Dave Lanning

About Dave Lanning

I started Dave\'s Coffee in 1998 in the back room of a 1740 farmhouse in Charlestown, Rhode Island. What began as a small cafe turned into a roasting operation in an old brick factory in Westerly, and today we roast and produce out of a sq ft roastery in Narragansett.Our flagship product is Dave\'s All Natural Coffee Milk Syrup. Two ingredients: fresh roasted, cold-brewed coffee and pure cane sugar. No corn syrup, no artificial colors or flavors, no preservatives. Packaged in reusable amber glass bottles. It\'s what Rhode Islanders have been stirring into cold milk to make coffee milk since the 1930s, and it became our official state drink in 1993. We\'ve been making it the right way for over 12 years.We also roast small-batch whole bean and ground coffee, sourced directly from independent family farms growing responsibly and harvesting sustainably. Everything is roasted weekly to order. Never mass produced.I approach business the same way I approach coffee: personally, with attention to detail, and with a preference for partners who care about quality, sustainability, and doing things the honest way. If that sounds like you, I\'d like to know you.

Experience

1. Business Mentor

   Micromentor

   Jul 2023 — Present

   I serve as a volunteer business mentor with MicroMentor, providing straight-talk coaching to startup founders navigating the messy early stages of building a real business. This is a remote, freelance role focused on helping entrepreneurs sharpen strategy, avoid common pitfalls, and make better decisions faster.With 29 years of hands-on business experience, I bring practical insight (not theory) across growth, operations, leadership, and execution. My goal is simple: help founders turn ideas into sustainable businesses by cutting through noise and focusing on what actually moves the needle.

Education

• New England Institute of Technology

  Associate's degree, CAD/CADD Drafting and/or Design Technology/Technician

  1985 — 1987

Skills

• Food Safety
• Copywriting
• Food Packaging
• Food & Beverage
• Consumer Products
• Strategic Planning
• Latte Art
• Training
• New Business Development
• Retail
• B2b
• Entrepreneur
• Small Business
• Food Industry
• Franchising
• Beverage Industry
• Business Planning
• Start-Ups
• Culinary Skills
• Sales
• Wholesale
• Brand Development
• Online Marketing
• Product Marketing
• Distribution Management
• Specialty Coffee
• Social Networking
• Beverage Marketing
• Distributed Team Management
• Product Development
• Business Strategy
• International Business
• Leadership
• Social Media Marketing
• Beer
• Business Development
• Fmcg
• Market Planning
• Graphic Design
• Coffee Roasting