Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jennifer Hernandez, Owner of The Cuban Coffee Break, located in Thornton, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is The Cuban Coffee Break. I want to create a safe space for individuals who aren't "Hispanic enough" or "white enough" to fit into either group. Cuban coffee and snacks are a great way to remind yourself to stop, slow down, and enjoy the little things. I would like everyone to be a customer because it means my community is growing, and it means that more people are getting to experience an amazing part of my culture.
Tell us about yourself
I first started in August of 2021, selling just the Cuban pastries known as Pastelitos. Since starting, I have added the espresso machine, which is the part I love focusing on. Coffee is a huge part of my and everyone's lives, and bringing in a "new" style that people enjoy gives me the confidence to keep going. The goal is to get a truck eventually so I can be mobile and have an opportunity to grow my community, but I am also just taking it day by day and seeing what opportunities come my way.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Honestly, how far I have come in a year and a half. I may not be a full-blown business yet. I may need to work other jobs to sustain my living, but I am much closer this year than last year and closer to the life I want than if I had never started. I have also done it almost completely alone, which is a huge accomplishment.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Starting. I never really know what I am doing when I start a new aspect of the business (like filing taxes), and it always feels like I am just winging it, but once I am in the process, it feels so good to know I am doing it.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Reach out. I have made so many amazing friends through the last year and a half, which makes running this business so much better. The tips and tricks I learn from others doing it are more valuable than anything I learned getting my degree in business administration.
- It will be scary, but it will be so worth it. Jump in. If you have a dream and it is something you really love, just go for it. The worst thing that can happen is it doesn't work, and then you know. Chances are, though, it will work if it is truly a passion.
- You will have bad days, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth it. This is something I still work with a lot. Growing up with major parts of my culture being excluded from what I was allowed to know hits me almost every day. I question why I am doing this, but then one person who has never tried Cuban coffee will tell me how amazing it is, or I will have a regular come back and tell me how they can't get through the next week without it, and it will all be worth it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.thecubancoffeebreak.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecubancoffeebreak
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecubancoffeebreak/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.