We were lucky to catch up with Derek Suhre recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Derek, appreciate you sitting with us today. Maybe we can start with a topic that we care deeply about because it’s something we’ve found really sets folks apart and can make all the difference in whether someone reaches their goals. Self discipline seems to have an outsized impact on how someone’s life plays out and so we’d love to hear about how you developed yours?
Self discipline to me is dedication to the task at hand and will power to focus on what needs to be done.
I was raised in a small town in Kentucky and in our house your day starts by always make your bed, dirty clothes go in the laundry and being on time meant 5 minutes early. My siblings and I were taught to always commit to whatever we were tasked with and if we were going to do something to do it right. That mentality has always stayed with me and was only reinforced as I grew up playing multiple team sports and eventually enlisting in the Army as a combat engineer and becoming an Engineer Officer.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am simple yet motivated and outgoing soul who likes a good challenge and is always looking for the next adventure. That adventure has taken me through college, into the Army, all over the US, abroad and counting. I am an Army veteran serving 10 years as a Combat Engineer and have deployed to multiple continents. As a Landscape Architect by profession, in 2015 I moved to South Florida for a position doing exactly that and in some way I guess we could say that is really where the story begins. I met my wife, Jessica, that same year and her twin sister, Gabriela, also opened her coffee shop in Mexico.
Our Killer origin story, summed up, starts with Gaby who started a specialty coffee bar in Playa del Carmen, Mexico in 2015 and running a successful business for 5 years. In 2020 due to the Covid pandemic after fighting as long as she could she was unfortunately forced to shut the doors along with countless other small businesses. And from the ashes (so to speak) Killer Coffee was born in 2021 utilizing the same community and building blocks Gaby had created.
Killer Coffee Company is a micro-roastery offering specialty coffee from Mexico selling directly to consumers through our online store and at farmers’ markets, events, and festivals. We offer freshly roasted beans from different states in Mexico with each origin bringing different flavor profiles and qualities for any coffee drinker. The beans are sourced solely from small farms as we work directly with the farmers. One of our main focuses as a business is to make sure we support the coffee farmers and farming communities ensuring they are paid for their efforts and the money is going to those who are doing the work.
In 2022 we were connected with a veteran non-profit, “Let’s Chow” which helps veterans navigate and succeed in the culinary industry through training, support and in some cases with food trucks. In our case we were lucky enough and the timing was right, and in July 2023 the coffee truck which we have dubbed “Skully” hit the road.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
1. Embrace the Suck 2. Adaptability
3. Ability to connect with people
Rome was not built in a day. There are absolutely some overnight success stories that while hearing about them is amazing, are just not the typical story for small businesses. The military mantra “Embrace the Suck” has stuck with me both personally and professionally throughout the years and it is no different when starting/running a business. Take the good with the bad and everything in stride because there will always be hurdles to overcome and challenges to rise up and meet. Adaptability falls in the same category but is another important quality in order to handle new situations as they arise. The ability to authentically connect with people is really an immeasurable skill but networking is a huge aspect of any business and making those connections is the process in which we all grow.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
This is a challenging question and I truly believe the old saying that “it takes a village”. I think every interaction in an persons life and every person, good and bad, help to shape the way people think and how they are. I have met a lot of great people and a few bad seeds on my journey, and consider myself lucky meeting those people along the way. Early childhood friends through college buddies, many of which I still talk to regularly. Countless friends, mentors and leaders throughout my Army career and still today.
The skills, qualities and knowledge are gained along the way from those experiences. And, of course, I can’t go on without acknowledging my wife, Jessica, who pushes me every single day to be and do better, to look at every challenge from a different perspective and find ways to learn and build on ways to step over the hurdle.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://killercoffeebeans.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/killercoffeebeans/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/killercoffeebeans
