Taste of Home, Feel at Home - Cafe Immortelle

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Marizza Alejo-Carino,MD, founder of Cafe Immortelle,LLC., located in Troy, MI, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Cafe Immortelle is a family-owned and family-run business. It was established in July of 2019. Currently, the first and only physical store is located in Troy, Michigan. Cafe Immortelle serves espresso and tea drinks as well as all-day brunch eats. Our main suppliers for coffee are Populace Coffee and Creation Coffee. They are roasteries based in Bay City, Michigan, and Midland, Michigan. For tea, our main supplier is Eli Tea Bar, based in Birmingham, Michigan. Food is prepared by yours truly.

Tell us about yourself

Since I have been an OB-Gyne Physician for 18 years turned to naturopathic and regenerative medicine, I always had a vision of creating my own healing house. Part of my vision is to incorporate a wellness cafe that clients can enjoy while relaxing, detoxifying, rejuvenating, and generally taking care of their well-being. I wanted to have my own creative outlet to support my health and wellness advocacies mixed with my love for travel, coffee, tea, and food. The opportunity arose when a friend of mine closed down one of their coffee shops in Seattle and decided to give its heart, the espresso machine. It was the greatest sign for me to start taking steps to pursue my dream cafe finally. This pushed Cafe Immortelle’s conceptualization into a local espresso and tea bar that focuses on its simple yet solid menu.

What's your biggest or hardest accomplishment as a business owner? Would you mind sharing your top tips?

Making a fair decision isn't always the easiest thing, but looking back at my journey in Cafe Immortelle, I see how the business became stronger and stronger through making fair decisions. Whatever difficult decisions I had to make were made more difficult because they also had to be honest, but they paid off over time.

Courage is when you are able to make difficult decisions and pursue those decisions even when other people do not initially perceive them as the correct decision.

I think a majority of people base their judgments on the superficial. If you go a little lower, deeper, you see a different picture. I think that's the key, and I still practice that in everything, the way you assess the business opportunities, the way you determine anything. I always make it a point to look beyond what you see from the outside. I have noticed that most people base their decisions only on what is indicated on the business dashboard. But you will have a greater advantage if you base your decisions before it even reaches the dashboard.

Building a business that will outlast my lifetime is a worthwhile pursuit. I'm not into building something short-term. Sure, I may make money out of a fad, but I'm not really too keen on that. I think Cafe Immortelle is well-designed and well-executed, well it's limited to my own knowledge and experience, of course, that's why I have to consult others way before I dared to do so. I remember the words of one influential person I met just months before I decided to open the cafe, whom I can say inspired me a lot. His words just struck my heart.. he said: "if you think you can do it now, then do it!!" and yes, I decided something that was built to outlast me.

I have to remind myself from time to time that my business endeavors should uplift everyone involved.. that's always the intention.
Putting up a business, in the beginning, is more art than science. You cannot rely on a template for it. Later on, when the company is more established, it becomes more science than art.

I consider myself a risk-taker. But I think there's also a defensive side to taking risks, which is very important. There's a very thin line between being aggressive and being purely reckless. I'm aggressive but not reckless.

I go full throttle most times, but I don't go beyond the limits. Though every situation is different, your limits vary, too. It's like driving. The speed limit is different whether you're driving on a small road or a highway, or whether you're going straight in clear weather or turning during rain. You have to adjust your limits to the factors around that specific circumstance.

I think success is a series of correct decisions. Every decision that's made today was made because you thought it was right today, and, as a leader and a business founder, that's your job.. to keep making decisions all day.
For ten decisions you make, maybe seven will be perceived as immediately correct. While others may not perceive the other three decisions as right, however, if you're blessed, it will turn out correct in the long run. And that blessing comes about as a combination of instinct and guidance.

Over time, I have realized that being born in a third-world country.. became an advantage. I discovered that when you are able to quickly learn the complex business ways in the big country and then mix those learnings with what you have naturally learned in the streets in the province, it will result in better decisions and direction. I think if I had a different and more comfortable background, the decisions I have made over the past ten years would have been different.

I am thankful for all the experiences I've had..from my childhood years growing up seeing our parents build their businesses brick by brick, my high school years of putting up with simply what I should do and follow to be a good daughter and honor student and to obey whatever I am task to do every day, this result to being rewarded by traveling and see a beautiful cafe in the world and visit almost all the famous cities in the world as fruits of their hard work. These all gave me a good foundation that I can make use of in my daily grind.

