Introducing Opo Coffee

So I’m starting a new company: Opo Coffee. 

For many, this will be just another coffee business in Atlanta. We’ll roast coffee, brew and sell it at our retail coffee bar, and run coffee training and education at our lab. People will have daily or one-off experiences with our products or services, at our physical location or in the comfort of their homes.

For me, this will be the next step in an adventure-filled life where I try to live purposefully for the benefit of others and with a faith-driven worldview. I have high and lofty dreams of contributing to a positive change in the world - locally and globally - through how I launch and grow Opo Coffee. If 13 years of running coffee shops have taught me anything, it’s been this: Coffee is an integral part of people’s lives. By being in the coffee business, you have a unique opportunity and responsibility to have a lasting impact on others.

What does “Opo” mean? The name speaks to the heart of the company. “Opo” is a Filipino phrase that means “yes”, with respect. It’s how I should answer my parents, or a teacher, or any elder or authority figure. In my family’s culture, honor and respect are baked into the language. In a single-word response, you demonstrate that you recognize that the person you’re talking to deserves to be honored by you, including how you utter the smallest expressions. I chose to name my new company “Opo” as both a nod to my ethnic heritage and to encapsulate company values of positivity, respect, and honor.

As far as details go, the official business plan is dozens of pages long (and always growing). We’ve already formed a launch team, a Board of Directors, we’re halfway through fundraising, and we’re looking at commercial properties on the eastside of Atlanta for our physical location. Catch me in person and I could talk your ear off for hours about espresso equipment or training programs or investor pitches. 

Even though we’re months and months away from our likely launch, I can taste the coffee. I can picture the cafe meetups, the baristas in a flurry of activity, the roaster in operation, and the bags of beans opened up in kitchens. This dream will slowly become reality, and I’ll share as many thoughts and details as I can through this blog.