This article first appeared on Go Solo
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Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Steven Swank, Co-Founder of Canyons Coffee, located in Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
What’s your business, and who are your customers?
Canyons Coffee is a mobile espresso bar and specialty coffee catering service in Salt Lake City. We serve specialty coffee at events all across Salt Lake and Park City. We have had the privilege of working with clients such as Anthropologie, USA Climbing, Hyatt Regency, Sotheby’s International Realty, and more.
Tell us about yourself
As a husband and wife duo, we’ve taken everything we have learned in life about serving people, making excellent coffee, and business to create Canyons Coffee. After working in coffee for many years, we wanted to venture out on our own. We decided to start by offering a luxurious, mobile coffee cart experience to hosts and event planners. We want people across Salt Lake to be able to have an amazing experience over a cup of coffee without having to leave the comfort of their event. We bring that luxurious experience to the client and their guests. We are motivated by excellent coffee and the opportunity to serve people every day.
What’s your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We recently partnered with several companies at the Sundance Film Festival to serve specialty coffee to hundreds of people across two different locations. To serve quality coffee at that capacity in Park City – that felt amazing!
What’s one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
About 20% of our time is spent serving coffee. The other 80% is spent running our business behind the scenes. It’s easy to be misunderstood as an entrepreneur, as many people only see the final result of the effort you make. But, ultimately, all of the challenges that come with owning a business pale in comparison to the benefits that come with entrepreneurship.
What are the top tips you’d give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Start now. Don’t wait until everything is lined up perfectly or until you’ve solved every problem. Do what you can do well, and add on to your business when you can sustain the growth.
- Being an owner is being a leader. If you want to scale, learn to be a leader.
- Serve people well. No matter what industry you are in, learn to serve people with a genuine heart, and you will be rewarded for it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://canyons.coffee/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/canyons.coffee
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/canyons.coffee/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/canyons-coffee/
