Love Above All Else - Rivers and Roads Coffee
Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Desiree Keen, co-owner of Rivers and Roads Coffee, located in Denver, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Rivers and Roads Coffee is a small gluten-free bakery, roastery, and cafe in Denver, CO. We make just about everything in-house, from scratch, and believe in placing love above all else. That's why our community is like family. In a world filled with so much turmoil, we strive to create a place of rest, peace, and sanctuary.
Tell us about yourself
Like most entrepreneurs, the path that led me & my husband/business partner to where we are today is a long and convoluted one. The short of it is that I became ill about a decade ago. I was wheelchair and/or bed-bound for the better part of two years... and then, my husband's parents also got sick. Everywhere we looked, it felt like hopelessness and fear surrounded us. That's when we decided that we couldn't continue on as we had. We realized that we had been making all of our decisions from a place of fear and that the opposite of fear had to be love. That's how our mission was born: Love Above All Else. That paradigm shift changed our lives and allowed us to begin to dream again, no matter how daunting it felt. From there, the idea to open a place to share this love and to build community became our goal. My husband had owned and sold a coffee shop previously, so it was a natural choice. We sold our home, invested every last dime we had, and Rivers and Roads Coffee was born. That was about five years ago... and now, we're ecstatic to be working on opening our second location this year.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
One of the things I'm most proud of is running a successful business while staying true to our convictions. While we're far from being perfect and fall short of our mission all the time, it's been the guiding force behind every decision we make. Placing love above all else hasn't always been easy, but it's always been worth it!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
For me, one of the hardest things that have come from being a business owner is learning how to set boundaries and find a sustainable work-life balance. I've also learned how absolutely necessary these things are, and for that, I'm grateful.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start with your "Why." Simon Sinek has a great Ted talk about this!
- Stay true to your own convictions, even if the whole world thinks you're crazy.
- Be willing to be wrong and learn from your mistakes with humility.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
If you're thinking of starting your own business, do it! Do the research, be prepared to work your butt off, but absolutely do it. Life is fleeting, and one day we will all look back on this short time we are here and ask ourselves, did we really live? Don't look back with regret. Live not just the length of your life but also the width. The path will inevitably be challenging, but it will also be worth it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://riversandroadscoffee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RiversandRoadsCoffee/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/riversandroadscoffee/
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.