Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brandi Victoria. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Brandi, thanks for joining us today. Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea
I feel like I have gone from Idea to execution more times than most people ever will. It is so crazy you know, the mind of an entrepreneur. It never really stops. I used to think I had a problem. Jumping from one thing to the next. I struggled with the idea that it was because I can never be satisfied when in reality; it is that God created me to be an entrepreneur. The first time I had an idea was when I was in a dream career working offshore as a safety paramedic making more money than I knew what to do with. I had put myself through school and landed an offshore job working a dual role in safety medicine. I worked 14 on and 14 off which was great since that meant I only worked half the year. Needless to say, I felt like I “made it.” That was until I had an idea to start a coffee truck. That was really the first time that my ideas started rolling. I knew it was a risk and I would be taking a huge pay cut. Like, a lot to none basically. I spent a lot of time praying and one thing lead to another and before long, I found myself knee deep in business plans and color pencil drawings of coffee logos. I quickly found out something very important about who I am. I won’t stop until completion. Going from idea to execution is where many people fail. I realized, that is where I thrive. Obstacles will always come but you as the owner have a choice to push through them or quit. It was a matter of 5 months that I went from an idea to quitting my career and another month before opening the doors of my rolling coffee machine. The hardest part is doing something you have no idea how to do. I had never owned a business before but there are so many resources out there that it boils down to you either want it bad enough or you don’t. In August of 2019 I started my first business then I opened up a drive through in 2020, a brick and mortar in 2021 that I closed down in 2023, a real estate photography company, and an e-commerce store.
In order to move from the idea phase in any business you desire to open, you have to have a plan that you are willing to put in action. Even if you don’t know the next step, you have to take it. Keep pushing forward until eventually you learn that the right track leads to the next door, then the next, then the next.
Brandi, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am Brandi Victoria. I am a busy mom that made the decision to create multiple companies because being bored is not part of my nature. I thrive in educating myself and creating my own little space of the world by building brands that represent seasons of my life. I started my first business in 2019 with a mobile coffee truck and have since opened many businesses both physical and online. My coffee truck operates in 5 different parishes and I have a drive through in Watson. After opening these locations, my husband got a job in Texas which caused our family to move 5 hours from my home town, Walker. I currently manage both of these coffee locations from Texas with the help of the amazing team I have. Besides coffee, I have a real estate photography company in Texas and I am a full time student at a local college pursuing my holistic nutrition, registered herbalist, and wellness coaching certifications.
I believe that as a woman, mom, and business owner, we can conquer the world if we want to. I want to empower woman as a whole to know that the world is our blank canvas and we can create space for us where ever we want. Sure, not everyone wants to be a mom, own a business, travel the world but that is the beauty. We all have a choice to decide what kind of life we want to live regardless of our circumstances.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
This one is pretty easy for me. After opening my coffee truck and drive thru, I decided I wanted to open a full size brick and mortar in my home town of Walker. We found space and spent way too much money honestly but I was so excited about it. We were going to be able to roast our own beans and have people come in and sit while enjoyed the products we serve. I poured my heart and soul into opening and the location was a huge success. Several months after opening two things happened, my husband got a job in another state and we got news a big chain was opening about a mile away. I was devastated. All that I had put into this location and I was at a severe cross road. We were coming into the slow months and really struggling as a business. I never shared this publicly because there was no need obviously but I decided to give up my entire pay check for all 3 locations, just to be able to pay my staff. I had been able to save up a good bit of money with my previous career and I had to make a quick decision. I ended up using my pay check to cover the cost of my employees until business picked back up. It did eventually pick back up but with living out of state, I was not able to manage things like I needed to and ended up closing down the Walker location that I worked so hard to open. It was truly devastating but looking back now, I know that God lined it up perfectly for what would be coming my way soon. It was a very hard decision but it was a necessary one.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I thinking being true to who you are is the most important thing a business owner can do. Showing your clients and community who you are as a person is really a game changer. It allows them to know and understand your heart and desires for your company. Don’t get me wrong, there will always be people that will think crummy of you regardless of who you prove to be. I think that is just a reflection of something going on inside them though. For all of the businesses I own, I make sure that I am the face of them all. I think it is important for people to know who you are and what you believe in. Some people won’t like it but most will always appreciate your realness. It lets them see a side of you other than just business. It gives them an insight to your passion, your drive, and why you do the things you do.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @brandivictoriawellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandivictoriawellness/
Image Credits
Kayleigh Reid Photography, Brittany Bruce Photography, Grayceful Images Inc.