Today we’d like to introduce you to Danny Arellano.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
This journey started almost 15 years ago. I was first introduced to third-wave specialty coffee while attending The Master’s College in Newhall, CA, where I met my wife, Stephanie. This is an important detail! I had a Chemex, a hand grinder, and a mini pour-over station that my dad and I built and it was fully equipped with scales, timers and gooseneck kettles. I fell in love with the craft and science of brewing a great cup of coffee, I found much enjoyment and excitement in visiting different coffee shops all over LA and I wanted to learn more.
After graduating, I got a job as a barista at a hole-in-the-wall mom-and-pop shop back home in the SFV while I looked for a corporate job using my Communications degree. But it was there at the shop where I not only gained experience as a barista serving espresso-based beverages and making fun latte art, but where I fell in love with the idea of one day opening and owning my own shop.
I was still dating Stephanie and I knew that I wanted to marry, but that it couldn’t be done on a baristas salary. So I began working in office-type settings, climbing the corporate ladder and we were able to tie the knot in 2018. She’s more important to me than owning a shop, so it was an easy decision for me! We got a house, started a family, and my dream about owning a coffee shop was put on the shelf – temporarily.
I come from a family of successful entrepreneurs, so the itch to start my own company never went away. Fast forward to Summer of 2024 – my wife looks at me and tells me she wants me to pursue that coffee shop dream that I once had. I’ll never forget what she said. She said that it’s not a game of your dreams verses mine. We’re on the same team and work together, which meant my dreams are hers, and hers are mine. So after much prayer and consideration, I left my corporate job and we decided to take a leap of faith and pursue that dream together, as husband and wife. So we started buying equipment, built a coffee cart later that year, and officially launched Messenger Coffee LA in February 2025.
Since then, we’ve already been booked for weddings, corporate occasions, teacher appreciation events, birthdays, funeral receptions, church functions, fundraisers, AND we have weekly pop-ups at Certified Farmers Markets and others. Word of our coffee-catering services is spreading and we couldn’t be happier and we couldn’t be more thankful! God seems to blessing our business as far as we can see and we’ve already gotten so much support and encouragement from so many people – we’ve even had people drive almost an hour to catch us at one of our pop-ups!
So here we are today, navigating the intimidating waters of owning our own business, building our brand, and gaining a faithful clientele. We’re learning a ton, and it’s not easy. I left my 9-5 to pursue a 24/7. But I love what I’m doing, I love who I’m doing it with, and nothing beats the satisfaction of crafting a cup of coffee (or matcha) and hearing a customer ask, “oh my gosh, this is so good! Do you have a shop?” To which we smile and say, “Not yet, but we’re working toward it!”
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some parts have definitely been smoother than others, for sure. But we’re learning as we go, and we haven’t been afraid to share our mistakes, because it seems like people appreciate transparency and learn from them.
One particular area that we’re growing in is money management. Coffee equipment isn’t cheap, and while you want to say yes to every event, you just can’t. But when you say no to an event, you’re basically saying no to income. Budgeting is huge, and learning how to pay yourself while having to pay for supplies is new for us.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a musician at heart. I grew up in a musical home where all my siblings either know how to sing or play an instrument.
While I’ve worked various corporate jobs ranging from Project Management to Quality Assurance Management, a common denominator throughout my life is music. I’m heavily involved in worship music and have the honor of leading at various churches.
Because of this, we’re playing with the idea of having live music, open mics and / or writers rounds at our shop where local artists can come and showcase their musical abilities.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
LA has SO many coffee shops and each one is so different. I love that I can try a new one literally every day if I wanted to.
I could do without LA traffic. It shouldn’t take me an hour to drive 15 miles.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.messengercoffeela.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/messengercoffeela/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570752801273&mibextid=wwXIfr
