The Coffee First Podcast with LanceTheMixMan

Lance Hunt, widely known as LanceTheMixMan, is the creative force behind a popular line of handcrafted beverages that have gained a dedicated following for their vibrant flavors and refreshing profiles. Based in the Newark area, Hunt transformed a passion for unique flavor combinations into a successful brand, featuring signature blends like "Hawaiian Island Punch," "Coconut Raspberry," and "Watermelon Iced Tea." His products are celebrated for their natural appeal and are often found at local pop-ups and specialty shops, embodying a true spirit of community-driven entrepreneurship.

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:15

Alright. Alright. Alright. You won't know everything, but you will know some things. You will know the work. You will know the collaboration. And let me give a massive shout out to an artist in the the mixing industry. One that that does art with drinks and does crazy work. Crazy work. Lance the mix, man. Back on the coffee first podcast. Let's show him some love. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. How you feeling, man? Happy to be here. Thank you. I'm glad you're here. What do you mean? That's just awesome. That's just awesome. How you been?

SPEAKER_03 0:54

Hey, I've been good, bro. Just um, you know, sticking with the drinks more. I know from the first time I was here, we just talking about it. Um, just what I wanted to do specifically with it, and um just where I see going. And um, since then I'd started just making my own juices, honestly.

SPEAKER_02 1:14

Yeah, I tried one of your juices at Pretty Savage's Fashion Show, which was delicious, by the way. Oh, yeah, that was at uh pineapple mango black. Yeah, that was delicious. I was walking around telling I was like, yo, y'all need to try this. Y'all need to try this.

SPEAKER_03 1:30

In the food, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 1:31

They was looking at me. Oh yeah, that that food was gone. I think he he he ran out. I think I think Chef Smith ran out. Like, that was that's a good sign. What do you mean? That's a good sign. You ran out of food. That's me motherfuckers is liking it. I seen people just yeah, eating, grubbing, all by that table. They was in shit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, what moves have you made recently?

SPEAKER_03 1:57

Um, what you been up to late lately, man? Just recently making uh juices, like I was saying. You know, everybody that do follow me on Instagram, they've been seeing that I started making juices. Um, I got a good couple, top five that I got. Uh, I know a lot of people like um this pineapple yuzu green tea I got. That and uh passion fruit pink lemonade, but um, there's definitely way more flavors. Are you from New York? Okay, okay. You got an accent. And um recently from just doing that, I actually got into a store also. Ooh, yes, sir. We got in uh purple haze smoke shop right on bright end. If you don't know, go check it out. The juices is in there also, those two flavors I just mentioned, and uh I know there's some other flavors as well in there. Yeah, hold up, hold on.

SPEAKER_02 2:59

Before we go any further, you see this camera right here. Look at the camera right there.

SPEAKER_03 3:08

Shout out who you are, where we could find you, and the store that you got into. Lance the mix man on Instagram. Catch the juices at the shop purple haze, that's their Instagram as well. That's the purple haze right on Brighton Boulevard up in Denver. Definitely go check them out. They always got events there, also. And hey, you can find the juices up in there. That's just one store of many.

SPEAKER_02 3:53

So, you from New York?

unknown 3:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 3:56

Well, first of all, let me let me not ask that too soon. Cause you you made it into a store. That's a big ass accomplishment, man.

SPEAKER_03 4:03

I'm not gonna cap like for only doing it about a month.

SPEAKER_02 4:09

Yeah, how's that feel? It felt good.

SPEAKER_03 4:12

Yeah, real humble and you know, I stay humble. So just uh from when I first made the juice, the um one of the owners in the smoke shop actually loved it. First sip he took, he was like, Yeah, bruh, I need these. And from that, that really had me, you know, definitely uh boosting me up a little bit. But I try and make sure anyway, anything I make is good regardless.

SPEAKER_02 4:42

I mean, yeah, yeah. You said you was doing this for how long before you started doing the mix? Like what five, five, how long, how long? About five, six years.

