Cultivating Change with Martin Mayorga
By Martin Mayorga
Martin launched www.MayorgaOrganics.com with the goal of fixing an antiquated and inequitable coffee and food supply chain that has created systemic poverty throughout Latin America.
This podcast is Martin's venue to share what he's learned along the way as a father, immigrant, and successful entrepreneur--while having conversations with others who are also focused on making a positive impact on society.
Cultivating Change with Martin MayorgaApr 30, 2019
35. Explaining the GameStop short squeeze to a 14 year old
***BTW, my quick mental math on the call options example was off. You could buy 500 call options @ $2 instead of only 100 shares at full price.
34. Hurricane Relief, Microlots, and Nicky Gives a Generous Discount
In today's episode Martin updates us on Mayorga's efforts to support those impacted by hurricanes Eta and Iota in Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. Mayorga's commitment to allocate online sales from the last weeks of 2020 to this endeavor allowed them to distribute basic food and water needs to those impacted. Now the Mayorga team is building homes for families displaced by extreme flooding
Martin and Nicholas also discuss Mayorga's new limited edition microlot coffee program to support producers who find themselves without a market for these unique coffees. Nicholas also offers a very generous discount for listeners.
Remember to go to www.MayorgaOrganics.com to sign up for our newsletter and follow us on instagram at @MayorgaOrganics
Also check out our YouTube channel
33. The Cultivating Change podcast is back!!
After about three months of silence, we're back with another episode.
Martin speaks honestly about why he and Nicky took some time from recording podcasts and he introduces what will be the updated format: a broader range of topics centered around making a positive impact on society. Episodes will post every Wednesday and will have more guests from a wide range of industries and approaches to cultivating change. There will definitely still be conversations about coffee, the coffee industry, Latin America, poverty, organic food, and all the topics that have been important in the 23 years of building Mayorga Organics.
We welcome any feedback and recommendations for guests. Please email the podcast directly at Podcast@MayorgaOrganics.com and follow us on instagram at @MayorgaOrganics
Check out our latest "meet the family" video featuring our producer Nicholas Mayorga and don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube chanel!
32. Talking Corporate Supplier Diversity with James Sturgis
I speak on the phone with my friend, James Sturgis, who I met when he was with the supplier diversity program at Ahold. We discuss the elements of a good supplier diversity program as well as both good and bad first-hand experiences. I hope you enjoy it!
31. My appearance on The Visionary Entrepreneur
This is the audio from my appearance on The Visionary Entrepreneur podcast. I discuss some background about why I started Mayorga Organics and my belief that the only way to make real impact is to leverage scale. I hope you enjoy it!
30. Follow up with Bartholomew Jones from Cxffeeblack
We received a lot of great feedback on the episode last month with our friend, Bartholomew Jones from Cxffeeblack, so we brought him back on the podcast for a follow up. We had a very open conversation about the realities for People of Color in the specialty coffee industry as well as business as a whole. As always, I welcome and appreciate any feedback. You can email me at Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com
29. Andy Ascencio, Mayorga's Wholesale Production Manager
Nicky and I chat with Andy Ascencio, our Wholesale Production Manager at our Maryland facility. I've known him since he was a 2 year old kid who would come to the facility with his dad, Alfredo who has worked with Mayorga for over 20 years. Please provide feedback to Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com.
28. Get to know Wendi, Mayorga's Customer Experience Manager
The Mayorga family consists of some of the hardest-working most dedicated people in any industry. On this episode, we chat with Wendi Harder, Mayorga's Customer Experience Manager. Hopefully it's an opportunity for you get a little insight into who she is and what she does at Mayorga. As always, I appreciate any feedback to Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com
27. A Conversation with Bartholomew Jones from Cxffeeblack
Given the current (and very necessary) dialogue that we're having in the US, we decided to post this podcast a few days in advance.
We had a very open conversation with Bartholomew Jones from Cxffeeblack about his experience and point of view as a black man working in the coffee industry. He comes from an arts and music background with a focus on education and community building. His approach to coffee is "people first", which is something I really appreciate. Check him out Instagram at @Cxffeeblack
I hope you enjoy the conversation and I welcome any feedback to Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com.
26. The Mayorga/Humphrey Street Partnership
In 2018 we partnered with Humphrey Street Coffee, a social enterprise of Harvest Hands . We donate $50,000 per year of our producers' green (unroasted) coffees for Humphrey's to roast for their cafe and wholesale business. We've also provided support through roaster training and education as well as cross-promotions through social media. I hope you enjoy this conversation and I welcome and feedback or comments. You can email me at Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com
25. MOMs Organic Market, with founder Scott Nash
I chat with my friend and fellow business owner, Scott Nash, the Founder of MOMs Organic Market, a mid-Atlantic organic grocery chain with 19 locations...and growing. We talk about our like-minded philosophies, our observations on the psychological impact of COVID-19, date coding on food, and how we run our businesses in a manner that is different than traditional entrepreneurs. As you'll gather from the conversation, Scott and I are good friends, do some business together, and are very like-minded.
