We recently connected with Nikki Orsak and have shared our conversation below.
Nikki , appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Guadalupe Coffee Company was conceived over many morning commutes through the heart of the Texas Hill Country. With each pass over the Guadalupe River, Guadalupe Coffee Co was envisioned one cup of coffee at a time. The original concept for the coffee shop was centered around bringing a healthier specialty coffee beverage to underserved markets.. Frustrated with the lack of healthier options in smaller communities, I was motivated to create a space which I would personally want to frequent.
It wasn’t long after we opened that I realized our little specialty coffee shop brought SO much more than just another cup of coffee to a logistically difficult location . Guadalupe Coffee Co. not only places a special focus on the quality of our specialty coffee and tea beverages, but also the community that is built around a local coffee shop. We continue to foster a creative space in which allows room for our community to grow.
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 get asked all the time, “how did you get into the coffee business,” and the answer has always been open-ended because there is not a simple answer as to how Guadalupe Coffee Company came to existence. Guadalupe Coffee Co. is more like a destination on a long journey of personal growth and wellness.
Most of my twenties were spent in and out of the hospital chronically ill, not constructively handling the stressors of being a single mom, and in a state of constant go-go-go-go-go. After a spiritual awakening during a trip to South America in the Spring of 2016, I made the decision to uproot my family from the city and settle in the valley of the Texas Hill Country in search of a more simple and intentional life.
Guadalupe Coffee Co. came to fruition over many morning commutes literally driving across the Guadalupe River and realizing the need for a coffee shop more conveniently located to the little community we now called home. I never worked in coffee (ever) prior to opening the shop, instead coming in with a heavy background in procurement and logistics, and an even bigger passion for sharing the health and wellness path that forever changed the course of my life.
From the inception of GCC, I knew that I could never sell a product that I didn’t personally believe would better the consumer in some way – from our coffee (ethically sourced small, fair-trade farms) which is small-batch roasted to perfection right here in Texas, to our small-batch house-made syrups, to the fresh organic spices that we use in many of our signature drinks – we place a special focus on a finished product that is rooted in simplicity. We believe that a good cup of coffee (or tea if that’s more your thing) doesn’t have to be complicated and we continually strive to partner with other business who align with our mission of bringing better quality products to the table.
Guadalupe Coffee Company isn’t just another coffee shop…we are a lifestyle centered around community, creativity, and wellness…and a good cup of coffee, of course! Coffee has been at the center of so many important life events, big and small, and we want to ensure that a good cup of coffee remains in the center of community growth.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
If resilience is the ability to overcome difficulty, my life is most definitely an illustration of resilience! But let’s be real: we ALL have a story – a sequence of events that have either propelled us forward or held us back. Our perception of these events is ultimately what will determine our ability to either overcome or face defeat.
The absolute greatest difficulty I’ve overcome along my journey is that success is a mindset, not a destination. The ideology that success is a euphoric place of balance and harmony is a complete misconception because scientifically, balance is merely the counteraction between positive and negative energetic forces.
Resilience is inevitable for survival – so if you are reading this, you are ALL capable of illustrating resilience if you are are willing to personally get to know yourself, your struggles, your motivations, and continually to choose learning and growing instead of giving up.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
“Pivot” is one of my favorite action words! My absolute favorite time to pivot in business, career, AND life is when things are going positively and suddenly the balance shifts. I fundamentally believe these shifts are instrumental in guiding us down the paths we are meant to travel. When we choose to fight the shift, we find ourselves having to work harder in order to continue travelling down the same trajectory. When we choose to pivot as we reach these shifts in external forces, we are able to go with the natural flow and move around any objects standing in the way of our goals.
Our story at Guadalupe Coffee Co. embodies a “go with the flow” culture, much like our namesake – the Guadalupe River. When a certain trajectory or aspect of our business no longer serves us, we pivot and bend to take on a new direction.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.guadalupecoffeeco.com
- Instagram: @guadalupecoffeeco
- Facebook: Guadalupe Coffee Co.
Image Credits
Leah Marie Nikki Orsak