SPEAKER_03 4:52

I've always been making juices. Like, first started at Starbucks. Yeah. I was making coffee, working there for almost two years, so just being there helped me um that's just practice right there. Just learn how to make drinks uh just from flavor adjustments, how to uh adjust the taste if you need to, to um, you know, batching it the right way.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

That's nice. That's that's practice right there. The fuck you mean? That's great. That's great work. I bet bartenders would need your skills because they don't make drinks no more. They just give out shots. Like shots, shot, shot, shot.

SPEAKER_03 5:30

They don't make drinks no more. Or if they do make drinks, you know it's the usuals. It's nasty. Martinis or uh some daiquies, margaritas. Yeah, maybe a lemon drop, something different. But that's true. So you looking at other stores? Uh, I definitely got my eyes on some other stores also. Um I got a couple more of mine that I'm working on, but you ain't gotta name them out.

SPEAKER_02 5:55

You ain't gotta name them out. You ain't gonna name them out. They don't they are gonna see them though. So you from New York? I like New York. I wanna go to New York. I haven't been to New York. I still need to go to New York, but before I go to New York, give me a hidden gym about New York, I should know. Like either a place or some knowledge. What's what's like a hidden gym about New York? I should know.

SPEAKER_03 6:17

Um it's definitely fast paced, definitely busy all the time. People always moving. Um New York is just its own special place. Okay, honestly. Okay. I know a lot of people see it, you know. If you haven't been videos or, you know, pictures of it. It's definitely nice. Okay. And um I'm waiting to go back. When are you gonna go back? Trying to go back in June. Yep. Me and uh family gonna head back there. I haven't been home in about two years. Oh, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:54

Since I've been here. I know that's I know that. Yeah. It's like you like it's time. Yeah, it's time to go back and see some family. It's gonna be way different than out here.

SPEAKER_03 7:06

Oh yeah, and the food, like you're saying, good place, there's always good food. Like, that's the one thing I miss. Some good Spanish food, some nice good Jamaican food.

SPEAKER_02 7:16

Oh, they don't have no Jamaican spots out here. They try. Not the real good ones.

SPEAKER_03 7:23

Not like back home, no.

SPEAKER_02 7:24

But yeah, my family member makes jerk chicken better like than any restaurant out here. I'll go to them before any restaurant out here. Yeah, a better chance just making it at home. Yeah, yeah, because it's not it's not the same. Depending on where you go in. Especially, I went to Texas, tried some food out there, tried some Mexican food out there. It was like, yeah, it's not even like Colorado's, and like that's the main thing out in Colorado is Mexican food. So I'm like, my main thing is like taking an L, then you don't have too much luck for the rest of this shit. That's just all bad.

SPEAKER_03 8:00

Hey, there is some good spots out here, but you know, it's New York food just got a different taste to it.

SPEAKER_02 8:06

Yeah. So how do you how do you what happened when you came out here and started doing the grinding than when you was out there in New York and doing your hustling?

SPEAKER_03 8:19

I could say out here is uh more opportunities, it felt like. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely some more opportunities that um my brother helped me get into. Some opportunities I found on my own also. Um just, you know, trying to find the right path out here, seeing exactly what I wanted to do. And compare back home to New York. I had stuff going on, you know, working, jobs, little uh business side hustles I was into, but um it's just not the same out here. The people is different. I felt like the people more supportive out here. For real? You got some supportive back home too, but you know, it it don't it don't feel the same compared to out there. I always hear like everybody as far as the strangers, yeah. Strangers willing to just support you.

SPEAKER_02 9:15

I do, I do see that because a lot of the people that will be interested in the podcast, and I have been getting been new people, people that I'm like, yeah, check it out. And they're like, Yeah, alright, alright. And then they lock in with it. Yep. So that's the one that alright, alright, alright. Coffee first podcast, coffee drinks by Lancet and Mix Man coming soon. But that's the ones that were most interested in the drinks. That man, they're gonna love it. They're gonna love it.

SPEAKER_03 9:50

I know we was talking about that, and we got we're gonna have those coming out really soon. Yeah, yeah, I'm excited this coming week. Uh definitely gotta check that out. Coffee first podcast, Lance the Mix Man collab on coffee drinks, different flavors.

