Exploring Life & Business with Joyce Lee of Cup in your Hand

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joyce Lee.

Hi Joyce, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We are Cup In Your Hand coffee shop on wheels! My name is Joyce Lee and I am the Founder and Co-Owner. The story starts in 2017 when I was left in the hospital for 2 weeks after having a near death sickness and flatlined. I was never interested in opening or working in coffee but I have always believed in the spiritual messages over my life. I saw very realistic visions of myself in a space that was my own but community built and I knew it was a coffee shop. When I survived and left the hospital with a renewal on my life I had to figure out how to begin that journey, so I became a barista. I started in a small batch bakery, no experience, just dreams and a heart to learn everything and anything. Quickly, I learned and gained experience enough to manage other shops, help friends open up their own, be part of multiple communities in the specialty coffee industry. I always knew the goal was to open my own so every opportunity was gained experience for my future and the only thing I knew I desired to find was a partner with the same vision. When I met my husband, co-owner Alvaro Rojas, we shared the same dream to create a space where people and dogs felt welcomed. Our beginning steps falls in this coffee trailer. We want to incorporate as many flavors of both our heritage into our drinks, but also be a part of and give back to every community we happen upon.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not as smooth as we hoped for. We began this journey in the hopes we would be a husband and wife operation. Family business always gets so tricky. My brother was joined into our journey because my parents were big financial investors, they wanted to see their kids grow in a business together, the vision was beautiful but it was poorly executed due to many differences. My brother and I quickly learned how different our values were in almost every aspect of the business. We parted ways a couple months into launching and although we are grateful he helped us off the ground we could not be more relieved that we can truly stick to the vision we want4ed. Aside from that, every logistic we had faced came at a pace. There are quite a lot of permits, registrations, licenses. and accounts you have to make and prepare. Those are not difficult to achieve but they are time consuming and can get confusing while filling out. For our specific business we also have to take care of a separate commercial vehicle alongside the coffee trailer itself, since the trailer is a non motorized vehicle it has to be towed by a vehicle that can carry the weight, and therefore we have to also register and get all the due permits for that second vehicle. Lastly, one of the struggles that we continue to face is promoting our business and finding the right audience. It is something we are winding down on but still has been quite a challenge to reach the right people and standing our ground in what we believe.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Cup in your Hand ?
We make handcrafted specialty drinks-mainly coffee and matcha. We desire to incorporate more of our heritage into specialty or seasonal items. Our biggest and most proudest aspect is that we make glamorous pup cups and all the proceeds of the pup cups get donated to a rescue. Each month we choose a rescue, preferably one local to us, and sometimes the organization will do a pop up or highlight with us and it has been one of the most heart warming and rewarding things. We are trying to focus on building a community and a following within the realms of interests that we share as a married couple. For example. we recently connected with a skateboarding company local in New Jersey that makes activities accessible for kids with disabilities. I. myself am half-blind and have quite a list of autoimmune diseases and etc. and have felt the sorrow of not being capable or too afraid to learn how to skateboard or even ride a bike, and to see companies like this to help kids learn warms our heart and we want to collaborate with organizations like this.

Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
I have always been told that I am too mature for my age. Although, I am the younger child I have felt like I had to mature quite quickly, and I was never too smart, but I was creative. I loved the arts and I loved the silliness of how my imagination can go. I had always been rebellious with reason, which is kind of an oxymoron, but it makes sense to me. I also had empathy so deep that it crippled me, I couldn’t bare seeing unjust happenings, people feeling left our or being an outcast. I think since I was young I understood that everyone had a story and everyone has a story still being written. I just want people to feel safe in their own skin.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: thecupinyourhand