Yolima Taborda Rojas from Paisa Coffee

Elena: This is our first time, really, ever, like, talking and meeting each other. Um, because I think we both we got in introduced by Bethany, right?

Yolima: Yes.

Elena: Because she told you about the show and you were interested on coming, um, on, yeah.

Yolima: She said that, uh, you do a podcast and that you interview female, um, entrepreneurs in the coffee industry. Is that right?

Elena: Yeah, more or less. It's just trying to bring people of color and women and women identifying people onto the show to talk about their stories and their thoughts on the industry and what they would like to bring to awareness for the audience to listen to.

Yolima: Okay, awesome. Yeah. Um, she told me a little bit about it, and I thought it would be great to meet you and talk to you and see if we can do something together.

Elena: I would love to hear why you wanted to be on the show since have you listened to any of the.

Yolima: Episodes at i, um, I think it's a great opportunity to connect with people. Um, to tell you a little bit of background, I grew up at a coffee farm in Colombia. My parents are, uh, coffee producers, and they are still coffee producers to this. I had I was very lucky in my family and got a chance to go to school and eventually to go to college. And in my whole family, including extended family, I was the first one in my family to have access to that level of education. So I felt, um, very lucky thanks to that and eventually was able to go to college and eventually come here. So I've been working with coffee and representing small coffee farmers for seven to eight years now. And, um, I want to get the word out there about what we're doing. And I think it's been a great, uh, work of love. And, uh, honestly, personally, it has been very fulfilling for me to be able to represent, um, kind of my roots and where I come from in front of an international market and a different audience and something totally different to what I grew up surrounded by. So, yeah, I really appreciate the opportunity and, uh, kind of the speaker, uh, that you are kind of offering to me to be able to voice, uh, some of the stuff that we're doing.

Elena: Yeah, of course. I think that the industry just needs more representation, it needs more information on what's going on in the industry, because, sadly, this is a very gatekeeped community and there's not much information being told to general public about what we do. I think it's kind of like a ghost town. Um, so it's been nice being able to meet amazing people on the show and then get to learn alongside a lot of these listeners. Because some of the stuff I haven't been in the industry that long that I get to also kind of have my AHA moments or really just being able to gain more knowledge on what's being done. So, yeah, I am glad to have you on. I'm glad that you're, um, open to the experience, and I would love to hear how this all started for you. Did you originally want to be in coffee? I know that you said that you went to school. Did you study to try and reinforce what you're doing now?

Yolima: Um, I grew up at the farm, and honestly, growing up, the thing that was told to me the most by my parents was, you have to study and you have to get out of the farm, and you had to do something else. So I was always kind of taught, um, your future is not here in the farm, and your future is not in coffee. Because I'm fifth generation of coffee growers, so they have been farmers their whole life. My grandparents, my great grandparents were farmers as well. And what they have achieved is not a lot through farming, uh, coffee specifically in Colombia. So their particular case is they have been able to survive and to get a home and food, but it's not a huge growth or success. And they wanted something better for us, and they didn't get a chance to go to school. So, for them, it was always, um, my parents, thankfully, they are very open minded, even though they didn't go to school. And they always knew that education was, um, kind of the biggest thing that they could give us to me and my siblings, um, so that we will be granted some opportunities in the future different than having to become, uh, farmers and stay at the coffee farm. Because in their view and their experience, that was not, um, the best opportunities. Um, they kind of had to do it because their parents never sent them to school. And in their case, my mom was taken out of school so that she could work at the farm. And, um, their parents were just not supportive in terms of education. Also, it was a different time and they needed help at the farm. Right. That's the reality of it. So, um, I was kind of raised with the mentality of I have to get out of the farm and go to study. And so, um, I went to college to study business. I lived at the farm, and I did elementary school at the village. It's a village called San Jose in the municipality of Ah Amaga town, which is close to Medellin city in Colombia. So at the village, I did elementary school, and then I moved to the town to kind of a dormitory type of institution where all the kids from the country will move and live during the week so that they could go to school in the town. Because we don't have high schools in the village, not at that time. So I will live there during the week. So I moved out of home when I was eleven. Um, and then I will live in this place during the week, go to high school, and then go visit my parents on the weekends. And then I moved to the city of Medellin and I was able to start college. Um, I got a loan. So my dad had to, um, uh, mortgage the whole farm so that I could get a loan to go to school. And ah, that's something that nomadic parents will do, um, especially knowing that that was their life of the work of their whole life. And also it was a lot of pressure for me because I needed to get good grades.

Elena: You were young too.

Yolima: Yeah, because the loan, it was like a school loan, so it had certain requirements of a GPA. And uh, I had to be at certain level in order to keep the loan. Um, but thankfully I got lucky. And at the second semester I applied for a scholarship and I got it. So we only had to lend money for one semester instead of the whole length of the career. And then eventually we could release the farm of that loan, like the lease, what would you call it? But yeah, the mortgage.

Elena: Right.

save some money. And maybe in: 1015

Elena: Like Starbucks's largest size.

Yolima: Yeah. No wonder where all that coffee, like, coffee is big here. And so I started getting curious about the coffee industry here and as I was in my program. And, um, eventually switched to a student visa too, after my program. And I kind of extended that for another year with a student visa, I started, um, researching more and more about coffee. And I realized that there were coffee roasteries here and that they, um, look for green coffee. And the way we were selling the coffee at the farm was just one step away from green coffee, which is the hauling right, the hauling part. And I'm like, well, maybe I don't need to start a roasting company. Maybe I can just bring the green coffee here, mhm, and sell directly to roasters. So during the next couple of years after that, I kind of started bringing samples and I switched my visa to a student visa. And I started realizing that maybe I could start a business here. Uh, and eventually I did. I registered a business so that I could, uh, do the research part. And, um, I brought samples to roasters. And I started to get feedback and people liked it. So I started working on how to start a business here so that we could bring our own coffee directly to the US. And I got a loan, um, for bringing five bags of coffee. That was my first import. No, five or six. And I brought it here. So that's how it kind of started, kind of to prove the business model. But it took a couple of years of research and learning. But that's kind of how it started. I didn't really know, um, what I was going to do, uh, but the opportunity kind of presented itself, and so I took it.

