Brewing Connection: How Starbucks Baristas Inspire Joy One Cup at a Time Artwork

Today is the Day Changemakers

Through connecting with and highlighting changemakers, self-starters, and those who are disrupting the status quo, Jodi Grinwald’s ‘Today is the Day Changemakers’ channel will provide content that will connect listeners to real stories, from real people who are making a real difference in their corner of the world. These intimate interviews with inspiring and relatable guests will act as an opportunity for you to peer inside the minds of the latest gamechangers and creators. Changemakers believe in the greater good. They identify a specific issue or challenge and give themselves permission to do what is needed. Learn more about their tenacity, determination, motivation, and their innate ability to move past the challenges even when it is not easy. Every Wednesday a new interview will be released. Remember....Today is the day! You cannot go back to yesterday and you do not yet own tomorrow! Please follow on social media @todayisthedayliveit or email jodi@todayisthedayliveit.com.

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Today is the Day Changemakers

Brewing Connection: How Starbucks Baristas Inspire Joy One Cup at a Time

Subscriber Episode • September 04, 2025 • Jodi

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What if your daily coffee run was about more than just caffeine?

In this heartfelt bonus episode of Today is the Day Changemakers, I sit down with Roylene Matthews, manager of the Barnegat Starbucks, and Corinne Laboy assistant manager, to explore how they create meaningful moments of connection—one cup at a time.

For me, Starbucks has become much more than a coffee stop. It’s the place where my dog, Cello, earned his very first pup cup at just two months old—and still runs to the door at the word “Starbucks.” It’s where baristas know my name, my order (a decaf mocha, nonfat, no whip), and even write Cello’s name on his cup. It’s where vacations and daily life stories are shared across the counter. And it’s where my stepdaughter looks forward to her favorite Frappuccinos when she visits.

Roylene and Corinne share how they cultivate this kind of community, remembering regulars’ orders, offering smiles that turn mornings around, and making every customer feel like more than just a transaction. Starbucks, as they remind us, isn’t only about a great cup of coffee—it’s about connection, joy, and the little rituals that bring people together.

If you’ve ever wondered why we willingly pay a little more for that daily coffee, this episode shows how the true value comes not just in the taste, but in the experience of being seen, remembered, and welcomed.

☕ Tune in and be reminded that sometimes the smallest interactions can brew the biggest connections.

True changemakers prove that impact isn't measured by position or popularity, but by the way they brighten lives and bring people together.

✨ Don’t forget to subscribe to the Today is the Day Changemakers YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @TodayisTheDayLiveIt.

🌍 Today is the Day is more than a podcast—Jodi provides ongoing coaching and consulting for nonprofits, for-profits, executives, and more. To learn about all of our services and the upcoming Today is the Day International Changemakers Forum on October 23, visit todayisthedayliveit.com.

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Jodi Hope Grinwald

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