SPEAKER_02 10:09

Yes. You get the flavor soon because you get the flavor soon. Make sure you lock in, tap in, and check it out because it's something that you don't want to miss. Not at all.

SPEAKER_03 10:20

And summertime coming.

SPEAKER_02 10:22

No, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 10:23

Yeah, oh yeah, people are gonna be your favorite drinks in the summer. Mm-hmm.

SPEAKER_02 10:26

They're gonna love them. They're gonna even at night, you're gonna be like, I'm trying to go to sleep. Let me take some of this. Even on them nice summer nights. Nice ice cold. Oh man, yeah, it's gonna be nice. It's gonna be nice. Speaking of coffee, what's your morning routine, man?

SPEAKER_03 10:44

Man, um, you know, wake up, do the usual, get ready, you know, brush the teeth, shower and everything good like that, and just um try to clear my head. Yeah. For the most part, just trying to stay focused, um, seeing what's really important. Um, you know, just trying to prioritize prioritize certain things more um just in life as the older I get, you know. Okay. I see that.

SPEAKER_02 11:22

What's uh what's the lesson you learned on this on your way of uh prioritization of you know certain things and and discipline, you know, growing in yourself. What's what's uh a lesson you learned?

SPEAKER_03 11:39

Say something big I learned is uh you know make sure people taken care of, but you know, make definitely make sure you take care of yourself too. It's like the main number one thing. Yeah. Make sure you take care of yourself also. Definitely help people, always, but just make sure you know you got yourself situated too.

SPEAKER_02 12:02

I feel that. I feel that you can't do it, you can't help people if you're hurting. Like if you out here, you know, suffering, how you gonna help other people?

SPEAKER_03 12:12

Yeah, it's it's hard to help others when you know you're still trying to help yourself, kind of thing.

SPEAKER_02 12:18

Yeah, I feel that. I feel that. I've been learning that on the road that I've been on. Cause I've been too, I be helping people too much instead of helping myself. It could be like that sometime, depending on be like that. Alright, one more time. Shout out the store that you got connected with, who you are, where we can find you.

SPEAKER_03 12:39

Oh, yeah, at the shop purple haze, definitely check them out for sure. They is a really good store. They got the juices, they always got events in there. They'll hook y'all up. Tell them Lance the Mixman sent y'all whenever you do go there. Shout me out.

SPEAKER_02 12:56

Most dev, y'all got to. If you ever go there, definitely shout out Lance the Mixman. That's Instagram.

SPEAKER_03 13:02

Instagram too. Lance the mix man. On Instagram, find me on there. Hell yeah. I also do you know orders for juices. People wanted custom orders if you want. I like hey, people even help me come up with flavors.

SPEAKER_02 13:17

Nice.

SPEAKER_03 13:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:19

Nice. You got like a little spot where they can they could like put in a flavor?

SPEAKER_03 13:24

Uh, just you know, just hit me up on Instagram. Yeah for right now. I'm definitely um working on websites and just different platforms I could use, but you know, just starting off, just Instagram. Yeah, you could contact me on there. That's the best way to contact me for the juices right now, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:46

So I really want to know how'd you fall into working with uh summit to soul hospitality? Oh, solar summit, soul to summit hospitality.

SPEAKER_03 13:57

Um that was really uh my brother's business, you know. He um always had a passion for cooking, so I just um was always trying to help him out all the time, you know, with the cooking, um just any kind of help that I could be of, you know, just to get the business going for him, everything like that. And um it's been going good. It's been going good. It's definitely getting better for him. Um just for, you know, everyone in general who's been helping out.

SPEAKER_02 14:31

Um that's nice. That's nice. So you watched it grow, you watched it start. I did it from the start.

SPEAKER_03 14:39

I did. I did see it. Uh I did see him start, you know, from when he first started to uh the spot he got to now. It's definitely it's definitely came a long way. That's dope.

SPEAKER_02 14:51

That's dope. Have you learned a lot from his journey as well?

