We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful AWAH CHAI. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with AWAH below.

Alright, AWAH thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

Thousands of students all over the world flock to the US to pursue their dreams of higher education. Among them was me whose journey prove to be an extraordinary one filled with courage , challenges and bold decision to abandon my college pursuits to embark on an entrepreneurial adventure. Arriving in the US i was filled with hopes of attending college, i was driven by a desire to acquire knowledge, build a successful career and contribute to society. However as life would have it, destiny had other plans for me. While settling in my new home, i was introduced to america’s favorite beverage “COFFEE”. I grew up in cameroon where tea is a more popular drink, in fact i had never drank a cup of coffee growing up not ones. So when i finally had my first cup of coffee in 2019 i was somewhat left a little disappointed, the coffee tasted too bitter/burnt and hence i had to add some creamer and sweetener to make it bearable , i also felt jittery which i didn’t like but on a positive note i loved the aroma which coffee gave off and i had a boost of energy which was amazing. After pondering for days how i can improve upon on coffee to make it less bitter without adding sweeteners and without all the annoying side effects. With lots of formulations and testing OFFWORLD COFFEE was born a fruit and tea infused coffee concentrate which is less bitter, healthier and leaves you caffeinated with no jitters. I knew the leap from student to entrepreneur was risky, and the statistics were not in my favor especially as an immigrant. The road has been fraught with uncertainties, financial risk, sleepless nights, and working seven days a week. The risk i took when i started my business was indeed daunting and still is , but it was also the catalyst that unleashed my true potential and has set me on a path to greatness. As an immigrant and a business owner i hope my story serve as a testament to the remarkable spirit of entrepreneurship that thrives in the united states, where dreams can be pursued and destinies rewritten.

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 grew up in a small seaside town in cameroon called limbe, i then moved to the US in 2019 where i had my first cup of coffee which i wasn’t really impressed by how it tasted and i worked on improving upon it. My company OFFWORLD COFFEE was later created and launched in late 2022 after years of perfecting our coffee concentrate formulations. OFFWORLD COFFEE is a beverage/ food tech startup which makes fruit and tea infused coffee concentrates, cold brews and refresher drinks, i am proud to say our coffees are healthy, poses unique flavor notes and will leave you energised without the jitters. We are the first and only startup as of right now who are able to infuse fruits, teas and coffee, that’s what differentiates us from all other coffee companies. Our goal is to become the next starbucks, providing our customers with new and exciting coffee drinks which are not just delicious but also healthy.

How’d you think through whether to sell directly on your own site or through a platform like Amazon, Etsy, Cratejoy, etc.

We primarily sell on our ecommerce website, and we are also in some select cafes/coffee shops and bakeries.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I have read a lot of books on entrepreneurship, i listen to many podcast which talks about the journey of starting a business with my favorite podcast being startup podcast by gimlet all of this educational materials have impacted the way i run my business, how i approach problems when faced and how to come up with possible solutions. They also helped me prepare me for the tough road ahead

Contact Info:

• Website: https://offworld-coffee.com/
• Instagram: offworld_coffee
• Facebook: offworld_coffee

Image Credits
Kaitlyn