I hope you enjoy this podcast and would love any feedback or comments: Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com
24. We Answer Your Questions
We pulled some of the questions/comments that we've received from listeners and Mayorga customers. Some are informative, like "What process do you use to decaffeinate your coffee?" or an inquiry about blockchain. Some are asking about my business philosophies. Others are just mean :)
Enjoy the episode and please tell your friends about it. We'll be posting new ones every Wednesday night!
23. Let's Build a Better Future!
The past few weeks have made us all look at our own priorities and have exposed some major shortcomings in society and business. Let's stay aware and conscientious about these realities and work toward building a better, more inclusive and balanced future in the business world and society as a whole.
22. Mayorga Update 4/15
The past few weeks have been dynamic to say the least. Today's episode is a recap of what's been going on at Mayorga, along with my observations on the impact on coffee farming communities and other industry insights. I always welcome feedback and episode suggestions. Please feel free to email me at Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com
21. GUATEMALA--Impact of COVID-19 on Coffee Farmers (IN SPANISH)
We're continuing our series focusing on the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on coffee producers and their communities. In this episode, we have a phone call IN SPANISH with Max Perez from the La Hermosa Cooperative in Guatemala. He gives us a good first-hand insight into the immediate impact as well as the challenges faced when working to support rural producers. I hope episodes like this are informative and of interest.
20. HONDURAS--Impact of COVID-19 on Coffee Farmers (IN SPANISH)
After speaking at length with some producer partners in Latin America I realized that it was important for consumers to hear about the realities of what's happening in coffee farm communities. This episode focuses on my conversation with Omar Rodriguez, the Manager of the Capucas Cooperative in Honduras. We've worked closely with them for about 10 years.
19. Uncharted Territory
We're living through uncharted territory. It's an odd time to bring the podcast back, but I feel strongly that communication is more important than ever right now. Please email me any comments or suggestions for the next episode. Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com
18. Management Mindset with Erin Dall
Within two and a half years Erin has grown from managing the company's roadshows to now being President of Mayorga Organics. In this episode, you'll hear her management philosophies and mindset that propelled her exponential growth within Mayorga.
Please feel free to email martin@mayorgaorganics.com with any questions, comments, or episode suggestions.
Enjoy!
17. Expanding into Miami with Julio Guevara
Julio Guevara from Perfect Daily Grind was in Miami to work on Mayorga's social media strategy related to the opening of our facility here. in this episode, he and I sit down to discuss why Mayorga is expanding its manufacturing and distribution into the Miami market. We plan to operate our Miami facility in conjunction with our Maryland facility to better-serve the entire eastern region of the United States and Canada. We will also be doing a few different things in Miami given the extra space.
As always, I'd love your feedback. Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com
16. A chat with Juan Cruz, Mayorga's Nicaragua country manager (in Spanish)
I sit down with Juan Cruz and speak with him IN SPANISH about his role managing our operations and export company in Nicaragua. Please email me feedback or questions at martin@mayorgaorganics.com. Thanks for listening!
15. Fairtrade: Simple Idea, Complex System
14. Reflections on the World Coffee Producers Forum in Brazil
I attended the World Coffee Producers Forum in Campinas Brazil on July 10th and 11th. According to the website, the WCP is "an environment for discussions with an agenda prepared by coffee growers aiming to reach more sustainable ways for global coffee activity".
There were a lot of brilliant people there and engaged in the conversations. I break down the main proposed points and give my opinion on them from the perspective of a medium-sized speciality roaster who is doing his best to support the ignored farmers in our supply chain.
Then I try to embarrass Nicky :)
Enjoy the episode and feel free to email me at Martin@MayorgaOrganics.com
13. Diversification for Coffee Farmers
I sit down once again with Henry Wilson from Perfect Daily Grind to discuss the importance of crop diversification for coffee farmers. Given the low coffee market prices and the impacts of climate change, this is a very important conversation.
Please email me any feedback at martin@mayorgaorganics.com. Thank you for listening.
12. Pancakes and Podcasting
This was a very impromptu episode with Nicholas and Brianna. I knew that the only way to get Brianna on the podcast was to guilt her into doing it on Fathers Day :)
I love any opportunity to hang out and chat with my awesome kids, so this was a lot of fun for me. I hope you enjoy it.
11. "Producer Roaster Forum" recap with Henry Wilson
Henry and I sit down to discuss the Producer Roaster Forum, which his team at Perfect Daily Grind organized in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Mayorga was a gold sponsor, I gave a talk, and we went with 4 staff members and Pedro Romero from Capucas in Honduras. It was a great experience!