SPEAKER_03 14:56

I have. I have both from New York? Yeah, yeah. We both from New York. You know, just um watching him as he uh takes on his business at all. You know, just I just watch and observe, help me, you know, see certain things, what to do, what not to do, certain, you know, just stuff he told me, what to do, what not to do, and just um just watch and observe. I really watch and observe. It's nice to be quiet, I ain't gonna cut. I mostly just watch and observe is what I do.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

You learn a lot by doing that. I'm not gonna lie, like you watch and observe, then you learn a lot more than just always talking. I mean and not hearing you do, they say you got it.

SPEAKER_03 15:43

That's my way, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:43

At least it worked for me. You got two ears and two eyes for a reason and one mouth. And that's what that's like once I got told that I was like, yeah, that's true. That's true.

SPEAKER_03 15:55

And when you put it like that, yeah. I haven't I never even heard it like that, but when you put it like that, it's like hey, you better use them two before you use the one.

SPEAKER_02 16:06

Because you know, you're gonna learn a lot before you use that one if you use that one, shit. It's just like that. Um Auntie told me that, but uncle, I heard a few friends had me that tell me that just because and they was the ones that were mostly like the talkative ones, they were the ones that were mostly the ones running their mouth, but they would tell me that, and I was always like the quiet one, and I'd be like, I'd be like, Yeah, yeah. So I'll just look at them and be like, I wonder if you gonna actually do what you telling me, apply it to the teaching you telling me. I wonder if you gonna do it type shit. Yep, see if are you gonna listen to yourself? It never happened, it didn't happen, but it's cool, it's cool, you know, it'd be like that. So what what what's next? What's next for y'all? What are you looking forward to?

SPEAKER_03 16:58

Um you know, just me personally looking forward for uh definitely more growth, definitely um trying to get into more stores working on that. Um my plan is to definitely, you know, by the summertime have these drinks like the the talk of the city kind of thing. But everybody's like, yo, did you try one of those yet? I I I need one. Somebody like, hey, how can I contact them? I need to get me one of those.

SPEAKER_02 17:33

With the flavors you got. I definitely believe it.

SPEAKER_03 17:37

I definitely believe it. My main five right now is uh pineapple yuzu, green tea, pineapple mango, black tea, passion fruit, pink lemonade, uh watermelon iced tea. I got uh coconut raspberry, and one more extra I got is a Hawaiian island punch.

SPEAKER_02 17:58

Hawaiian island punch. Is that like the Hawaiian island, like the fruit punch, but uh a different mix of it?

SPEAKER_03 18:06

Like a fruit punch, but like uh Hawaiian mix to it, kind of thing.

SPEAKER_02 18:11

Ooh, I like the the oh is it coconut raspberry? Coconut raspberry, yeah. Yep, yep. I want to try one of them. It's good. Ooh. Oh, that one is a good one. Oh, coconut raspberry is a crazy combo.

SPEAKER_03 18:27

What's the what's the pineapple one? Pineapple usually green tea and a pineapple mingle black tea. Pineapple usually green tea. Yeah, that one is a good one.

SPEAKER_02 18:37

Is it good?

SPEAKER_03 18:38

Yeah, yeah. That one, I'm gonna bring you one of those to try, bro.

SPEAKER_02 18:42

Do y'all like switch? Sometimes, like he'll teach like Chef Smith will teach you how to cook, and he'll teach him how to make drinks.

SPEAKER_03 18:50

Uh, yeah, sometimes, depending on. Yup, yup, we have done that before with uh certain drinks, certain foods. He's always showing me, you know, certain foods to um cook, how to cook them, stuff like that.

SPEAKER_02 19:04

Okay. Because that's cool. Oh yeah, dude. You and you make her some food and drinks, and she's throwing that at us right there and there.

SPEAKER_03 19:16

Oh yeah. My girl be loving the food though. My girl definitely loves the food. Whenever I be cooking for her in the crib, we be she cooked too. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:27

Of course. I uh you probably got a family of chefs. Like, um, you got a chef in your family. That turns that turns everybody that's close into that, like everybody close to that one relative into like the cooking mode. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 19:45

Oh yeah. Everybody I know how to do a song.

