Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Mortimore.
Hi Danielle, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Los Dos Cristianos Coffee was started back in 2015 when my husband Christian Mortimore and his friend also named Christian travelled to Honduras on a missions trip to help feed and provide medical services to the locals. After seeing how the locals lived we wanted to help.
We didnt want to just give money but contribute to the local economy. We thought about exporting lumber such as Mahogony but rapidly moved away from that option. We looked at Vanilla – but rapidly moved away from that also. Then we encountered a product that was sold everywhere and tasted amazing and was NOT readily available in the USA – and that product was Coffee.
Yes Coffee is available in the US but where does your coffee come from? When did you last buy Honduran Coffee Naturally processed from Marcala? This gave birth to our idea. To Import Honduran High quality Coffee, Roast here in SW Florida and sell – then donate a % of profits BACK to the Charities in Honduras.
The issue was – we didn’t know how. How to identify good Raw Coffee. How to import it. What its worth. How to Roast it and how to sell large quantities of it.
Over the next few years we learnt how to do ALL of the above and more. We opened a coffee shop initially not as a coffee shop but as a roaster that turned into a coffee shop. 10 years later we are now certified Coffee Graders. Importers. Roasters and we roast around 50-60 thousand pounds a year, and growing……..
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not at all.
Struggles exist around.
Knowing the best product.
How to source it
How to pay for it
How to Roast it
How to open a Coffee Shop
Open a Franchise
Develop a Menu
Hire the right staff
Operate a small business and its P&L
Deal with Staff issues
Manage Payroll
Manage Inventory
Manage new Products
Manage Social Media
Manage Vendors
Selecting the right Vendors from time wasters
Dealing with City and State Red Tape
Paying Sales Tax
Knowing the right blend of Revenue and Payroll
Selecting New Coffee
Growing the Brand with Whole Sale
Growing and having the capital to grow.
Do you want me to continue? 🙂
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
While the business started from a missions trip – Danielle Mortimore operated everything. She is the real CEO. Her background is Business in IT, San Francisco and more recently Teaching – both Public and Home School.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Have a clear business Plan.
Know what you offer and how it differs to others in the market.
Is there a market for your product, service, company?
What are the projected Sales, Profit and Costs
Staffing, Staffing, Staffing – who will do the work needed.
Pricing:
- everything is affordable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.losdoscristianos.com
