Today, we celebrate International Women’s Day. 

The theme this year is #choosetochallenge

Challenge the world to respect and accept women in all areas of life and business. Challenge the world to celebrate and embrace equality, to dispel bias.

This is a change that will make the world better for us all. 

Coffee is one of those industries where women don’t get the support and recognition they deserve. Today, let’s honor the women who work hard so we can enjoy a great cup of coffee.

Check out Women In Coffee to learn more.

Here’s a great article in Perfect Daily Grind about women in coffee, “Women In the Coffee Industry”.

I’d like to give a personal shout out to these women:

My favorite barista at Starbucks (name withheld as I don’t have permission). She always seems to know what I’m thinking and always finds me something I like, even when I seem to change my mind every ten minutes.

Sam Karnes of The Coffee Roaster. She represents the best of us all in how she understands the meaning of “Team” when it comes to making the family business even greater through a pandemic.

Carolyn Barbarite of JAVAMELTS. She doesn’t realize it, but she’s become a bit of an inspiration for me. Her down-to-earth commitment to her brand and her audience is so real and powerful that everyone she touches is inspired.  And her tenacity. As a woman in business, she’s had a great many obstacles to get through. Ones that she should not have had to deal with. But she has, and she’s kept her great personality and loyalty to family, country, and audience through it all.