Camp War Eagle and FBO; wrestling with a calling to international missions vs. faithfulness where you are; meeting and marrying Robin; hard jobs before the roastery, including an assault at a youth detention facility; starting Thankfully Coffee on Thanksgiving Day 2019 debt-free; the meaning behind the name and logo; meeting Blayne over a coffee cup; drum vs. air roasting; scaling to national accounts, Rex Cafe in Pensacola, and a guest bar in NYC; a Final Four finish in a nationwide roaster poll; and where to find Thankfully Coffee. Timestamps 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:08 First Birth/Second Birth 00:22:36 Discerning calling with patience instead of "run hard, run fast" 00:32:23 Early jobs in coffee shops around Auburn 00:42:46 The Thanksgiving Day 2019 realization that sparks Thankfully Coffee 00:50:26 Where the name "Thankfully" came from 01:19:11 Reflections on hard work, faithfulness, and gratitude 01:23:39 Where to find Thankfully Coffee online and locally