SPEAKER_02 19:47

Yeah, that's how I learned. Like, my mom's my grandma, she did it. So it taught my auntie, my mom, and my uncle. And then which taught my cousin, well, both my cousins, my sister, my brother, and I. Now we can all just throw down in the kitchen when we need to. Oh, yeah. I ain't even a cook like that, but I just know how, you know. I ain't nothing. I ain't no chef. You could be a chef just for the house. That's it. I'm a chef for the night.

unknown 20:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:17

Show the solo. If I got some tunes, got some good weed, and you know, then I then I can get down. But that's all you need. You know, if I'm sober, nah, I'm not cooking like that.

SPEAKER_03 20:28

Get you in the mood too, like you be ready to start cooking.

SPEAKER_02 20:30

Uh if I'm not high, I ain't cooking like that. I'm gonna make me something quick. That's when I'm throwing in the uh oven pizza. Ain't the best thing, but that shouldn't make that should fill up the stomach a little bit. Oh, you can never go wrong with one of those, though.

SPEAKER_03 20:42

That's that's the uh the kid meals though, back in the day.

SPEAKER_02 20:46

So was OG a part of your family too? The one uh when y'all first came. Uh OG, that was sitting right here. Yeah. Yup, yeah, he definitely part of the family too. That's dope. That's cool. So it's like a family business for real.

SPEAKER_03 21:02

Oh, yeah. Yup.

SPEAKER_02 21:03

That's cool. That's cool.

SPEAKER_03 21:05

These um these drinks, though, man. Um I'm really aiming for more stores, these coffees. Uh myself I'm gonna be the next Arizona. So that like yeah, everywhere you go in the state, I'm glad I can see a part of that. What do you mean? I'm glad I can be a part of that. No matter what state you go to, you always see an Arizona.

SPEAKER_02 21:32

Yeah, you do.

SPEAKER_03 21:33

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 21:33

You be just like that. They probably across seas too. I bet you they across seas too. Oh, yeah, I believe it. Hell yeah. So, what's your new effort every day to make this thing happen?

SPEAKER_03 21:47

Just keep pushing the juices out there. Just getting more and more people to try them. Yeah, just you know uh, it's only been a month though. So, you know, I'm still at the beginning. And stages of it, but for it to only be a month, I could say a lot has happened in a month. Got a lot done in a month, just from having an idea, and then turning it into a product, you know, that quick, and then somebody wanting it in their store that fast, too. It was kind of like, oh, I wasn't expecting that, but hey, I'm running with it.

SPEAKER_02 22:29

I bet you that, like you said, that was humbling. I bet you that was surprising, exciting. You probably had a whole bunch of emotions going through you. Like, oh yeah, it was. Yeah, that was really. Shout them out.

SPEAKER_03 22:39

Purple haze again. That's the first store.

SPEAKER_01 22:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:42

That actually took my product. So for them, they uh yeah. That's awesome. Yeah, they got a special place.

SPEAKER_02 22:49

That's awesome. Who's the one person that that's been like inspired inspiring you?

SPEAKER_03 22:58

Um or it could be a couple people. Honestly, I don't really have a specific person. It could be yourself. Just um what inspires me really is seeing uh the growth, seeing how it gets better every day, seeing uh what new accomplishment I could get today. That's that's what's really inspiring. Seeing something new every day, or having somebody just hit me up saying, hey, I want one of the juices, or you know, or showing up at a vent, and you know, people buying all the juices. That's that's definitely what helps me out.

SPEAKER_02 23:45

That's cool. I bet you that feels great too.

SPEAKER_03 23:47

And just the determination myself, I'm just determined and get it done, kind of thing. Like and and the juices is good. It's not like I'm pushing out something that tastes nasty.

SPEAKER_02 24:01

You're pushing out some good ass product.

SPEAKER_03 24:03

Like anybody who's had the juice, they can, yeah, they can vouch for me.

SPEAKER_02 24:08

Yeah, yeah, that's great too. And no loss.

