Where were you the first time you went in the store and saw your product?
I was in Northern California, Sacramento to be exact. It was right after we announced our national distribution by way of our partnership with Target and I couldn’t wait. So officially, we were on the shelves, at least in the system, in December of 2019. I didn’t see it physically until the end of January. And it was just a [really] gratifying experience when we have built this business with the intent to make quality more accessible. And to see the logo that Pernell and I had designed, the coffee that we sourced, and just our full product experience, right next to the legacy players, is a feeling that I’ll never forget. And it inspired me to seek that feeling out more and try to work with more retailers. I equated it to an artist hearing their song on the radio for the first time.
If you are giving a speech about being Black and bold at an HBCU, what would you say?
I would [first] express a little bit of jealousy because I did [not] go to an HBCU, there’s just a different environment that comes with [going to] an HBCU. [But] one is to be persistent, you have to keep going, otherwise, you stay stagnant. Two would be to give yourself grace. You’re not gonna figure it out right away. As eager as you want to have the answers, it’s going to take time and life and just experiences before you fully realize your potential. And then lastly, enjoy it. Don’t just be so focused on the end result, take some time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Be present in the moment and enjoy those moments because they are fleeting.
