Hidden Gems: Meet Jerrick Daniels of The Awkward Cup Sorbet, Smoothie & Juice Bar

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jerrick Daniels.

Hi Jerrick, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
The Awkward Cup was formed from an unfortunate setback in my hometown of Detroit. Let me tell you that I had no plans whatsoever of opening a smoothie shop before this day. In May of 2017, I was preparing to host one of my famous game nights in my home, with 20 or so friends expected to attend. Two hours prior to the event kicking off, I discovered that my AC was not cooling the house like it normally would have. So, I walked outside to check the unit, thinking that the fan was probably jammed. Hoping to expect something simple, I get out there and my condenser is gone. Like really gone!!!! Baffled, thinking to myself… someone decided that my condenser would be better suited at their home. SMH So here I am… expecting twenty or so guests on this beautiful 90-degree summer day and my home is beginning to feel like an oven because a thief or two ran off with my AC unit the night before. And with little time, I still must figure out how to make this evening comfortable for everyone – because cancelling was out of the question.

So, I came up with the simplest of ideas… make frozen sorbet and smoothies. I hopped in my truck, drove to Wal-Mart, and bought my very first blender. Then I stopped by Kroger to pick up some frozen fruit. And made one final trip to the liquor store. By the time everyone arrived, I had liquor infused frozen treats prepared as they walked in. Absolute success!!! The entire night, all I kept hearing was, “Jay, you need to sell these immediately”. So, I did. And by the end of the summer, I had friends, family and neighbors raving about my sorbet. By this time, its fall and the weather is changing. Michigan gets very cold in September and does not warm back up till late April. But I am so excited about this product and now I want to sell it all year round.

More importantly, I wanted people to experience what a natural frozen fruit smoothie tastes like, without the water, ice, dairy, or extra sweeteners. What I did next was nothing but craziness. I walked away from a 6-figure job, pulled my 401K master saving plan, and moved away from my family to Georgia October 19th of 2017. Now here is where things go crazy: Not knowing too much about Georgia, I set out to find a great storefront location. It was not simple but I lucked up on a property in Snellville next to a Planet Fitness and signed my lease February of 2018. With six months free rent to build out my shop, I start searching for contractors who could help bring my vision to life. But instead, I ran into scammers who bided on the project, agreed to start with 50% up front and then took off three days after starting the project. What made the matter worse was that the company I hired was working under false names. So, $15,000 was gone just like that. Rather than get discouraged, I opted to learn how to do the work myself using YouTube videos and tricks I had seen off HGTV. Because I was new at drywall and sanding, the project stretched far beyond six months, into a year.

On January of 2019, I was 80% completed with the buildout. I had sanded and painted all the walls and ceilings, built two rooms in the back of the store for storage, constructed a 205 square ft prep area equipped with granite countertops, shiplap, and drywall. I received a call from my landlord telling me that the business next door had caught fire and to see if my business was affected. It was! Everything I had built was ruined. And what made matters worse, I had no insurance. Do I throw in the towel at this point? I’ve loss $15,000 and now my building is ruined and I have no options. A few days had passed, and I get a call from the property manager. After explaining to him that I did not have insurance, he then explained that the neighboring restaurant was at fault and that I can file a claim against their insurance to re-coop my damages. It took some time but it worked. I had received a payout for damages around June – 5 months after the fire and 11 months outside of my 6-month free rent. So, I have paid 11 months of rent at this point with no profits in sight.

But I am determined to get this business open so I started repairing the damages myself. Gwinnett County is one of the toughest counties in Georgia to pass a building inspection and health inspections. Quite a few times I found myself at the health department, thinking I have everything I needed to open – and each time I learned that I was a mile or two away from receiving the okay to open. Around February of 2020, I had completed everything asked of me by the city of Snellville and from the Gwinnett County Health Department. So, I set my grand opening for March 2nd. Guess what happens at this point… COVID. First a scammer, then a fire, and now a pandemic. (smh) I am sinking at this point. My smoothie shop was an out-of-pocket expense. No loans were used to fund this project. But now I need help because I’m broke at this point and I cannot afford to pay another month of rent and not see a profit. So I reach out for government assistance (SBA). But I’m denied – not once but 3 times. Their reason… “Since I was never open for business, there was no economic hardship.” WOW!!! April passes! May passes! June Passes! July arrives and the state of Georgia has given businesses the okay to open. And so with no other option but to open during a pandemic, I put on my facemask and opened The Awkward Cup to Georgia. Today… I’m barely hanging in there. Covid has affected business tremendously. On top of that, the weather is at a low point and due to a lack of funds for advertisement, my business is staying alive by word-of-mouth. But I am not a quitter. Every customer who has walked in my shop and purchased a sorbet or smoothie has given me a reason to hold on longer. And so I will.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When I came up with The Awkward Cup, I wanted a name that could encompass everything that I’m doing differently from my competitors. First, I want to invest in the bodies of my customers by offering healthy options. Every sorbet and smoothie is blended with the best tasting frozen fruit, and without ice, water, liquid fruit or sweeteners. So the only sugar you’re consuming is the natural sugars from the fruit. Second, my smoothie shop is an experience. Rather than order and go, The Awkward Cup offers books to read, games to play and swings to relax in. Visit us on Friday and Saturday nights after 9pm to witness Awkward Evenings, a social gathering of poets and musicians. Customers can expect at our store and future stores: Painting with an Awkward Twist; Game Night; Couples Game Night; Live Bands; Movie Nights; Ballroom & Salsa Dance Lessons; Karaoke Night; Spoken Word and more. These will be ticketed events and available for purchase on our website. Third (but far from lastly), The Awkward Cup gives customers the option to add alcohol to their smoothies and sorbet. Choose from our well-known and top shelf selections of Gin, Rum, Tequila, Vodka, Whiskey, Bourbon, or Brandy.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My advice to all entrepreneurs seeking exposure is to wear your story. Be honest and open about your journey because you never know who could be listening. Allow people to hear your struggles because it may aid them through theirs. One thing I try to preach to daily is that you must incorporate the things that make you happy with your brand. This will allow you to get through the tough times by being able to physically see why you’re working so hard.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.theawkwardcup.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/theawkwardcup
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/theawkwardcup
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/theawkwardcup