Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food &  beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kathryn Rogers, Founder of Maya Moon Co., located in San Diego, CA, USA.

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

Maya Moon Co. creates organic cacao truffles and drinking cacao blends made with the highest quality, nutrient-dense ingredients. We source whole-bean cacao directly from organic farmers in Peru and Ecuador. Our farmers get paid living wages for the cacao they grow, and in turn, our customers feel confident knowing they are supporting healthy communities and ecosystems in South America. Our signature Chakra Chocolate Truffles are made with ethically sourced local raw honey and organic fruits, herbs, and spices making them the perfect naturally sweetened, healthy treat. Accompanying meditation tracks make for a unique and nurturing self-care ritual in each seven-flavor gift box.

Maya Moon Co.’s decadent and delicious drinking cacao blends are vegan and gluten-free and come in six different flavors, each made with nutrient-dense whole bean cacao blended with organic maple sugar and herbs and spices. Choose from options like Golden Cacao with inflammation-busting turmeric or Adaptogen Cacao with reishi and Chaga mushroom powders for balancing your body.

Whether you are looking for a delightful, healthy treat to share among friends or an up-leveled morning ritual, our cacao blends are simple to make at home (just add hot water!) and are rich in energizing theobromine and mood-boosting anandamide. Customers can find all these and more at our flagship cacao café and community event space in San Diego, CA, or online.

Tell us about yourself

When I was in college, I spent a winter term in Costa Rica and visited both conventional banana farms and organic banana farms. I got to see the contrast between the conventional environment filled with pesticides and the unjust treatment of workers and the thriving, healthy ecosystem on the organic farm firsthand. This sparked a fascination with learning more about conventional, sustainable, and regenerative agriculture practices throughout Latin America, as well as how our buying decisions support them.

Maya Moon Co. was born out of my love for treats, health, and the environment. I was inspired to create a decadent treat made with real, whole-food ingredients that tasted amazing and supported healthy environments. I am motivated to keep going because I get to see the delicious shifts that happen for our customers at Maya Moon Collective, our flagship cacao cafe in San Diego. It's a joy to witness the heartfelt connections that happen over cups of cacao.

In turn, I am reminded of the farmers we source from in Ecuador and Peru and our contributions to their work. For example, Maya Moon wrote a letter of support to help one of our farm partners in Ecuador secure funding to expand their regenerative agricultural practices. They are leading the change towards healthier futures in a region where pesticide-heavy growing practices are the norm. When our customers enjoy our cacao, they, too, get to be part of these noble efforts. I can't imagine a more meaningful way to invest my time and energy.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

When I launched Maya Moon, one of my dreams was to build a team who would be leading positive change in the world. The company began with me and one chocolatier and has grown over the past four years to include four pastry chefs/chocolatiers and eight cacao tenders. It is awesome to get to see the joy and enthusiasm they each bring to our shared mission of making our community healthier and more connected.

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

Finding a balance between keeping daily operations going and focusing on the big picture is one of my greatest challenges. As the sole founder, my time and energy are constantly being pulled in many directions. I’ve learned over time the importance of prioritizing vision and long-term growth to ensure Maya Moon Co. continues to grow and accomplish our mission.

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

  1. Prioritize self-care. Starting and scaling a business is going to take time and a lot of energy. Exercise, nutrition, and time for you to process all the growing pains along the journey are critical to keeping a clear mind and sustaining yourself.
  2. Seek assistance. Look to brands that have already had success doing what you want to do or like what you want to do. Learn from them. Then reach out to people in your network, your ideal customers, and people who inspire you to gather their input at every step in your business journey. The more you ask for help early on, the more you will learn to reduce avoidable mistakes as your business grows. You’ll also have a larger network of people who believe in you, who will be excited to cheer you on as the business takes off, and who you can call to support you when everything feels like it’s falling apart.
  3. Be gentle with yourself. You are going to make mistakes. You are going to feel lost and unsure. You are going to get burned out at times, no matter how dedicated you are to self-care. Entrepreneurship is by far the most challenging thing I’ve ever done. It has tested my self-trust, resilience, and belief in our mission time and again. Blood, sweat, and tears are no joke. Thank goodness for decadent cacao, which is the perfect sweet medicine to keep me going and believing in our mission during those times I needed it the most!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.mayamoon.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mayamoonco/

Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/mayamoonco/
https://www.instagram.com/mayamooncollective/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathrynrogers03/

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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