Elena: So you always wanted to work in coffee then?

Yolima: No, I just wanted to go back to Colombia and work at a bank or get a job. Um, and eventually maybe start a roasting company. But it was never my goal like, oh, I want to work in coffee. But when I came here, this is when I kind of saw that there was opportunity to work in coffee. Plus, um, once I started my business, I started really seeing all the pros of it, because I'm like, well, I can start a business and I can stay here, and I can go back and forth, and I can still help my family because then I can pay them. I m will be the only middleman. So I realized I can pay them much better than if they were still selling at, um, our market prices. And I could bring, um, coffee directly to the roasters and give them more traceable and more transparent coffees and higher quality. And eventually I realized I could include not just my parents farm, but also my uncles and my neighbors. I grew up m surrounded by many farms, small size farms like ours. And so, with time, I started including one farm at a time. And I have kind of a group of farms lined up that I want to include in the project, because they want to also be part of it as they get better rates, and they kind of know what price they're going to get. And, um, it's going to be a premium on top of market rates, and it's going to make it more sustainable for them as well. Because then one of the biggest disadvantages of being a farmer is that you never know how much you're going to get paid for coffee until you sell it, until the day you sell it. Um, but working directly with them allows me to guarantee a price for them and a purchase amount, and it kind of gives more stability. So, yeah, um, it was not like my focus to be on coffee, but the opportunity presented itself. And I'm really grateful that it did, because it has put me a very lucky position, uh, privileged position, to also help my family back home know, do what I love and stay connected to my roots and create a business out of it at the same time.

Elena: Yeah, it sounds like you're doing a lot, actually. How was the process of starting the business for you? I feel like learning a lot about shipping, logistics, and getting the coffee from Colombia to here. Must have been a learning curve.

Yolima: Yeah, it was a learning curve. And, um, I'm very lucky. Um uh, I met someone at the beginning when I was just starting ah, that knew about business, that guided me through the process. And the best advice they gave me was, um, when I told them I want to start a business and this is what I want to do, they told me, take a whole year and only do research. Don't do anything yet, just do research. Um, during that year, I did, like, many jobs at the same time along with the research. And I did so much research. I called many importers. I visited many roasters. And I was trying to learn because I didn't know anything about exporting or importing or anything after parchment copy, I didn't know the hauling process, the classification, the scoring, the copying. So I went and also got certified as a Q grader. During that time, I did a lot of copying. I just absorbed all the information I can in order not to make as much mistakes at the beginning. And I think it took a long time because it really did. I did for a whole year, I did just research, and I didn't take any action, um, until I only brought six bags of coffee. And still during that process, I learned so many things that you just learn with practice. And of course, I made mistakes that were expensive, but not as expensive as they could have been if I just went on without doing the research. Because it can happen that you start something without knowing. And then, uh, you realize how worse it can get. And it's very hard not knowing. But the more information you have, the less mistakes you make. So I think that was great. I contacted importers. Um, they told me about their process and what to expect, when not to expect. Also you get the people that tell you, don't do it, it's too hard. Or there's always people that give you encouragement and people that tell you not to do it or it's too difficult and you shouldn't. But, um, I kind of took all of that information and did a trial. So I'm like, I'm going to do a trial. I talked to my parents. Um, I borrowed $5,000 here. And then that was what it cost me to bring those six packs of coffee. And then I told my dad, we're going to do a trial and maybe let's partner on it. So if we make any money, um, then I'll pay you more. If not, just give me the coffee at the same price you will sell it at market. Because I just want to know if this is a viable business, if it will work or not. Um, and then we brought it because it was such little amount of coffee, we had to bring it via, um, on an airplane, like cargo on plane air, not on a ship. So after I did the import, I realized I didn't learn what I needed to learn. Because my goal was to bring a container. It's totally different in process when you bring it on the shift or when you bring it on the plane. So even then, I'm like, well, I need to bring a bigger amount if I want to learn the rest of the process. Um, I contacted the port and I talked to several brokers for the brokerage part of it, because I didn't know anything about that. And, um, I got a bunch of quotes. Yeah, I think it was good that I took my time to do the research and eventually I learned the process. But there are still things that I learn every day because there is always something new or something I forgot or something that changed or situations are different. So still pretty much learning every day.

Elena: How has your, uh, interactions been with coffee roasters since you are mostly, I'm going to guess, talking with green buyers and coffee roasters, since you're doing a lot of the importing, have you had good interactions with most of the coffee roasters you've been working with? Or has there ever been any issues with, um, importing and working with them?

Yolima: Um, so in general, it has been really good. I think at the beginning it was very hard because I was very new to the industry. It had no credibility. Yes, I grew up at the farm. Yes, I was farmer, but what else? Right? What do you know about the coffee? And I have a lot of knowledge about the coffee, but I didn't have a lot of credibility in terms of the quality and how to determine that. And that's precisely why I went and got the Q grading course, kind of to get some credibility. Um, but as I started meeting people and it takes a while to develop those relationships, um, and to get that trust from Roasters as any relationship kind of in life, I think, um, then things started to get a little better. Um, it's still hard when you first meet someone and there is a process to follow before you can create a relationship and um, I think it's getting easier. And also some people know me now, so they will connect me with other people. So there is the word of mouth that helps a lot. But initially it was pretty tough. Um, people are very welcoming. They're very nice in the industry. Uh, usually very open to talking and to listening, um, and to providing feedback about the coffees and yeah, I find it, ah, Roasters, um, I talk to are super nice and um, very genuine in general.

Elena: What has been the toughest part of this journey for you?

