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offering as well as a rotating "guest roaster" spot every month or two. Holding fast to a couple core values when selecting partners has helped Third Rail realize success in this model. "Our coffee selection process always begins with relationship. We meet roasters at events, or they are recommended by other industry professionals," says Humberto. "We get to know people, and then if everything is clicking, we have them send us some samples. It's an organic process. Then it just comes down to the taste of the coffee." Relationship is a key element of making any partnership truly work. As you explore your would-be partnerships, it's critical that expectations on both sides of the fence be open and clear. Every partnership should address not only what is required individually to realize mutual success, but also what is required to maintain it. Then, should you be planning for or need to stage a comfortable exit from the partnership at the end of the term, there are no conflicts. For example, if you are considering partnering with a roaster, make sure to negotiate whether you are paying for training and shipping, how long you intend to serve their product, their suggestions and/or expectations for marketing their product, and so on. The best way to do it is the straightforward way: Lay all the cards on the table and talk it through to see if it's a good fit for each of you. I've been a part of wholesale relationships where no one communicated the expectations or details of the coffee partnership, and it always ended in frustration and disappointment. Never let the idea of potential success cloud your judgment when it comes to asking questions, no matter how uncomfortable it may seem at the time. Worst-case 64 barista magazine scenario? You reveal information that brings you to the conclusion the partnership wouldn't be a win-win, and you decide not to work together. There are even more complexities to the multiroaster concept. Managing expectations and relationships with vendors can be one of the most time-consuming and taxing parts of running a retail business. Now multiply that number of vendors because you've decided to be a multiroaster café. For this reason Sean Henry, who owns Houndstooth Coffee in Austin, Texas, says he wouldn't recommend the multiroaster concept to anyone. And guess what? Houndstooth's two cafés serve coffee from several different roasters. Huh? "The time and effort alone to work with roaster relationships, source and dial in new coffees, and promote them to customers is a full-time job in itself," says Sean. "You kind of have to be dialed in to the mindset of being a maverick of sorts." By committing to the multiple-roaster concept, Sean has committed extra time, money, and staff into making the model work. When Sean and his staff have selected new coffees to carry, they introduce a lot of education not only for the staff but also for the customers. Houndstooth hosts three public cuppings a week, which Sean says has really changed the dynamic of the coffee culture in Austin since the café's opening in 2010. In the conversation I had with Sean, I really tried to dig in to what made Houndstooth's roaster partnerships work, and Sean shared an amusing metaphor. "Working out business partnerships is kind of like premarriage counseling," he says. "You're trying to communicate and set clear and reasonable expectations upfront." While you may not view your roaster partner with the same intensity as your spouse, you have to admire Sean's commitment to excellence and mutual benefit by having vision for the future. We are all responsible for understanding our role in making the supply chain function as it was intended. Just as we respect the coffee itself, we shouldn't inhibit the full potential of the business relationships we work with to bring it to the world. As retailers and baristas, one of our goals is to understand what it takes to help make our roasting partners successful. Indeed, as roasters we need to focus our energy on constantly earning our customers' trust, not only by supplying them with quality coffee and services, but also working with each partner to support his specific needs. This definition became especially evident as I talked with Aaron Cook, one of the owners of Bluestone Lane Coffee in New York City. Bluestone is a new company whose mission is to bring a taste of the Melbourne, Australia, coffee culture to the United States. Bluestone Lane recently opened its first location and is poised to open two more before the end of the year. On a personal level, I had a great conversation with Aaron because he knows where I'm coming from: He, too, has experience representing both the roaster side of the