Six months before COVID-19, Ryan and Karen Weckerly opened a coffee roastery. Then March 2020 hit. Join Ryan as he discusses how he and his wife Karen used technology, social media, and Amazon to pivot their business model. What was initially planned as an in-house coffee roaster and tasting experience, with limited retail hours and only for small groups turned quickly into a full-scale retail destination, featuring a full menu of custom drinks and roasted coffees, available seven-days-a-week via contactless curbside pickup at a custom-built outdoor kiosk. Learn more about how Ryan and Karen continued to build their new business with online retail sales via their website and Amazon, all while creating an experience for local patrons through a new, greatly expanded retail storefront and Coffee Bar.

Attendees will learn:

• To adapt business models utilizing technology and social media
• How to successfully pivot with significantly reduced revenue
• A quick view into utilizing Amazon as an online retail outlet
• How to leverage social media to create new fans and brand loyal followers with examples of organic and paid social strategies
• How COVID-19 continues to change the retail landscape, and how a pandemic helped us think creatively and succeed

Ryan Weckerly

Morningstar Media Group

rweckerly@morningstarmediagroup.com

As president of MorningStar Media Group, he has built an extensive clientele base.  Ryan has seen clients through crisis and economic downturns by creating strategic campaigns that stand the test of time. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communications with an emphasis in Media Science and Consumer Behaviors from Southern Illinois University, and he didn’t stop there. Continuing education is an important part of Ryan’s career. He frequently attends web development and marketing seminars to stay on top of ever-evolving trends, and does continual studies on search engine optimization. While Ryan seeks out any chance to gain the latest knowledge, he also a selected member of the Forbes Agency Council, where he regularly publishes his insights and best practices on marketing strategy and communications. You can also find Ryan on the national speaking circuit covering social media, internet marketing, and website development.