Yolima: Um, well, finances have been, um, hard, um, because it's a business that requires a lot of cash Flo. Mhm, so even though I've been able to get it, it gives me a lot of stress to owe so much money all the time. And so that's been a little tough. But also the process of I studied business, but I always wanted to be in human resources. I thought I was good with people. I like people. I like interacting and that stuff. But I never wanted to do sales. Um, I didn't consider myself a good salesperson. So I'm like, I'm just not going to do sales or marketing. And I found myself in sales and marketing. And so uh, at the beginning I'm like, I had to like, okay, I'm on sales now, right? So learning that becoming good at sales. And I'm still like, I try to be very genuine and I have a really good product and it's my family's copy, so it's different. I'm not selling just anything, right? So it makes it easier for me. But still, it's a constant work. And then, um, having to kind of do everything, the accounting, the marketing, the website. Um, so that because starting business doesn't produce much at the beginning. So all that starting part was a little challenging. Um, and thankfully I got a very good support system and people along the way that always helped me. And I feel like every time you start a new journey, as long as you start, people that want to help will just come across you and help out. Right? But yeah, that was hard. The cultural differences haven't been that big, but I have had to adapt a little bit.

Elena: Um, what were the biggest ones for?

Yolima: Like, in Colombia, I'm married now, right? Um, here in the US. And just with my husband, for example, in Colombia, we can be very, say I'm going to just give a silly example, right? Um, if you go to a house in Colombia, they're going to give you juice, right? They're not going to ask you if you want it, just going to give it to you. And you have to drink it. You're polite. You're like, okay, thank you. And you drink it. And if you don't drink it, it's like a little bit not polite, right? But nobody's, um, going to ask you if you want it, like I found here, you ask. And if you're told no, it's because no, right? Mhm, we'll ask my husband, hey, do you want juice? No. And I will bring it anyways. I didn't want to juice something like that. Just those little smaller things you ask. And then if yes, yes, if not, no. It's pretty clear. And in Colombia we can take that as an offense. And it's not. It's just being clear, right? So I've had to become, um, more adapted to don't you don't just go and impose on people because that's not polite. And we can be like that thinking that we are being polite in Colombia, that's being polite here, that's being not polite. So I've had to adapt a little bit to that. Um, in terms of the industry, um, at the beginning, I feel like, m, most of the specialty coffee side is, is pretty young people, a lot of young people in the industry. Um, but I started very young, the business. So I felt like because I was very young, sometimes I wouldn't be taken, um, seriously. And I will have to try and try and try and try, uh, I don't know if it was my perception because people will make comments like, how are you? Why you in this business? Or like, questioning just because of the age. Um, so that was a little tough too. I'm not saying anymore, so that helps. Um, but that was little tough, too. And then the language barrier right, to communicate. My English is, um, not super good yet, so it can be challenging to communicate.

Elena: You don't think your English is good right now?

Yolima: My accent it's okay to have an accent.

Elena: It's the fact that you can understand and be articulate, like, you've been doing a really good job. And in general, it's normal to have an accent when it's not your first language.

Yolima: Yeah. Uh, it's gotten better, but at the beginning, it was not that good, and I was trying to do business, so that can be challenging. Um, I kind of have overcome that, um, fear, I guess. Um, but it was a challenge at the beginning.

Elena: Have you had a, um, memorable interaction with either producers or roasters or consumers or in sales that has impacted your journey within importing so far?

Yolima: Yes, I will say so. Um, I have had interactions with roasters, um, that have been roasters, that are my customers, but then now I consider also my friends that have become, um, close. It's become a friendship relationship, um, and it's business. But it's also I feel like coffee has given me way more than means to survive than a business. Mhm. It's more about the relationships I've been able to build and the people I have been able to connect with. I've had, um, amazing family businesses, but I've gotten to know the whole family through the business, because they work in the business, uh, and they have come to the farm and stay with my family. And it's like, uh, an experience that goes way beyond just a business relationship that has really, uh, changed my perspective about, um, business in general. And the coffee industry is not just about the coffee itself, like the drink. It's more about everything that is behind and the people behind it, and the type of connections and significant connections that it can create. And the same with farmers. To be connected with those farmers and know that they are so excited and that it means so much to them to be able to sell their coffee directly. When I bring a bag of coffee from a roaster that has the name of the farmer on the back, and I bring it back to them, it fills their face with pride. And they are so happy just to see that they feel valued and acknowledged and seen. And, um, it's been very fulfilling for me, and it kind of powers me, and it gives me the motivation to continue to work on this business and to develop more relationships.

Elena: Of these types, who inspires you the most with continuing what you're doing?

Yolima: I think the farmers, the coffee farmers are a big inspiration. My family coming, uh, from a, uh, coffee farming background, every time I go to Colombia, I feel very lucky to be here in the US. And I can say that I have access to anything I want here. And I've been very lucky to be able to start a business and to meet amazing people. And every time I go back home and I go to the farm and I visit the farmers and all that, I remember how hard it can be and my roots and my upgrade bringing. And I see them so happy and so excited. And I remember how happy I was growing up. I was very happy. I had a very happy childhood. Um, at the farm. It was a very small farm. Uh, nothing fancy, no car and not many toys. But it was very happy. I wouldn't change it for anything. Um, it was a lot of joy. Every day, it was very joyful. So I go back and I see that, uh, you can't be so happy with so little, but yet I get the opportunity to help them have even a better opportunity of life and improve their lives. Um, that really gives me a lot of motivation to keep, um, working that's very wholesome.

Elena: It's also good to hear that you had a happy childhood. I have talked to so many different people who have had different kinds of upbringings and, um, experiences growing up that it makes me happy to hear that appreciating the little things and appreciating just, uh, what's enough. And being happy with what's enough, I think, is really hard to kind of grasp, and especially for you, who's had to take a lot of pressure on as a young child, and then, obviously, you're the face for a lot of producers. I think that it's amazing to see how strong and determined you are. I think it just carries through how you communicate, like everything that you've kind of come through with. Just I've barely had to talk this whole time. It's great to see how excited you are to talk about all these things. And it's, like, heartwarming to hear good, happy stories.

