Check Out Lauren Torres’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Torres.

Hi Lauren, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve always been passionate about health, wellness, and community. Before starting my coffee business, I spent years involved in the health and fitness space, helping people prioritize their well-being and build confidence. Professionally, I’ve built a career as a project manager leading complex projects across industries including transportation, consumer and industrial products, aerospace, and skilled trades., balancing a demanding career while raising my daughter as a single mom.When I moved back home, I noticed something missing. Not only were there few local coffee options, but there was also a lack of handcrafted beverages made with real, quality ingredients. As someone who values both wellness and community, I saw an opportunity to create something different.That’s how L.A. Vida Coffee was born. I wanted to bring people together over great coffee and culturally inspired drinks while creating a brand that reflects my Puerto Rican and Mexican roots and my commitment to quality. What started as an idea quickly turned into a passion project, with countless late nights spent creating recipes, designing my mobile coffee cart, and building the business from the ground up.Entrepreneurship has challenged me in ways I never expected, but it’s also been incredibly rewarding. My daughter is my biggest inspiration, and one of my goals is to show her that it’s never too late to pursue a dream, take a risk, and build something meaningful. Today, L.A. Vida Coffee is more than a business. It’s a reflection of my culture, my values, and my desire to create connections and bring something special to the community I love.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of the biggest challenges has been building a mobile business while maintaining a demanding full-time career that requires me to travel during the week. Since coffee carts are event-driven, I quickly realized I couldn’t be everywhere at once. Finding reliable staff who I trusted with my brand, while also finding people who were available for occasional weekend events, proved much harder than I expected.Like many new entrepreneurs, I’ve also made mistakes that cost me money. In the beginning, I purchased supplies and equipment that I thought I would need, only to realize later they weren’t the right fit for my business. I also participated in pop-up events that ended up costing more than I made. There were times when I left an event in the negative and questioned whether I was making the right decisions.Looking back, those experiences were some of my greatest lessons. They taught me to be more strategic about where I invest my time and money, to carefully evaluate opportunities, and to trust the process of learning as I grow. Entrepreneurship has definitely humbled me, but it has also made me more resilient. Every setback helped me refine my business, strengthen my vision, and become a better business owner. Today, I see those early struggles not as failures, but as the cost of gaining the experience and knowledge needed to build something sustainable.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Professionally, I’m an Implementation Project Manager leading complex projects across various industries. Outside of my corporate career, I’m the founder of L.A. Vida Coffee, a mobile coffee business specializing in specialty coffee and handcrafted beverages inspired by my Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. What sets me apart is my focus on community, culture, and quality ingredients. I created L.A. Vida Coffee to offer unique drinks made with intention and inspired by flavors I grew up with. I’m most proud of building the business from the ground up while balancing a full-time career and motherhood. Seeing people connect with the drinks, the culture, and the story behind the brand makes all the hard work worthwhile.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I don’t consider myself a risk-taker. I tend to be strategic and think things through before making a decision. However, starting L.A. Vida Coffee while balancing a full-time career, frequent travel, and motherhood was definitely a major risk. I invested my time, energy, and money into a business with no guarantees of success.Along the way, I made mistakes, lost money at some events, and learned a lot through trial and error. But those experiences taught me valuable lessons and helped me grow as a business owner. My view on risk is that growth happens when you’re willing to step outside your comfort zone. I’d rather take a calculated chance on something I’m passionate about than wonder “what if” later in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Lavidacarts.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/l.a.vidacoffee?stkn=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Yelp: https://yelp.to/RUkj3EVc39

Image Credits
Vanessa Cervantes Photograpgy