We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jing Lin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jing, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

For me, the idea for Coffee Confessionals didn’t just emerge overnight. It grew out of personal experience, observation, and hope to solve an issue I noticed all around me—loneliness. Long before the pandemic, I was already hearing stories of isolation from friends, colleagues, and even strangers. Despite all the technology we have, true human connection seemed to be slipping away.

I realized I wasn’t alone in feeling this. According to a Harvard study, loneliness affects 36% of Americans, and the pandemic has only made it worse. In fact, 43% of young adults have reported increased loneliness since 2020. These numbers weren’t just statistics—they reflected the very real, emotional struggles of people.

That’s when Coffee Confessionals was born. I wanted to create a space where people could come together and share their stories over a cup of coffee—a kind of confessional to one another of their struggles and triumphs. Coffee isn’t just a drink for me. It’s a ritual and a catalyst for connection. There’s something deeply human about sitting down with someone, even a stranger, and realizing that your struggles aren’t yours alone. I wanted to expand that simple yet powerful idea into something much larger.

I started by building Coffee Confessionals as an online blog in 2017, where people could share their stories and connect through storytelling. Alongside it, I started an online store with unique coffee blends like “Afternoon Chat” designed to highlight the importance of conversation and connection. The logic was simple: coffee brings people together. Why not create an environment—where connection could thrive?

But I didn’t want to stop at just serving great coffee. What truly excited me was the idea of creating a space that was about more than caffeine—it was about emotional sustenance. Coffee Confessionals isn’t just a place to grab a latte but a place designed to tackle loneliness head-on by encouraging genuine, meaningful connections between people. We have conversation cards put out in various parts of the shop, fun weekly topics for people to engage in and “Spill Your Beans”, which our slogan. The pandemic has only deepened my conviction that this mission is vital. We’re solving a problem that goes beyond coffee. We’re addressing loneliness, one conversation at a time.

From the start, I knew this was a worthwhile endeavor because people aren’t just looking for a place to buy coffee—they’re craving a sense of belonging. Coffee Confessionals is a space where people can come as they are, find community, and feel like they’re part of something bigger. It’s about creating a welcoming space where everyone’s story matters and where we can all connect on a deeper level. We’re planning to host regular events like poetry nights, book clubs, and creative workshops, all designed to bring people together and create opportunities for shared experiences. These events will allow people to gather, exchange stories, and support one another, furthering the mission of fostering connection that began onlin

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Before I started Coffee Confessionals, I spent years working in the film industry, where I developed a deep appreciation for the power of stories to connect people. I’ve always believed that storytelling has a unique way of bringing people together, helping us understand each other’s experiences in ways that transcend words. It was through this personal connection to storytelling that I first started thinking about how I could create a space for people to share their own narratives in a meaningful way.

The main thing I want people to know is that Coffee Confessionals is about much more than coffee. While we are dedicated to offering high-quality, roast-to-order coffee blends, our core mission is to foster genuine human connection. When you visit our coffee shop, you’ll be entering a space designed to encourage conversation, storytelling, and community – a place to “Spill Your Beans” with one another.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients for Coffee Confessionals has been word of mouth and customer reviews. From the moment someone walks through our doors, we make it a priority to ensure they feel genuinely welcomed. Every interaction matters, whether it’s the friendly greeting when they arrive, the thoughtful conversation while they wait for their coffee, or the warmth they feel in the environment we’ve created. We want every customer to feel at home, and that personal touch makes a lasting impression.

When customers have a great experience at our café—whether it’s the quality of the coffee and food, the connection they feel with our staff, or the inviting atmosphere—they naturally want to share it with others. In this way, word of mouth has been incredibly powerful for us. Reviews have also played a big part. When someone takes the time to leave feedback, it is genuinely appreciated and it helps to spread the word about the unique experience we offer at Coffee Confessionals.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

There hasn’t been a close call like a near death moment for the business, but there has been a mountain of business challenges that I’m sure all small business owners have had to deal with—things like broken ice machines, AC units giving out during a heatwave, water leaks, or the delicate balance of staffing. Early on, every little issue felt huge. When you’re just starting out, even the smallest disruption can feel like a major setback. But after tackling each problem head-on, it becomes much less daunting the next time around.

For example, when the ice machine broke down on a busy day, it felt like everything was about to fall apart. But we found ways to adapt quickly and keep serving our iced drinks without missing a beat. When the AC went out during a heatwave, we rushed to buy giant fans to keep things as cool as possible while waiting for the repair to be done. And then there were the water leaks—nothing like discovering water pooling in an unexpected place to add some extra stress! But once you’ve handled these situations, you realize it’s just part of the business, and you get better at bouncing back every time.

Staffing was another early challenge that seemed overwhelming. There were times when we had too many people on hand, and other times when we were stretched too thin. In the beginning, it felt like we could never get the balance right. But each time we faced these challenges, we learned something new about managing schedules and keeping things running efficiently. Now, when issues arise, they don’t feel so overwhelming—they’re just opportunities to grow and refine the way we do things.

Every challenge has made our team stronger and has given us more confidence to handle whatever comes next. I now look at it all as a part of the exciting journey of running a small business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coffeeconfessionals.com
• Instagram: @coffeeconfessionals
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coffeeconfessionals
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/coffee-confessionals-los-angeles

Image Credits

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