How I was secretly operating my business before I...launched it?

Some of you might have recognized my passion for coffee through my posting like a madman on TikTok, hoping to strike a balance between self-care and and benefiting from all the effort. You know, posting 3 times a day, grabbing impossible angles, and yes...even making coffee for content just to toss it. Needless to say, the natural next step was to open a coffee shop, yes?

Well...

At one point, I thought I was going to open some sort of speakeasy, multi-purpose, catch all artists space with a coffee bar. I even had a detailed business plan drafted as one of my final projects in grad school. The pandemic happened and can I happily consider it the dream that got away. In this economy? I was content with removing that pressure from myself.

If you haven't guessed by now, at this time I can't say I'm interested opening a brick & mortar style of serving coffee, but while posting hundreds of videos at a time, I couldn't quite locate where to explore this hobby outside of social media. Sure, the influencer gig has its moments. Lots of free things, minimal paid promotion. But naturally, I found myself feeling a little burnt out and uninspired.

I have a friend who I shared similar hobbies with via social media, someone I like to think of as a certified Booktoker and master of baking anything she sets her mind to (Meet Lauren). We put our heads together and hosted a pop-up in the Fall of 2024 calling it "Sip and Bake," where I provided the sips (coffee) and she provided the bakes. We had pre-drawn canvases and paint for guests to partake. I actually believe we had a couple guests who heard about it through Eventbrite and showed up with a different expectation of bake, but they stayed and enjoyed themselves!

The event itself sold out within 24 hours of announcing it and we actually had to rent a larger space! Honestly, it was such a hit. We had no clue we would have such a positive response from the jump. But nothing could prepare me for the rush of excitement I felt while making drinks and simply existing, making every person who stepped up to the coffee bar feel welcomed and heard. And they loved the drinks!

After that day, I got a lot of,

"So when's the next one?"

"Is this your business?"

The next 6-8 months, I'd find myself booked at least once a month. No formal advertisement, no established LLC, no business cards. Just pure word of mouth. Every single event, I learned so much more about how I could optimize the experience, pack less, estimate better, and actually profit (did I say that last part out loud?).

After months of avoiding the pressure and sometimes overwhelming process of registering my business, Brown Sugar Bistro, LLC became official in June 2025. Taking that leap of faith felt dangerous, yet riveting. The support I receive from my family and friends is unmatched. I'm so grateful that they support me on this journey.

And I finally feel like I know where that TikTok hobby of mine landed. This feels right. It feels natural. I could do it every single day if I wanted to, but occasional weekend will have to do for now! Before I sign off, I want to encourage you to always trust God and be patient with the process. Being a mobile barista wasn't even close to the plans I thought I had when I started documenting my coffee journey. I can't believe where it's taken me, and I know there's so much more promise on the other side.

Cheers,

Nia