Life & Work with Josh Romano of Mason, Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Romano.

Hi Josh, 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?
Kala began with a desire to more deeply connect with our community. We have often said that there are plenty of coffee shops and cafes in the community but we had a desire to be a coffeehouse for the community. Axis Church generously donated funds to renovate an warehouse space into a warm environment for coffee conversations and connection. Another aspect that set us apart from the beginning was our heart for kids in our community. A portion of our tips has always gone to providing for a range of needs that support local families and kids in warren county.

The word Kala is a greek word meaning Good. It’s origin is from Matthew 5:16
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

We strive to stand out in 3 key areas:

Good coffee
Among Good Company
For a Good Cause

Good coffee means we pay the premium to find locally sourced, minimally processed ingredients.

Good company means we seek to create an environment that is positive, encouraging and helps to see and bring out the best in everyone. This starts with our staff and extends to each person that walks through the door.

A Good cause means we bring our community together to do good in our own backyard and beyond. We do this through our non-profit, partnerships as well as various events meant to elevate local business entities as well as pour pack into each of our customers in a way that leaves them better than we found them, even if that is simply through a warm drink, warm conversation, or a simple smile.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think any venture worth chasing comes without it’s sacrifices challenges and risks. The biggest question was originally will this even work? My wife Jessica was part of the whole process of dreaming up Kala. We both saw so much more than an empty warehouse space on route 42. We saw a place bustling with activity. A place where the community came together. Jess has an incredible eye for design and helping to transform a drab space into a place where people want to come and stay.

We had a couple in our church named Roger and Jackie that founded Kala alongside Stephen the lead pastor at Axis Church and myself. Roger and Jackie were a couple that felt called to come out of retirement because they were compelled by the vision. Rather than spending their early years of retirement and resources on themselves they chose to sacrifice money and time to help lay the foundations for Kala in it’s early years. It would have never happened without their dedication, and sacrifice. After Roger and Jackie “re-retired” and moved to Colorado, we were left figuring out how to carry Kala forward and fill their shoes. We had several of our team step up during this time and help us press on.

Then we through the support of Axis Church were able to hire a full-time (to say the least) manager named Colleen. Colleen again made massive sacrifices because she felt a sense of calling to what we were trying to collectively accomplish. She left a well-paying job and said yes to tackling a huge transition. Since she has poured countless hours into our team, helped us become more profitable, and really solidified our culture into what it is now. Our team is the best part about Kala and Colleen’s personal touch and tender heart has been replicated time and time again in our team.

There of course are all the other challenges we have faced over the years including the uncertainties of COVID, workforce shortages, and the recent rising costs of coffee, We believe we have been able to weather it all because God has more work for us to do in pouring into the people of our community.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I carry a lot of different roles and titles but first and foremost I am a Pastor. I have been a part of Axis Church in Mason since it’s founding in 2009. I don’t often lead with this because it often comes with preconceived notions, assumptions or even personal history for people. I don’t like to be put into a box and the truth is there have been a lot of poor examples like anything else I suppose of what a Pastor is. The other reason I don’t always share what I do out of the gate is because I don’t want people to feel like they can’t be themselves around me. I see the role as both an incredible honor and a weighty responsibility. I have the responsibility to help people discover their creator, and help them to see that they are deeply loved by God just as they are. I also have the responsibility to help them to become all they were created to be.

I’m also a local business owner at a gym in the same complex as Kala called CrossFit Mason. There people just know me as Coach Josh. It is again a beautiful honor and responsibility to get to come alongside people to help them be their physical best. Even in this environment though people entrust me with the real life stuff and give me the opportunity to pour into them on a deeper level. It’s such a fun challenge to meet people where they are, see what they are capable of and help them get there. We have athletes of all ages and abilities and it’s a great joy to be a coach, trainer and business owner creating a space and environment where people can succeed in accomplishing more than they could have imagined.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The power of resilience. I’ve learned that anything worth achieving takes time, energy, commitment and the ability to show up every day even when you aren’t feeling it. All of us face a variety of personal challenges in our lifetime but what ultimately separates people is their ability to keep rising to the challenge and showing up each day. My best one day might not be as strong as my best on another day but what is important is that I give my all to God, myself, and the people around me each day. I’ve also seen that it has been through challenging seasons, or resistance that some of the greatest break throughs have come. I feel like what makes me an authority to speak into the lives of others is not that I’ve done things perfectly along they way but I’ve continued to show up, if even imperfectly.

I think another lesson that is important that I’ve tried to impart upon the young people around me is the importance of servant leadership. As a whole this means aiming to add more value than you take in any and every situation. Give more than we take. The ones I have the most respect for are the ones that are willing to do the small thankless jobs. I try to remind people that “no job is too small, and none of us are too big.” There is a saying in my mother in law in kentucky likes to say about people “gettin to big for their britches” I think our generation is in need of more leaders that aren’t too big for their britches, meaning they are willing to serve those around them without expecting anything in return.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kalacoffeehouse.com/
• Instagram: kalacoffeehouse