CORE COMMITMENT REFLECTION FROM PAYSON EAST
This Week’s CoCo: Take Care of Your Coworkers
In your job, there is only a certain amount of things you can commit to at any given time. No matter how hard you try, you are human, and there will always be days that push you past your limit. This is where sharing the strengths and skills of others comes into play. For a team to be successful, all people must use their strengths to support the needs of those who share other strengths. Why? Because 1: They themselves have needs that others can meet, and 2: Showing kindness is strongly linked to personal well-being. This tie of kindness to others and fulfillment in oneself has been well studied and I believe it holds a secret. That secret is this: To do well at your job, you must do well to those around you (your coworkers).
Now we come to this CoCo! Taking care of your co-workers is a beautiful way of building a strong team, and makes an environment of work that you WANT to be in! The amount of peace you have knowing that each one of your coworkers has your back, and you theirs, produces a drive that inspires positive culture. Remember back to the time you had an emergency come up and needed coverage. Remember the feeling of relief you had when that one employee cheerfully took your shift. Now remember the sense of ownership you took when, coming full circle, that employee needed help in a time of need and you were there to be their hero. Notice something: The net amount of shifts you both worked remained the same, but the gain in confidence to your coworker and joy in your work environment had an increase far greater than if there had never been an instance of “taking care of your coworkers”. That is the atmosphere I want to inspire in my work, and I hope you all will join me in it!
Next Week’s CoCo: Be Here Physically & Mentally
I feel like this CoCo gets swept under the rug and is not thought upon enough. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not like it’s ignored, but I think if we are not careful it becomes something we take for granted. Of course we are going to show up to work. Of course we are going to converse with customers and do our job. But I think some value is missed if we put this CoCo on auto pilot. I believe the heart of this commitment is not to just show up to work, but rather, it is a commitment to prepare for the instabilities of life. It is the acknowledgement that things in life won’t always go as planned, and things inside and outside of your job are going to fight for your time, energy and commitment… So what are you going to do about it?
Having a game plan for how to show up (mind and body) to work is crucial to a successful and satisfying career. It requires clear paths on how you can accomplish being at work both physically and mentally. This comes in the form of taking time to map out the week so you know what appointments you have, what the weather looks like, or what extraordinary events may need your attention (your car is due for some maintenance) etc. These things help oneself to have a plan to physically be at work. Sometimes, though, the easier thing is to get to work physically. The harder thing is “being” at work during your shift (The mental part of this CoCo). I don’t want us to skip the importance of taking time to map out, to some degree, your mind. This means making sure your body is maintained with proper sleep, food and mental care. It means devoting time before a shift to “Switch gears” and focus on where you are now, not where your mind wants to be (Which might be anywhere BUT at work). These checks not only help make your mind ready, but also help improve your body! With proper sleep, food and mental care, you might find it even easier to thrive at work. This is because you have thought about, and have put into effect the essence of this CoCo: You have shown up, both physically AND mentally! All that is left is a shift ready to be crushed.
CORE COMMITMENT HEROES
Take Care of Your Coworkers: This Core Commitment Hero comes from our Factory Team – Margaret B! Everyone within our space always provides exceptional care for their team but one person who always goes above and beyond is, Margaret B! They always make sure their team members are cared for — whether it’s helping the team put away the order or reaching out to a leader to advocate for a sick team member. They always prioritize the well-being of others. Additionally, Margaret generously shares their extensive Master Barista knowledge and expertise to help team members achieve their goals and feel more confident in their roles. Their dedication to fostering a supportive and collaborative environment makes them a true CoCo hero
Be Here Physically & Mentally: This Core Commitment Hero comes from our Delafield Team – Jake L! Jake consistently demonstrates being on time and prepared for every scheduled shift. He understands the importance of balance, knowing when to say no so he doesn’t over-commit, ensuring he can give his full energy and focus to each shift. When Jake is on the clock, he’s fully engaged, in work-mode, and ready to achieve great things. His dedication and mindful approach set an inspiring example for others. Thanks for all you do, Jake!
EVENTS & ACTIVITIES
Employee Feedback Group OPEN – We’re excited to announce that our Employee Feedback Group (Formerly Employee Council), is now open to everyone! This is a space to share ideas, discuss our work experience, and collaborate on improvements. Volunteers will still be asked from every space to ensure that there is regular attendance from all work locations/ areas, but everyone is welcome to attend any session!
How It Works:
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RSVP: To attend, simply click the link in the Employee Newsletter (we’ll send periodic reminders). Then Employee Care will add this to your schedule.