Yolima: Yeah. Thank you. Well, I don't need to be talking too much. Just stop talking to us.

Elena: Uh, if you talk too much, the episode will end. If we're just done with there's nothing else to say.

Yolima: Yeah. Honestly, I grew up in a village where everyone was in the same level. Right. So I feel like sometimes when I went to college, i, uh, was in a college where I had a scholarship, but it was a college where there were all types of kids, some m of the kids that had a lot of money and grew up very differently than me in the city. And I grew up in a village far away from the city. So it was a bigger shock for me when I moved to the city. But I had a very gradual moving out of home. I, uh, left home very early, but my parents were very present parents, um, very present. And I feel really lucky in that way. So I've. Always felt like I had a family to go to and my family has always been united. Even though I left home at eleven, um, pretty much I left home at eleven because since then I never gone back to live with my parents. I just come back to visit and on vacation. And first I visited them on the weekends, as I said. And then when I moved to the city, I will visit them once a month. So it was very gradual. But also, um, living in this um, dormitory place I told you about at the beginning was a great experience because it's a place where you have to become very independent, very young, and you have to work, you have tasks. You have to wash your clothes, you have to, uh, dry your clothes. You have to iron your uniform at, ah, like twelve doing that, that's very good. Um, of course at the time, I wasn't thinking like I was going to say.

Elena: I feel like if I was twelve year old having to do all that, I'd be so annoyed.

Yolima: But also we knew, uh, as kids of the country, we knew that that was our only chance to study and otherwise we will have to go to work. And so we already knew what it was like to work at the farm because you still have to work. And so our parents were always like, you either study or this is your other option, right? You can stay at the farm, um, and work. So I had a lot of cousins and growing up was fun at the farm, nobody had anything, but we didn't know because if you're all in the same situation, you don't have anyone to compare yourself to or feel so bad. And I think our parents were very good about telling us how good we had it because we had a family and we have food on the table and we were going to school. And so we were very happy. We were very happy growing up and I'm really grateful for that. And then in college, when I got to see how different my classmates, some of my classmates had it, I was already, I think, mature enough to not be affected by that.

Elena: That's crazy.

Yolima: Yeah.

Elena: Uh, if you could imagine what elementary school, middle school, and high school is like in America, you're already lengths ahead of so many people, including myself. I was so immature and childish in high school. And then college was, oh, uh, god, college was a mess. I don't know if you had a good college experience.

Yolima: I did. I was also very calm child. I was very troublemaker as a little kid. But as a teenager, uh, not because I'm saying it, but I think I was a pretty good teenager. I didn't do much crazy stuff and I was a little bit restricted too, but I never felt the need to sneak out or stuff like that. Maybe I did a couple of times, but very little. Very little miles. Not too crazy stuff. But as a little kid, nobody in my family liked me except my mom, breaking everything and stuff. I, uh, was always the one to blame for anything that happened in any house, at any aunt. When all of my cousins were when all of us it was like eight of us growing up together. And if something broke or something burned or something happened, it was either me or my brother. But as a teenager, I was very good and as a college student, because also I knew I had all that responsibility. I'm the oldest too, of my siblings. Uh, okay, so, um, I'm always like, you are the one that has to give the example, blah blah blah. But I think all of that helped me when I went to college to be a more mature person.

Elena: Did you always want to live in the States? Because I'm guessing that's where you live.

Yolima: Now, living in yeah, I live in Virginia now. No, I never even thought of coming to the States even to know. I feel like at the Forum, you have such a restriction vision, and as you study and go out, you start seeing yeah.

Elena: You're being much more opportunity.

Yolima: Yeah. So when I was at the farm, um, I dreamed of maybe going to college. And then when I got to college, I moved to the city. I dreamed of maybe working in a big company. And then I had a friend in my college that was going to come here and she's like, I'm going to move to the US. And I'm going to be a nanny and I'm going to work and they're going to pay me and I'm going to live there. And I'm like, what? That's possible? And I'm like, how much is that? And it was not crazy expensive. It was expensive for me. I didn't have the money, but I could borrow it and pay it back. And when I thought that was possible, I'm like, I'm doing it too. So I consider myself careful, but also a risk taker. So if I see an opportunity and I think I can take it and I think it's possible, I'll just jump on it and take it if it's not too risky and it won't affect anyone. Right. Um, but something that is too risky, I'll think about it a little more. Right? I want to be risky, but not much. But I'm like, that's a great opportunity. I want to do that. And so I started researching and then I did that. Right. M. I came here just because she mentioned that. And I'm like, I learn English and then I'll stay there a year. It would be amazing. I've never traveled anywhere. I've never been on a plane. I was in college and, um, I didn't have a passport. And so it sounded like pretty crazy and unreachable. But when she did it, I'm like, I'm doing it too. And so, um, I started the process and eventually I moved here. But I always had the intention to go back. Um, but again, once I was like, I saw the opportunity to stay, to start a business, to study. Eventually. Um I got married. And so I'm like, I stay. I wanted to go to China, actually, after I finished my year here.

Elena: Wow.

Yolima: Then I wanted to be an pair in China too, just to experience the culture. But in order to go to China, you needed to learn English. You needed to know English. I didn't know. So but I adjust and change my plans as my life goes, based on what opportunities present. I mean, I do have some goals, but if I see that there is an opportunity and it has potential good stuff, then I'll try to take it.

Elena: That's crazy. That's amazing, though. It seems like everything has fallen into place at the right place and at the right time for you. And it's crazy that, um, you never even kind of sought out after it. It was like a little treat. Do you want this? If you want this.

Yolima: Okay.

Elena: So do you want this? And I liked this progression that led to where you are at because it seems so organic. Um, it seems like you're also ambitious, so that's what I would have described a lot of what you're saying, like taking risks and being an opportunist. I think you're a very ambitious person, too, to be tackling on all of these things and wanting to, uh, when the opportunity is there, it seems like you're always striving to learn and be better, which I love to hear.

