We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sharletta Hanks. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sharletta below.

Alright, Sharletta thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How do you feel about asking friends and family to support your business? What’s appropriate, what’s not? Where do you draw the line?

This is a question I have received on several occasions asking “How do I ask my friends and family to support my business”. When starting a business you have to first know in your mind and heart this is your personal goal no matter who chooses to support you or not. I advise you first to keep this in mind because throughout the journey of building your dreams there will be people you expected to be your number one supporter to being your number one hater and or just not acknowledging your hard work and success, which is never a good feeling so follow along with me as I list a few ways that have helped me build up “Mojo” in my family and friends when it comes to them supporting my company Drink Coffee Pops, LLC.

1. Product websites, social media and other marketing platforms have been professionally managed and or put together. This is a way to also market your product to your close ones without having to ask. The reason for this is because others will support when things look professionally done which causes your true supporters to share your business without you having to ask because who doesn’t love to be connected to a beautifully made product.

2. Just ask your friends and family to repost your business by creating your marketing material first. The reason is to have them post while on their minds instead of sending at a later date. I also suggest you stagger your friends and family to certain dates and times you want them to post without letting them know your strategy for marketing your company. This is a unique way especially since others ( Strangers) will just share your page or product due to the excitement for you.

3. Don’t expect your friends and family to purchase your product or even financially support you just because you are close. This is your business not theirs. Stop thinking because you have an amazing idea everyone has to support that is around you because that will always leave you upset.

4. Put together a family group text asking them to repost your product along and provide your family with a discount code just for their followers to use. Depending on the size of your family you speak with, at least 50% of them will follow your message to see you succeed especially if they see you have put the work into your company.

5. Inbox your ” Social Media” Besties lol and ask them to share your business in their 24hr story.

6. Throw a gathering for all of your loved ones and pitch your idea to them and where you are trying to see yourself in a year from that day. Have your product there to sell along with giving small samples out.

7. Be sure to show you are just as supportive towards others building their company as you would like for them to be supporting your company. Keep in mind this saying ” You wash my back I wash your back” help others brainstorm and please be genuinely happy for others and God will do the rest for you and your goals.

Sharletta, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m 36 years old, born and raised in Chicago on 75th and Essex, however, I moved to Atlanta back in 2004 when I was 19 years old to challenge myself and better myself. This was a personal goal as I didn;t know what type of adult I desired to be as an adult woman so I thought moving away from what I was used to into a new world, figured this should help me become whoever God sought out for me to be. Long story short I was managing properties for over 10yrs and quickly got burned out and knew my time in that industry was up. I had an amazing opportunity that fell in my lap to change my career from managing properties to. managing clinical trials for the last past 6yrs now.

This journey has led me into building an amazing coffee business from working in a rental office to working from home and traveling for work when needed. I developed a routine that has caused me to brainstorm and think outside the box on how I can drink my coffee without adding sugar, syrup and more just to have a perfect cup of Joe. This was a personal journey for me due to being diagnosed in 2016 with borderline diabetes and being told to cut back on my caramel macchiatos six pumps of vanilla upside down hold the foam starbucks coffee since I heavily consume coffee on a daily basis to a healthier cup that provides less.

I was forced into becoming a bit more creative and disciplined in my day to day coffee intake. I started brainstorming on what goes well with coffee and also just experimenting on the different textures and taste of coffee that I can make until I came up with the perfect mixture. I then had an issue with knowing that I couldn’t bring this coffee with me while traveling and also because of the measurements the coffee was not being made in the time span I needed it. I was watching ” The Wendy Williams” show and noticed that before “Hot Topics” she always stirred her tea while giving us the tea. I remember having an apitfulney and envisioning me stirring my coffee and the rest is to follow along with history by creating a way to make coffee on a stick that is created for you to be on the go and or just to create a more efficient routine all while being healthy.

The year of 2016 I created Drink Coffee Pops not knowing that others were having the same road blocks I was having with my sweet intake and also keeping a routine while traveling or just working. I added grounded coffee, raw honey, bee pollen, and non dairy flavored creamer.

