Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Li.
Hi Ellen, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory
In my senior year of college, I got the idea that I wanted to open up my own coffee shop. I really love the community and welcoming environment that coffeeshops foster, and I wanted to cultivate such a space as well. I started working as a barista at Peet’s Coffee. I had the best time managing morning rushes with my coworkers, practicing latte art after watching countless YouTube videos, and bantering with regular customers. After graduating, reality kicked in. Lacking any work experience or capital, I needed to get a job. I put my coffee idea on hold, got a consulting gig, and moved from California to Atlanta to start working. With weekly travel and fast-paced client engagements, there was little time to pursue personal interests until the advent of the pandemic.
Suddenly, it felt like my life was put on pause. Almost all aspects of my life had become virtual. I missed people. With so much time on my hands, I started doing research just to see what it would take to open up a little coffee popup stand to start reconnecting with my community. I ended up reaching out to Jake, the owner of Irwin Street Community Kitchens. We talked and I made a spontaneous decision to sign a lease with the kitchen the very next day. That was June 2020. From there, I worked on getting my logo, licensing, recipes, and materials in order. Growing up in a very diverse community and having traveled extensively, I knew that I wanted to create quality products showcasing international inspirations. I wanted to get people curious and learning about different cultures through coffees and teas. I got all my licensing done in September 2020 and started having popups at local Atlanta markets. The feedback and community have all been very supportive and it’s been great! I’m looking forward to 2021 and aiming to attend regular farmer’s markets and partner with local Atlanta retailers to share more Darn Coffee.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Definitely not! The first struggle was getting all the necessary licensing. The Atlanta business license was particularly hard to obtain since the office has been closed since the start of the pandemic. I kept following up via email and was eventually able to push that through. The other big hurdle was figuring out the product format. Originally I wanted to serve cold brew coffees in to-go cups for customers to consume right away. However, that was difficult because many people were hesitant to drink coffee during my afternoon events and the weather was getting colder so people wanted a drink format they could heat up and consume later at home. Tan, the owner of the Atlanta Food Truck Park, gave me some great advice to start bottling my drinks and offering teas as well. That has worked out really well and allowed me to incorporate Chinese herbal teas in my menu, inspired by my own upbringing.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Darn Coffee is a specialty cold brew and tea experience based in Atlanta, Georgia. Our hand-crafted creations draw inspiration from people and flavors around the world and source top-quality ingredients from local, sustainable Atlanta businesses. Our beans are from an Atlanta small-batch coffee roaster focused on quality and sustainability. We use beans that are organic, Fair Trade, and support women coffee producers from around the world. The idea for Darn Coffee started in Ellen’s tiny college apartment. Inspired by her travels and childhood in the vibrant immigrant communities of Southern California, she wanted to bring people together by sharing unique coffees and teas from around the world. We aim to build a community that seeks to learn from and understand people of all cultures and walks of life. We hope you find as much joy sharing in our drinks as we do.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I love Excel spreadsheets. They help me keep track of everything from product development trials to licensing dependencies. Wave has been a great accounting tool to keep track of all my income and expenses. Best of all, it’s free! Local Facebook groups and Facebook Marketplace are awesome for connecting with local entrepreneurs, finding popup events, and second-hand equipment at a good price.
Pricing:
- $6.50 per bottle of cold brew coffee or herbal tea
Contact Info:
- Email: darncoffee@gmail.com
- Website: https://www.darncoffee.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darncoffee/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darncoffee
