Today we’d like to introduce you to Eric Drake and Ashley Rench.
Eric and Ashley, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The idea for Espressions really started out as kind of joke. Eric and I (Ashley) met in college in a small town in Illinois. He was in the band and I was on the pom’s team and we instantly clicked. In the beginning, Eric used to take me on a lot of coffee dates, which is really how our business story began. For two people who only had a Keurig and a lot of homework we should have been doing instead, we were oddly critical of every shop we went to. We would talk about which place had the best coffee, the worst cups, and the comfiest chairs. We would constantly joke by saying things like “When we have our coffee shop, we should have bread like that place in Maplewood!” Before we knew it, our fictional shop had basically been entirely planned out, and we decided to give it a try.
Espressions has gone through many changes since the original idea was birthed. The name is a mash-up of “Espresso” and “Expression.” Eric is really into music and I really enjoy poetry, both of which played a huge part in our connection. We wanted to create not only a place where people could feel free to express themselves but a movement of people enjoying good coffee while having the opportunity to really let down their walls and be themselves. This is why our original idea was to open an actual coffee shop. We had planned to buy ready-to-drink beans, have custom drinks, and offer a full menu.
We had a hard time, in the beginning, finding spaces that were available and in our budget. After a few months of looking with little-to-no luck, we changed courses slightly and decided on opening a coffee truck. We would still have custom drinks, a limited menu, and around this time is when we started to consider roasting our own beans. Things had been moving full steam ahead. Our truck was being customized, we were in board meetings with the city council, and our equipment was bought. We both had teaching jobs at the time, so we finished up the school year and told them we wouldn’t be returning. It was also around this time we found out we were pregnant! All the puzzle pieces felt like they were really falling into place.
The plans continued for a few months until we hit a snag with the city we wished to do commerce in. Just before we purchased our truck, we were delivered the news that we would not be allowed to open. At this point, we were about four months pregnant, jobless, and further in debt than we had ever been before. It truly was a low point for us. But, as they say, you can’t have a rainbow without a little rain. Our low points are what formed what Espressions is today. We packed our bags and moved back to Eric’s hometown in California. We purchased a roaster and opened up an online business to sell our coffee beans.
That brings us to what we are today. Espressions is a small batch coffee-roasting company with air roasted beans. Now we can be found all over Southern California and in San Diego at vendor events with our full espresso bar and bagged beans. We have been working on growing our online presence through Facebook and Instagram and taking orders through our website. While it wasn’t our original plan, we have truly grown to love coffee roasting, and this has really given us time to perfect our craft. In the future, we would love to partner with another small business owner to open a shop featuring our beans, but for now, we are taking our time to learn as much as we can about our craft and share it with those around us over a hot cup of coffee.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As I mentioned before, I truly believe the struggles we faced in the beginning shaped the company we have today. Although we’re very grateful for it all now, it would be a lie to say there weren’t times we wished it to be easier. In the beginning, it felt like all we heard was “no.” Of course, we struggled financially, as most startups do, as well as finding a brick and mortar location. However, I think the biggest challenge we faced was that no one wanted to take a bet on the kids with a dream. People felt we were inexperienced and therefore unable due to our age. I understand the mindset, but there were times when it seriously got to us. We were turned down for every loan we applied for. Some advisors wouldn’t even meet with us. It got to the point where we had to assume this would only be a team of two. Any additional help would be appreciated but we learned to not expect it.
Thankfully our relationship has remained strong through it all and I think that has been the biggest motivator for us. We know at the end of the day that we are pushing through all of it for our family, and that makes all of it worth it. We support each other through the hard times, so the obstacles, though there were many, have all been conquerable.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Espressions Coffee Roasting story. Tell us more about the business.
I think the how and why we do what we do is what really sets us apart from others. A lot of coffee is roasted in large batches in a drum roaster, but we found that air roasting in small batches works best for us. Air roasting coffee uses a fluid bed of hot air that is constantly cycled through your batch. The beans only make contact with themselves and the air, meaning they can’t be charred by resting too long on searing metal. We are able to let our beans caramelize longer and more organically, really bringing out the flavors and sugars. This allows for darker roasts with more complex flavors with a purposeful smokiness.
Our coffee is roasted one order at a time and I think this is my favorite part of what we do. Every bag of beans we send out has its own story. Your order wasn’t just a part of a large roast we did last week. Every single order has time spent solely on it. Every roast has conversations and stories behind it. One aspect of small business in general is the opportunity for personalization. Our business allows us to dive into this deeper and we really love using it as a way to connect with our community. We want to use our business to connect people to each other, the arts, and the bigger picture behind a simple cup of coffee. Through all we have been through, I’m so proud that our mission has remained unchanged. Although we may not have a physical place for people to express themselves, we continue to share our love for the arts and encourage people to be themselves through our coffee.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck, both good and bad, has played a part in our journey. We have had our fair share of ups and downs, making us appreciate the good times and learn through the tough ones. While we’re grateful for the luck we have had, hard work is what has really gotten us to where we are at. It has been an uphill climb to get to where we are and we wouldn’t be here without the long hours we have put in.
Pricing:
- 16 oz Coffee Beans for $15
- 10 oz Coffee Beans for $12
Contact Info:
- Website: www.espressionscoffeeroastingco.com
- Email: cafeespressions@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/espressions_coffee
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/EspressionsCoffeeRoastingCo
Image Credit:
Kaitlynn Smith (Nostalgic Captures)
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