Yolima: Yeah, I'll consider myself an ambitious person in the sense of I want to keep growing and learning and doing great things, uh, as much as I can do. And I don't want to settle in one place. And, um, I want new things happening all the time. I like routine, too, and I like stability, but I also like to feel like I'm growing mhm in every possible way. I was curious, is it just or.

Elena: Is someone else oh, here in the space?

Yolima: Yeah.

Elena: So I have my producer who's like, across the seat from me, um, who listens in and who does all the audio cool equipment stuff that I have no idea how to do any of that. It's like different color switches and everything. But yeah, it's basically me. Um, I started the concept on my own, and then I kind of always had the idea to want to kind of have these kind of conversations and meet more people, because essentially this podcast was a great way for me to network and meet more people in the industry because I live in the Midwest.

Yolima: Um, we're in the Midwest, Ohio, so we're not far.

Elena: But, um, it's something that I started noticing is the lack of representation in female roasters, specifically in the Midwest. I guess I should preface all these things. And then when, um, I had attended a roasters retreat for SCA, I noticed that there still was a lack of representation for people of color and for women. And I started realizing these subtle nuances that kind of existed in the industry that I didn't entirely enjoy. And I remember having conversations with some of these women, and they were just like, yeah, that's just the way it is, and that's the way it's probably going to be. And I'm like, okay, I don't like that. Why is no one talking about it? So that's where this started. I want people to feel like they can be kind of open about the fact that, yeah, some of these atmospheres that people have to be put in are uncomfortable. Nobody likes the coffee bros that are mansplaining things all the time. And it's like, uh, I think a lot of what struck me was there was a girl that told me, or not me, everybody, about how they felt they were unsafe because they were a woman in the industry. And that's what really struck it for me, was that I was like, okay, so I want to get a, uh, multitude of people on the show and let them just tell their story. And just, like, if they have had bad experiences, if they feel like this isn't right, or if they feel like they've had a great journey, and they can be great represent, they can be great role models. Like, for you, for example, um, I've had a lot of different people on the show so far that have had different stories and different journeys within the industry that aren't always all bad. And it's really nice to hear that because I've had what a journey.

Yolima: And the journey is always filled with nothing's perfect, so there's always rocks on the way and obstacles that you have to overcome. And, um, there is always the people that are not going to be kind to you or going to go behind your back and do stuff. Um, and I think that happens probably to everyone. Um, but I really try to cut those people off really quickly. Um, and I try to learn from my mistakes. I find myself sometimes I'm very gullible. Gullible.

Elena: Yeah, that's the right word.

Yolima: Gullible. Um, and trusting. And, uh, people can take advantage of that. I'm trying to work on that. That's, um, something I need to improve.

Elena: Yeah, I feel like I'm more distrusting than trusting. I can say that for me, I'm not easily trusting of other people. Um, so I don't think being a trusting person is a bad quality. I just hate the fact that people take advantage of people when the opportunity is there. But I guess, where do you see the future of what you're doing going like, what would you like to be doing? Like, this is the goal of my importing company.

Yolima: Well, I don't have something set on a stone yet, because I kind of see different options. I have little pieces I want to achieve. So first I would like to, um, get to I'm bringing about two containers of coffee per year. I would like to like the next step. I would like to be at a point where I'm bringing five mhm containers. Um, and then I would like to consider having some people help me be able to offer some jobs either in Colombia or here, um, to help me with my business. And I want to be able to continue to work with small scale producers, um, with grocers like I have been doing, and develop that type of relationship. But it's taking a long time to develop those relationships. So I think it's going to take a long time to continue to grow to the level I want. I also want to get to a point where sometimes I feel like I'm just doing I plan my day and then I end up doing I try to be like, Monday accounting, Tuesday marketing. It doesn't work. And so, um, I want to get to a point where it's more stable and where I have a stable stream of sales. I want to get more sales faster. I need to rotate my coffee faster so I can rotate the money faster. So I need to get to that level of maturity business wise. And I would like to be there within the next five years. We'll see how that goes. Um, in terms of export, I started the export business in Colombia too, the export part, because I was working with an exporter to do the paperwork part there for me before. So I started the export business there. And I would like to be able to export to other places too, um, so that, you know, buy from more farmers. I will need more customers for that. So it kind of all depends on customers, how many relationships I can build. Um, and, um, I'm building a coffee lab at the farm. Um, I've been building it since I started the business, like sending $100 a month or something like that to kind of build it. And I want to build it, ah, at the farm, because I feel like most coffee labs, they are either in the city or the importers own them. And it's mostly for the importers to cup with the roasters. And that's great because that's where the coffee is going. And so you need to cup for quality. But I feel the farmers don't know how to cup coffee, how to taste it. Most farmers have never even tasted their coffee. My parents, I grew up drinking instant coffee at the farm. And so nescafe.

Elena: Yeah, that's wild.