SPEAKER_03 24:12

You humble, but you know you the shit. People would tell you when something is too sweet or too that, you know. People usually wouldn't tell you if something is nasty in general. But they'll tell you if it's too sweet, uh, not enough sweet, too strong. I haven't even got that either. No? I haven't gotten not one of those either. So that's how I really know. Yeah, these juices gotta be good. I haven't even got that.

SPEAKER_02 24:39

Was that one of those moments that told you to lock in? Like around like the tenth person you had try it, and then it's like no bad reviews on it. That's when I just told you, like, yeah, not one.

SPEAKER_03 24:52

And I take all criticism all the time. I always tell, yeah, let me know how it tastes. Tell me. Please tell me. Now let me know what I need to fix so I can fix it. That's awesome, man. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 25:12

Put your head on, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:23

That's great. You be taking your time with them too, huh? Oh yeah. I definitely take my time to make sure, you know, as I'm hooking it up, I just give myself about an extra five, ten minutes making sure it's that perfect taste that I want for them. And that always works for me. Just little adjustments.

SPEAKER_02 25:46

Let's go. Shit, man. You planning on like what's the first city you want to get into? That's uh the first state you want to go to with them. What's what's what's a couple spots you know, like besides Colorado that you you you you would do good in?

SPEAKER_03 26:05

As far as other states, uh that I need to work on. I haven't um thought about other states just yet, but that's definitely in the plan. Okay. You know, you know, states close by Denver. I feel like I could even go back home to New York and get those going also back there. Cause I got I still got connections out there and people I know that I know would love the drinks if they tried it. I just need to get them out there.

unknown 26:35

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 26:37

Shit, what's it like New York City type shit?

SPEAKER_03 26:40

Oh yeah, City.

SPEAKER_02 26:41

Yup, yep. I'm from Brooklyn. Damn. So you would you go to Brooklyn or like like really like deep down in New York?

SPEAKER_03 26:52

Like, I would go everywhere. Anywhere to get them juices, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Bronx, Hall.

SPEAKER_02 26:58

That'd be cold. I'm not gonna lie. You get a store in New York, you gotta let me know. So when I go out there, I can talk shit. I'ma just That'd be different for real. That'll be the first store I go to, just so I can like get one of them drinks. That's going on social media.

SPEAKER_03 27:16

Oh, that's definitely the goal. I'ma definitely have a couple with me when I go back.

SPEAKER_02 27:21

I'm trying to go to New York for music. They say if you go out there for music, you know you the shit.

SPEAKER_03 27:26

Oh, yeah. You get a good crowd, so there's always a good crowd. Yeah. Always, no matter where you go in New York.

SPEAKER_02 27:33

Yeah. I haven't been out, man. I still need to go. Where's some other spots?

SPEAKER_03 27:38

You travel a lot? Not too often, nah. Just um really New York and here. I've been to a couple other states, but you know, haven't really lived there.

unknown 27:52

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 27:52

Just visited family or uh took a little road trip.

SPEAKER_02 27:56

Okay, okay. Well, let me have you uh do another shout out. Who you are, where we can find you before I get you out of here.

SPEAKER_03 28:09

One more time, Lance the Mixman. Find me there on Instagram as well. Hit me up. Anyone wants some juices? I'll be more than happy to bring some to y'all. And uh hey, anybody wanted to connect on collab on things also, I'm willing to do that also.

SPEAKER_02 28:29

Oh, okay. One more, one more, one more. Surprise, surprise, you know, little little ending. Can you can you end us off on a quote? Uh quote. I know I know you got it.

SPEAKER_03 28:43

I don't really know too many famous quotes. It ain't gotta be a famous one. Um I know we had talked about some, but um I remember just one I used to have as a kid. But uh when I was uh in the basketball a lot with Kevin Durant, he'll say, you know, hard work beats talent, but when talent fails to work hard, you know. So just always working hard, no matter how talented you are, always, you know, just always work hard, no matter the talent.

SPEAKER_02 29:18

What's that? What's that? I love that. Hell yeah, coffee first podcast. You will see more coming soon, but last the mix, man, and do your new effort every day, get your shit done, drink your coffee, smoke your weed. Unless you don't smoke weed, then do whatever you gotta do to get by.