Today we’d like to introduce you to Kathryn Rogers.
Hi Kathryn, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
Cacao arrived in my life at a time when I was seeking more embodied awareness and a deeper spiritual practice and looking to transition away from a career in wellness marketing. Over the past 10 years drinking cacao in daily meditation and building relationships with cacao farmers, that initial spark grew into a sweet love affair.
Today, my company Maya Moon sources the highest quality cacao direct from organic farmers throughout South America, and I am proud to share it with our community in San Diego and across the United States. Together, we are creating a healthier, more sustainable, and heart-centered world.
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?
We’ve faced many challenges since I launched Maya Moon in 2018, as well as since I opened San Diego’s first cacao cafe at Maya Moon Collective in 2021. One of my biggest challenges has been growing revenue to support our scale-up phase. As a self-funded solopreneur, the workload and costs to open were daunting.
Right after I opened the cafe (my first!), I was exhausted from a six-month build-out with many unexpected costs. I needed to dig deep and get creative with financing to stabilize the business over the next year as we grew our customer base. Thankfully, the support from our community has been amazing, and demand for the highest quality cacao sourced with love is growing by the day.
We’ve been impressed with Maya Moon Co, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Maya Moon Co is creating a healthier, more sustainable, and connected world through delicious organic drinking cacao blends. Imagine the best hot chocolate you’ve ever had without refined sugar, soy, eggs, dairy, gluten, and grains.
Whole bean cacao has amazing health benefits, including improving detoxification, supporting heart health, boosting brain function, and helping to balance hormones. Recent research even shows that its powerful antioxidants can help fight cancer and increase stem cell growth. Not to mention its rich, creamy texture and decadent flavor.
When you stop by San Diego’s only cacao cafe at Maya Moon Collective, you will feel great knowing you are honoring your body and supporting healthy and sustainable farms throughout South America. Pro tip: order your cacao with our melt-in-your-mouth housemate honey marshmallows!
Or take a bag of one of our signature herbal cacao blends home with you and kick off your morning with zero guilt, boosted energy, and no afternoon crash. Enjoy pure, clean ingredients you can pronounce that help to open your heart and give you a positive lift.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
Landing in Maya Moon’s home base in Normal Heights felt like divine intervention. I was taking a playful walk, dreaming about a someday cacao cafe with a dear friend, when we happened upon a commercial building for lease. It had a sunny back patio and was a rundown shell that needed a lot of love. The landlords happened to be there, and as I gushed to them about my vision for Maya Moon, their interest was piqued. I stayed up all night and sent them a proposal the next morning, then signed the lease 48 hours later.
After a whirlwind six months of love, sweat, tears, and a lot of construction, we opened our doors serving some of the finest cacao in the world. It’s been a rollercoaster journey ever since, with many sweet highs and some bittersweet lows. Just like cacao!
Pricing:
- Cup of Cacao $7
- Organic Cacao Mix $36
- Chakra Chocolate Truffles Box Set $25
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mayamoon.co
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/mayamoonco
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mayamooncollective
Image Credits
Chris Rov Costa