Yolima: Yeah, with powdered milk. And, uh, my parents grew up the same way. And my grandparents and my grandfather, one of my grandfathers who already passed, he never tasted his coffee. And that's for the majority of farmers in Colombia that are our size. And that is for several reasons. And one of them is not because they want to sell it and they don't want to drink it. That's not one of the reasons. The reasons is to get coffee from parchment as they sell it, to roast it. It's a long process, and not only long, it's also expensive. So to hold the coffee, roast the coffee, grind the coffee, brew the coffee, all of that requires equipment and requires knowledge and requires money and time that farmers just don't have. And so I want to give them first the opportunity to taste the coffee because they need to taste it. Because I feel like if you don't know what you have, mhm, if you don't know the quality of your product, then what power do you have to negotiate with your buyers and get a good price? So I might have the best coffee, and I might find someone that wants to buy it directly and that has the capability of buying it at a good price. But if I don't know anything about the coffee, how am I going to sell it? They're going to have to try it and tell me if it's good or not. And in a real business, you should know the quality of your product and you should know if it's good or not before you offer it. Right? And that gives you power, um, of sales, I guess, uh, if that makes sense. The salesperson, right? Like sales power. So knowledge is power. So they need that knowledge. So I want to build a lab to cup with the farmers and teach them how to cup. And I want to also develop the infrastructure so that all of the coffee that we can bring to the AOS, they can all have their own little, um, brand, and they can roast the coffee and label it and sell it inside Colombia, like, in their own brand, like little bits of coffee here and there. And they all could have the little business. And we started with my mom. My mom is already roasting our own coffee and selling it in Bath in Colombia, just like a small production. And she learned how to roast. And we got a roasting machine that was pretty much made by hand by this guy that used to work at a company where they made roasting machines. Pretty crafty. Um, and I want to get more farmers that if they want to do that, I want to give them that opportunity. So, of course, I want to have a business that is profitable, but also a business that is giving the opportunity to other farmers to have a small, profitable business as well. Um, something that is very community based, but m, also stable and sustainable.

Elena: All I have to say is you're so ambitious and it's so inspiring to listen to you. I'm just sitting here and I'm like, oh, my God. Are you somebody who also doesn't get scared of challenges? Do you just take things head on?

Yolima: Um, I try. I do get scared, but I try to overcome my fears. And, um, I feel like if I'm not good at something, I have to do it in order to get good, right? So when I decided to start this business, I realized I wasn't good at sales and I was not good at taking rejection. And I needed to get good at that if I wanted to be in sales, because sales is like thick skin, right? And so in Colombia, I feel like we're too pumped. I mean, everyone is here. I came and someone will tell me something straight. Um, something just like, clear. I don't like your food. It doesn't taste good. That would be such an insult if someone says that. But it's just an honest thing they're telling you, or they don't like something. You don't have to take it bad. It's just a straight. It's just telling you the truth, and it's not an attack or anything. So I realized I needed to learn how to handle that. And so I started working selling roasted coffee for a company that roasted coffee. I'm like, Hi, I can be your wholesaler, and you just pay me commission on whatever I sell. And I wasn't going to make much money because I was selling to restaurants, and I think it was one dollars per pound. And you have to sell a lot of pounds if you were to survive in commissions. But I figured that it will be a good opportunity to get good at sales. And so I will go to restaurants and I'm just like, I have to just get over with. And I offered the coffee, and the first rejections was hard, but then I got good at it. So now I don't care when people say no. I'm like, okay, thank you so much. Um, or if they say the coffee is really bad because I can have someone that loves the coffee and someone that doesn't like the coffee, and that's fine, that's normal. But, um, if I hadn't done that, then I would have been stuck there on the fear of offering and being told no. And it's still difficult. Um, but I feel like if I need to get better or something, I have to have to do it. I don't like cold calling. Um, and sometimes I just put it on my calendar. Just cold call m. It's scary for me to do cold calling. Um, but yeah, I try my best. Sometimes I let myself be overcome by fear. Of course, I think happens to anyone. And I have put projects on hold just because I'm scared to start them, but I try to not do that too much.

Elena: Yeah, you're just a badass.

Yolima: I'm not.

Elena: Um I know I'm listening to you. And if I was to do any of that. I just wouldn't even do it in the first place, to be quite honest. It's just so cool how you're like, you know what, I'm uncomfortable with this, so I'm going to put myself in an uncomfortable situation to overcome that fear. Whereas I would have never done that. And I'm just like it's inspiring. And I'm also just in awe. Obviously you have your struggles and you work yourself to get to the point where you're able to do that. Um, and I think that you should give yourself some grace for a lot of what you've accomplished and been able to learn on your own. It sounds like a lot of this, yes, you ask for help, but I think a lot of what you've been doing, you've taken full initiative to do on your own, which is great.

Yolima: Sometimes it's good to ask for help. I can be bad at that. And sometimes I think I can't do everything and then I end up like I should have asked for help or advice. Like, uh, one day I tried to take apart a Murphy bed and it fell on me and I almost break my leg. I should have just asked for help. I cannot do everything, but I try not to ask for too much help because I don't want to get people tired of me asking all the time. So I try to keep a balance. Um, but sometimes I feel like I've just gotten so lucky. I do think I have put on a lot of work and I need to keep putting on a lot of work. And sometimes I'm like, I feel like I'm not putting enough work in as I should have. Um, and I try to get back on track. That's very challenging because sometimes to tell yourself to do things can be tough. Discipline yourself. But just being around people that are very disciplined and my husband is super disciplined and hardworking. So it's helped me a lot to kind of try to follow those steps. Uh, but I don't know if you feel sometimes but sometimes I feel like I'm losing speed and I need to get back on track. And motivating yourself. Yeah. Motivation is very limited though. I feel like discipline is what we need to work on. Because if we were going to live on motivation, the motivation lasts 3 hours.

Elena: Honestly though, I kind of agree with that. I think it's always easier said than done talking about discipline. And I think that um, I never want to catch myself in a hypocritical situation. But yeah, I think for the most part I relate a lot of self discipline with fitness. Um, and this is like the first time I've really brought it up on the podcast. But I'm very big on fitness and health in general. And a lot of the time it's like that initial 3 hours of motivation to go to the gym is only the 3 hours of the day. Everything after that is just prolonged self discipline. And I think that that when you're able to apply it to one facet of your life will just naturally start to kind of bleed into other aspects of your life. So, um, once you're able to kind of conquer this idea that you're battling yourself with trying to create structure and trying to create consistency. Consistency and discipline, I think, are the two things that every adult struggles with, right? Things happen at work. Things happen in personal life. You get motivated, you have all these projects you want to do. But it's really hard to keep everything in balance of what's a priority and what's not. But I think a lot of it will play out if you're able to kind of have a tunnel vision and really focus primarily on one thing at a time and keep that consistency of staying true to the tasks you're basically putting on yourself. I don't know. I just went on a tangent for no reason.

