143. She Made $30 a Day, Now She Has 5 Shops

SUMMARY: Aaron, Drew, and Ben sit down with Melissa Cardenas, who opened her first coffee shop a week after finishing nursing school with zero barista experience and grew it into five locations, with a sixth on the way, in eight years. Melissa walks through the gas station partnership that fueled her expansion, the Latin inspired menu that sets her drive thrus apart, and why she still refuses to fully step back from the stores. Minute-by-Minute: 00:00 Introduction and Background 03:01 Transition from Nursing to Coffee Business 06:10 Building Relationships and Expanding Business 08:46 Unique Offerings and Community Engagement 11:59 Future Plans and Business Model 14:40 Challenges and Growth in the Coffee Industry