Today we’d like to introduce you to Letitia Hauser.
Hi Letitia , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Mary and I are sisters and had both spent over 15 years in successful corporate careers. Mary worked in project management in the banking sector, and I worked in commercial insurance underwriting. From the outside, everything looked great. Stable, well-paying careers with clear paths forward. But internally, we were both feeling the same thing: the work had become unfulfilling, and we felt a growing desire to do something more meaningful.
Interestingly, neither of us knew the other was feeling that way at the same time. When we finally talked about it, we realized we were both sensing the same pull to step away from corporate America. For us, we truly describe that moment as faith…feeling called to take a bigger leap than we ever had before.
In the past we had “dabbled” in entrepreneurship, but this time was different. This time we decided to fully commit. Leaving lucrative, stable careers after 15+ years wasn’t easy, but we had incredible support from our spouses. Mary’s husband, Johnath, has a background in accounting, and my husband Brandon has experience as a legal analyst with a focus on intellectual property, so together we really approached this as a family-supported leap of faith.
The idea for Mood Café grew from our desire to create something that blended hospitality, encouragement, and community. We often sought refuge in local cafés and developed a deep appreciation for coffee culture, realizing that coffee has a unique way of bringing people together. However, we wanted more than just a coffee shop, we wanted a space where people felt welcomed, remembered, and uplifted.
Before opening the café, we really committed to starting with what we had. We used our initial investment to launch a coffee cart, which allowed us to test the concept and get out into the community. That cart quickly grew in popularity because of the energy we brought and the quality of the coffee we served. We showed up everywhere, community events, sporting events, private parties, and corporate offices.
Those early experiences were incredibly important for us. They gave us the chance to meet people, refine what we were offering, and really see how people responded to the brand. One thing we’ve always believed is that we do people well, and that connection played a huge role in building our confidence as entrepreneurs and confirming that we were onto something meaningful.
Since opening 8 months ago, the response from the community has been incredibly encouraging. One of the things we hear most often is that people feel like they’re walking into family when they come through the door, and honestly, that’s exactly what we hoped to create.
Taking that leap of faith into entrepreneurship has been one of the most challenging things we’ve ever done, but also one of the most rewarding.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Building something from the ground up rarely is. But even in the challenges, we truly feel like we’ve been graced by God throughout the process. Starting any business requires an incredible amount of work, and we understood that going in. Coming from corporate backgrounds, we both knew the importance of systems, structure, and operational discipline, so we tried to implement those things as early as possible because we knew they would serve us in the long run.
But what we didn’t anticipate was just how quickly things would accelerate. About two and a half weeks after our grand opening, we went viral, and that suddenly stretched us beyond anything we could have prepared for. While it was an incredible blessing, it also brought a whole new level of pressure overnight.
We were dealing with things like equipment breaking under the demand, inventory shortages, staffing challenges, payment processing issues, and the constant need to problem-solve in real time. On top of that, there are all the behind-the-scenes realities of entrepreneurship, licensing, permitting, compliance, and learning the operational side of running a café day to day.
There were definitely long days, late nights, tired bones, and a few sleepless nights along the way. But one thing that helped us navigate those moments was the fact that we weren’t doing it alone. Mary and I were able to lean on each other’s strengths, and we also received a lot of wisdom and encouragement from peers in the industry who had walked similar paths before us.
So no, it hasn’t been easy, but it has absolutely been worth it. And every challenge has pushed us to become better operators, better leaders, and better entrepreneurs.
We’ve been impressed with Mood Cafe, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Today, we’re known for a few things in particular: our matcha, our coffee quality, and the atmosphere we’ve created. Many of our customers drive across town just to visit because they say the space feels genuine and welcoming. People often describe it as feeling like family when they walk in, and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of.
Mood Café is more than a coffee shop it’s a community-centered café built around connection, encouragement, and intentional hospitality.
At our core, we specialize in high-quality coffee, matcha, and handcrafted drinks, along with a curated food menu. But what people quickly realize when they visit is that the experience goes far beyond what’s in the cup. From the affirmations written on our cups to the way we greet guests at the register, everything we do is rooted in the idea that people should feel welcomed, remembered, and uplifted when they walk through our doors. What truly sets Mood Café apart is our intentionality. Our signature drinks are all inspired by Mood’s and have very “on brand” names like “Good Vibes Only” which is our Vanilla, Caramel latte. We didn’t just want to open another coffee shop, we wanted to create a space where people could pause, connect, and leave feeling better than when they arrived. That’s reflected in the culture we’ve built with our team, the way we interact with our customers, and the energy that fills the café each day.
In addition to serving guests in the café, we also offer coffee cart catering for events and corporate gatherings, as well as opportunities for local small businesses to showcase their work through our vendor pop-up program, which is another way we try to support the entrepreneurial community around us.
What we’re most proud of, brand-wise, is that Mood Café has become a place where people genuinely feel seen. Whether someone stops in for their morning coffee, brings friends from out of town, or chooses us to cater an event, we never take that trust lightly.
At the end of the day, we want people to know that Mood Café exists to bring together great coffee, meaningful connection, and a sense of belonging and that everything we do starts with people first.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I’d say two qualities have been most important to our success: our understanding and implementation of systems, and our intention to truly connect with people.
From our corporate backgrounds, Mary and I learned the value of structure, consistency, and processes. Systems allow us to deliver quality and excellence every single day, even as the business grows and things inevitably get complicated. They’re what keep the café running smoothly and sustainably.
At the same time, what really sets Mood Café apart, what our community responds to most, is our humanity. In today’s digital age, authentic human connection is often overlooked, underrated, or even seen as awkward. But for us, it’s essential. We were put on this earth to be humans together, to genuinely engage, to notice the little things, and to show up intentionally for the people we serve.
That combination, structured systems paired with sincere human connection may not be flashy, but it’s truly our “secret sauce.” It allows us to deliver a consistent, excellent product while creating a space where people feel seen, welcomed, and valued. And in the end, that’s what keeps our community coming back.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.moodcafega.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moodcafe_ga/
Image Credits
Mood Cafe
