Today we’d like to introduce you to Ryan Grenier.
Hi Ryan , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Its a long story I’ll do my best to keep it kind of short!
I’ve always been into coffee. I learned to roast at home using a popcorn popper while living in San Francisco. It turned into a *thing* when we sold everything in California and moved to Whitefish, Montana. We purchased a 10-room, high-end bed and breakfast just outside Glacier National Park called **Good Medicine Lodge**.
It had always been a dream of mine to roast coffee for the guests of the lodge. By chance, I found a used *San Franciscan* coffee roaster for sale in Kalispell, Montana. I knew I was diving in way over my head, but it felt like my opportunity to make the dream real.
I started roasting coffee for the lodge, and it was really well received—guests wanted to purchase it to take home. After about a year, I launched a subscription business, and to this day I still get to interact with guests who first discovered my coffee at the lodge.
When we sold Good Medicine Lodge, I took the coffee roasting business with me. We now supply coffee to the new owners of Good Medicine Lodge, as well as their other bed and breakfast in Jackson Hole called **Jackson Hole Hideout**.
Today, I run **Good Medicine Coffee** out of a workshop at home. No storefront—just an online business. This allows us to keep prices down while serving high-quality coffee.
Almost all of the coffee Good Medicine offers is *completely traceable*. That’s important to us because we want to pay farmers and producers what they deserve—not the middlemen. About half of the coffee we carry is grown or owned by women. That’s especially meaningful, because women are the backbone of coffee culture at origin—reinvesting in family, health, home, and community. If the mothers don’t see a future in coffee, there won’t be a future in coffee.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I wouldn’t say it’s been a smooth road. I still encounter struggles—from website issues to my lack of desire to do social media, and the constant shifts in the global coffee market. It’s always something.
There are also a lot of coffee roasters out there to choose from! What keeps me going is my love for coffee and the relationships I’ve built through it. I also work part-time for a coffee importer that specializes in women-grown and women-owned coffee. I’m still learning so much, and I absolutely love chatting with roasters from around the country. That connection keeps me motivated to be the best I possibly can be—while still managing the home with two *crazy* boys.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
It’s hard to explain exactly what I do in coffee. I feel incredibly lucky to be so involved in something I’m passionate about. At the end of the day, I’m buying unroasted coffee, turning it brown, and selling it online. But for anyone who’s met me, they know—it’s not just coffee. It’s the discovery of something special. It’s the story behind the craft, the artistry, and all the hands involved in getting that cup to the consumer.
There’s a saying: *“Know your farmer.”* I love the idea of *“Know your roaster.”* I get so much joy when people reach out and tell me how much they enjoyed what they got to experience. I do my best to share my world of coffee with any customer who’s interested.
I host coffee flights at my roastery, and I love to bake—pairing pastries to go along with the coffee. Good Medicine Coffee is still in the boutique phase of roasting, and what drives me is sharing the discovery of what a cup of coffee can be.
One thing I’m really proud of: I never do anything halfway. I’m an all-in kind of guy, and I love when my craft reflects the care I put into it.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
**What’s something surprising that most people who know you or your brand might not know about you?**
Most people know me from my cycling background. Before coffee, I ran my own business as a professional trainer in San Francisco. I gave all that up when we moved to Montana—and that shift surprised a lot of people. What many don’t know is that one of my lifelong passions has always been cooking. Running the B&B kept me busy in all the right ways, and it gave me space to explore that side of myself more deeply.
One thing I’ve carried over from my racing days is the practice of self-reflection and grace. I didn’t necessarily have that whole package back then, but I can say that even now, I’m still working to be the best version of myself—on the bike, in the roastery, and at home.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Goodmedicinecoffee.com
- Instagram: @goodmedicinecoffee
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089492236046