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Purpose: We’ll gather feedback, make commitments for improvement, and review progress in future sessions.
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Starting January: Sessions will be held in person at The Factory, in the Large Conference Room.
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The next session is Tuesday March 4th from 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm.
We’re looking forward to working together to make our workplace even better. Hope to see you there!
Beverage & Bakery Expert Group: The new “Ask an Expert” resource in Paylocity allows employees to ask subject matter experts questions about Beverage & Bakery products, such as recipes, ingredients, and food/beverage operations. The resource is accessible to all team members, and experts will respond within 48 hours, aiming for near real-time answers. Employees can ask questions by navigating to the “Beverage & Bakery – Ask an Expert” group under the Community > Groups section in the Paylocity app.
SCC February 2025 Employee New Year Dinner: Hello Coffee Geeks! We are thankful for having the opportunity to work with all of you. We are fully aware how precious time is, and we deeply appreciate your choosing to spend part of your life’s journey at Stone Creek Coffee. We’d like to share our thanks by gifting each Stone Creek employee a pre-made dinner for two from Birch. The dinner for two from Birch is OPTIONAL and there are two pick up dates you can choose from. Click the link to sign up for a meal by Friday, January 31, 2025.
Cheers – Melissa and Eric Resch

JOB OPENINGS
Wholesale Account Manager
This position offers a unique chance to expand your sales expertise, enhance your communication skills, and take on new responsibilities as you drive growth for our wholesale accounts.
This role is ideal for someone eager to grow in their sales capabilities while driving growth for our wholesale accounts. The successful candidate will be detail-oriented, proactive, and have a passion for building relationships and driving results.
If you have any questions please reach out to Amy Balestrieri (abalestrieri@stonecreekcoffee.com), otherwise apply via the link:
WINS & SHOUT-OUTS

Violet Locallo – Factory Travel Barista
A huge thank-you to Violet for stepping in to help Tosa B when we needed it most. Your dedication and flexibility truly made a difference during a critical time. We are beyond grateful for your support and hard work! #takecareofyourcoworkers
If you’d like to recognize or celebrate a teammate, we would love to hear about it! By clicking here, you can fill out a form to nominate a hero and choose how you would like them to be celebrated.
UPCOMING MERCH & DESIGNS
Hearth Solace –
Bree Bertz’s My Brew
Launching 2/6
The hearth is a timeless symbol of love, community, and life. Often found at the heart of a home, it provides light, warmth, protection, and nourishment. Similarly, solace represents comfort and consolation during times of distress—something we could all use more of. For me, few things evoke a sense of home, comfort, and love more than my pets—Loki, Soup, and Worm—who fill my life with love and joy. This same sense of warmth and connection is what drew me to the coffee industry and to Stone Creek. A cup of coffee, much like a glowing hearth, can offer a moment of comfort, warmth, and community. I hope this coffee, like a crackling fire on a chilly evening, brings you that same sense of solace and connection.
Raspberry Glaze Decaf Peru
Launching 2/6
Raspberry Glaze Decaf Peru is a vibrant new addition to our lineup, produced at 1500-1800 meters in Peru’s Amazonas region by a women’s co-op. This coffee undergoes a fully washed process and a gentle water process decaffeination, ensuring the integrity of its vibrant flavors. Light roasting further highlights its bright fruit and berry notes, perfectly balancing the creamy body. With flavors of raspberry, crème anglaise, and creamsicle, it offers a decadent and refreshing decaf experience without compromise.
GOINGS-ON & UPCOMING PROMOTIONS
- 1/30 National Croissant Day Promo: We’ll be having a two for one sale on our Butter Croissants. Please use the BOGO Croissant button in Square.
- Upcoming Projects – New Website & Bag Size Change: In the coming months, we are working on a new website and a packaging transition. For the updated packaging, the sizes we’ll be offering are: sample bag (for the coffees we currently have it offered for), 12oz, 2lb, & 5lb. We will start this transition online first, then will move to cafe shortly after. At that time, employees will get a free 12oz bag weekly (excludes Reserve) instead of the current 1lb, since 1lb bags will be eliminated. We will also be changing the benefit to extent to part-time employees (instead of 1/2lb weekly) so everyone will get the same weekly bean amount. If you have any questions, concerns or feedback about these upcoming company projects, please connect with our Teams & People crew by emailing teams@stonecreekcoffee.com. We love hearing from you!
- 2/27-2/28 20% off Beans & Merch: We’ll be having a 20% off promo in cafes & online (when spending $40). More details as it gets closer!
PROGRAMMING CALENDAR
RESOURCES & TOOLS
