Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/659566
W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 17 A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 6 off and collects the money. I'm very hands on. It's my baby," Kramer says. He designed the packaging for the coff ee and he and his wife designed the interiors for the restaurant and the cafés. Business language Kramer admits the transition from being a musician to a businessman is diffi cult, but he loves coff ee and cafés and wanted to be an entrepreneur. His father also was in business — in advertising specialties like novelty pens — but Kramer says he didn't take to business as a kid, and still doesn't enjoy the mathematics part of it. He credits Cimler and Mann with nursing him along and learning business etiquette, especially during the business meetings with customers. "Otherwise I'd be calling people a**holes and using the word s*** where I'm not supposed to," Kramer says. "I enjoy the social part of business, even if it's a business meeting. I fi nd it interesting to listen to what each guy's take is on a particular thing." Dressed head to toe in black leather and adorned with silver jewelry and well-worn tattoos for his upcoming meeting with Hannaford managers and a meet and greet with employees in the headquarters' cafeteria, Kramer acknowledges getting a kick out of sitting at a table with a bunch of businessmen and knowing all the while that they're all thinking about what he is doing there. " ey walk in with their suits and ties and I walk in looking like I look and they get a charge out of that," he says. "Nine out of 10 guys, whether they want to admit to it or not — businessmen, doctors, dentists — everybody wants to be a rock star. And now that I've had 40-some years of being a rock star, I'm ready to get down to business." Does he want his business to become big, like his band? Kramer says he's playing it by ear as to whether Rockin' & Roastin' will turn into a conglomerate. Says Kramer, "I aim to keep the quality control. at's one of the things I will always insist upon." He says the only overlap of being a businessman and a rock star is dealing with people, and he's a people person. " is [business] came from wanting to do and give more. I've been doing what I've doing musically for a long, long time. e band has been around for 45 years. I started playing the drums when I was 14 and I'm now 65," Kramer says. "When I'm not playing or we're not touring, doing other things and getting away from the drama and the rhetoric of the band and the traveling is what helps keep it fresh for me." L V, Mainebiz senior writer, can be reached a t @ . a n d @ LV Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that Not only is it a distraction that keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but keeps me fresh to my drums, but it's something that helps me give more to people to enjoy. I get to entertain people. I love working with people. — Joey Kramer