Free Coffee With Aubrey - St. Louisans I've Met

Coffee #92 - From Drop Out to MBA

1/16/2016

Scott was a wild child. We hadn't been seated at the Clayton Starbucks for long when I learned that he'd been kicked out of his parent's house as a freshman in college. No worries. He was motivated and an interview for a sales job helped turn things around.

It was later in the day and the Starbucks crowd had dwindled, so we claimed the cozy high-back chairs in a corner. Weak spring sunlight slanted through the small windows to our left as Scott and I sat back and began our conversation.

Coffee #91 - A Radio Host In Trouble

12/2/2015

Tony is a big shot. He didn’t say that, I’m saying that. He has worked on a St. Louis radio station as a popular morning show host for 25 years. Or at least he did before he was unceremoniously fired after wrapping up his broadcast one morning.

We met not for coffee, but for soda and water at The Highlander one overcast evening. He and I had known each other previously as acquaintances, but were taking the opportunity this blog provides to get to know one another better. The meeting started with the bad news about losing his job.

Coffee #90 - A Marketing Celebrity

11/30/2015

Once upon a time (almost one year ago), at a Starbucks far far away, I met Anne. It really wasn’t that far away, I guess. We met at the location in Ballwin. Anyway, the two of us sat down together at the end of a long day and got to know each other over foaming cups of something-or-other.

Anne originally wanted to be an art teacher, but she is now a politely opinionated professional working for herself. Here is how she found herself in a different creative field than she expected and the hobbies that keep her creative juices flowing.

Coffee #89 - Love, Marriage, and a Family Band

11/19/2015

Kirsten doesn’t like to sit still. She always has her hands in something artistic, whether it be creating and painting her own candle holders or singing in her family band. Her creative spirit is also why she’s interested in pursuing marketing.

One fine (but cold) day Kirsten and I met at Park Avenue Coffee. We ordered and took a seat at the window, the sounds of conversation and coffee grinders mingling in our ears.

Love & Marriage

Born and raised in Imperial, Kirsten attended Seckman High School where she began dating her boyfriend Junior year. When we met for coffee they had been dating for 5 years and were living together, so I asked the obvious question you ask someone you’ve just met. “Are you thinking about marriage?”

Coffee #88 - A Reverse Mid-Life Crisis?

11/17/2015

Drew is currently going through his mid-life crisis. He’s 42 and the day we met he was cashing in $450 in dimes, nickels, and pennies to buy a car. His mid-life crisis is the opposite of what most people would expect, though.

We originally met at a bar/coffee shop near Cherokee street but thanks to me losing the recording from our meeting, we met again at Starbucks where Drew was appalled to discover that I’d never tasted Egg Nog. (“Never? Ever? Wow! That’s like… occasionally you meet people who have never seen Star Wars and you’re thrown off by that… actually for me, this is a little bit bigger.”)

Coffee #87 - Eight Feet In the Air

11/12/2015

In a rustic little space in Dogtown, at the end of a row of shops, is The Corner Cup, a coffee joint for lovers of all things caffeinated. On a gray morning Kyle and I sat at a corner table, steaming cups in hand. In his request to meet, he had hinted that he participated in some interesting hobbies. But we started with the basics...

8 Feet In The Air

Kyle grew up in Springfield, Illinois, a town he says is "good for families, but..." He quickly learned that a weekend trip to St. Louis yielded opportunities and adventures unavailable to him there, and made Sunday field trips a part of his regular routine. These trips were spent at concerts, walking the Delmar Loop, museums, or even taking a class in trapeze, participating in improv classes, and playing roller derby.

So, what was his impetus for finally making the move to St. Louis? "I was kind of floundering. I was very comfortable there, but I wasn't challenged. Not being married, raising a kid, or working for government, I was bored."

Coffee #86 - Starting a Business in 4 Weeks

8/25/2015

The smells of freshly baked bread and coffee wafted towards me when I drew open the door of Great Harvest Bread Company. A pleasant tingling signaled my entrance to the staff, who were working assiduously at producing the day's cinnamon rolls, crusty breads, and assorted cookies. After a pleasant conversation with the barista about which tea to choose, I slipped into a chair facing the door and enjoyed the smells and sounds until Stephen arrived.

When he stepped in from the chilly morning air, he recognized me by the fact that I was the only person there. Once his coffee was properly doctored, he sat and told me about his stringed instrument store located nearby and explained that the road to owning his own business was a bumpy one.

Coffee #85 - Setting the Hard Goals

8/16/2015

Gray clouds dotted the sky, threatening rain as I pulled into a parking spot in front of Mississippi Mud Coffee Roasters. I crossed the street, pushed open the glass door, and the hum of conversation met my ears. Jeremy and I quickly realized who the other was, and he stood to greet me with a firm handshake and a tentative smile. His dog, combination Great Pyrenees and Pitbull, watched me approach cautiously, but with a subtle wag of his tail, we were friends.

Toasty cups in hand, we sat and I quickly admitted to Jeremy that I do not, actually, enjoy coffee. He, on the other hand, has made it his "lifetime commitment to become a caffeine junkie". In fact, he's made it his lifetime commitment to be accomplished in many things, including music, fitness, and writing comedy.

Coffee #84 - Making Her Dreams Come True

6/18/2015

Angela and I convened at the Clayton Starbucks on the type of morning where thick socks and tall warm boots are still necessary. Lingering over our chocolate-y drinks we discussed her role as a brand manager at Unidev, our devotion to all foods pumpkin-flavored, and most importantly her number one passion. Acting.

Although born here, Angela moved to Chicago right around her freshman year, when her dad accepted a job. Naturally high school led to college, but before completing her degree, Angela took a long break and moved out to L.A. to try her hand at acting. "I went out to L.A. because I act and write and do all that fun stuff, and then I decided I should go back to college before it's too late (is there such a thing, really?). But in my mind I was like, I need to get this done."

Coffee #83 - When the Student Is Ready...

4/22/2015

It’s fascinating how the messages we need to hear are delivered at the right moment. As you have noticed, it’s been a few months since my last blog. The content is itching to be written, but starting my own company has meant that my time has become scarce.

I originally met with Tony back in September 2014. We sat down at Bread Company and shared experiences over drinks. My first impression was that of a quiet, polite individual. He was relatively soft-spoken and listened well. I had just been laid off, and was in the process of starting my company so I had a LOT to say.

At the time, Tony shared important lessons with me that he had learned from his years working as a leadership consultant and trainer, but I don’t think I was prepared to hear them. After 2 months of not updating this blog, I finally found the time and energy to transcribe our meeting and write his story. Unfortunately much of the meeting was me hogging our time, but it was amazing how pertinent his messages were for me at that very moment.

He had given me the right messages at the wrong time, but how great that when the student was ready the teacher reappeared in the form of a recording?