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

Adrienne, appreciate you joining us today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?

There are so many pros and cons to being a business owner, especially in the industry I’m currently in. The job can be incredibly taxing, especially since I do most of it by myself. Some days, I’m the cashier, bookkeeper, marketing team, accountant, manager, and more.

Sometimes I think it would be easier to just work a desk job and not have others relying on me, both people and cats. I actually know it would be, since I spent 10 years working in corporate jobs before this.

Caring for over 20 lives, on top of the stress of owning a business, can definitely get to you. I have no one to turn to but myself. Being at the top of the ladder is rewarding but also scary at times.

Still, I love my job and the benefits of owning my own business. I just hope that one day we’ll be successful enough for me to have more help. I’m truly happy to be able to help cats every day, even when it’s hard.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into this industry kind of on a whim. I started out fostering cats, wanting to do more. After I moved to Pensacola, I noticed there were lots of places for dog lovers, but nowhere really for cat lovers to gather. Since I was already fostering, opening a cat café seemed like a natural next step. I took business classes, read extensively, and discovered there wasn’t another cat café within 50 miles. That encouraged me—it meant we could bring something new without overlapping someone else’s work. I invested my life savings, and that’s how Coastal Cat Café began.

Coastal Cat Café is Pensacola’s first and only cat café. We offer a cozy lounge where people can spend 45 minutes with adoptable cats. On the café side, we serve drinks (coffee, tea, other beverages), snacks, pastries, and partner with local businesses for those items. We also have a gift shop and collaborate with local artists. Community is a big part of what we do.

What sets us apart is the environment we offer. Unlike traditional adoption centers, our cats live in a homey, comfortable lounge. Visitors can see how they behave in a more relaxed, loving setting, which helps both the cats and potential adopters feel confident. The atmosphere is warm and inviting.

I’m most proud of the number of adoptions we’ve had, shortly under two years open, we’ve helped over 300 cats find homes.

What I want people to know: we are all about the cats. Every bit of support—through visits, adoption, shopping, or even spreading the word—makes a huge difference. We wouldn’t be here without our community.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I used my life savings to open Coastal Cat Café. It was a big investment, and it wasn’t easy. To this day, I haven’t paid myself back for that initial cost—and honestly, I doubt I ever will. This industry isn’t a highly lucrative one, but it is deeply rewarding.

In addition to my personal investment, I also raised a small portion of our startup funding through a Kickstarter campaign. That helped us cover some of the costs and gave supporters a chance to get special mementos tied to the business, which meant a lot.

Starting a business like this isn’t about the money. It’s about doing something meaningful—creating a safe, happy space for cats while giving the community a unique experience. Every dollar we bring in goes back into making the café better for the cats and for the people who visit us.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth, without a doubt. We do everything we can to get in front of people—through social media, local partnerships, events—but nothing compares to people sharing their positive experiences with others. When someone visits, has a great time, and tells their friends or posts about it, that kind of authentic support goes a long way. It builds trust in a way that no ad ever could. We’re incredibly grateful for every person who spreads the word about what we do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.coastalcatpcola.com/
• Instagram: @coastalcatpcola
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coastalcatcafe

Image Credits

Christina Gabriel