Mom of the Month: Scarlett, Co-Owner of Onward Coffee!
We are so excited to announce our October MOM of the Month, Scarlett, mom and co-owner of Onward Coffee! Scarlett and her husband are the creative forces behind this mobile coffee business seen all over the Lehigh Valley, and the banana foster coffee heard around the world (ok not really, but it should be!).
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Tell us a little about yourself and your family.
My name is Scarlett and my husband’s name is Steve. Together, we have a 3 year old daughter named Shea. She is the absolute light of our lives. She looks like me and has Steve’s persistence and tenacity. I was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley and Steve is from Lancaster County. We’ve lived in Emmaus now for nearly five years and we love it here. A little fun fact about me, I was a dental hygienist for 8 years prior to starting my career in Corporate Supply Chain and starting our mobile coffee business. It just goes to show- it’s never too late to make a change. If something is no longer serving you- let it go.
What inspired you to start your business?
It’s funny because I’m a really risk adverse person with a dreamer’s mentality and those two attributes usually don’t see eye to eye. My husband was a chef his entire career… once we had our daughter, those long hours and nights spent in the kitchen became less and less desirable. He wanted to make a change where he could spend more time with his family but still be passionate about his work. I saw a local coffee shop was up for a sale and we went for it. We’ve always loved coffee and the way it brings people together. Our fondest memories were our strolls in Lancaster grabbing lattes from Square One and New Holland Coffee. Although the deal on the coffee shop fell through, our wheels were already turning, and we knew owning a shop, whatever that looked like, was something we were going to pursue.
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What does a typical day look like for you as a mom and business owner?
Chaotic, to say the least. I really try to give a full 100% to everything I’m doing. I don’t believe a “balance” really exists. I think you need to be 100% present in what you’re doing when you’re doing it. I work full-time in corporate Supply Chain, so when I’m there- I’m there. When I get home, I divide my time between family time, school, and doing the backend responsibilities for the business. I always want to do something with our daughter, first thing- whether that’s riding bike around our neighborhood, playing with chalk- whatever it may be, I give her 100%. Then I could be working on menu edits, responding to emails, working on permitting applications, printing labels, packing up merchandise to send, sending out our weekly schedule, or whatever other outstanding items need to be completed for the business. Then I finish my nights with school work, I’m currently obtaining a BS in Business from Millersville University.
What’s been the most rewarding part of running your business?
It’s hands down connecting with people and building the most incredible community. We wouldn’t be where we’re at today without the relationships we fostered from the very beginning. There’s also something so special about being a part of the Coopersburg Farmers Market. I always have this brief moment of pause before the start of each market and I’m just in awe of it all. I look around at all of these incredibly talented vendors, preparing these elaborate setups, all for just 3 hours of service, and they do it week after week after week. For us to be surrounded by people who work so incredibly hard to do what they love and are just as passionate about what they’re doing as we are… it’s just pure magic to be a part of.
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What challenges have you faced balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship?
I think finding the time to manage it all will always be challenge. The mom guilt can be so real.
I really don’t believe in “balance”. I believe in being all in and present in what I’m doing when I’m doing it. If I’m with our daughter, I’m with her. If I’m doing our budget for Onward, I’m doing our budget. Whatever I’m doing, I’m going to give it 100%.
I think removing the expectation that you need to perform this unreasonable balancing act and do all the things all at once helps put things into perspective. Moms are constantly moving mountains, we don’t need to put additional pressure on ourselves when we’re already doing the best we can.
I was recently talking about this with another small business owner who is also a mom and she said we’re doing the best for our girls. Watching us run our own businesses? That’s special.
What advice would you give to other moms thinking about starting a business?
Do it and do it with the expectation that you’re not going to have it all figured out- and that’s okay. You’ll make mistakes, and you’ll grow and learn from them. Embrace them. Perfection doesn’t cultivate growth. Plan for it, save for it, and go for it.
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How do you and your family like to spend time together when you're not working?
We love to be outside and are always looking for activities to do with our little. In the summers, we love hitting the Splash Pad, playgrounds, and hitting the pool. Our little has been taking swim lessons since she was 6 months old and is a total water bug.
Follow Scarlett’s journey and learn more about her business:
💼 Onward Coffee
📍 Location: Mobile- Lehigh Valley
🌐 Website: Onwardcoffeepa.com
📧 Contact: onwardcoffeepa@gmail.com
📸 Instagram: Onwardcoffeepa
📘 Facebook: Onwardcoffeepa
Onward Coffee is a specialty mobile coffee shop that can truly be wherever you are. We update our schedule weekly and are at the Coopersburg Farmers Market every Sunday. We’ve recently expanded our business to a mobile coffee cart as well to cater for indoor events. We serve specialty lattes that are unique to Onward and house-made chai and syrups. We’re big on supporting local and source our beans from Mad Catter Coffee Roasters in Allentown. We’re hoping to bring something special and something curated to the Lehigh Valley. We hope to see you soon.
Scarlett, thank you for the love and dedication you pour into Onward Coffee.
Do you want to be a MOM of the Month? Fill out our form here.
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