Meet one of our most popular Dallas-Fort Worth frequent flier booths, the Red Maple Coffee Roasters! Beatrix, age 10, is the founder, while Bernadette, age 8, manages quality control, and Bridgette, age 5, is their (occasional) sales helper. We were eager to hear more about their business and the story behind it!
CEM: Tell us about your business. How did you first get the idea?
Beatrix: I was in bed one night and I know my dad really likes coffee, so I thought about starting my own coffee business. I grabbed a notebook and started designing what I thought the building and a coffee stand would look like.
Bernadette: I started to learn about light, dark, and medium roasts, and then I started to roast with my dad, and now we sell the coffee.
Beatrix: Now we roast a lot of bags right before market so they are fresh. They aren’t weeks old.
CEM: What supplies and resources did you need to get going? How did you get a hold of them?
Beatrix: We needed a coffee roaster. Dad wanted to support my business idea and bought a coffee roaster.
Bernadette: Green coffee beans. We get them from all kinds of places like Guatemala and Ethiopia…
Beatrix: …all over the world. We order them from California, and Dad helps choose.
CEM: What are some challenges you’ve faced in business, and how did you overcome them?
Bernadette: Roasting with Dad’s help, so I don’t burn myself. I get help from my sister so everyone wants to buy coffee.
Beatrix: It’s challenging trying to advertise to get people to buy coffee. Also, sometimes we might run out of beans. Our roaster can only do 1 bag at a time, and it takes a lot of time to get ready for markets. If we want to grow, we need a bigger roaster.
CEM: Do you have any advice for other aspiring kid entrepreneurs?
Beatrix: Have fun! It’s okay to hear “no” because sometimes “yes” will slip in, too.
Bernadette: Be friendly. Keep eye contact with the customers. Offer for them to smell or try a sample.
CEM: How can potential customers get in touch with you?
Girls: You can follow us or DM us through Instagram: @redmapleOPTX
You can also find us in-person, hopefully during fall markets in the North Texas area.
Thank you for sharing your story with us! We’re excited to see what the future has in store for Red Maple Coffee Roasters.
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