Bringing Communities Together, One Cup of Coffee at a Time

If there’s one really important lesson we learned from our marketing experiences, it is to experiment ceaselessly without fear of failure. Thomas Edison once said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” If you believe in your product and you can quickly adapt to feedback, you will eventually find a way to market it effectively.

To give a backstory, TheFingo is a new kind of online wholesale marketplace for discovering local specialty products and buying them in bulk, directly from the producers. It was founded with the belief that modern-day communication technology could be leveraged to bring together local communities passionate about remarkable products. What better product to begin with than the second-most highly traded commodity in the world: coffee? Coffee has already been connecting communities for centuries. It has enriched countless casual gatherings, business deals, and even first dates with its stimulating aura.

After numerous failed attempts at spreading the word about our product on the web, we felt it was important to connect businesses in-person first, before bringing them together online. After distributing coffee from some of the roasters on our market, it became apparent that direct experience yields the best results. Our roasters, which included Philz Coffee, Voyage Coffee Roasters, Coffee Del Rey, and Waterfront Roasters, were excited to have us spread their coffee to various local organizations. We designed elegant sampler boxes that included some of our roasters’ finest beans, as well as a special bonus, Rip Van Wafels.

This marketing campaign was successful, but only partially. Some companies did not have the proper equipment to brew the beans, and others forgot about it soon after receiving the box. We knew that the people who tried the coffee enjoyed it, but it was unclear how many people were actually exposed to it. So we pivoted.

We wanted to ensure that everyone who desired the coffee received it, so we brought Eric from One Ninety Seven roasters to Hatch Today, a coworking space, to brew it for them. A humble but substantial party emerged around the kitchen. People absolutely loved the coffee, and yearned for a simple way to order more. That’s where we fit in. After three simple clicks, they ordered the coffee from Eric in bulk, saved tons of money and time, and had premium local coffee delivered their way. Dan Cullinane of Hatch Today was pleased with the product, saying, “Made my first order today. Super easy. Thanks for all the help and coffee.”

The lesson was obvious: direct experience is the best marketing.

If you would like to order ridiculously good specialty coffee from local roasters at wholesale rates, check us out at http://www.thefingo.com/.