Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rosha Brister. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rosha, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think it takes to be successful?

Resilience. In business there are moments that you’ll encounter that you’re either not prepared for or happen faster than is expected and you have to be able to manage the unknown. Resilience requires you to be able to pivot, to be a problem solver (often suddenly) and have the capacity to handle challenges and/or setbacks.

The greatest example I could give for this is opening up my first brick and mortar. There were many setbacks along the way and unexpected pivots. I faced challenges with funding, finding the right location that was conducive to the business that I’m building and City permitting delays– to name a few.

All of which had the potential to negatively impact the growth of my business. However, in those moments I took the time to recognize what the issues were and brainstorm ways to overcome them. A lot times that meant working overtime, sleepless nights and leaning on my community for support. Nonetheless, it all turned out for the best and I learned how important it is to never give up and keep moving forward no matter the speed. A step forward is always a step closer.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m an avid coffee drinker who enjoys coffee and the coffee shop experience. I’ve spent countless hours in cafes and coffee shops around the nation, taking in what they had to offer. Whether it’s the music, their eccentric cafe design, or if it’s pet-friendly, the food, the coffee options–all of it contributed to my love and ultimate desire to recreate what I’ve experienced attending these cafes. I knew that there were other people like me, people who created a hobby out of frequenting coffee shops, so I sought out to create coffee product(s) that brought the coffee/cafe vibe and mental solitude to people’s personal spaces through the lens of coffee.

I took this approach initially because of the time in which Style Pop Cafe was founded, which happened to be during COVID. I– just like those like me missed our “hang-out spot”, so I took to social media after producing my coffee brand, to curate lifestyle content to promote the idea of experiencing the coffee shop vibe in ones “space.” As the business began to gain some traction through social media and acting as a pop-up coffee shop at events, my business partner and I at the time thought it would be a great idea to give Style Pop customers a little more–coffee creamer. Understanding the climate of people’s mental health during that time and even now, I thought not to just have an ordinary coffee-creamer but coffee-creamer that created a personal connection with our customers. All of our coffee-creamers have personality traits for example, Fine Chai® or Fab Honey®. Creating these names were so important because although things were happening around us, it was important for us to be reminded of who we are, what we contribute to this world and how great the future will be. Fast-forward, Style Pop Cafe is opening its first brick and mortar coming this Summer which will further promote our goal in helping coffee-goers experience coffee in a different way.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

There are three podcasts that I recommend and three social media accounts that I’d recommend: 1. How I Built This, hosted by Guy Raz (Podcast)
2. CEO Diaries by Steven Barlett(Podcast)
3. Seasoned Dialog by Lisa Marie(Podcast)

Social Media Accounts:
1. Earn Your Leisure
2. VSG Entertainment
3. Onyia The Original (Positivity Poet)

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I had to unlearn in business is the statement “:You can do this by yourself.” Granted that there’s a handful of us that can but if you’re looking for longevity there’s power in numbers. Last year I spent almost the entire year operating the core of Style Pop Cafe by myself due to an unforeseen circumstance and it truly wore me out. I went through moments where I felt overwhelmed and overworked. However, I was able to push through those moments when I finally came to the realization that it was okay to lean in on my family, friends and those who wanted to be a mentor to me. It has always been hard for me to ask for help, being the oldest you’re crowned with a level of responsibility and expectation so failing or showing signs of helplessness never sat well with me. Now, I’m realizing and embracing that if I want to make an impact in my success, I have to accept help from those who truly want to support me and see me thrive.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.stylepopcafe.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stylepopcafe/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stylepopcafe
• Other: DoorDash: https://order.online/business/style-pop-cafe-11544185