Paramedic Pours Enthusiasm into Niche Coffee

Working as a paramedic for the MedEvac team at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Michael J. Adams, Fleetwood, 37, said he came to realize how much health care providers depend on drinking coffee for on-the-job survival.

That created inspiration for Adams to dream up a niche business.

"I started my business, thinking of the niche of how many doctors, nurses, paramedics, EMTs, etc., drink coffee," Adams said. "Coffee and the health care profession go hand in hand. Until my Web site was developed, nobody was marketing coffee to this profession."

Adams' business -- Java Medic Coffee Co. -- is a home-based Internet business specializing in the online sales of gift baskets containing coffee products with a medical theme.

Adams' Web site -- javamedic.com -- features a heart monitor which categorizes coffee blends and strengths according to electrocardiogram, or EKG, terminology.

For decaffeinated blends, you would check under the Asystolic (flat-line) category, but for espresso, you would click on V-Tack blends.

He buys his gourmet coffee from Reading Roasters, Birdsboro.

Each coffee bag is marked with a doctor's prescription pad label and can be combined in gift baskets with prescription pill bottles filled with jelly beans.

But the marketing doesn't stop there.

The gifts items, including coffee mugs, can be delivered in a bed pan.

"The big thing about my business is the bed-pan gift basket," Adams said. "The key to marketing it is the gift card attached which reads, 'Because we all have crappy days.'"

Adams said he always wanted to have a business centered on coffee, but didn't want to risk the investment of a coffee shop or drive-through coffee shop because of so much competition.

"I started reading a lot about starting a business and learned about how to be successful through niche marketing," he said.

Adams said more inspiration came to him from watching CNBC's "The Big Idea" with Donny Deutsch.

"So many people are inspired to do something, but so many never follow through with their dream," Adams said. "This is strictly an Internet business so ultimately the only thing I have to lose is my initial investment."

Adams said his startup cost for a Web-site design, inventory and legal fees was about $20,000.

Adams has no doubt about the success of Java Medic since he knows there are a lot of people who could be considered coffee snobs and because there are an endless number of health care providers to whom he can market his product.

Adams said a recent corporate order of 130 baskets necessitated renting a fire hall and gathering his friends to put together baskets.

But other than that, Adams, with the assistance of his girlfriend, Tracy Talaber, takes orders, assembles and ships the baskets from his garage.

Adams still works as a paramedic about two 24-hour shifts each week.

"I very much enjoy working for MedEvac, but there's nothing like owning your own business," he said.

In addition, Adams said one of his goals is to be a guest on "The Big Idea."

"Every week, I send the show one pound of coffee to try and get on the show," Adams said. "But I have a feeling that the show's producers must think it now has its own coffee service, so probably the only way I will get their attention is if I stop sending the coffee."

Java Medic Coffee Co.