The Exquisite Habits of the Founder of Blue Bottle Coffee

By Leo Babauta

When I sat down to interview James Freeman, founder of Blue Bottle Coffee, it was with some excitement, even nervousness. I am a big fan of his coffee, which is known worldwide for its beautiful quality.

Eva and I love to get a drip coffee or a small Gibraltar from Blue Bottle, and getting a bag of their beans is a special treat. And so, to dive into the mind of the founder of Blue Bottle … I was smiling.

In this video interview, the 3rd in my new Habits of Entrepreneurs series, I sat down with James at his office in Oakland, a block from Blue Bottle’s delicious-smelling roastery. His office is minimal, well-designed, a bit retro, with some great books on design and philosophy on his shelf.

I talked to James about how he founded the company, his habits around work and personal relationships, design, email, goals and long-term plans, and expectations.

It’s a wonderful interview — get the short version for free below, or subscribe to the Habits of Entrepreneurs series to get the full 45-minute interview (along with the other great stuff in the series).

image