Today we’d like to introduce you to Nadia Marina.
Hi Nadia, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
It all started with a question, “What business could I run and still be an active parent in my kid’s lives?” After looking at my various work experiences, the answer was easy, start a cafe! The hard part was actually getting it done.
Because of my lack of resources, I knew I had to start small. The thought of navigating the pop-up world felt like too much to balance while being a full-time mom so I wanted to find a local business to partner with. I began envisioning the environment I wanted for my coffee service. It’s LA so it’s beautiful most days of the year and I’m a plant enthusiast so I thought an outdoor plant nursery might be a great fit. I remembered Tansy as being WOC owned so I emailed them right away. Shawna, the owner, offered her garden space to me and I have been there for about a year and a half.
Earlier this year, I started to consider expanding my business. I really wanted to get into a brick and mortar but rental prices were still too high for our budget. I decided that doing a coffee trailer would be the more natural next step. After struggling to secure financing, my uncle gave me a loan to get the trailer started. Several months later, I was finally approved for a micro SBA loan to fund the rest. If all goes well, I will go from two fold-out tables and cold brew to an adorable trailer with espresso on the menu by 2023!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In the beginning, financing was my biggest hurdle. Navigating the SBA loan system and learning how to put together all the paperwork was hard for me. Thankfully Shawna, the owner of Tansy, is a fabulous mentor and helped teach me how to put together a more detailed business plan. With her advice, I was able to get approved for the loan I needed to move forward with opening the trailer.
Honestly, the biggest hurdle has been dealing with the trailer manufacturers. There aren’t a lot of affordable options out there who offer the type of trailer I was looking for. The one that I ultimately went with turned out to be a bad choice. I did my due diligence by researching them and meeting with them. Communication in the beginning was great and I had a great experience with them in person. I couldn’t find a whole lot of reviews for them online which is pretty typical of smaller businesses like theirs so I wasn’t alarmed.
Unfortunately, I was not aware that there are two separate pages for the Better Business Bureau, one for compliments and one for complaints. When I looked them up on the BBB their page was empty which is not unusual considering all the other businesses I had looked up were empty as well. It wasn’t until after I started having problems I was told by a friend that there are two pages. When I found the second page, the complaints page, I learned that there were many complaints from people who had had the same experience I was having. Almost zero communication once the contract was signed followed by dishonesty, misrepresentation, threats, damages to the trailer that they never take responsibility for are some of the things we have all experienced. I have heard that every business learns expensive lessons on their path to opening a new business so I am trying to not be too upset by it. My hope is that everyone reading this who is interested in getting a trailer for their business doesn’t make the same mistake I made.
Even though the timeline on my trailer has quadrupled from the original quote and that I will be spending twice the amount I expected to get it up and running, I am still confident that once it opens it will be so successful that these struggles will have been worth it!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Plántate Café?
Our menu is a little different than that of your average cafe. Everything we offer is made special by adding Mexican flavors. When you order a coffee from us, you can expect bold flavors full of spice. We also strive to be inclusive of all allergies and dietary preferences so most of our menu is vegan and gluten-free, even our horchata!
Once the trailer opens we will go from being a weekend pop-up to being a full-time outdoor cafe in the garden outside the most beautiful plant and home decor shop in the valley!
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
When I was a kid I loved food. I loved acting and singing. I loved making people happy. I worked hard and learned how to stay out of trouble from my older siblings. If you didn’t hear me I was probably eating or reading a novel that was super inappropriate for my age or maybe doing both. My parents were just happy I was reading no matter the content so as a kid I read Steven King and Harlequin romance novels. Safe to say my teachers were not happy at my selection of reading materials.
I had a best friend growing up who to this day is still like a sister to me. I had a tight-knit group of friends in middle school and high school. Neither group cared about being cool so we were spared all the usual drama those times could bring. I was also super lucky to have a childhood sweetheart to navigate all the adventures of becoming a young adult. We probably would have gotten married if I wanted to stay in my hometown but like my favorite childhood movie The Little Mermaid, “I want more!”
Even though my childhood wasn’t idyllic, I think the people in my life and the books I read made me a super honest, brave, and confident person. I took the first opportunity I had to move out of my hometown and to Southern California. I finished my last year of high school in the High Desert and then set my sights for LA.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.plantatecafe.la/
- Instagram: Instagram.com/plantatecafe.la
- Facebook: www.Facebook.com/plantatecafe.la
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/CB71Vq9A4ub
Image Credits
Brittany Woodside Photography
