Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Green.
Hi Melissa, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Southern, Sweet & Sassy Coffee was started because of a lack of community connections when new military families relocate to new bases. Not only am I a Navy Veteran, but I’m also a Military Spouse.
My experience as a Military Spouse showed me how hard it can be to integrate into your new community when you don’t have current connections there. The intent behind Southern, Sweet & Sassy Coffee is for current families, who have been in the community for a while, can reach out to the newly relocated families and bring them over for a cup of coffee.
Coffee tends to be at the center of amazing conversations. Bringing the new ones over and getting to know them and helping them integrate into their new neighborhood. To learn about the area, the schools, and the happenings. It really makes a difference with the Military Spouse’s experience!
We started at the end of January, and are strictly e-Commerce. The reason for this is that we don’t carry inventory. Our beans are roasted once our customers make their order and it’s shipped directly to their door. We consider ourselves “Roast to Table”. We’ve been connected very well into our military community and because of that, we’ve been growing and scaling pretty fast.
Some of the press we’ve had is:
- CNBC (twice)
- Post & Courier
- Cane Bay Living Magazine
We’ve participated, and graduated, from these programs:
- Service2CEO
- Google 4 Startups Sales Academy
- BunkerLabs – Latinx Entrepreneur Workshop
We are currently in:
- BunkerLabs – Breaking Barriers
- BunkerLabs – Veterans in Residence
We have been partnered with:
- The Rosie Network
- BunkerLabs
- Veterans Growing America
- Go MILLIE
- and many more…
We are certified:
- Military Spouse Owned through the Military Spouse Chamber of Commerce
- Service Disabled Veteran Owned through the VA
- and we are currently obtaining Economically Disadvantaged Woman Owned Small Business through the SBA.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road. As a new entrepreneur, I’ve tried many programs to scale my business and I’ve lost out on money. It wasn’t wise decision making; however, is aligned with my military community has made a huge difference.
I’ve been pointed in the direction of programs that are free to military veterans and spouses and help build a strong foundation for your business. I have connected and networked day after day and it really pays off.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Southern, Sweet & Sassy Coffee?
Southern, Sweet & Sassy Coffee is a “Roast to Table” company that is passionate about connecting military families one cup at a time! We specialize in freshly roasted coffee shipped directly to our customers’ doors.
We have capabilities in:
- Wholesale – We can wholesale to businesses and organizations for their resale.
- Consumers – We have a website where our customers can directly order, earn rewards, referrals, and set up subscriptions.
- Events – We can also provide 2 oz bags of coffee with personalized labels for events, weddings, and conferences, etc.
I’m super proud of our brand! I feel it caters to our Military Spouses & Families, and that’s what we need. There are too many businesses geared towards the veteran community, and while I am a veteran and my husband is a retiree, our Military Families need something that speaks to them.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Yes, that being e-Commerce is where it’s at. We’ve moved into the product era that’s online. More people want to shop from home. Coffee is a commodity, so we started our business during a great time.
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@southernsweetandsassycoffee.com
- Website: https://southernsweetandsassycoffee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/southernsweetsassy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/southernsweetsassyllc
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/southernsweetsassy
