Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kristin Helling, owner of Parkville Coffee Roasting Co., located in Parkville, MO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are Parkville Coffee: a coffeehouse, bakery, and roastery located 10 minutes north of Kansas City, MO. Our mission is to inspire creativity and strengthen our community by providing the freshest cup of coffee and product possible while promoting fair and sustainable business practices. We pride on being an approachable coffeehouse and can help customers from all walks of life, whether they want to talk about how the coffee was processed at the source and what flavor profile we achieved in the roast, or if they just wish to hurry and get their cup of joe on the way to work.
Tell us about yourself
I am the owner, Kristin Helling. I am proud to be one of the few woman-owned coffeehouses in the KC Metro. Before I got into coffee ten years ago, I was first and foremost an author. I write fiction thriller novels and a few children's books. As I'd graduated college and went into the real world, I knew that I needed to find a career that would balance well with writing books. I got the job at the coffeehouse as a 'transition' job. Little did I know that I would absolutely fall in love with the coffee industry: The global closeness that working with an importer brings me, the process from bean to cup, roasting, serving people. I love all of it. After working my way up in the company over the years, I purchased the business from the previous owner in the summer of 2017. Apart from running the coffeehouse, I also own a publishing imprint, and I am a Mama to two little ones. Needless to say, I thrive on chaos!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment has been growing the company in all aspects: developing my wholesale roasting department. Opening a traveling latte bar for catering events. Growing our bakery into making mostly everything from scratch and in-house. But I am most proud of how I brought my two worlds together--as we host a local author book nook in the upstairs of the coffeehouse, where we have books for purchase and often host book launch parties, book fairs, and author signing events.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
I believe one of the hardest things is employee management. I have 13 employees, and I often think about taking care of them first. Without my employees, my coffeehouse is just a building of... stuff. The employees are who bring it alive and give the customers the experience we want to foster. It's important to me that I'm making sure my team is happy, supported, and feel successful with their positions, as that lends to longevity and culture in the shop, first and foremost. With the pandemic, I'd often lay awake at night worrying about making sure my employees were able to get paid and stay healthy.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Plan ahead. And then plan again.
- Build your 'owner support team': An accountant, a trustworthy insurance broker, a business mentor (mine is my Mom), a personal banker in your corner, a group of other business owners in the grind with you (shoutout to the 'Badass Women Entrepreneurs of KC' Facebook page).
- Business is business, but business is not personal. However, I tend to be an emotional person. It is possible to achieve respect and professionalism as an owner without sacrificing care and empathy.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://parkvillecoffee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ParkvilleCoffee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/parkville_coffee/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ParkvilleCoffee
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.
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