"I was studying coffee, but instead, I learned about myself" -Zambrano.
I began to study for the Q-Arabica Grader Certification during the 3rd trimester of 2023. In my first round of completing the course and corresponding exams, in January of 2024, I was told to "try again" and retake 5 out of the 20 tests.
What seemed like failure and disappointment, turned out to be an opportunity to strengthen my relationship with coffee, the industry, and overall morale. Until this moment, the only coffee background under my belt consisted in running and operating a coffee shop. The course along with the tests was a download of coffee wisdom. My position as a sales representative at Gavina Coffee Roasters allowed me to utilize newly discovered coffee procedures and standardizations to empower clients. Ultimately, a pivotal element, was the fortified connection with my pallet, my olfactory system, and a mind-body consciousness that generated confidence to identify defects, commercial, and specialty coffee.
With the support of my employer Gavina Coffee Co, many mentors along the way, my CQI professor, and countless sips, slurps, and coffees drank I enrolled in the retake. In June of 2024 I completed the remainder 5 tests and was inaugurated as a certified Quality Arabica Coffee Grader.
The end result: a better understanding, appreciation, and respect for the universal coffee industry and those actively seeking to improve it. A most profound outcome: the sharpening of tools that had always resided within me but had been dormant for so many years.
The ultimate realization: connect with the coffee, empower my-SELF, elevate the universal coffee community.
Guayoyo Craft Coffee House was founded in a small beach town in the northern pacific coast of Costa Rica. Guayoyo was established in February of 2019 as an opportunity to escape from the mundane corporate life, start a meaningful project from the ground up, express myself and ultimately put into action all the traits that I had learned in college, the corporate world, and life travels. Although this was my first gastronomic business venture, I’ve been indirectly surrounded by the coffee industry through my mother whom manages the accounting department of one of the largest coffee roasters in Los Angeles, California.
In the 4 years that I resided in Costa Rica, I successfully launched a coffee shop, expanded the company from a three-person operation to a team of 12 employees, a self-sufficient restaurant, artisanal bakery, and culinary experience including liquor license. Additionally, during my time, Guayoyo provided jobs for Venezuelan expats as well as local Costa Ricans, it showcased artwork from numerous artisans and artists, and maintained professional relations with neighboring businesses. Guayoyo was loved by its staff members, loved by its consistent clientele, and loved by numerous social media platforms and search engines. Facebook, Google, and TripAdvisor all ranked Guayoyo as the #1 coffee shop in the area; furthermore, in July of 2021 Guayoyo was presented with TripAdvisor's Travelers Choice Award.
A lot was learned from my Costa Rican experience; most importantly, that it is not just about starting a business but also about building community, creating a positive lifestyle, generating a lasting impact, and loving the experience.
