We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Paola Carlson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Paola, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

Pochis Sweet Designs was born from the heart, nostalgia, and a desire to share a piece of Colombia with the world.

The founder, a Latina entrepreneur, grew up surrounded by the aroma of Colombian coffee, a symbol of culture, tradition, and family unity. In Colombia, coffee is not just a beverage: it’s an experience, a moment to share, converse, and connect.

Upon arriving in the United States, she noticed that, although coffee is widely consumed, the emotional and cultural experience she knew wasn’t present in the same way. That’s when an idea emerged: to transform coffee into something more than a drink, into a sweet experience that could be enjoyed anytime.

So, in 2023, after winning a $20,000 competition, we began to develop an idea, a dream, and started transforming it.

That’s how coffee sweets were born: an innovative way to bring the authentic flavor of Colombian coffee to a practical, delicious, and accessible format. It wasn’t just about creating a product, but about telling a story—the story of their roots, their culture, and their passion for entrepreneurship.

Pochis Sweet Designs was also born with a larger purpose: to create opportunities, support communities, and proudly represent Latin culture in the United States, supporting more than 300 single mothers by providing them with employment and financial stability.

What began as an idea inspired by memories and tradition is now a brand present in supermarkets, hospitals, and local stores, bringing a piece of Colombia to thousands of people and serving as a company with purpose and social impact.

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, Paola Andrea Carlson, am a Colombian entrepreneur, creative, and cultural leader born in Bogotá, Colombia. I am the founder of Pochis Sweet Designs, a brand of artisanal sweets and Colombian coffee that has achieved a presence in more than 270 supermarkets in the Midwestern United States, including a prominent presence in the Meijer chain. I emigrated to the United States around 2017 with my daughter, facing challenges such as the language barrier and adapting to a new environment.

During my first years in the country, I began creating personalized arrangements, chocolate-covered strawberries, and macarons as a hobby for family and friends. Motivated by the support of my community, I decided to turn this activity into a formal business, wanting to share my Colombian culture and traditions with my new community. Over time, this passion evolved into a formal business that merges creativity, flavor, and culture.

In 2019, she founded Pochis Sweet Designs, where she not only produces sweets and coffee, but also works to generate economic opportunities for women, single mothers, and artisans in both the United States and Colombia. Her brand has been recognized with awards and support in entrepreneurship competitions such as Start Garden**, where she obtained key funding to expand her products and import authentic flavors from Colombia.

She also opened Pochis Colombian Restaurant and Café in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, a space that sought to offer the first traditional Colombian dining experience in the city, with typical dishes and Colombian coffee. Although the restaurant closed its doors as a permanent establishment in 2025, the cultural legacy continues through catering services, special events, and temporary events.

Festivals and Cultural Celebrations

In addition to my work as an entrepreneur, I promote Colombian culture in Grand Rapids through festivals and community events:

Colombian Festivals in Grand Rapids

The Gran Fiesta Independencia Colombiana (Great Colombian Independence Day Celebration), which I organized for two consecutive years, takes place around July 20th, the day Colombia commemorates its independence. The event includes traditional food, music, dance, and crafts, and was designed to share and combine Colombian music, gastronomy, art, and cultural presentations in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids. The goal is to showcase Colombian culture in a city where other Latin celebrations traditionally predominate. I also participate in other community-based Latin festivals, as well as multidisciplinary festivals in the area, such as Latin American artisanal food spaces at food fairs and cultural events, which continue to promote inclusion and the cultural richness of the Latino community in Michigan.

What makes me different?

I am an entrepreneur who creates delicious products; I am a cultural bridge between Colombia and the United States. My work strengthens the Colombian presence at multicultural festivals, creates spaces for other Latino artists and entrepreneurs to showcase their talent, and fosters a sense of community among different cultures. (Michigan)

I strive to be an example of resilience, creativity, and cultural leadership, and my mission continues to impact both my customers and the entire Colombian Latino community in Grand Rapids and the surrounding area.

On February 22nd, I was also able to bring and organize the first Mobile Consulate in Grand Rapids, something never before seen in this city. We helped over 80 people with basic documentation needs from our country, Colombia, complete their paperwork.

I am the co-founder and president of Michigan’s first and only Latino Restaurant Association, with over 14 member restaurants, helping to promote and grow Latino culture in Grand Rapids and the surrounding area.

I continue to support the Latino community and help Americans learn more about the rich culture and cuisine of Colombia.

Her company motto is “We love what we do” and her mission statement is “If you can’t go to Colombia, we’ll bring Colombia to you!”

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

There was a week I’ll never forget.

It was a Friday. Payday.

And I didn’t have enough money to pay my team.

I remember sitting in the restaurant, staring at the empty tables at times when it used to be packed. Thinking about each employee, their families, their bills… and feeling the weight of a responsibility that was suffocating me.

That day I understood that being a business owner isn’t just about celebrating when there are lines outside. It’s about silently carrying the fear of not being able to deliver for those who trusted you.

There were times when the business was days away from closing.

Times when sales didn’t cover rent, utilities, suppliers, and payroll.

Times when I wondered if I should give up.

The closing of **Pochi’s Colombian Restaurant & Café** wasn’t due to a lack of love.

It was due to the numbers.

It was due to inflation.

It was due to the accumulated weight of difficult financial decisions. It was about surviving in a system that often doesn’t forgive small businesses, especially those led by immigrant women.

There were nights when I thought the restaurant wouldn’t be open the next day.

But here I am.

Because even though we closed the restaurant, we didn’t close the dream.

The dream evolved.

Today I continue building through Pochis Sweet Designs, bringing the flavors of Colombia to hundreds of people.

The restaurant was a tough but invaluable school.

It wasn’t a failure.

It was a transition.

And if I learned anything, it’s that the darkest moment in a business isn’t closing down… It’s giving up before reinventing yourself.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Of course, Paola.

Here’s a powerful story, aligned with your journey as founder of **Pochi’s Colombian Restaurant & Café** and now leader of **Pochi’s Sweet Designs** — showcasing real resilience, not just theory.

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### 🌿 The Night I Understood I Couldn’t Give Up

There was a moment in my business life when everything seemed to be collapsing at once.

The restaurant was struggling. Sales weren’t enough. The bills kept coming. I was an immigrant, a woman, a businesswoman… and responsible for employees who trusted me.

I remember one specific night. I closed the restaurant early because there were hardly any customers. I turned off the lights, sat alone at one of the tables, and cried. I didn’t cry about the money. I cried because of fear.

Fear of failing.

Fear of losing everything.

Fear of having to tell my team I couldn’t go on.

That night I asked myself a very difficult question:

“Is this the end… or is it a transition?”

I had no extra capital.
I had no investors.
I had debt.
I was under pressure.

But I also had something stronger: vision.

I decided that if one door closed, I wasn’t going to stand in front of it. I was going to build another one.

The closing of **Pochi’s Colombian Restaurant & Café** was one of the most painful moments of my entrepreneurial life. I felt like I was closing a dream. But in reality, I was freeing up space for something different.

From that experience, new ideas and strategies were born; a more conscious, stronger version was born.

And so, I continue working tirelessly to grow Pochi’s Sweet Designs.

My resilience wasn’t about not falling.
It was about falling, crying… and getting back up with a clearer plan.

Today I understand that failure isn’t closing a business. Failure would be not learning anything from the process.

And I learned everything!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pochissweets.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pochissweetdesigns/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PochisSweetDesigns/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/105304672/admin/dashboard/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/paola-andrea-carlson-b5143b88/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/pochis-sweet-designs-grand-rapids

Image Credits

Aves Films
Gaby Design Studios