This post was originally published on Afro

By Megan Sayles

The pandemic caused many people to feel stuck. The uncertainty combined with orders to stay inside and social distance led to feelings of isolation, stress, anxiety, and depression.

At the start, Maryland Native and veteran Teresa Meade struggled to navigate her emotions. Typically, Meade would call her mother to talk through them, but she had died in 2017. 

“I really, really missed her, and it was a depressing time for all of us,” said Meade. “I needed something to refocus my energy.” 

Meade sought spiritual guidance to determine the best way to overcome her emotional distress, and the answer came in the form of a business venture. 

She established Jacq and Joe’s Coffee in 2020 as an online coffee company. The brand’s name pays homage to her mother, whose middle name was Jacqueline, and Meade’s grandfather, Joe.    

Directly after launching, Meade began slowly building her brand with marketing and promotional work on social media. Then, in the fall of 2021, she hosted her first pop-up shop to sell her blends. 

Although this is her first business, Meade has long been a coffee aficionado, and she was exposed to entrepreneurship from a young age. Her father owns an electrical company, and her grandfather previously ran his own catering business. She also recalled making many trips to Starbucks with her mother as a young girl and said her go-to order was a white chocolate mocha.

Jacq and Joe’s Coffee sources its beans from Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. Shoppers can choose to buy single-serve coffee capsules, whole bean coffee, or ground coffee. The Cinnabun blend is the company’s best-seller with the Cowboy Blend, which has notes of cocoa, caramel, and vanilla, following as a close second.   

Aside from online sales, Meade also does pop-ups and tastings with her coffee throughout the Washington Metropolitan area. Her next one will be hosted on April 16 at D.C.-based Culture Coffee Too. The shop is owned by Veronica Copper, who has served as a mentor to Meade throughout her entrepreneurial journey. 

Like most business owners, Meade faced challenges because of COVID-19. Supply chain disruptions caused coffee orders to be delayed and prices to skyrocket across the board, but she was not discouraged. 

“I was raised by entrepreneurs, so I’m going to work and get it done regardless,” said Meade. 

Recently, Meade was given the opportunity to purchase a brick-and-mortar space to house Jacq and Joe’s Coffee, but she declined. She is still searching for the perfect location and wants to wait for the pandemic’s effects to dwindle. 

However, when she does open a brick-and-mortar store, she wants the space to welcome creatives and entrepreneurs who are building their businesses so they can showcase their products. 

“This isn’t just for me. This is bigger than me,” said Meade. “It’s for the community and for my family. It’s for generational wealth.”

The post Jacq and Joe’s Coffee builds legacy for Maryland native’s family appeared first on AFRO American Newspapers .