Brains+Beans | “The Don Ron”
Welcome to Brains+Beans — a weekly interview series that highlights the “brains” of Hanon McKendry over a cup of coffee, using local “beans.” Hello, Ronny!
Ronny Coats: Let’s begin! Ohhh, are you recording this?
C: Yeah! So, this coffee …
R: This coffee, yes! Thank you!
C: At first, I couldn’t find the right coffee. I was thinking of doing this really dark, spicy roast, but as I thought about you, I started to recognize that you have more of a sweet side.
R: Yeah, I don’t actually have much of a dark side.
C: But, you do have some zing, and so does this coffee.
R: Mhmm! That’s me!
C: I also got this coffee because of the name. It’s called the “Don Pepe” from Costa Rica; it was roasted at Boxcar Coffee Roasters up in Denver. I tend to think of you as “Don Ronny” or “The Don Ron.”
R: [laughs] Oh my gosh. I LOVE IT!
C: So, here are some beans for you to take home.
R: Really? Aw, thanks, Chris! This is so cool!
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LEAST FAVORITE COLOR?
Oh, man … I don’t really discriminate. Uh, pink? Pink. I mean, I like magenta, but not that typical “girly pink.”
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TRICYCLE, UNICYCLE, OR BURRO?
I’m going to have to go with burro — not because I am Mexican — but because I have had cycling issues. We can talk about that another time.
C: Oh, okay. Perhaps later in this interview.
R: Yeah, later in the interview!
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CHURRO, SOPAPILLA, OR FUNNEL CAKE?
Churro. Well, see, I kind of want to say sopapilla, because when I was little my mom used to make buñuelos. I never knew what a sopapilla was until going to a Mexican restaurant here. But we called them buñuelos — it’s like an elephant ear. Still, churros win.
C: Do you find yourself disappointed with American-Mexican food?
R: I just differentiate the two. If a friend invites me over for taco night and they are not the kind of tacos I would normally eat, I still enjoy them. It’s just a different style. Even though it’s not super traditional, I will still eat it and enjoy it.
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FAVORITE COFFEE DRINK?
Just black coffee.
C: Do you have a favorite bean? Or region?
R: I think I am still trying to figure that one out.
C: Well, you said you have pour-over stuff, so that’s a start. Do you have a burr grinder?
R: I do, yes.
C: Well, there you go! You have everything you need to start exploring.
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YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS TO ANSWER: 12 x 17–4 =
Zero — zero is what comes to my brain. I have no idea! I’m horrible at math! Ten seconds? No way. I already lost them.
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YOU’RE STRANDED IN A DESERT AND YOU HAVE TWO ITEMS FOR SURVIVAL. WHAT ARE THEY?
Hmm … a knife and some spice mix, or hot sauce, whichever would be lighter.
C: A knife and hot sauce?!
R: Yeah. That way, if I had to kill something out there to survive and it was gross, I could throw some hot sauce on it.
C: Well, what kind of hot sauce? Let’s dive deeper into this. Are you a Tapatío type? Or?
R: Actually, yeah, I would say Tapatío — because it’s not too spicy where my tongue would be on fire, so yeah, Tapatío.
C: But aren’t spices supposed to cool you down in the heat?
R: I don’t know. Should I know this?
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DID YOU EVER JUGGLE AS A KID?
No, I never juggled, but I yo-yoed. I enjoyed some yo-yoing time.
[strange noise comes from the ceiling]
R: What was that?
C: I dunno. Aliens, in the office above us. What if all of the people in our building were aliens?
R: They probably are — they’re so nice! Everyone I run into is super nice. Whenever I get into the elevator, someone says, “Hi! Welcome to the building! You’re from the new group on the 11th floor, right? My name is ________.”
C: I don’t think anyone has ever done that with me. People must love you, Ronny — Don Ron — or maybe they are afraid of you and want to gain your favor.
R: [laughs] Maybe.
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THE REASON I ASK ABOUT JUGGLING IS, I FEEL LIKE YOUR ROLE REQUIRES A LOT OF MULTITASKING.
Yeah, it does!
I think I have just always been organized. When I was growing up in Washington State, my parents never really had to tell me to do my homework.
They were learning English during my early school years, so we all were pretty much learning something new at the same time. Because of the language barrier, I became pretty self sufficient, you know? That really sparked a drive in me to stay on top of my responsibilities — such as my homework.
Also, having to help people at a very early age.
When I was in elementary school, I translated for my parents at parent-teacher conferences, while they were still taking English lessons — fun fact, my dad still keeps in touch with his English teacher, which is really cool.
I would be translating for them, and then also other students in my classes, and help their parents as well. It was cool, but also a bit strange that I was translating for my peers in their reviews.
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SO WHAT IS YOUR “OFFICIAL” TITLE?
I don’t really know.
