Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Eric Irwin, co-owner of Orion Coffee And Tea, located in Cedarville, OH, USA.

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

We are a specialty coffee roaster with a cafe in Cedarville, Ohio, and a full-service drive-thru in Jamestown, Ohio. We love coffee and our customers, and we are excited each and every day to be blessed with the ability to serve our communities with excellent coffee each day! We source quality, ethically produced coffee from around the globe. We work closely with our coffee traders to ensure quality and transparency throughout the entire coffee production.

Both of our locations have a full espresso bar, fresh drip coffee, cold brew, smoothies, frappes, and shakes. We have tailored the menu with our communities in mind to offer what they want! Customers can also visit our website to purchase freshly roasted coffee beans. We also produce single-serve K-Cups in house that are superior than most brands. We use more beans per pod and have a specially designed pod with a one-way valve to allow the coffee to discharge carbon dioxide instead of keeping the CO2 inside the pod, which accelerates the coffee to go stale. We also provide a selection of loose leaf teas and home brewing equipment so our customers can enjoy cafe-quality drinks at home!

Tell us about yourself

I purchased an existing coffee shop in Cedarville, Ohio, in 2019. The owner had lost interest and motivation in the coffee roasting business and the cafe he operated on site. The months before purchasing the business, my wife, her sister and husband had been looking to start our own coffee roasting business. One afternoon I was having lunch with a good friend, I was telling him about our interest in starting a coffee roasting company. He directed me to the previous owner to see if he would be willing to sell. He knew the previous owner was growing frustrated with the business and may just want to sell. So, three years later, we are still working on making the previous business better, more efficient, and more welcoming for the community of Cedarville. We opened our Jamestown Drive-Thru in January 2020.

I am motivated by making the coffee shops and products better each day and to better serve our community. Without the communities, our business would be dead. I am also motivated to grow our barista team and to teach them more about the coffee industry. The coffee industry is HUGE, and there is so much to learn. We are developing a training curriculum for our team, which will also transition into a training program for our customers and community.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Building the shop back up in Cedarville was a huge task. People had months and even a year of bad experiences, that we had a lot of work to gain the trust of the community again. Along with that, most of the equipment we purchased from the previous owner was neglected and beyond repair. We have completely replaced every piece of equipment, except 2 in the entire Cedarville Cafe. About nine months after taking over the Cedarville Cafe and Roastery, we saw a huge increase in traffic, close to 20% over the previous year. That was a huge accomplishment that the time and effort we were investing into the business was paying off.

Another huge accomplishment was getting the Jamestown Drive-Thru operational just months before the global pandemic. We went into a much smaller Village than Cedarville, and many people thought we were crazy. But the Jamestown Drive-Thru outperforms Cedarville about 85% of the year.

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

There are many not easy things about being a business owner. You really need to know the ins and outs of your industry, buildings, equipment, community, and employees. Constantly things are changing and bringing new challenges. But, if you understand your industry, you can see these trends change and pivot ahead of time and not after.

Having the ability to recognize issues with the buildings or equipment early can save you downtime. Again, without the community and employees, the business just wouldn't operate. Knowing how to serve your community best and keep your employees happy and motivated will ensure your business thrives!

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

Patience, perseverance, and being flexible. As much as we want to see the fruit of our labor, it takes time. If you have a quality product, the community will come to enjoy and appreciate your business. This leads to perseverance. Sales may start slow, and equipment will break and malfunction, but your quality business will thrive through it all. 2020 was a perfect example of this. We fought hard to keep our baristas, and employed and to serve the community. We had to develop a few new products and delivery services to reach our customers, but it was well received and appreciated by the community.

Being flexible is extremely important. It feels like most days, 95% of your schedule gets thrown off by a few issues you need to take care of. You may have your day planned out to the hour, but if equipment goes down, or an employee doesn't show up, you may have to throw your schedule to the side and get the pressing matters handled first.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Being a business owner is not the easiest career out there. However, it is probably one of the most rewarding. Seeing your vision come to life and seeing the community being impacted positively by your business is awesome!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://orioncoffeeandtea.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orioncoffeeandtea
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orioncoffeeandtea/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/orion-coffee-tea/

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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