· Worker direction, Leadership
How Worker Direction works before anyone is voted in
Certification opens the teams, not a vote on the business. How decisions get made here today, what one certified worker means, and why we decided to be patient.
News and articles
Beanchain
The shop itself: what we make, what we are building, and how far we have come.
25 posts · all posts
· Cooperatives, Worker direction
How an owner hands a business to its workers
The design we are testing: founders keep a veto and are repaid for what founding cost them, workers earn membership, and the other members buy the founders out.
· Beanchain, Worker direction
Where the handover stands, October 2026
A dated report on handing Beanchain to the people who work here: one person certified, nobody a member yet, $15.50 an hour, and two founders without a wage.
· Cooperatives, Beanchain
Co-op, ESOP or something else: what the Cooperate Network would ask of a business
Stage three of our plan opens shared services to other businesses. What co-ops and ESOPs give the people who work in them, and what we would ask in return.
· Beanchain, Cooperatives
Why Beanchain plans to grow in Cells, not franchises
A Cell is several drive-throughs and a couple of bigger stores, owned as one cooperative. Why we plan to grow that way, and what the nonprofit in the middle is for.
· Working here, Beanchain
Free coworking in Mesa: what you get without a day pass
Our shared workspace in Mesa has real desks, fast WiFi and power at nearly every seat, with no day rate or membership. How it compares with paying for a pass.
· Working here, Beanchain
Where to meet a client in Mesa
A coffee shop table is fine for a first conversation. Anything private wants a room you can book by the hour. How to choose, and what our conference room has.
· Working here, Beanchain
A full workday at Beanchain, from first coffee to close
What a whole day of work in our free Mesa workspace looks like: where to sit, what to eat and when, and how to finish the last hour without rushing it.
· Handbook, Worker direction
Handbook: getting a shop out of one person's head
Training, checklists and inventory in one system, built because we needed it here first. Why a business has to be written down before it can be handed over.
· Working here, Community
How to Stay Productive Working From a Coffee Shop
Working from a coffee shop can improve focus when you choose the right seat, plan work blocks, manage distractions, and use reliable WiFi.
· Working here, Community
Best Coffee Shops to Work Remotely in Mesa 2026 Guide
Five Mesa coffee shops rated on WiFi, outlets, seating, noise and food for a day of laptop work. One of them is ours, and we say so before the list starts.
· Leadership, Cooperatives
Worker Direction: Philosophy and Practice (Update)
Worker Direction is our approach to building a workplace culture that prioritizes democracy, participation, proper incentives, and mutual respect. It draws on the 7…
· Community, Initiatives
Be Part of Developing the Solution Seeking System
The Solution Seeking System started here at the Beanchain as a way for us to train great leaders and inspire amazing communication. Today, it’s growing into…
· Community, Poverty
How You Can Help Us Fight Poverty, Together
At Beanchain, our commitment to community runs deep. Whether it's serving a meal, raising awareness, or building connections, we believe everyone can be part of the…
· Community, Coffee
The Top 10 Beanchain Drinks You Need to Try
At Beanchain, our baristas love getting creative with flavor. From cozy lattes that taste like your favorite desserts to refreshing specialty drinks inspired by our…
· Community, Coffee
How to Start and Run a Pay It Forward Board
A Pay It Forward Board is a simple, low-cost way to fight food insecurity, build community loyalty, and highlight your business as a hub of kindness. Customers buy…
· Community, Leadership
Brewing Cooperation: How Beanchain Lives the Cooperative Principles
A workplace built on the Seven Cooperative Principles, the global guidebook for worker-owned businesses. At Beanchain, these principles aren’t abstract ideals…
· Working here, Community
Perfect Coffee + Co-Working Space: Beanchain’s Workspace Hacks
How to get the most out of our free workspace in Mesa: where to sit, what to ask at the counter, when to book the conference room and where to take a break.
· Worker direction, Solution Seeking System
Try our Solution Seeking GPTs
Try our Solution Seeking GPTs. We need your help to test out some of the tools we're making for leadership and communication!
· Leadership, Initiatives
The Solution Seeking System
The Solution Seeking System (SSS) is a structured communication framework designed to help individuals and organizations solve interpersonal problems, navigate…
· Leadership, Cooperatives
Building a Better Workplace: Beanchain's Worker-Directed Philosophy
In an era defined by stagnant wages, workplace abuses, and deepening mistrust between workers and management, Beanchain Coffee is pioneering a refreshing…
· Community, Leadership
Why We Started Beanchain
Why We Started Beanchain. My wife Shannon and I created Beanchain as a living experiment in economic justice. It is a worker-directed company, meaning we are…
· Community, Coffee
Best of Beanchain: What Customers Are Saying
Best of Beanchain: What Customers Are Saying From glowing reviews across platforms, a few consistent themes show why Beanchain Coffee stands apart. We gathered some…
· Community, Cooperatives
How to Get Involved with Beanchain Coffee’s Mission
Beanchain Coffee isn’t your ordinary coffee shop. Based in Mesa, Arizona, Beanchain is pioneering a unique model, worker-directed businesses that prioritize…
· Community, Cooperatives
Beanchain Coffee: Building a Better World through Worker-Directed Business
Beanchain Coffee: Building a Better World through Worker-Directed Business. Beanchain's core mission is ambitious and clear: to build fair, worker-directed coffee…