We were lucky to catch up with Charlene Dong recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Charlene, thanks for joining us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

cdBeanz was inspired by a trip I took to Guatemala, where I had the incredible experience of touring a coffee farm. I learned about the country’s history with coffee and experienced the entire process of how it is made. From separating the beans from the pulp to tasting them in a latte, I was able to see each step firsthand. What stood out to me the most was watching how hard small-scale farmers worked for only a fraction of what their beans were worth, despite the care they put into every harvest. I also saw how central coffee is to Guatemalan culture, as farmers often work in cooperatives and build communities around coffee. Inspired by that experience and fueled by my love for coffee, I launched cdBeanz.

cdBeanz is a partnership with a Guatemalan nonprofit organization that supports small-scale farmers from all across Guatemala. Guatemala is especially well known in the coffee world because it sits on the coffee belt. The volcanic soil, high altitudes, and climate give the beans a distinctive brightness and acidity that make them stand out. My role is to source their roasted coffee beans and sell them locally. The goal is to bring authentic coffee to my community, help farmers earn a more sustainable income, and create a vibrant community of coffee lovers in my town.

After I returned from Guatemala, my first step was designing an order form that asked for basic information such as the customer’s name, method of contact, and the amount of coffee they wanted to order. I posted this in forums such as WeChat and Facebook groups to gauge interest. The coffee was well received, and everyone who tasted it said it was wonderful. That encouraged me to build my own website on Google Sites, where I included all the key information about cdBeanz, such as prices, sourcing, and roast types.

The most challenging step after that was expanding my customer base since most early buyers were local repeat customers. To reach more people, I contacted various news publications, including Westchester Magazine, Scarsdale 10583, and Patch. This strategy worked well, and I have now received orders from across New York State. My next goal is to expand even further.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am currently a senior at Scarsdale High School with a strong love for everything coffee-related. My trip to Guatemala sparked this passion and later inspired me to found cdBeanz so I could share an important piece of the country with people in my community. Not long after launching cdBeanz, I worked as a Starbucks barista, where I strengthened my coffee knowledge and customer service skills while also gaining a new perspective on the industry from a corporate side.

cdBeanz is a partnership with a Guatemalan nonprofit organization that supports small-scale farmers from across all regions of Guatemala. My role is to source their coffee beans and sell them locally. Currently, we offer medium, dark, and espresso roasts in 1-pound bags for $18 each, available as whole beans or ground. What makes cdBeanz different is our emphasis on building connections. When someone buys a bag of our coffee, they are not only getting a product with incredible flavor but also supporting a farmer on the other side of the world in a very tangible way. Through cdBeanz, I have learned that coffee is not only about the drink itself but also about the people we connect with through it.

Another special aspect of cdBeanz is that the nonprofit we work with supports more than 100 small-scale farmers from different regions of Guatemala. Depending on the region, the taste can vary in distinct ways. For example, beans from Antigua often have chocolate and spice notes, while those from Huehuetenango are known for their bright citrus and floral flavors. This gives our coffee a unique flavor profile, and because the beans are sourced seasonally from different farmers, customers have the opportunity to try a variety of flavors throughout the year.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Expanding my clientele has been one of the biggest challenges for cdBeanz. Many coffee drinkers tend to prioritize convenience or caffeine content over flavor complexity, so it can be difficult to reach those who haven’t yet experienced freshly roasted beans. While cdBeanz is priced similarly to coffee from places like Whole Foods, it can still be more expensive than options from Costco or Trader Joe’s. As a result, my current customers are mainly those who value freshness and enjoy exploring the unique flavor notes of high-quality beans.

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been outreach and building awareness around the mission of cdBeanz. I try not to overload potential customers with too much information on the website or order form, so the most impactful way to share the story has been through news publications. Being featured in outlets like Westchester Magazine and Scarsdale 10583 has allowed me to reach a much wider audience.

Another strategy that has worked well is focusing on the customer experience. Once someone tries cdBeanz, they often become repeat customers and share it with friends, which helps attract new customers naturally. I am also building a sense of community around coffee by helping people understand not only the unique flavor profiles of Guatemalan beans but also the impact their purchase has on small-scale farmers.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Growing up, I have always listened to the podcast How I Built This with Guy Raz. Hearing the stories of entrepreneurs who started with a simple idea and turned it into something meaningful was incredibly inspiring to me. I listened carefully to everything, from the challenges they faced to the risks they took. The podcast gave me a sense that building a business was something achievable if you were passionate, curious, and willing to put in the work. More importantly, it taught me that focusing on the story and community behind a business is just as important as focusing on the product itself.

These lessons have been instrumental in shaping the way I approach cdBeanz. I had essentially zero experience in business, marketing, sales, or anything related before I started cdBeanz. When I got back from Guatemala, all I had was the desire to make a difference, but I struggled because I didn’t know exactly where to start. I had to learn a lot from scratch, including how to design an order form, build a website, create a logo, and manage sales in partnership with the nonprofit organization I work with. Once those pieces were in place, I focused on reaching customers. In every aspect of building cdBeanz, I always kept the lessons and stories I learned from How I Built This at the back of my mind, continuously pushing me to look for ways to improve my coffee business.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sites.google.com/view/cdbeanz/home?authuser=0
• Other: Order Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelY4EN3UBulylVBRJwraikYZCQdHcKDn5r1mQwuxBIV6VdnA/viewform

  Email/Contact: [email protected]

Image Credits

Charlene Dong