Coffee, It used to be a simple staple. Black, or add cream or sugar or both. But Today, a simple cup of coffee is hardly ever acceptable. It has to be on ice or whipped or frothed or sugared up. There are so many ways to have your coffee. But how do you turn serving coffee into a ministry and do it among the lifestyles of the rich and famous.  Today we head off to Long Beach Island NJ.  The bastion of peace and prosperity that used to be the playground of the everyday family. Long beach island is THE barrier island off New Jersey that millions flock to every summer and that hundreds of thousands call home or their beach home. Dan and Lori Malay grew up on Long Beach Island and decided to stay and make an impact right in their home community.  They are here to share their story. Dan & Lori Malay with www.howyoubrewin.com

Dan and Lori Malay have a high school sweetheart story.  Although they may differ on their recollection of the details, we know this – they fell in love and got married.  Dan actually led Lori to a relationship with Christ early in their dating relationship. Dan’s career has had many facets, law enforcement, vocational ministry, and entrepreneur.  He thought that he had “arrived” when he took a job within a church.  As a business owner, Dan knows that they are just as involved in ministry in the coffee shop as he was at the church. 

Lori has a huge role in ministry in the coffee shop, www.howyoubrewin.com. She knows that the customers and staff deal with many issues daily, and they never know how God will use a smile, a kind word, or deeper conversation to draw others to Him. 

Dan and Lori have started a coffee shop, acquired an existing one, and rebranded their business into one name, “How you Brewin.”  Being involved in the coffee industry, they have learned the value of building relationships with the regulars and getting to know their heart in the process.  Dan and Lori continue to grow in Christ and see how that has led them to be very people-focused and invest in their staff.  Dan pointed out that they start with real training around their core values and mission before the team ever learns to make a coffee.  They emphasized that they begin with trust and tell the employees that trust is critical in their relationships at work.

Fun fact, this interview came about due to a couple of employees from How you brewin’.  Grant and Grace Carvin have been lifelong friends of ours and told us about how Dan and Lori live out their faith in their business.  But the Malay’s don’t make it a practice only to hire Christians.  They know that their staff is their mission field as well as the customers.  They may get calls or texts about complex circumstances in their employees’ lives throughout any given day.  What a privilege to be able to walk beside their staff and counsel them from a biblical perspective. 

Teaching their staff to execute with excellence, gratitude, kindness, and integrity are just a few ways to learn to represent the heart of Jesus.  We didn’t get to mention it on the air, but the Malays offer a weekly staff Bible study that is a safe place to come and ask questions and for them to invest personally in each other. 

Being an entrepreneurial couple is hard.  When we asked Dan and Lori how they protect their marriage from their business and vice versa, they were refreshingly honest. It’s hard, and they need to be better at it. It’s trying to figure our balance versus integration.  Dan and Lori, you are humble servants using coffee and business as a way to be a light to the world.  Thank you for serving so well.

Featured Guests: Dan & Lori Malay

Ministry/Workplace: How You Brewin Coffee Company

YouTube Video Interview