Military

‘Hungry for Raw Talent’: Black Rifle Coffee Company Launches New Hiring Initiative

March 24, 2021Maggie BenZvi
BRCC black rifle coffee company

Group photo of the team at BRCC’s Manchester, Tenn., roasting facility. Photo courtesy of Black Rifle Coffee Company.

Three years ago, Black Rifle Coffee Company CEO Evan Hafer made a pledge to hire 10,000 veterans in the following six years. While there is still quite a ways to go, Hafer is pressing forward with a new hiring initiative, looking for highly motivated veterans as the company continues to grow.


“Do you like working in small teams?” Hafer said to Coffee or Die Magazine, describing his perfect employee. “Do you like diversified work? Do you like international travel? Do you like solving complex problems?”


Hafer, a former Green Beret, compared these qualities to the pre-qualifications for special operations candidates in the military. “They’re self-motivated, they’re disciplined, they’re looking for new challenges in life,” he said.


In the words of Logan Stark, BRCC’s editor-in-chief, Hafer is “hungry for raw talent.” 


evan hafer black rifle coffee company
BRCC co-founder and CEO Evan Hafer. Photo courtesy of Black Rifle Coffee Company.

So the company is spurring an initiative for potential employees to build their own jobs. “If they feel they have the talent and capabilities and skill sets to be able to come aboard, and they can showcase that, I want to give them that opportunity,” Stark said. “We want to not structure the company around the job titles we think we need but rather the people we have at our disposal.”


BRCC is a unique workplace, according to Hafer. “You have a lot of people who get defined by a corporate structure,” he said. “We’re defining ourselves by our work ethic and how unique the solutions are to the problems that you encounter.”


Sandy Garner, BRCC’s vice president of people and culture (also known as human resources), agreed. “A lot of companies, if you’re at a mature organization, everything is already buttoned up,” she said. “So your job is to come in and maintain it. The difference here is we’re bringing in talent, and you get to create your own path. We’re building as we go.”


“We don’t need lemmings,” Stark said. “We’re looking for raw talent, for people with crazy brains who are willing to work very very hard in a very unconventional environment.”


Bitters Road
The BRCC Bitters Road coffee shop in San Antonio, Texas. March 19, 2021. Photo by Joshua Skovlund/Coffee or Die Magazine.

“Our employer branding is very unique,” explained Garner, in something of an understatement. “So we make sure we hire people who understand who we are, that can understand our company culture.”


Various parts of the company continue to expand rapidly. Coffee or Die Magazine, which is owned by Black Rifle, has grown substantially, and Black Rifle coffee shops will be opening across the country in the near future.


Stark hopes veterans who are newly transitioning out of the military will check the Black Rifle website careers page regularly but not limit themselves to the openings listed there when reaching out to the company about potential employment.


“That 10,000 number still looms very heavy on all of us,” he said of Hafer’s veteran hiring pledge. “But it’s doable. This crew can’t grow fast enough.”


“We are truly a company where we do what we say — it’s not just words on a piece of paper,” Garner said. “We’re making a difference in the veteran community, and that’s what’s really amazing.”


Read Next: The Untold True Story of How Black Rifle Coffee Got Its Start



Maggie BenZvi
Maggie BenZvi

Maggie BenZvi is a contributing editor for Coffee or Die. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Chicago and a master’s degree in human rights from Columbia University, and has worked for the ACLU as well as the International Rescue Committee. She has also completed a summer journalism program at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. In addition to her work at Coffee or Die, she’s a stay-at-home mom and, notably, does not drink coffee. Got a tip? Get in touch!

More from Coffee or Die Magazine
Coffee Or Die Photo
From the Team Room to Team Room Design: An Operator’s Creative Journey

BRCC partners with Team Room Design for an exclusive T-shirt release!

Coffee Or Die Photo
Get Your Viking On: The Exclusive 30 Sec Out BRCC Shirt Club Design

Thirty Seconds Out has partnered with BRCC for an exclusive shirt design invoking the God of Winter.

Grizzly Forge BRCC shirt
Limited Edition: Grizzly Forge Blades on an Awesome BRCC Shirt

Lucas O'Hara of Grizzly Forge has teamed up with BRCC for a badass, exclusive Shirt Club T-shirt design featuring his most popular knife and tiomahawk.

BRCC Limited Edition Josh Raulerson Blackbeard Skull Shirt
From Naval Service to Creative Canvas: BRCC Veteran Artist Josh Raulerson

Coffee or Die sits down with one of the graphic designers behind Black Rifle Coffee's signature look and vibe.

Medal of Honor is held up.
Biden Will Award Medal of Honor to Army Helicopter Pilot Who Rescued Soldiers in Vietnam Firefight

Biden will award the Medal of Honor to a Vietnam War Army helicopter pilot who risked his life to save a reconnaissance team from almost certain death.

dear jack mandaville
Dear Jack: Which Historic Battle Would You Want To Witness?

Ever wonder how much Jack Mandaville would f*ck sh*t up if he went back in time? The American Revolution didn't even see him coming.

west point time capsule
West Point Time Capsule Yields Centuries-Old Coins

A nearly 200-year-old West Point time capsule that at first appeared to yield little more than dust contains hidden treasure, the US Military Academy said.

  • About Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Careers
Contact Us
Contact Us
© 2024 Coffee or Die Magazine. All Rights Reserved