We recently connected with Jason & Christina Stebbins and have shared our conversation below.
Jason & Christina , appreciate you 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
This is a great question, the story brings us much joy. Our journey into the world of coffee and tea as a husband and wife team began innocently enough during a family vacation. When we travel we make a conscience effort to seek and support local. Our trip was centered around fun in Northern Arizona snowboarding, eating good and enjoying local food and beverage culture. We found ourselves in a local roastery enjoying warm coffee amidst the crispy and chilly air. It was at that moment during our annual family vacation we discovered our mutual passion for coffee and its effect of brining people together.
Inspired by this newfound mutual interest, the D48 coffee couple was made into existence. We embarked on a quest to turn our love for coffee into a business venture. This journey led us to a serendipitous meeting with a Matador who goes by Mario, a talented roaster and impactful mentor and guide in the intricacies of the coffee industry. Before we knew it 15lbs of single origin coffee beans were delivered to our door.
Now the fun was about to begin, Christina applied her knowledge and experience in the Wine world, as a family we started the lengthy task of sampling each coffee bean. We sampled, documented notes and flavors and aromas of all 15lbs of each coffee bean until we were buzzing and could not drink another drop. Our pallets were pushed to the max, yet we were excited to move onto the next stage which we call cupping.
The next day Christina called Jason with ratios, Jason cupped it twice and cupped it for his Father in Law who gave this blend a double thumbs up. That day in 2019 Southwest Smooth was born, Our goal was to launch our first Trio of District 48 Coffee, we added “The 48” and “Zona Dark” to round out our first drop. Little did we know the challenges we would soon face at the onset of a global pandemic. One thing was for certain, we were undeterred in our mission to share our love of coffee with the Arizona local community. Now that we had blends and names we needed a label. Many people eat with their eyes and it was vital we had a local artist with the same love for Arizona as us. There was only one artist we wanted to work with for his bold use of color saturation and rich eye for detailed creativity, we reached out to Arizona Local mural artist Mr. J. Perry. We hit the jackpot when he agreed and we were off to the races.
Two weeks later 36lb of our proprietary coffee blends were delivered to our door and the entire world get shut down…..we were in shock and knew we needed to venture into uncharted territory. We pivoted our business model to focus on delivering our coffee to our new supporters door to door implementing a no-contact delivery methods. Through dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to quality control for flavor and low acid while focusing on small batch roasting methods, our coffee business flourished, evolving from a small startup into an expansive distribution network, reaching coffee enthusiasts far and wide.
Our journey as the D48 Coffee Couple is a testament to the power of passion, resilience and the ability to adapt in the face of adversity.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Allow us to introduce you to your new favorite coffee and tea company. We are Jason and Christina Stebbins the Arizona Locals behind District 48 Coffee and Tea. The whole bean coffee we offer is curated by us personally and we take pride in creating the most memorable coffee experience with each of our propriety coffee blends and unique roasting style.
Welcome to District 48, where we elevate you coffee and tea beverage experience to new found heights. We provide our selves on being high-end small batch whole bean coffee and tea retail and distribution business operating out of the great 48 state of Arizona.
We have an unwavering commitment to quality control, flavor and most importantly a low acid profile. Each batch of our meticulously sourced beans undergoes a precise roasting process, ensuring every cup delivers a a rich and nuanced taste that tantalized the senses. A level of expectation and standard we strive to maintain with every pound we offer.
Whether you prefer a bold espresso or a smooth pour over or a cold brew, District 48 Coffee is crafted to flavor profile perfection, promising the mind and senses a luxurious experience with every sip.
Join us on a journey of unparallel taste and discover the excellence of District 48 Coffee and Tea.
We are located at multiple valley locations; District 48 Clothing- Arrowhead Mall, District 48 Clothing- Flagstaff Mall, Lee Bones Fine Meats, Retail Therapy-Westgate, Arrowhead Farmers Market- Every Saturday 9-1p, State48 Brewery- Southwest Smooth Amber Ale Coffee Beer and Southwest Smooth Baltic Porter Coffee Beer, Online at Shopdistrict48.com
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Resilience as a business owner, husband and wife team, and survivors truly embodies the ability to preserve through challenges, adapt to unexpected circumstances and maintain a sense of unity and purpose. As business owners, resilience means navigating market fluctuations, setbacks, and obstacles with determination and innovation.
Being a husband and wife team, resilience involves supporting each other through tough times, communicating with effective intent, and finding strength in unity to overcome obstacles together. As survivors, resilience is about embracing the strength gained from overcoming adversity, using past experience to fuel growth all while maintain a sense of hope and optimism for the future.
We have found we are most effective and impactful when we work on each others strengths. There is more grace and patience toward each other in a day, with everything we have been through in business we are stronger unified than divided. We may not always agree or see eye to eye however we make it happen together.
Overall, resilience in these roles requires resilience in mindset, adaptability, and unwavering commitment to overcome obstacles and thrive despite adversity.
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
Reflecting on our personal and professional growth often entails not just learning new lessons, also unlearning deeply engrained beliefs and behaviors that no longer serve us. These are pivotal moments of growth in both life and business, often acquired through upbringing, societal norms, or past experiences. which can hinder progress and limit a person’s potential.
Delving into the journey of unlearning requires introspection and courage, as it entails challenging long-held beliefs and embracing vulnerability. In this exploration, we examined the lessons we have had to unlearn and delve into the backstory behind these transformative experiences , shedding light on obstacles faced and the triumphs achieved along the way.
The willing to unlearn the lesson of people-pleasing as business owner has been a transformative journey rooted in overcoming the fear of judgment and the desire for validation from others. Initially, as individuals, we found ourselves trapped in the cycle of seeking approval and acceptance, fearing how our decisions and actions and actions would be perceived by those around us.
As a business owner, this fear translated into hesitancy to fully express our brand’s unique identity in a saturated industry, fearing that is might not resonate with the community or meet their expectations. However, as we embarked on this journey of unlearning, we realized the liberating power of authenticity and staying true to our vison and our why! We came to understand that prioritizing the opinions of others over our own convictions only hindered our growth and stifled our creativity. Through introspection and courage, we shed the burden of people-pleasing and embraced the freedom of self-expression.
As a result, our District 48 Clothing and Coffee brand flourished, resonating with those who appreciated our authentic and distinctiveness in the marketplace Unlearning the character flaw of people-pleasing has not only empowered us as individuals; moreover, our business has benefited, allowing us to stand confidently in our identity and connect with our supporters on a deeper and relatable level.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.shopdistrict48.com
- Instagram: thed48coffeecouple
- Facebook: District48Coffee
Image Credits
Artist: Jesse Perry aka Mr. Downtown PHX Artist: Dylan Morgan aka The Movement Photographer: Edward Farris founder of The Motion PHX