We recently connected with Desi Rodgers and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Desi, thanks for joining us today. How do you feel about asking friends and family to support your business? What’s appropriate, what’s not? Where do you draw the line?

My family and friends are very supportive of Desi Daily Coffee. There is not a week that goes by were one of my family members are not sending me a coffee shop they passed, a new coffee drink they have tried, or telling random people about Desi Daily Coffee. My grandmother was not clear on what I was doing at first and thought it was just a hobby. Once she saw how my Coffee Besties (followers) were interacting with me and companies were sending me free coffee to try she jumped on board. I tell family and friends it does not matter what it is if it’s coffee and you think of me send it to me. I receive coffee memes, coffee cups, coffee shops, anything related to coffee my family and friends forward it to me.

Desi, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Desi Daily Coffee started as a hashtag for me to keep all of coffee things I found together and when I needed to refer to it quickly I could pull it up on Instagram. One day I was scrolling and I came across multiple accounts dedicated to coffee and it hit me I should do this create an account dedicated to coffee. I did not realize my love for coffee would bring me into great rooms to meet and befriend amazing coffee people. My love for coffee allowed me to be apart of The Color of Coffee Collective organization that is creating  diversity and inclusion in the coffee industry. My main goals is to invite people discover other coffee brands, equipments, classes, careers, drinks, and shops. Although I do not work in the coffee industry daily it is a full time job for me.  I am always learning and thinking of ways to bring peoples attention to other ways of coffee. I love creating new coffee drinks or putting my spin on a current popular coffee. My favorite time of the year to explore coffee is Christmas. I love ALL things Christmas especially the Christmas coffee. There are so many things you can do with coffee and I become a big kid during the holidays. I love coffee and most importantly I love the people who drink coffee.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Be YOU. This is the most valuable lesson I’ve learned. Once I stop trying to hide my big love for coffee that’s when my page started to grow. I am always on IG stories talking about coffee and life. Desi Daily Coffee is about my life, the world around me and the yummy coffee I am drinking. Two years ago i started doing a Instagram live event called “Coffee & Carols”. During this live I would sing some of my favorite Christmas Carols(Songs) and make a Christmas inspired coffee, it was a hit. People were saying how it put them in the Christmas spirit and how happy it made them feel. I knew then it was me and I had to stop wanting to be someone I am not. The coffee besties come to Desi Daily Coffee for Desi and  the Coffee.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect for me is when a coffee bestie(follower) tell me they visited a coffee shop or bought from a specialty coffee brand I showcased on the platform. Knowing I can say go visit this coffee house, try this coffee drink, or add this coffee equipment to your at home coffee bar and they do. It warms my heart know I’m helping people experience their coffee in a different way.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @desidailycoffee

Image Credits
Roy Harvey