Yolima: No, I think it makes sense. Yeah. Discipline is hard. I feel like if I had a job, I just go to work and then I have a list of tasks that my boss gave me. I don't know. I really never had a, ah, structured office job, um, because I did my practices and then I did other jobs, but not like an office. I'm like, I'll have my tasks and I'll just do them and then I'm done. But when you have to tell yourself your tasks and then you have to tell yourself when you're going to do them, you have to put more effort because I could say, I'm just going to go watch a movie today and I'm not going to do anything. You can do that, right? Like, if you want to build something, you can do that. So getting to it can sometimes be hard and you can fall back. So it's a constant work. If you want to build something, as you say, consistency and discipline. Motivation is very short.

Elena: It's really funny every episode. I feel like it's in very interesting areas of my personal life that it kind of like synchronizes with certain lessons that I'm kind of struggling with obtaining. Um, on this topic of kind of like, uh, struggling with self discipline and motivation. How how do you decompress? What's your way of being able to kind of take a step back, recalibrate, and then come back? What's your process?

Yolima: What activities do I do to do that?

Elena: Yeah. Whatever makes you feel like, okay, I'm stressed out. I can't do this right now. I'm going to go do A, B, and C and then I'm going to just be in my bubble. And then when I'm ready, I'll go back.

Yolima: Okay. There are a few things I enjoy. Like, I enjoy cooking, um, a lot. So I like watching cooking videos and making recipes and creating stuff in the kitchen. Um uh, it's art. It's like my way of art. I like it. Um, and then I am trying to read more and I had that as a goal for this year and it's just not materializing. In January, I was like, I'm going to read one book per month. That's a big well, I thought maybe at least then I'm like, well, maybe I can just read four books this year or five or something. But I haven't read much. Maybe one and a half books and it's like already October, so I'm trying to improve on that. I think reading is good. Um, I do a lot of YouTube I watch a lot of YouTube videos and I honestly need to cut back on that because it's fun, but I feel like it's not very productive.

Elena: It's a rabbit hole once you get.

Yolima: Into so so I like watching movies instead of series because I cannot watch one chapter at a time, like one chapter every night. So I'd rather watch a movie and be done. Um, so anything that is artsy, uh, going out, um, of because I work from home, my home office. So I try to not be distracted by it. Sometimes I take a break and go do laundry. I know they say you're not supposed to do that, you're supposed to be at your office and separate work from home and all of that. But sometimes it works for me. Like I'm working and then I take a break and go start the laundry and then I come and continue working. And it was a connective path. So what I feel like works best for me when I manage to do it is just, uh, put everything I need to do on my calendar and do it as it says on the calendar and put breaks on the calendar too.

Elena: Interesting.

Yolima: So I don't feel guilty when I take a break that is longer than what's supposed to be because sometimes you do that. I don't know if that's happened to you, but I do something that is not productive and I feel guilty. And then I feel like I cannot be productive. I don't know. It becomes like, um a hole.

Elena: Yeah.

Yolima: Um, and so then at the end of the day, you feel disappointed that you didn't do this and that and that, but it's because it wasn't on the calendar. So I'm working on that and it works really well. M, at least for me, like calendar block and put a pause there. Maybe what I want to do eat, um, ice cream from one to two or something like that. And then you're like it's in there. I have to do it, uh, so you feel better about it. So that works for me. Um, of course, when I go to Colombia and come back, it's completely refreshed or just working from the farm. But ah, that's not like something I can do every weekend, right? Um, yeah, I. Feel like changing the environment is good. I love, though, that thanks to my job, I love delivering coffee. If I have a customer that is close by, I will just go to the warehouse and deliver myself on my car. And I know that it's just all the time I'm driving, I could be using on my desk, making more productive stuff than driving. But I figure I go deliver coffee and I visit my customer and say hi and have an interaction. And I like to be on the road. I don't know when I have to do that in the middle of the week. It kind of, um, um, gives me energy to continue through the week. Even though it was the whole day of driving, it was fun. I was listening to music, I met my customers, I talk. It was fun sometimes. I'm like sitting on the desk too.

Elena: Um, long on the show. There's a part where we basically have a hot take and essentially this is your chance to kind of bring something up in an awareness that could be a controversial subject or it could just be a hot take in the industry where you might have an opinion about something that other people don't really know about. So what is your hot take?

Yolima: Um, can the hot take be an experience that you've had?

Elena: Yeah.

Yolima: I'm going to tell you an experience that I had that I have had only once. No, twice. Um, but I don't want it to be general because it's not happened to me with milk, it happened with, uh, uh, males in the industry. Anyway. M, um, there is this, um, person that is in the industry that every time I run into them, they make this comment of how easy is it for me to sell coffee just because I'm a woman? And I only have to smile to my clients and then it's very easy to sell the coffee. And I find it so insulting. Um, and they make it as a joke, right. But they do it with bad intention. So I don't know how many more people there. I think they do it just because I'm a woman. Uh uh, just because I'm a woman. So that's the only time I felt that I have been put down just because I'm a woman in the industry. Uh, all my knowledge goes out the window and all my experience and all the quality of my coffee when they say something like that. So I don't know if that's a hot take, but that's a bad thing that's happened to me in this industry.

Elena: Yeah, I feel like that's the whole purpose of this podcast. Uh, it's to be able to vocalize when you've been indirectly or directly scrutinized or discriminated in some type of way. I think that regardless, people love to mask insults and m discrimination or racism through indirect humor to make it not as severe, but it's still that it's not okay.

Yolima: Yeah, I find it's not okay. Especially it keeps happening. I don't know where it comes from. I don't know where it comes from. From what place? Of what? Of insecurity or of feeling powerful? I don't know.

Elena: I don't know.

Yolima: I don't know where they will do that.

