Last week my family and I were urban exploring the Union Market District in NE DC. For foodies like us, it’s so vibrant and has become one of our favorite parts of the city.
As we were walking around, something caught my eye. It was a vendor’s booth with a really cool logo for a coffee roasting company.
I had to stop by and I’m glad I did. I had an instant connection with the owners of BlackNerd Coffee. Elliott, a former rocket scientist, and his wife Annie, a pharmacist, had started the company. We nerded out on all the different ways we love making coffee.
Elliott and Annie have a tough decision to make. In order to hit their next level of growth they need to buy a $125,000 coffee roasting machine and sign a commercial lease to house it. As a small business owner, I understand the combination of fear and excitement that goes into making this decision. It’s a classic risk-reward scenario, there is no guarantee of success, and ultimately you have to decide if you are willing to bet on yourself.
If they take the leap, they will need to sell a lot of beans to keep the bean counters happy. I bought their Colombian roast. It was excellent. If Starbucks tastes burnt to you, you will love these beans. They’re roasted to taste great without adding milk or sugar.
I want to give these guys a shout-out because I know how hard it is to start and grow a business.
Looking for some fun? Check out the Union Market District. If you give me a heads up, I can meet you there and we can support BlackNerd Coffee together. Their booth is open most Sundays, 11am – 4pm, near the intersection of Morse and Union St NE.