Feel free to email me with feedback, questions, or topic requests at martin@mayorgaorganics.com
10. My Interview on Executive Leaders Radio
In February I was on the Executive Leaders Radio show, which focuses on interviewing leaders and CEO's of companies in the Washington, DC area. This is a brief interview with rapid-fire types of questions and some quick answers with the hopes of getting insight into what makes leaders "tick" based on their early life experiences. I hope you enjoy it!
9. Las Lajas Coffee Farm, Costa Rica with Oscar and Francisca Chacón
This is the first ever episode in Spanish. I sit down with Oscar and Francisca Chacón from Finca Las Lajas in Costa Rica. They produce about 33% of all organic coffee grown in Costa Rica (which isn't a lot). We talk about the importance of relationships in this industry and the challenges specific to them as proponents of organic coffee production in a country with some of the highest production costs in Latin America.
Una conversación con Oscar y Francisca Chacón de Finca Las Lajas en Costa Rica. Ellos producen un 33% de todo el cafe organico producido en Costa Rica (lo cual no es mucho). Hablamos de la importancia de relaciones directas en la industria y de los retos específicos que ellos encuentran siendo una minoría en la producción de cafe organico en un país que tiene uno de los costos de producción mas altos en Latinoamerica.
8. My Thoughts about the "Coffee Market Crisis"
The commodity coffee market is at a 13 year low--at levels below the cost of production for many farmers. There has been a lot of talk about this issue in the coffee industry as well as the media. It's not a simple issue nor is it, in my opinion, being addressed appropriately by the industry.
In this episode I give my opinions on this current coffee market "crisis" and talk about what Mayorga has always done to help producers lessen their dependence on the commodity coffee market.
7. Purposeful Financial Management with Jenaee Powell
Please feel free to email questions or comments to martin@mayorgaorganics.com
6. The Exciting World of Food Safety and Quality Assurance with Melanie Labib
Melanie is Mayorga Organics' Food Safety Compliance Manager. She's a food scientist whose focus is to ensure that our product quality is of the highest standards while also ensuring that we are in compliance with all requisite and elective auditing bodies. She's highly skilled and trained in sensory analysis and product development and is a certified Q Grader. I sat down with her to discuss what it's like to have such highly technical role within a company that's so purpose driven. Spoiler alert: you'll learn that food safety and compliance can be fun! Please provide feedback or ask any questions via email to martin@mayorgaorganics.com
5. Working with a Purpose with Eduardo Choza
Eduardo has been working with Mayorga Organics for almost two years. His family is from Mexico and he lived in California before moving to the East coast a few years ago. He manages our chia partnership in Mexico and oversees the specialty/local roasting operation and retail cafe at our Maryland facility. He also happens to be one of the best roasters in the United States, having placed 8th at the US Coffee Championship's coffee roasting competition. Yeah, that's a thing!
I hope you enjoy this episode and welcome any feedback at martin@mayorgaorganics.com
4. Perfect Daily Grind with Henry Wilson
Henry Wilson is the founder of Perfect Daily Grind, a cross-platform, global network which distributes coffee content to a worldwide audience. It's the go-to source for specialty coffee news internationally.
Henry has spent extensive time in Latin America, taking the time to get to know producers on a personal level. Though this time spent learning first-hand in coffee communities, he's developed a strong understanding of the real challenges that producers and communities that rely on coffee cultivation face. He took time from the SCA show to sit down and have a chat with me about the industry and what PDG is doing within it through education and engagement.
I hope you enjoy this episode!
3. Home School life with Nicholas Mayorga
In this episode Nicholas and I discuss some of the reasons for the choice to home school him. We also talk about how we go about integrating it into our lives, what his social life looks like, and other common questions people ask us when we tell people he's home schooled.
Please feel free to ask question or send comments to martin@mayorgaorganics.com
2. My interview with Hugh Byrne on his "In Good Company with Hugh Byrne" Podcast
I'm publishing this podcast to provide further insight about who I am and the company I've built. Hugh is a great interviewer and I feel more comfortable talking about myself in an interview environment, so this will be the episode that provides a deeper insight into my background and Mayorga Organics.
1. Intro to the Podcast: Martin Mayorga
This is the first-ever episode of Cultivating Change with Martin Mayorga. It's an introduction into why I started the podcast and what types of things I'll be discussing. I also talk a little about Mayorga Organics and why I started it in my early 20's to help small producers in Latin America.
l'll publish an episode at least once a week, fine tuning topics and getting into a routine of scheduled episodes. Please email me if you would like for me to cover any topics. martin@mayorgaorganics.com