Reducing Plastic Waste One Coffee at a Time

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sarah Ganzenmuller, founder of Ripplfect, located in Rowley, MA, USA.

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

Ripplfect is one of the first US-based companies attempting to disrupt disposables in the coffee industry. While only 3% of customers currently bring their own reusable drinkware to coffee shops, I see a future where our colorful, stainless steel cups are a staple in coffee shops across the country. Through positive reinforcement and by addressing barriers of reusables in the coffee industry, I believe it is possible to change behavior. A well-established cup with a branded, eye-catching, and meaningful logo will convey a sense of status and make going reusable something to be proud of. Coupled with an app that has to push notifications to remind you to bring your cup in the morning and has rewards for when you do, it won’t be long before single-use cups are a distant memory.

Tell us about yourself

I started Ripplfect when I knew that something needed to be done about the excessive waste in the coffee industry. After passing trash bin after trash bin filled with plastic and paper coffee cups on my way to work, I had enough. I started to do research and was horrified by what I found. Fifty billion coffee cups are thrown away in the US every year and take up to 1000 years to break down. That is when I came up with the idea for the Ripplfect.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Before the New Year (2022), we hit our goal on the mobile app of 500 cups saved from ending up in a landfill!

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

Working for yourself has its ups and downs, especially during the Holidays. Stopping to take a break is necessary, but it often feels like when you do, the only person you are hurting is yourself. The line gets blurry between personal life and work, and it becomes very hard to separate the two. Your startup or small business becomes a part of you in a way.

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

If you will later regret not trying more than having tried and failed - do it.
Surround yourself with supportive people, and don't be afraid to ask others for help.
Beautiful things happen when you leave your comfort zone!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.theripplfect.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theripplfect
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theripplfect/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/theripplfect/

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.