Profile

I started working at the age of 12 to pay household bills, first in food service, then in coffee. I loved being a barista, helping people in the mornings. Knowing barista jobs wouldn’t move me from poverty, I paid my way through college to become a… I started working at the age of 12 to pay household bills, first in food service, then in coffee. I loved being a barista, helping people in the mornings. Knowing barista jobs wouldn’t move me from poverty, I paid my way through college to become a teacher. As a teacher, I wanted to educate people, show them a way out of poverty. I taught in low income high schools for 6 years. When I had my own kids, I saw teaching wouldn’t cover day care. We moved near a neighbor roasting coffee in his garage, and it made me excited to learn more. He decided to sell, and I jumped to buy it. My gut told me this was a job where I could keep learning, give people something they loved, and help women around the world. Owning a coffee business means I get the best parts of teaching, learning, and helping.