Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jennifer Simmons, Owner of Java Planet Organic Coffee Roasters, located in Tampa, FL, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a family-owned small batch organic coffee roaster in sunny Tampa, FL. We started Java Planet because we love coffee and were tired of the burnt, bitter taste we found in most coffees. When researching the business, we discovered how incredibly important organic is, not only to our own health but that of the wildlife that lives on these farms, the land & waterways, and of course, the farmers who are around those chemicals all the time.
We are happy to have a community of wonderful customers who appreciate great-tasting coffee that doesn't leave them jittery or with sour stomachs and believe in supporting farmers who are growing organic as nature intended.
Tell us about yourself
My husband Mike & I both came from software backgrounds. Mike started roasting coffee at home so we could have good fresh coffee, and soon friends and family were asking to buy it. We decided to make it a business, and our son Jeremy took over the roasting. We were delightfully surprised in the beginning with customers telling us that they no longer experienced jitters, acid stomachs, or crashes when drinking our coffee. We knew organic was important, but hearing the feedback from our customers on what happened for them in switching fueled our fire to grow our business.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We are very proud of our Sustany Sustainability Award. We love bringing awareness to our customers about the wonderful farmers that grow our coffee and how their purchase benefits these families, as well as the protection it provides wildlife and thus our whole planet.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Juggling it all. I don't know any business owner that knows it all. In the beginning, you do everything, but as you grow, you have to bring on people who know more about systems, website design, or marketing. It is important to find those right people.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Research. It's not just about where to get the product and how much it will cost. Who is going to buy your product and why? What matters to them? Where do they already shop? What clubs or groups are they in?
- Find good resources for the things you don't know, like managing your books, web design, and email marketing, and when you find them cultivate those relationships.
- Give a great customer experience. This includes but is not limited to customer service. Provide content that improves your customers' lives, send them thank you notes or emails after a certain number of purchases, give them a little gift, and handwrite (or pay someone to) holiday cards for your loyal customers. It's about creating that feeling in your customers that they would never want to buy that type of product from anyone else.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://jporganiccoffee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/javaplanetorganiccoffee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/javaplanetcoffee/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/javaplanetjoe
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jlsjavaplanetcoffee/
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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