The Year of 2017 I decided to move back to Chicago and was encouraged to sell my coffee pops. This was an amazing idea due to having a new unique healthier way to drink gourmet coffee while on the go. Although this invention came as a surprise I had several hurdles to jump over starting with believing in myself and building up my confidence in what I believe in no matter how many times i had to explain what coffee pops is or do to the same person (Made me feel insecure by the way) to only find out they never was interested in drinking coffee. This was a huge hurdle mentally because I was ready to just give up and though what I invented was “Stupid” but something in me would not alllow me to give up on myself so I realized I needed to become more unique in my approach and adverstiments.

As of date Drink Coffee Pops has been making noise throughout my community due to the consistent marketing and pouring quality into what I believe in by taking my time with purchasing only the best for my company to provide to my customers. Drinking Coffee Pops is a lifestyle that you will love to live. We work hard to be sure when marketing we set ourselves apart by doing unique services for our customers and communities.

As a company we have set out to feed the homeless our coffee and breakfast to show we care by spending time talking and praying with all that is interested in hanging out with us. We have also provided the homeless with a small amount of gift cards for lunch right after , towels, tooth brush, and soap because it’s nothing like feeling full and clean all at the same time. We put a snippet of what we were doing in our community on our social media page which grabbed the attention of my aunt’s Delphine Bridges singing group that she has been a part of for over 40yrs called “Jr. Sensationals” a group of young ladies that have been anointed and appointed to Love God and Love God’s people. They stir up their gift by singing spiritual songs for all occasions. You name it, they proclaim Jesus by demonstrating the word through spiritual plays by being blessed to be a blessing in adopting Matthew 25:35 where we visit the sick, feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit those in prison and share with thee unsaved that Jesus is aLive Savior. Their Ministry is all about ministering and serving, realizing that it’s only what they do for Christ will last located at Mt. Pisgah on 47th and King Drive. The Jr. Sensationals were so touched by my mystery with the homeless that they volunteered to join me the next time I fed the homeless. I was so overjoyed because having my elders wanting to support me was a dream come true and having the additional help is what I prayed for.

Drinking Coffee Pops is a lifestyle we have offered several gifts to our current customers and new customers for example we have given away several Dior items, Chanel Items , Honeycomb shaped candles with more to come in store. I encourage you to visit mysite and social media handles.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

When operating a small business all while building a solid platform there will be several risk taking decisions you have to make and majority of the time all of the funds will come out of your pockets. For example this year back in March of 2022 I decided to set out and challenge myself by pitching my company to the “Chicago Makeup Show” that served over thousands of people during a two day weekend. I was extremely nervous because I never served that many people at one time and not to mention Drink Coffee Pops is new to the market. I saw this as a perfect opportunity to try out a large number of customers that have no personal attachment to me for feedback and reviews. Because of my bright idea the lady over the event agreed that my product will be the right fit to be stationed in the inside of their make up show and by the way i was the only beverage company allowed in the building, I was excited and nervous all at the same time because within a couple weeks I had to make enough product to cover thousands. which means money money money I have to put up out of my own pocket and take a huge risk.

Show day I came in with the vision I had for my company and with my mindset to win only! Well did I mention to you how scared I was? If not, I was scared out of my mind so I only called the best for help that I knew wouldn’t charge me which was. my brother Sherman Hanks and sister Shawnese Hanks to help me with customers and background information on the product if asked and David Thomas with the set up help. This was a day to see all my previous work that I put into my company to see if my invention was what I thought it was GRAND.

As a result, for the two days that I worked the event I pretty much sold out! The lines were wrapped around the corner and in two days I made over 3k. This was a journey that I knew to stay on and continue to push through.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

When building a business from scratch you will always have pivot moments and moments when you need to go back to the drawing board. This is not an easy task when you set your mind on building a business. Due to my business low self esteem I stopped my company several times where I needed to find more things that encouraged me to stand behind my company no matter the struggles I face.  Sometimes you have to know when to take a mental break and just collect your thoughts into being sure that you are making smart moves. My suggestion pivot as much as you need to and see fit for your success.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.drinkcoffeepops.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drinkcoffeepops/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drinkcoffeepopsllc/?ref=pages_you_manage