Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Emily Schanie, owner of CAVU Coffee, located in West Chester, OH, USA.

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

CAVU Coffee is a small coffee boutique in West Chester, Ohio, with both cafe and drive-thru service. We serve single-origin coffee, roasted locally by La Terza Artisan Coffee Roaster. We set ourselves apart from other coffee shops by handcrafting all of our syrups and sauces in small batches and made in-house with natural ingredients and non-GMO cane sugar. Our sugar-free options are made from plant sources. All of our syrups and sauces are made without artificial flavors, colors, corn syrup, and preservatives. CAVU offers a rotating seasonal beverage menu along with offerings that include organic teas, smoothies, and a variety of fresh baked goods, breakfast and lunch sandwiches, all made in-house. We have many gluten-free and paleo baked goods that we source from a local, woman-owned business. We strive to create an environment where our customers can enjoy a cup of coffee with a friend, colleague, or on the go!

Tell us about yourself

I was born and raised in a small town in the Pacific Northwest. I started working in coffee at 17 in my hometown of Sweet Home, Oregon. Shortly after high school, I became a flight attendant and moved to the Midwest when I was based in Cleveland. While flying, I eventually met my husband, Kurt, a commercial pilot, and Cincinnati native. I left aviation in 2008 and returned to the coffee industry in time. In 2013, I became a mom and co-founded CAVU Coffee with my husband. While researching syrup options, I became surprised to find the lack of real ingredients in syrups and sauces on the market, so I set out to learn how to create my own.

I love being a part of a customer's day! The ritual of getting their morning coffee, enjoying a cup in the house, or on the go. The friendships you build with customers are the most rewarding part of my job!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment as a business owner was being able to retire my husband from aviation and bring him into our business full time at the five-year mark!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Balance is the hardest aspect of being a business owner. As a wife, mother, and daughter, I had to sacrifice a lot of my family/personal time, especially in the early years of building my business. Years later, I still feel like my plate is full and overflowing. You have to set boundaries and learn to say no.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Be committed to your business.
  2. Adjust and pivot; your business will have seasons just like your life. Just remember, it's important to stay true to your core values.
  3. Surround yourself with a great team! You cannot do all the things; develop a team that shares your passion and can help your business reach its goals while still having fun!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I am a third-generation entrepreneur! My grandfather owned and operated a sand and gravel business. I would spend many spring and summer breaks riding in his dump truck, helping keep track of load slips and paperwork.

I also watched my parents start their first business at our family's kitchen table. I was able to see the countless hours both of my parents spent building their business, all while my dad kept working full time at his regular job and my mom ran the company. I had a first-hand account of the sacrifices an entrepreneur makes for your business to survive, which has really helped me with my own business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cavucoffeeboutique
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cavucoffee/

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.

Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.