Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Daniel Tymchuk. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Daniel , thanks for joining us today. Almost every entrepreneur we know has considered donating a portion of their revenue to an organization or cause – how did you make the decision of whether to donate? We’d love to hear the backstory if you’re open to sharing the details
Our company consistently allocates a percentage of our service sales to support orphans and children’s homes in Ukraine. We believe that a business should not only create value for its customers but also contribute to the well-being of society. That is why we chose this cause – helping children without parental care is our priority. By supporting orphanages, we strive to improve their living conditions, provide opportunities for education and development, and bring them a sense of care and security. For us, this is not just a social initiative but an important part of our mission and responsibility.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Daniel Tymchuk, and I am from Kovel, Ukraine. Ever since I can remember, I was an entrepreneur at heart, and at a young age I founded a family business that incorporated my family`s love of beekeeping with my passion for bringing quality products to friends, family, and strangers who quickly became family, through a shared passion for specialty food and drink. In Ukraine, my small business sold organic honey products in various cities across Ukaine. Unfortunately, my business endeavors came to an abrupt halt when in February of 2022 my country was invaded, but my dreams refused to die. Upon coming to the US, I founded Zerno, a specialty mobile coffee cart. “Zerno”, the Ukrainian word for “seed”, “grain”, or “bean”, is symbolic for those dreams, that although buried for some time, still persist, grow, and bloom. My team and I pour over every single little detail when it comes to the mobile coffee cart experience, starting from the beans we use and ending with custom branding for our clients if they want to add an extra personal touch to their experience! We hope to elevate every event we attend and bring it to the next level, so our clients can feel inspired and alive!
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
As already mentioned, my business endeavors were cut short when my country got attacked by Russia. At 25 years old I came to the United States alone, with limited English, and no direct family. I began working as a construction worked as I practiced my English and thought about what I wanted to do moving forward. Last January, I decided to take a leap of faith and open a specialty coffee cart, despite not having any significant previous experience nor the full langauge skills to open a business in a new country! However, through a lot of hard work and with help and support from my friends and roomates, I can now be back in the entrepreneurship world and I hope Zerno can continue to grow and scale!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Over the course of the past 5 years, I have pivoted from owning a honey retail business, to being a construction worker, and now to owning a specialty mobile coffee cart. The journey has not been easy but at each stage I have learned valuable skills that help me wherever I go. I learned sales and marketing as well as good customer service in my retail business. In construction I learned how to work hard and have physical strength and endurance, as well as how to quote clients and close deals. And lastly, I am taking this knowledge to my coffee cart business where I continue to market and work on growing sales for Zerno, and where I also have to sometimes work long hours at events which require physical endurance!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.zernocoffeecart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zerno_coffeecart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Zerno-Coffee-Cart/61571181971279/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/zerno-coffee-cart-philadelphia-2
