We recently connected with Sonia and have shared our conversation below.

Sonia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

It all started with Lady Coffea, from a very simple place: the desire to share my passion for specialty coffee in a more approachable way. I began by creating content and hosting small, intimate tastings, almost like a live laboratory. What worked online, I tested in person and what happened in those sessions came back into content. That constant loop of create, test, adjust is what really shaped the project.
Over time, I moved from just “explaining coffee” to designing experiences. Thinking about how people learn, what they feel, and how to connect with them more deeply. That’s when I became more intentional with every detail, from content to logistics, timing, and materials.
Then Aluna Lab was born as a natural evolution: the need for a physical space where all of this could exist. A place for workshops, tastings, and community. Here, execution shifted from single events to building a system: structuring programs, managing resources, and creating a consistent flow of experiences.
If there’s one thing that defines how I executed everything, it’s this: I didn’t wait for perfection. I started with what I had, validated quickly, and improved along the way.
Less about big launches, more about continuously creating, testing, and refining.

Sonia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! I’m Sonia, also known as Lady Coffea, and my life revolves around specialty coffee. I’m passionate about everything related to aromas, flavors, and the complete experience of a great cup of coffee. From the start, I wanted to share that love and knowledge with others, teaching in a close and practical way to both enthusiasts and those looking to professionalize in the world of coffee.

Through my projects, I aim to offer complete experiences: with Lady Coffea I teach techniques and organize tastings; with Let It Drip I create gamified and interactive experiences to make learning about coffee fun and community-driven; and with Aluna we have a physical space for learning and connection, where workshops, tastings, and networking combine to provide hands-on, sensory learning.

I help my clients and students improve their skills, understand flavors and aromas, brew the perfect coffee at home, and, if they want, grow professionally. What sets me apart is my passion for turning something everyday into a memorable experience: it’s not just coffee, it’s about teaching, connecting, and enjoying every moment.

I’m most proud of the community we’ve built and the ecosystem that brings together education, fun, and sensory experiences. What I want people to know is that with Lady Coffea, Let It Drip, and Aluna, every cup of coffee can be a story, a learning experience, and a moment of connection

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been combining educational content with real-world experiences. Through my platform Lady Coffea, I create accessible and practical coffee education focused on brewing techniques, sensory skills and home barista knowledge.
By sharing valuable content consistently on Instagram and collaborating with cafés, brands and coffee professionals, I’ve built a community that trusts my recommendations and expertise. This approach naturally converts followers into workshop participants, collaborators and clients, because they already connect with my way of teaching and communicating coffee.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

The best source of new clients has been Instagram combined with strong word-of-mouth within the specialty coffee community.
Through my educational content on Lady Coffea, many coffee enthusiasts and professionals discover my work and start following my brewing tutorials, coffee insights and workshops. Over time, this has created a community that actively recommends my work to others.
A large part of new opportunities actually comes from people sharing my content, recommending my workshops, or cafés and professionals referring me, which has helped me grow organically within the specialty coffee industry.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ladycoffea
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/soniavaquero

Image Credits

@collectivecreatorlab
@khawa.es