Inspiring Conversations with Nestor Enciso of Helping Hands Coffee

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nestor Enciso.

Hi Nestor, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My name is Nestor Enciso, and I’m the founder of Helping Hands Coffee. I’ve been in the coffee industry since 2011, starting as a barista and eventually working my way up to managing shops, training baristas, and consulting for other businesses. Coffee has never felt like work to me—it’s something I genuinely love, and my passion for it has only grown stronger over the years.

Helping Hands Coffee actually began in 2020 during the peak of the pandemic, not as a business, but as a way to serve my community. Every week, we partnered with local nonprofits to give out free specialty coffee to families in Southeast Los Angeles, especially in my hometown of Lynwood. It was a simple gesture, but it brought people together during a very difficult time.

As the pandemic began to phase out, we decided to transition Helping Hands Coffee into a business. From 2021 to 2025, we focused on community events, workshops, school partnerships, and catering for private events—mostly on weekends while I still worked a full-time job during the week. My dream had always been to open a coffee bar, but taking that leap felt risky.

Everything changed when my friend Chendo from Balam Mexican Kitchen offered me a space and believed in the vision enough to help build a coffee bar for Helping Hands Coffee. That opportunity pushed me to take the biggest risk of my life—I left my job and went all in.

Since then, the business has grown steadily. We’ve built a loyal community, often sell out during the week, and continue to create a space where people can connect. We collaborate with organizations like Hands of Love to provide free produce distributions every Thursday, rain or shine, and we’ve introduced live music on Sundays to keep the space vibrant and welcoming. We’ve also recently expanded by opening a second coffee bar residency in Lakewood.

Like many small business owners, the journey hasn’t been easy. There were sleepless nights, slow days, and moments of doubt. But I always believed that if I stayed persistent and continued serving my community with heart, things would grow—and they have.

Today, Helping Hands Coffee is more than just a coffee bar. It’s a space where people connect, collaborate, and support one another—and that’s exactly what I hoped it would become.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. One of the biggest challenges in the beginning was financial. Starting a business always comes with risk, and there were many moments where I had to figure things out with very limited resources. There were also days when business was slow and I questioned whether I was making the right decisions.

Another challenge was learning the business side of things. I had spent many years mastering coffee itself—working as a barista, trainer, and consultant—but running a business requires a completely different set of skills. I had to learn about operations, budgeting, leadership, and how to build a sustainable brand while still staying true to our mission.

Discipline also played a huge role. Even on the slow days or the tough days, I showed up. I stayed consistent and kept pushing forward because I believed in what we were building. Over time, I also had to grow into becoming a stronger leader—not just focusing on the coffee, but supporting and guiding the team around me.

Looking back, every challenge became a lesson. The struggles helped shape the business into what it is today, and they taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of staying committed to your vision.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Helping Hands Coffee?
Helping Hands Coffee is more than just a coffee business to me—it’s really about community, connection, and creating a space where people feel welcomed. From the beginning, my focus has always been people over profit. Of course we take pride in serving high-quality specialty coffee, and after being in the coffee industry for many years, I feel very confident in the craft and the quality we bring to the table. Coffee is something I can always teach my team.

What I can’t teach is someone’s character or personality. That’s why when I build my team, I look for people who naturally have great energy, kindness, and a genuine desire to connect with others. Skills can be taught, but who someone is as a person can’t. Having a team that shares similar values and genuinely cares about people is very important to me.

Another thing that makes Helping Hands Coffee special is our commitment to giving back to the community that supports us. Without the community, we wouldn’t be here. That’s why I’m always looking for ways to collaborate with organizations that are doing meaningful work. Recently we partnered with Unidos En Lynwood, a rapid response community group, where we helped raise $2,000 to buy out three local street vendors and support their businesses. Moments like that remind me how powerful community support can be.

Over the past year we’ve also hosted and participated in many community events, workshops, and collaborations with local organizations. For me, Helping Hands Coffee isn’t just about serving drinks—it’s about building relationships, supporting one another, and creating something positive that people can feel part of.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up, my father played a huge role in shaping the person I am today. He struggled with alcoholism for many years, but eventually he made the decision to turn his life around and began attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. As a child, he would often take me with him to those meetings.

At the time, I didn’t fully understand what those meetings were about. My dad would simply call it “El Café,” which means “the café” in English. As a kid, I honestly thought it was just a place where people gathered to drink coffee, talk, and support each other.

Looking back now, I realize those moments had a huge impact on me. That’s where I first saw the power of community—people coming together, supporting one another, sharing their struggles, and helping each other grow. It also happens to be where I started drinking coffee and developed an appreciation for the culture around it.

Those experiences stayed with me throughout my life. They taught me the importance of connection, empathy, and giving back to others. In many ways, Helping Hands Coffee was built on those same values. For me, a coffee space has always been more than just coffee—it’s a place where people come together, support one another, and feel like they belong.

Pricing:

• Specialty Coffee drinks: $4-$9
• Matcha Drinks: $6-9
• Catering Events: Starting around $200

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Helpinghands.coffee
• Instagram: Helpinghands.coffee
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HelpingHandsCoffee
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/helping-hands-coffee-lynwood?osq=Coffee+%26+Tea