Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with John Richards, co-founder, and CEO of OneNation Coffee, located in Summerville, SC, USA.

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

OneNation Coffee is a Veteran and First Responder-owned coffee company based out of Charleston, South Carolina. It was founded by a Veteran and First Responder who truly know what it means to have your Six—AM! OneNation Coffee offers a variety of roasts ranging from light to dark available in ground and whole bean options in addition to coffee pods (familiarly known as k-cups). All coffee is roasted to order in small batches to maintain the highest quality and freshness. More importantly, their Passion Brews Purpose at OneNation Coffee.

Tell us about yourself

Between myself and my business partner with careers in the military and law enforcement and always having to drink subpar coffee on deployments or during night shifts. We wanted to provide coffee for people who like us. People that just love good coffee and love our great country. Also, being military and first responders minded, we wanted our coffee to have a purpose, so we have always given back to different nonprofits that helped veterans and first responders. It was so important to all of us at OneNation Coffee that last year, we started the OneNation Foundation and part of our proceeds goes to support that. I just want to have a positive impact through a cup of coffee; from helping get up in the morning or making a difference through our foundation, I am excited about the future.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Just the simple fact of starting something from nothing and growing it into what OneNation Coffee today is a pretty big accomplishment. I say that as a collective because it took a lot of hard work from a lot of people to get the company off the ground. I give all the credit to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, that has carried us the whole way through.

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

Being a business owner! There is so much to learn and do, and you got to learn it and do it as you run your business. You look at bigger companies, and you wonder how they ever got off the ground because it's really hard to get a small business established. But you just have to believe in your business and not give up. You just have to realize it is all about the long game and know that it is not going to happen overnight. You just have to keep learning and moving forward.

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

  1. Take your time and do research on the type of business you want to start. Have that understanding of every aspect of what it will take to run that business. Plan it out and get advice from other people that know what they are talking about.
  2. If you are starting a business, make sure you love or have a passion for what you are doing because you are going to need it when the times get tough.
  3. Remember it is not always about you or what you think is best but about your target customer. You need to know your customer and make sure you are keeping them happy.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

When you start a business, you have to believe that your business is a real business, and you need to treat it as a real business. If you don't, then it will be hard for other people to believe in your business or treat your business as a business. For example, if you can't get your friends and family to buy your products when you first start and not give them away, how can you expect anyone else to buy your products.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.onenationcoffee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OneNationCoffee/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onenation_coffee/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/onenation-coffee/

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.