Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cinthia Gamboa. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Cinthia thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with 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?
It all began in 2019 in Guanacaste, Costa Rica. A simple meeting with Carlos, the new manager of a local coffee co-op in the blue zone of Costa Rica, sparked an obsession. As he spoke of his plans—a better wage for farmers, education for the community’s children, and an empowered role for women—I saw a path to a business with true purpose.
At the time, I was living in Denmark, one of the world’s largest coffee markets. The pieces clicked into place: I could create a coffee company that would not only provide high-quality beans to consumers but also directly support Carlos’s vision. My entrepreneurial mindset took over, and from that moment, I became obsessed with the idea of a company that could give the world great coffee and, in doing so, help a community thrive. The next few years were a lesson in patience and resilience. When the pandemic hit in 2020, my plans were put on hold. I returned to Costa Rica, broke and with my grand idea still just an idea. I knew I had to act, but my path to execution wasn’t what I’d envisioned.
The first, most critical step was to get a job. I started working in accounts receivable, a corporate role that was far from my entrepreneurial aspirations. But this was a strategic move, a way to generate the capital I needed. Every paycheck was a stepping stone. I began saving money meticulously, putting it aside specifically as an investment for the future coffee business.With a financial foundation slowly taking shape, I launched a new venture to accelerate my goal: Balam Semillas y Granos. It is a spice company, a side hustle that would become a critical stepping stone. I started selling spices and other goods, channeling the profits directly into my coffee-business investment fund.
Balam Semillas y Granos quickly found success. We gained significant public visibility, earning a nomination for “Entrepreneur of the Year” and even securing advertisements with the national institution of learning and the government. Our recognition grew to the point where I was in a town hall meeting with the president of Costa Rica. This high-profile exposure gave me a lot of hope. I thought, with this success, a small business loan would be easy to get. But, the traditional path to funding proved to be a dead end. I applied for loans, but they were all denied, or the interest rates were astronomically high. It was a disheartening setback, but I didn’t give up. I had already executed the most important part of my plan: saving.
With the financial safety net I had built from Balam Semillas y Granos, I made the final, most crucial decision. I decided to take my personal savings and self-fund the coffee company. It was a massive leap of faith, but it was the only way to move forward. This decision was the final step that transformed the obsessive idea I’d had in 2019 into a tangible business, ready to launch and fulfill its purpose.
Your story is a perfect example of how the path from idea to execution is rarely a straight line. It’s about being flexible, strategic, and using one successful venture to fund the next.
Cinthia , 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?
When the pandemic hit in 2020, I found myself back in Costa Rica, financially bankrupt. To rebuild, I took a corporate job in accounts receivable, but I never lost sight of my goal. I started a side hustle, Balam Semillas y Granos, a spice company, and meticulously saved every penny, putting it all aside as an investment for my true dream. The spice company grew incredibly successful, earning us an “Entrepreneur of the Year” nomination and major visibility, including a town hall meeting with the president of Costa Rica. With that success, I took a leap of faith, quitting my corporate job to dedicate my heart to Coffee Balam. Today, my sister manages Balam Semillas y Granos with my remote assistance and I am focused entirely on bringing my coffee vision to life. What truly sets me apart is my unwavering commitment to the coffee’s origin story. This isn’t just about flavor notes; it’s about the lives we touch. We’re a purpose-driven company founded on the principle of giving back to the community that makes our work possible. I’m also now experimenting with creating a new kind of community here with my fiancé, Will, who I met last year, building on the same values of connection and purpose. I am most proud of the journey itself. The resilience required to go from bankruptcy to a successful side business, and then to quit my job to follow my passion, is something that fills me with immense pride. The success of Balam Semillas y Granos, which is now a thriving company in its own right under my sister’s management, is my proudest accomplishment, as it made the dream of Coffee Balam possible.
The main thing I want people to know is that buying Coffee Balam is not just buying another bag of coffee—it’s an investment in a dream. When you enjoy Coffee Balam, you’re directly supporting the farmers in Guanacaste, contributing to educational programs for their children, and helping to empower women in the community. You are also contributing to your own health, as our coffee originates from one of the five blue zones in the world. Coffee is an integral part of the culture and blue zones are noted for the health and longevity of their citizens. By drinking Coffee Balam, folks are actively participating in a story that is laden with purpose, and I want everyone who cares about their fellow brother or sister to be a part of this mission. I made a life-altering decision: I quit my corporate job, took all the money I had saved, and invested it into launching Coffee Balam. It was a massive leap of faith, but I knew in my heart it was the only way. This same spirit of building from the ground up now extends to my personal life, where my husband Will and I are creating a new community based on these shared values.
