A Taste of Authentic Hawaii - Big Island Coffee Roasters
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kelleigh Stewart, Co-Founder of Big Island Coffee Roasters, located in Hilo, HI, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We're an awarded Hawaii coffee mill and craft coffee roaster with quality, sustainability, and the community at our core. Our local coffees are ripe harvested, intricately handcrafted, milled in small batches, roasted to order, and shipped directly from our farm & micro-mill to your door. We work with farmers across the state to offer the widest array of genuine Hawaiian coffee worldwide.
Tell us about yourself
We saw a desire for premium, authentic, and fresh Hawaii-grown coffees that weren't being met. Instead, grocer shelves were full of stale, flavored, 10% Kona coffees. We wanted to change that and showcase exceptional and genuine local coffees grown throughout Hawaii, from Kona to Oahu.
Each day we're motivated to create long-term value for our community, from coffee lovers to farmers, and support an intergenerational agricultural economy while nurturing this way of life for our island home.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Building a business alongside my husband that's capable of bringing meaningful income into Hawaii and doing so with no prior experience in business or marketing.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Our personal and professional growth needs to keep pace with the growth of our company and team. Sometimes it seems like there aren't enough hours in the day to accomplish it all.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Learn to prioritize on a daily basis.
- Establish clear, simple structure and guidelines as early as possible.
- Resist the desire to discount as much as you can. It gradually erodes your brand value, customer base, margins, and the health of the company.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Remain authentic to the original reason you started the company, and look for customers and supporters who inherently understand that purpose. When you find your ideal customer, give him/her VIP treatment from day one.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://bigislandcoffeeroasters.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigislandcoffeeroasters
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigislandcoffeeroasters/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bgislandcoffee
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3B2OqNK
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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