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

Alright, Violet thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with talking about how you serve the underserved, because in our view this is one of the most important things the small business community does for society – by serving those who the giant corporations ignore, small business helps create a more inclusive and just world for all of us.

The mission of my coffee brand Ferocity Coffee, as well as the nonprofit I helped establish is to create sustainable systems of support for the trans and LGBTQ+ community. The inspiration behind it is my own story of having to move out very young from my home, without having a support system or supportive parents to help me find my footing. Unfortunately, this is way too common of a story for many trans and queer people, with 40% of the homeless youth in Florida identifying as LGBTQ+. This lack of support puts many trans people in jeopardy, with greater likelihood to substance abuse, self harm, and even attempt to take their lives. Due to recent legislation passing as well, 80% of the clinics previously providing access to gender affirming care have lost the ability to, and there’s a much bigger barrier to entry for those that can’t sustainably support themselves. I think that this is unacceptable, especially in a city that saw one of the biggest shootings in US history happen at an LGBTQ+ nightclub. I believe that’s why it’s more important than ever to find new solutions and work on systems to both employ and invest into the community when we need it most. I’m still early in my process, but my brand partners with drag events and LGBTQ+ venues to provide spaces where people can gather safely, as well as provide employment and resources to support them.

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

I’ve worked in the specialty coffee industry for about 8 years now! Coffee has been a big passion of mine since I was young – from the science behind it, to the intricate nature of preparing it. My brand makes specialty drinks from scratch for themed events and weddings, as well as offer a rotating menu for deliveries throughout Orlando. I also make coffee batches for delivery that provide people with less costs per cup of coffee without losing the quality per cup.

I think my key differentiators are the mission behind what we do, as well as the fact that our recipes are unmatched by any other shop around the area :) Knowing industry secrets really helps!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

The hardest experience I’d recently had to face was my wrongful firing from my previous employer. A company I had worked for over 2 years was bought out by new owners, and after purchasing the company started getting rid of people without explanation. They met me outside of my shop on Valentine’s Day when I had a full face of makeup on, and told me they had to have a “hard conversation with me”. They proceeded to give me a number of reasons for my firing, including telling me that my photography and drag took away from my commitment to the business. I was blind-sighted by the entire situation, especially since I had no negative record with the company, and was the 2nd in command. This took a massive hit on both my financial situation, as well as my stability and mental health. Having people come up with reasons to rid themselves of you is a crazy experience and I know that it happens to a lot of people, and disproportionately trans and LGBTQ+ people. But instead of running away, I spoke up, asked for support, and thankfully so many people came to my support. That is a massive reason my opening business now is even possible – letting go of my fear of speaking up opened up a lot of doors for me.

We’d love to hear about how you keep in touch with clients.

It’s important to make your business a voice for the people it represents! What I find is that the differentiator for a small business is the ability they have to directly connect with an audience. If people get to know you, they’ll want to connect with you and support what you do more than they would a faceless corporation. Although keeping up with appearances can be difficult, it can also provide intrinsic value and relationships that positively impact your life beyond just the business. Knowing your market is really important, because you need to understand who the people you want to connect with are, where they go, and what they do. Making these relationships creates investment in your story in ways that make people want to stay connected to you and what you do.   

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ferocitycoffee.com
• Instagram: @_runvioletrun @ferocity.coffee
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/violet-maldonado-958270bb/