C: Unofficially, Mission Control? Don Ron, Master of Mission Control.
R: I don’t know; there are many things I do. I think it is TBD. Lisa once said I was “The Gatekeeper of Destinies.”
C: Wow, that’s good. I like it. Perfect title.
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HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK COMPASSION AND EMPATHY TIE INTO YOUR TYPE OF WORK?
A lot.
Even though I’m not our copywriter, designer, marketing manager, etc., when projects come in or s**t hits the fan, I always try to put myself in that person’s shoes.
C: You pretty much just gave me the exact definition of empathy.
[laughter]
R: At the end of the day, it’s all about trying to solve a problem, and how I can best do that and help the individual on the project. There are a bunch of puzzle pieces that have to fit together and also move around at the same time. Does that make sense?
C: I mean, yes, and no. In my head I’m thinking of this giant Tetris board …
R: AH! I just saw someone walk in — I think it’s the printer dude. Can we pause for a second? I hate to pause, sorry.
[Ronny dashes off to handle the issue.]
R: Let’s see — where were we?
C: Ronny, the Gatekeeper of Destiny. That printerman’s whole daily schedule was in your hands!
R: Printerman’s, the printer’s — EVERY destiny! MWAHAHAHA!!!
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WHAT’S A GOOD METAPHOR OR ANALOGY TO DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE?
Oh boy. I don’t know about a metaphor, but the easiest way for me to explain it to people — since I am across the board — is operations. Just keep things moving.
C: I don’t know if I really see it that way.
R: Yeah, me neither. At heart I am also creative. When I went to school, I knew that I wanted to be in a creative world, but also do the business side of design. I don’t consider myself an administrative type of worker, even though I do many things in that realm.
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WHAT’S YOUR CREATIVE OUTLET?
I think it varies!
During the summertime — can we consider nature a creative outlet?
C: Nature itself may be creative, but I’m not sure it is an outlet. In what terms do you mean “nature is your outlet”?
R: Gardening. In the summertime I love to garden, being outside, getting my hands in the dirt; it’s great. I can design the layout of my garden — my color scheme and my flowers.
C: The layout and color scheme aspect is definitely creative, but what about when things are in place and just growing?
R: Well, then it’s about nurturing. It’s about nurturing creativity — like I do in my role here every day.
[explosion sounds of Chris’s mind being blown]
R: I also love music. I suppose everyone does as well. I can’t say I am musically inclined, but love music and rhythm.
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DO YOU DANCE?
Hah! I was dancing last night with Lucy! [Ronny’s dog]
She looked at me like, “What are you doing?” But I didn’t want to clean the house at that moment!
When I was little I loved to dance. I grew up out in the country, and my parents’ friends threw house parties all the time. There was always dancing. One of my friends used to do Mexican folklore dancing. She taught me and it was really cool. I’ve long forgotten it though.
C: I love that stuff. Ever thought about picking it back up?
R: Maybe I will. I love it too. It’s so interesting how the different regions of Mexico have their own dances and styles — very cool.
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BACK TO THE BIKING ISSUE, WHAT HAPPENED?
I know — ish — how to ride a bike.
C: So you don’t know how to ride a bike.
R: When I grew up in the countryside, I biked everywhere, every day.
I was a bad*ss on that bike, let me tell you what. But then, my husband and I were at a farmer’s market in Nashville, and we saw those pedestrian bikes you can rent, and I said, “Let’s ride bikes!”
He questioned how long it had been since I rode a bike, and I responded that it’s no big deal, that’s why they call it “just like riding a bike.” In reality, it had been since I was 10 years old.
[laughter]
C: Nice. Plus, you’re in a downtown city on busy streets. Continue.
[co-worker walks up to us and asks about pending meeting]
R: Well, let’s meet in five minutes. That should work fine for everyone.
Anyway — we rent the bikes and go over to the park next to the market. He wanted me to practice. I told him I was fine, but as I started riding it was, you know, a bit wobbly — I may have fallen a few times — maybe I crashed into some bushes, no big deal.
Finally, when we got going, it was hilarious. I had so much fun, even though there was definitely a bit of fear on that bike ride through busy traffic and such. I did also crash in another bush in front of a convenience store.
It was a disaster — but a good disaster — and I made it through!
C: Well, now the whole “burro” thing makes sense!
R: Yep. But I did get bucked off a burro as a little kid. Ah, burros …
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ROASTER | BOXCAR Coffee Roasters
Location: 3350 Brighton Blvd. #110, Denver, CO 80216
Bean/Origin: Don Pepe — Guatemalan, San Isidro de Leon Cortez, Caturra
Acidity: Tart, medium-high acidity
Aroma: Citrus fruit, honey
Body: Light-medium
Flavor: Citrus, fruit, honey
Rating: B+
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Brewing method: Chemex w/ paper filter
Grind: Burr, medium to medium-coarse