Now that the cafe reaches its 1st year despite the challenge of the pandemic, all I can say is to be grateful ahead of time to wherever it takes us to. When a person starts to think that all his success comes because he's so good, he's already off-track. I always remind myself that I'm here for a mission, which keeps me grounded. I have to keep checking with myself, is this aligned with why I was given these blessings? Am I on track with my mission in life?

I have always tried to give value and importance to family and friends for many years. At the end of the day, they are your core. It keeps you whole, which is necessary as you navigate your life journey. Every person that inspires me has a big role to play, and that makes the difference when you feel you are surrounded by people destined to be part of your life's journey.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

The company strives to be at the forefront in giving our guests the best specialty cafe experience. We aim to bring this through top-quality locally-sourced ingredients, a comfortable atmosphere, and the most inviting customer service.

Vision

To be the leading neighborhood cafe brand providing the best customer experience for a more rejuvenated mind, body, and soul.

Company Milestones

1. Soft Opening: July 28, 2019
2. Live on GrubHub
3. First Year Anniversary
4. Surviving COVID

Unique Selling Proposition: What makes Cafe Immortelle different?

Cafe Immortelle's unique style of bringing specialty food and drinks in its local neighborhood (Troy) helps create its own space in the industry. Its USPs can be categorized in the following:

1. Local novelty - Cafe Immortelle is currently the only specialty cafe in Troy, Michigan. It is one of the very few independent local shops that continue to bring more soul and color to the community.
   a. Specialty Coffee and Tea: Our coffee and tea are specially sourced and roasted. They are prepared by an outstanding coffee roaster and tea-maker who had spent their time perfecting their products.
   b. Local Supply: We source our coffee beans, loose-leaf teas, and food ingredients locally (Michigan). We aim to support our fellow local shops and even the local community and bring them all to the cafe.
   c. Filipino Food: The family is from the Philippines. They try their best to introduce Filipino food to the community.
2. Owners' taste & expertise - The owners have their own expertise in creating the cafe. Marizza infuses her own knowledge of being a medical and naturopathic doctor in all offerings. For example, she researches and makes her own tea blends to create specialty tea drinks that can cater to one's wellness needs. Norman, being an experienced chef, brings different hole-in-the-wall food to offer. Whether Filipino food or American, he creates his own twist in the menu and provides the community a wider and more interesting selection. Lastly, the couple's travels combined with a discipline of always checking different local cafes inspire the cafe's decor. A European Aesthetic has greatly inspired the first store in Troy.

Brand Name

Our brand name is "Cafe Immortelle." It is inspired by the Immortelle Flower. The Everlasting, also known as Helichrysum, is derived from the Greek words helisso, meaning to turn around, and chrysos which means gold. This plant was used as tribal medicine by ancient civilizations all over Africa and Europe due to its rich antioxidants, skin regeneration, and other healing properties. The oil extracted from this plant can help restore damaged tissues and stomach pain and improve skin complexion, making it a popular key ingredient in any holistic beauty and healthy lifestyle. The flower represents what we would like our guests to experience once they go into the store, feeling renewed. Each offering will appeal to all their senses. We want to give them a sense of rebirth or a new beginning, a taste of immortality, a taste of new life.

Peeking in the Coffee, Tea, and Restaurant Industry: According to recent coffee studies, specialty coffee sales are increasing by 20% per year and account for nearly 8% of the 18 billion dollar U.S. coffee market. Among coffee drinkers, the average consumption is 3 cups of coffee per day. Michigan is now also riding the wave of specialty coffee consumption, making it a good place to supply and offer coffee. The number of Coffee Roasteries in the state has been on the rise, bringing more coffee supply to independent cafes. This trend has also been helping keep the continued growth of Michigan's coffee industry. Just like coffee, specialty tea has also been garnering its own development. Tea, still being the most widely consumed beverage in the world next to the water, recent market trends show the rise of a niche crop patronizing specialty tea used in many ways such as wellness, natural healing, etc.

Although specialty coffee and tea are on the rise, the recent global pandemic has negatively affected Michigan's restaurant and bar industry. As restaurants continue to give their customers fresh and good quality products while adhering to health and safety guidelines, the pandemic has negatively changed people's behavior towards patronizing restaurants.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://cafeimmortelle.square.site/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafeimmortelle/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafeimmortelle/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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