Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alden Hozouri. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alden, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I began my journey in this industry after pivoting away from a decade-long career in research and medicine. I threw myself head first into whatever I could find, learning the nuances of each step from barista to manager, roaster to green buyer, while launching and piloting my business in parallel at the same time.

During this phase, I continued working in the biotech startup world because I had valuable experience and needed income while I learned the coffee industry. I wore many different hats as each venture grew, and often found myself in business development/strategic growth positions. Sometimes I was given a script, or had guidelines on what/how information should be conveyed to each client. It felt like stumbling along in ill-fitting shoes, adding stress to already challenging situations.

This often led to me feeling frustrated or defeated. It wasn’t ever due to a lack in passion – I deeply believed in what we were doing.

One day, I was pitching our services to a former colleague at his startup, and found myself in the mental gymnastics my brain was trying to do with the script my boss provided. My colleague noticed I was struggling with the talking points and asked if I needed to reschedule. I panicked. I remember my heart was pounding in my head, and then a little voice in my head went “f–k it*. I closed my computer screen and apologized. I told him everything in that pitch was true – but it didn’t capture why I believed we were the best fit. I went on to share the what and why I was excited about, I was completely off-script. I finished, feeling complete but vulnerable and exposed. A week later, I signed my largest deal that year.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I was born into a middle eastern family, which meant I was born to be a doctor. From after-school activities, to tutors, multidisciplinary sports, volunteerships, internships, jobs, research projects and beyond – I did everything with intention to make myself the best medical school candidate possible.

I went to school at University of California, San Diego. I studied Cognitive Neuroscience and minored in Business. It was intense, and I loved it. As a Persian, family is everything. We spent a lot of time together. Going away to college wasn’t too hard since I was just down the road. But even still, we made it a priority to spend time together. Every Sunday, my dad would pick me up from school and we’d join my grandfather and uncle for coffee. Nowhere fancy, usually a larger name-brand shop. We’d catch up on our lives, sharing our triumphs and challenges.

I genuinely looked forward to each of those Sunday coffees. And looking back now, they sit with me as some of the most important memories in my life. They were more than just coffees and good conversation. They were moments of community and connection. I am building in the coffee industry to do more than pour a delicious cup. I’m here to build opportunities to commune.

Have you ever had to pivot?

2 years ago, I had just completed a large project. A local business hired me to design, build, staff, and launch a coffee chain from scratch. It was a gruesome journey, but I had learned so much along the way. I departed that project, determined to build my own flagship coffee shop concept. It was a grand vision, something I haven’t seen done yet.

For months I worked hard building my business plan, pitch deck and a team. At the same time, I was putting more attention into Crossings’ roasting operations. Since it would be the parent company to this coffee concept, I wanted the business to look strong for our investors. What I had not considered however, was how quickly we would outgrow our current roasting environment. We had spent the past few years roasting out of a collective that allowed us to rent time on roasters, depending on our needs. It was fabulous. Having this as a resource was critical to our start and growth. But once we reached a certain volume, we began running into issues of availability. There simply weren’t enough hours available on the equipment for everyone. I realized that if I wanted this vision to come to life, I needed to expand our roasting operations first.

This leads us to where Crossings is today. I am in discussions with my investors and partners now to build our own dedicated roasting facility so we can continue to grow in how we source, roast, pack, and distribute beautiful coffees from all around the world

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Doing business with me and Crossings Coffee means more than having a reputable coffee supplier. Beyond the beans, customers and businesses are investing in a relationship. I believe that as a coffee supplier, we have an opportunity to share our insights and awarenesses down the chain for everyone to appreciate. To be a resource, an ally, and support structure for shop owners and their teams. I built my business around this concept. When my clients do well, I do well. I care about the well-being of my clients and their customers, and show up to each relationship with that in mind. Whether they need support dialing in equipment, suggestions on operating protocols, training programs, equipment sources, and more….I want my clients to know that when they’re in business with me, I’m invested in their success, and my intention is to support them in the ways they want support.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://crossingscoffee.com
• Instagram: @crossingscoffee
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/crossingscoffee