Elena: A lot of the industry has this perspective of it being very, um, so patriarchal. I don't know if you've had a lot of run ins with guys in the industry who do this thing where they talk over you, they take up space and, um, they'll act like they know the coffee better than you. Um, by throwing in terminology, thinking that that's going to paint pretty pictures of the coffee. And I've run into many people like that, and I'm just like, this isn't it. I don't like this. And it is kind of demeaning and it strips the entire essence of what coffee is. And I was just talking about this on our last episode. Um, which it's a human process. You can break it down to TDs and the bricks percentages, and you can do all these things and throw in the fanciest tasting notes to sound eloquent and understanding acidity and flavor profiles or whatever. But at the end of the day, it's like coffee is still a relationship building thing. It's not supposed to be this showmanship of fanciful. That's not a word. The top of the grade of coffee. And that's the only thing acceptable. I've run into those. Um, I think that things are starting to look better, but at the end of the day, there are those kind of people that exist in the industry. And that's why I like this platform, is that people can just kind of throw shit at the wall and just say the things that they've been wanting to say. It's just frustrating.

Yolima: Yeah. Uh, there is definitely a lot of that.

Elena: Yeah.

Yolima: Sometimes it's also, um what is that phenomenon? There is a phenomenon. I don't remember the name, but it kind of says that the people that know more, that really know, they think they don't know anything because they know so much that they know that really they don't know much. The people that just learn a little bit because they don't know how much more is there to learn. They feel like they know everything already. Um, and so you'll find these people that learn something and then it's like they know everything, but they feel so secure about what they know. And they feel so empowerful because of that knowledge that they have, because it feels like they already know the thing, the whole thing. Right, right. But it's just because they haven't learned anything or just learn a little bit, so they don't really know how much more is there to learn.

Elena: Right.

Yolima: Um, and so that's why we feel so secure. But when we learn a lot about a thing, we don't feel so secure about knowing a lot because we already know that there is so much more to learn. And so I think that happens a lot, just in life in general. And you can see it when you run into people, uh, like these. And it's very hard to change someone's mind when they are in that position. I think only time will teach them once they continue to learn and see, um, that there is way more than you think.

Elena: Yeah, I agree with everything you just said.

Yolima: It's happened to me too. When you're learning something, you think already know a lot, and then you realize, I don't know anything. So much more to learn.

Elena: Yeah. Well, I had a great time talking to you. I feel like time just went by fast. I just checked the time and it's already 710. I was like, wow, time really escaped me on this episode. Um, but I really loved talking to you. I love your attitude. It's so refreshing and it's so clear, and you have a vision. And I know that you're going to probably combat me with this, but you are a very inspirational figure. I think that you're doing great things for yourself and what you're trying to create for your community back home. The coffee lab sounds really exciting. I've talked to so many producers where that is a common problem, that they don't get to try their coffee or know much about the cupping and roasting experience. And it's like if they had the knowledge and just the asset of resources to be able to do that, it would help them have a lot more control in the market of coffee buying. And I'm a firm believer that that needs to be more of a normal practice. So it makes me excited hearing all of the things that you eventually would love to see unfold for your business. And I think that you're on the right track to doing great things. And it, uh, m makes me excited to have met you and been able to continue, hopefully a relationship after this and to see where, uh, your importing business and in general, everything else you achieve goes.

Yolima: Yes, of course. Thank you so much for inviting me. I really appreciate it. It, um, was very nice talking to you. And thank you again for opening your platform for me to be in it and share with you some of the stuff going on in my life and with my business. Uh, and I hope it might be of some use to someone. Um oh, yeah. Feel free to reach out to me if there is anything I can do for you.

Elena: Yeah, 100%. I would love to. One day, I want to meet all of the people in person. One day. This Zoom stuff gets annoying after a while because I'm like, I keep meeting amazing people. But, um yes, don't be a stranger. You're always welcome to reach out.

Yolima: Yes, of course. And you too. Um, we'll connect via email and then hopefully I can go there and meet Roasters and visit you at the same time.

Elena: I think her story is so strong. She, uh, said it so effortlessly. Well, one, she just came out the gate, like, going on about herself. And I just was like, there's so much confidence in how she carries herself, and as much as she's going to vocalize her self doubt, it was another story of just like, yeah, I had to do this really young and then kind of was like, fuck it, I'm going to do it. And then I'm going to continue to keep being a badass, and I'm just going to keep taking every opportunity I have that's going to come my way that I didn't think I could take. And then here I am. I started a business and it's growing, and I want to keep growing. And then I want to do this and I'm just like, whoa. It's rare to find people like that nowadays. And I love hearing that she came from a really good childhood and that she had a really good support system. And it seems like everything is just so organic to where she is. I think that she's just going to keep riding on this really good trajectory of everything that's been accomplished for her. I love that she was talking about how she's really happy when she goes back on the farm because she's happy and everyone's happy and it's because they're satisfied with their life. And it's stuff like that that make me really happy. Because it just goes to show that you don't need much to be happy in life. And, um, their community is enough for them. What they are producing is enough for them. Obviously, they want more. You get what I'm trying to say. But this story warmed my heart more than anything. It's another one of those feeling fuzzy on the inside kind of moments.

Yolima: And, um.

Elena: I feel like I really didn't have to do much on this episode this time. I feel like these last few episodes I've been talking a lot. I've been integrating myself a little bit more into the discussions. But she just came off and was just like she just had so much shit to say and she seemed so excited to talk about it all. And as much as someone who is claiming that she's not good at English, she was really eloquent. Um, I'm saying the perfectionist in her comes out in different aspects that were part of this episode. But overall, I just love her attitude. It's just like, she's the type of person that I'd want in my life if I need somebody to motivate me to just do it, which is funny. We were talking how much motivation has been a part of this episode is that I feel like if I had her in my life, there'd be a consistent, positive spirit of an opportunist and just taking life by the balls and just going for it versus, um a lot of people. It's, like, hard to find that anymore.