What do we offer?
Coffee Balam provides premium, ethically sourced specialty coffee. But more than that, we offer a chance to be part of a purpose-driven movement. The problem we solve for our clients is simple: we provide a product that is not only of the highest quality, but also has a transparent, positive impact. With every bag, you are directly investing in the farmers, the children, and the women in the community that Carlos first told me about.
What truly sets us apart is this unwavering connection to our origin story. As an homage to our personal story and that of the indigenous community where our coffee is sourced, we are curating once-in-a-lifetime Costa Rican tours starting in early 2026, which will bridge these two worlds, showing our community how we are truly sharing a coffee with a soul. I am most proud of my resilience and the fact that I never gave up on that initial idea. I want people to know that when you become part of Coffee Balam, you are not just a customer—you are a partner in our mission.
How’d you meet your business partner?
A Fateful Coffee Date
They say you find love when you least expect it, and that’s precisely what happened to us—only we also found a business partner. It was May 26th, 2024, a seemingly ordinary Sunday. I was in a random little town in Costa Rica, grabbing breakfast at a small restaurant. That’s when I met Will, who was ironically on his 3rd trip to Costa Rica to find out exactly what the “real” Costa Rica was like (he found out, hehe). We hit it off immediately, sharing stories and laughing over our meal. When he asked me about my plans for the afternoon, I told him I had to visit a friend’s coffee shop to finalize an advertisement.
Being the genuinely cool guy he is, Will asked if he could tag along. I said yes, thinking, “What a great guy,” little did I know I was about to spend the rest of my life with one of the kindest people I have ever met. We ended up spending the whole day together, talking about everything from my personal journey to my ambitious business plans. It was the perfect opportunity to share my crazy juggling act: working a full-time corporate job while simultaneously trying to keep my spice company, Balam Semillas y Granos, afloat and build my ultimate dream, Coffee Balam.
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The Business of Falling in Love
Our first date might have been about coffee, but it was really the start of our life together. When Will returned to the U.S., he did the most incredible thing: he offered to help me in my business ventures. I said yes, and his support was unwavering. He helped me build a professional website, found a new computer for me, and constantly supported my search for a business loan. It felt like he believed in me even more than I believed in myself.
That support paid off. On August 2nd, I received the news that the loan had been approved! It was a monumental step, and I was so excited I immediately started pestering him to become my business partner. I mean, who wouldn’t want to work with such a brilliant, supportive, and kind person? He, however, was a little more hesitant, refusing a couple of times, as he knew that this was first and foremost my dream. However, being eternally persistent, and he eventually saw the light and teamed up with me.
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The Perfect Blend
Will finally said yes in December 2024, a moment that felt like a beautiful culmination of our entire year. It happened right as I received the very first batch of Coffee Balam in its final packaging. After a long, challenging journey, seeing my vision packaged and ready to go—complete with the special certificates I designed—was a dream come true. And having Will by my side, not just as my new husband, but as my business partner, made it even sweeter.
Our story is a testament to how the most beautiful partnerships, both personal and professional, can start with a simple cup of coffee in a random town. We are a blend of two people who saw a shared purpose and decided to build a life—and a business—together.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Right now, our best source of new clients is also the most fun: we’re doing a pop-up tour of sorts at various farmers’ markets. There’s something magical about seeing someone’s eyes light up after they take that first sip of our coffee, realizing what they’ve been missing. We’ve found that nothing beats a face-to-face connection and a great, free sample. It’s a lot of work, but it’s how we’re building our new community, one coffee cup at a time. It’s also where we get to be a little bit silly and share our story in person, which seems to really resonate. While we’re out there hitting the pavement, we’re also working hard to build our community online. Our website is currently our primary sales channel, but we’re also very active on social media. We’re super lucky to be working with our marketing manager, Steve Lynch, who has been a tremendous help in navigating the ever-changing digital world. He’s our trusted guide, teaching us how to manage our presence and tell our story in a way that feels authentic and engaging, like us.
We also love to give out samples to social media influencers, and we’ve been trying to get our story out there on various podcasts. We recently had a great chat on Mickey Talks in Baltimore, and it’s a wonderful way to introduce ourselves to people we might never meet at a farmers’ market.
Ultimately, whether we’re at a pop-up or on a podcast, the strategy is the same: we’re focused on making genuine connections. We’re not just looking for clients; we’re looking for partners in our purpose, and we have found that a little bit of sincerity and a great cup of coffee go a very long way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.coffeebalam.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffee_balam_/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565791740732
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/coffee-balam/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CoffeeBalam
Image Credits
Will Anderson and Alexander Zambrana