Blend, Chill, Shake, Pour

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Gabriela Annacone, Founder of Coquito NYC, located in Brooklyn, NY, USA.

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

My business is a seasonal beverage company that celebrates Hispanic traditions that bring people together. We currently offer two coquito products: A ready drink 10oz bottled coquito and a Home Kit that ships nationwide and comes with everything you need to make a coquito at home with loved ones.

Mostly everyone that we've encountered has had their own experience with coquito, whether that's because their family makes it or they were introduced to it by a friend. Because of that, my customers are incredibly diverse from all backgrounds and from all over the states. The people who enjoy coquito are those that value family and traditions and love to have a good time!

Tell us about yourself

I am probably a bit biased, but I feel deeply connected to the Hispanic culture and take such pleasure in our traditions. As someone who lives a few states away from their family, these traditions make me feel at home no matter where I am, and coquito has always given me that warm feeling with every sip.

I started my business by accident - I made a coquito for my office one holiday season as a way for my coworkers to get to know me a bit better since I was one of the newer team members. Someone asked me if I would make more and if they could buy it from me and I said yes! I started playing around with a Shopify account out of genuine curiosity and then received my first stranger order. It was then that I realized the void in the market.

For so long, coquito has been successful at the street level at best, but the opportunity is much bigger. There are a lot of delicious foods and products that I believe can have success if shared and sold more widely. I quickly realized that the most important thing to me, after selling coquito far and wide, is to inspire the other Latin side hustlers to think bigger and take risks.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Coquito NYC is still very much a small business. Each year I like to push myself just a bit outside of my comfort zone to see what I can learn. In 2019, I signed up as a vendor at the Coffee Festival in New York City and decided to offer our classic blend as well as a coffee-infused blend. What I wanted most from this opportunity was to meet people that loved coquito face-to-face and read their reactions, listen to their feedback, as well as hand people who've never had coquito their first cup.
Some quick math would tell me that I'd have to sell at least 400 bottles of coquito in order for me to break even on the investment. That investment wasn't small; it included the sponsorship fee, large refrigerator rentals, a truck rental, ingredients for 400 bottles, and a custom print job to dress the booth up.

I couldn't believe I was next to huge brands like La Colombe or Mr. Black, or Vita Coco! To promote the festival, the organizers chose a couple of select businesses to be featured on a national morning show, and they asked me to join. At the end of the festival, I had only three bottles left, nearly selling out of my inventory. It's the most I'd ever sold in one day. I received loads of positive feedback and some constructive feedback. Although we've had a few other notable accomplishments, I'm most proud of this leap of faith and how it turned out.

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

One of the hardest things about being a business owner is also one of the things I love most it's learning on-the-go and trusting your gut when you need to make good decisions quickly.

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

Believe in what you're doing and understand why you're doing it.
Start with what you know, then get comfortable just figuring things out (everyone is).
Intentionally make yourself uncomfortable when you can afford it
that is where your growth is.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://coquito-nyc.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coquito_nyc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coquito-nyc/

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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