JRE 1693 · June 27, 2024

Evan Hafer

militarybusinesspoliticsphilosophy

Who is Evan Hafer?

Special Forces veteran turned entrepreneur Evan Hafer is the founder and CEO of Black Rifle Coffee Company, and one of the hosts of the Free Range America podcast.

Topics and Timestamps

01Evan Hafer discusses his transition from Special Forces to founding Black Rifle Coffee Company and building it into a major brand
02Conversation covers the importance of mission-driven business and staying true to core values while scaling
03Hafer shares insights on military culture, discipline, and how those principles apply to entrepreneurship
04Discussion touches on cancel culture, corporate authenticity, and standing firm on principles in business
05Talk explores the Free Range America podcast and connecting with audiences who share similar values
06Hafer explains the coffee industry, sourcing, and what differentiates Black Rifle from competitors
▶Evan explains his journey from Special Forces to entrepreneurship0:00:00
▶Discussion of Black Rifle Coffee Company's founding and core mission0:15:00
▶Hafer speaks about authenticity in branding and not apologizing for your audience0:35:00
▶Conversation about cancel culture and corporate cowardice in America1:05:00
▶Discussion of Free Range America podcast and independent media platforms1:35:00

The Show

Joe sits down with Evan Hafer, the former Special Forces operator turned coffee entrepreneur who built Black Rifle Coffee Company from the ground up. This is a conversation about authenticity in business, the military mindset applied to entrepreneurship, and why so many people connect with the Black Rifle brand beyond just the product itself.

Hafer walks through his journey leaving the military and figuring out what's next. He wasn't interested in the typical post-military contractor path. Instead, he started thinking about what actually mattered to him and what would keep him engaged. Coffee seemed simple enough, but it became a vehicle for building something with real values attached to it. The company's branding and messaging aren't some calculated marketing play. They're genuine reflections of who Hafer is and who his audience is. That authenticity is probably why the brand resonates so hard.

The conversation digs into how Hafer navigates running a successful company in a world that's increasingly hostile to straight-talking, unapologetically masculine brands. He doesn't apologize for who Black Rifle Coffee appeals to, and he's not trying to water down the message to appease everyone. Joe and Evan talk about the difference between having convictions and being needlessly provocative, and how that balance matters when you're actually trying to build something lasting.

They also touch on the Free Range America podcast and how important it is to have platforms where you can actually speak freely without corporate gatekeepers deciding what's acceptable. There's something powerful about creators and entrepreneurs building their own distribution channels instead of hoping mainstream media gives them a fair shake.

Hafer's pretty articulate about the state of American culture right now, and he doesn't shy away from the reality that there's a huge market of people who feel increasingly alienated by corporate America. Black Rifle tapped into that, but the key difference is that Hafer seems genuinely committed to the mission rather than just exploiting the sentiment. That's what separates a real brand from a gimmick.

Best Quotes

“I wasn't going to go work for some defense contractor making money off war. I needed to do something that actually meant something to me”

— Evan Hafer