We recently connected with Marcela Estrop and have shared our conversation below.

Marcela , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Firstly, I believe that above all the most important ingredient needed to be successful in life (which also includes business) is a healthy relationship to self and not many people talk about this. Like the late Lucille Ball said, “You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world”, and it’s true! When you believe in yourself and you know your worth, you’re able to navigate the world with confidence & kindness (not ego), take action, and progress. Self love helps you get past the critics and learn from others. I can’t tell you how many times folks told me I would fail because my background isn’t in coffee or that my café would fail because no one had ever succeeded in my spot. I let the negativity be a motivator. I didn’t allow these comments to bring me down. I trusted my vision, stayed focused, embraced the small wins, and most importantly, made sure to be kind to myself.

In my opinion, other ingredients needed to be successful in business is to love what you do and find meaning in what you do. If you stop having fun or being inspired then it’s time to close shop. You also can’t be afraid to work hard! And I mean really, really hard! Owning your own business means you have to do it all, all the time, and be ready and willing to do whatever it takes to make it work- no matter what, in the beginning. Not everyone has this type of drive or determination. I truly believe that as a Latina it’s just a part of my spirit. I was raised to work hard and have always done so, therefore hard work does not frighten or paralyze me. You must also possess dedication & focus to execute your goals. Perseverance to muscle through the tough times, confidence to trust yourself and your vision, and resilience to bounce back from difficult situations. You must also possess tons of courage to take risks in the face of uncertainty, and be honorable & professional in everything that you do. I firmly believe in always delivering on my word and using competition as a healthy motivator.

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 was born in Mexico City, but spent my formative years in the Bay Area, in Oakland to be precise. I moved to San Diego to attend UC San Diego for undergraduate and graduate school and then spent the following 25 years in corporate sales and business development.

The Coffee Cart San Diego was born out of a love for coffee and a lay-off. When I lost my job in 2018, my mentor at the time suggested I start my own business, but I was not keen on the idea because I had been programmed to work for others. At the time, he asked me what I loved about sales to which I responded, “nothing”. He replied, “Well there must be something you liked because you did it for a long time!”. I thought about it for a moment and realized it was serving people that I loved. I enjoyed delivering superior customer service and being a reliable source. I told him, “I love when people can count on me to deliver whatever it is they need.” He pressed on and asked, “What else do you like?” to which I responded with a non-sequitur, “I love drinking coffee!” not knowing at the time what this comment would lead to.

Luck will have it that my mentor was good friends with Kent Bakke the former CEO of La Marzocco, which I did not know at the time, and asked me if I would like to meet him about a sales job opportunity (he was thinking the best of both worlds—customer service and coffee!) I agreed and in 2018 I spent a week in Seattle with Kent. The initial thought was to work for La Marzocco as a sales rep because of my background in sales, but Kent had no openings. It was on our way back from Mukilteo Coffee Roasters on the ferry, sitting in Kent’s Tesla, that he suggested I start my own espresso catering business. He explained to me that the investment would be low, the return high, and I could do it all by myself. I was terrified, but also inspired to do something on my own that just I would oversee; no partners, no bosses, just me. From that point forth it was not stop until The Coffee Cart San Diego was born.

My espresso catering operation, The Coffee Cart San Diego, is a full-service, upscale mobile espresso bar that I opened on 10/10/2019. We hand craft espresso beverages in the moment using specialized equipment and locally roasted specialty coffee. We specialize in corporate events, weddings and private parties bringing the specialty coffee and café experience to an event. What sets us apart from others is our professionalism, reliability, and customer service in addition to our commitment to quality and flavor. My success in sales was my ability to not only sell a good product, but more importantly, develop lasting relationships with customers through excellent customer service. I pride myself on outstanding communication with a client from start to finish as well as exceptional organization skills to execute the upscale and on-brand coffee experience I promise a client. Despite opening just a few months before the pandemic, I was able to survive the global crisis and grow The Coffee Cart San Diego into a successful business through word of mouth. I attribute this to my faith, perseverance, and resilience which I believes is engrained in my spirit as a Latina.

In 2022, I was invited to take over a café space in Sorrento Valley, the center of San Diego’s biotech community. The real-estate company I had been catering espresso for at their multiple campuses was impressed with my company’s service and the quality of the coffee I served. They thought The Coffee Cart San Diego would be the perfect company to bring to life a much-needed specialty coffee shop in the business park they owned.

On August 1, 2022 The Coffee Cart Café at SOVA opened its doors to the public. Like the catering operation, the café also specializes in espresso serving locally roasted specialty coffee by Common Good Coffee Roasters out of La Mesa. In addition to espresso, we offer an extended menu including drip coffee, house made cold brew, a variety of organic teas including chai & matcha, house made syrups and vegan pastries by Split Bakehouse. Like the catering operation, we are dedicated to bringing forth a high-quality coffee experience from start to finish.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Last year I opened my very own café, The Coffee Cart Café. It was the hardest year of my life. I discovered that opening a café is not for the faint of heart. I worked 7 days a week for 4.5 months straight for my espresso catering business and newly opened café to coexist. I was faced with terrible staffing shortages but was committed to keeping the café open and servicing our espresso catering events no matter what. There were many times when I felt there was no way I could make the catering and the café coexist with all the challenges and the stamina required to keep going. But I persevered even when it was easier to walk away. I chose to embrace the continuous wave of uncomfortable emotions with the wisdom and courage that all the difficulties I was living were making me stronger. That there is a lesson to learn from every situation and every relationship. I rose above all the critics and self-proclaimed coffee experts telling me how I should be running my business and chose to trust myself and my vision.

The result has been a coffee shop I am so proud of! A coffee shop with meaning and purpose. We provide a wonderful experience to all who enter because we truly care about the quality of the coffee we serve and the experience we provide to our customers. If we can improve one person’s day, then we all feel we have been successful that day. This attitude has led to wonderful connections with our regulars & forged a great relationship with other vendors in our business plaza. I along with my team have hustled to keep a steady increase in sales month over month despite our challenging location and I have created a work environment that is safe, fun and pays well!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

I think my professionalism, reliability, dedication to quality and kindness has help build my reputation within the market. People trust me and therefore trust my brand because I honor my word in everything that I do. I always approach every situation with respect, and I take ownership of my mistakes. I am committed to being my best self in everything that I do and this is what I present to my customers and model for my employees. The Coffee Cart San Diego & The Coffee Cart Café is committed to excellence and folks who know us, who have hired our services, or been to our café, know this.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thecoffeecartsd.com
• Instagram: @thecoffeecartsd
• Facebook: The Coffee Cart Café & Espresso Catering
• Yelp: The Coffee Cart Café & Espresso Catering
• Other: Google The Coffee Cart Café & Espresso Catering

Image Credits
Jose Jesus Lopez Jr.