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

Gisselle, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Parents can play a significant role in affecting how our lives and careers turn out – and so we think it’s important to look back and have conversations about what our parents did that affected us positive (or negatively) so that we can learn from the billions of experiences in each generation. What’s something you feel your parents did right that impacted you positively.

In reflecting on what my parents did right in raising me, I’d say the most significant influence was the emphasis they placed on building my self-esteem. From a young age, they nurtured my dreams and talents, always making sure I knew that my aspirations were worth pursuing. For example, when they noticed my love for music, they consistently supported it by gifting me instruments on special occasions, allowing me to explore and develop that passion.

Equally important was their encouragement of my entrepreneurial spirit. They gave me small projects like buying items from the local store and selling them from our bedroom window, which not only taught me about business but also instilled a sense of responsibility and creativity.

They also incentivized academic success, rewarding good grades with presents, which helped me develop a strong work ethic and a sense of accomplishment.

Lastly, one of the most crucial lessons they taught me was the value of fairness and understanding that sometimes, things are not always about me. Whether it was recognizing that my sister might be rewarded at times instead of me, or understanding the concept of shared resources, they helped me see the importance of empathy and the idea that life doesn’t always revolve around my individual needs.

Together, these lessons have shaped my confidence, work ethic, and sense of perspective.

Gisselle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born and raised in Colombia, South America, and moved to the United States at the age of 14. Like so many immigrant families, my parents brought their skills, talents, and a deep desire to contribute to their new community while providing for our family. In our case, that talent was baking, a family legacy that began with my grandfather in the 1950s. My father continued this tradition as a baker in Philadelphia, and through hard work and perseverance, he achieved what many would consider the American Dream: he was able to purchase a small, closed-down restaurant and transform it into a bakery.

At the time, my father gathered my sister, mother, and I to ask if we’d be willing to dive into this family business. Without hesitation, I eagerly said yes. It was there, at the age of 16, in a modest 600-square-foot store, that I began working alongside my family, learning the ropes and the values of dedication and service. We poured our hearts into the business, and I worked through my summer breaks, weekends, and sometimes after school to help keep things running.

As I attended community college and pursued a business major, I quickly realized that the business I was most passionate about was the very one I had grown up in. I knew I wanted to grow it, but I also knew I wanted to do it on my own terms. So, after much discussion with my mother, I took the leap. I leased the equipment, created my own brand, and founded Cafe Tinto—a Latin American cafe with a mission to share our culture through food, organic coffee, and exceptional service.

At Cafe Tinto, we specialize in authentic Colombian cuisine and coffee, and we aim to create a welcoming space where our Latin community can connect with their roots, preserve their culture, and enjoy fresh, hot food and coffee, particularly in the early hours of the day. We strive to serve all kinds of people—from early-rising general contractors grabbing breakfast, to teachers and parents on their way to school, to anyone in need of a quick, nourishing bite.

For me, it’s not just about providing great food and coffee; it’s about service. When you support local businesses like ours, you’re supporting local families, many of whom come from low-to-medium-income communities. We’re committed to being of service—not just to our customers, but also to our team members and to the next generation. That’s why, through our coffee sales, we provide sponsorships to young athletes, especially those in underserved communities, giving them the opportunities they deserve.

In the end, what matters most is the impact we have on our community—both in what we serve and in how we serve. I’m thankful for the support, to have the health to follow my dreams and am eager to continue following this journey.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A key lesson I’ve had to unlearn over the years is that everything doesn’t have to be done by me—and in fact, it shouldn’t be. For nearly a decade, I wore every hat imaginable in the business: from owner to plumber, cashier, marketer to carpenter. At the start, it was driven by the desire to save money and learn every aspect of the business, but I also had an underlying fear of something going wrong and not having enough resources to handle it. It’s that classic “save, save, save” mentality, grounded in my 75% belief that everything would be okay, mixed with the 25% paranoia that things could fall apart at any moment.

This approach served me well in the beginning, especially when I was running a small operation and needed to keep costs low. But now, as we’re expanding into our second location in Fishtown, a thriving and competitive food scene in Philadelphia, I’ve had to challenge that mindset. The new location is a brand-new construction site, which means we’re building from scratch—and that’s a whole new ballgame. I quickly realized that to make this work, I couldn’t continue doing everything myself.

What I had to unlearn was the idea that hustling meant doing it all on my own. I used to think, “I’ll just do it myself because I want it done now.” But what I was really doing was avoiding the time management required to bring in the right professionals at the right time. The hustle, I learned, includes others—hiring the right people, organizing the process, and trusting the expertise of those who know how to get things done faster and more efficiently than I could.

As I work with contractors, designers, and other professionals for the second location, I’ve realized that greatness is built through collaboration, not isolation. I need to depend on others to succeed. That’s something I’ve had to unlearn, and it’s been an invaluable shift in perspective as we take the next big step in growing Café Tinto.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

A pivotal moment in our business came in 2020, when the pandemic forced us to adapt in ways we never imagined. With the city of Philadelphia mandating the closure of dine-in restaurants, we faced a huge challenge: as a take-out only establishment, we didn’t offer delivery, and customers still needed to come inside to place orders. After a few days of no revenue, we quickly pivoted by first building a counter outside the door, allowing customers to order without entering, but that solution was short-lived due to the cold winds that would blow through. The real breakthrough came when my father suggested installing a take-out window, which worked brilliantly. Until the police arrived and asked what the long line was about before shortly asking everyone to leave. And so the biggest shift came when I decided to build our own delivery infrastructure, as relying on third-party services like Uber Eats was not viable for our small margins. After a month of development, I launched our own online platform, one that wouldn’t require the 30% commission usually paid to third party platforms. I hired a cousin as our delivery driver, and began delivering everything from empanadas and coffee to essential grocery items across the city—sometimes as far as 12-15 miles. This pivot not only helped us survive but expanded our customer base and set the stage for new beginnings, proving that innovation in the face of adversity can lead to growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.cafetinto.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafetinto.co
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cafetinto.co
• Twitter: https://Twitter.com/cafetinto_co
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Cafetinto.digital
• Other: Our Menu can be found www.cafetinto.online

Image Credits

Two Peas in a Pod Photography
Piken