Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrea Ringhausen.
Hi Andrea , we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am a retired Special Education teacher. In 2015, I began thinking about retirement & what I would do after retiring. We live in a smallish town which did not have a dedicated upscale coffee shop/bakery. I love coffee and decided I was going to take the plunge and open Espresso Yourself Bakery. I knew a drive-thru, the location and good quality coffee would be critical components. In April of 2016, I bought a building & the remodeling began. We partnered with a local coffee roaster, Steve Johnson of Bunkhouse Joe Coffee. In December of 2016, we officially opened.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always struggles. In the beginning, I baked in the mornings and then went to my job, teaching, while my daughter, Natalie, ran the coffee shop/bakery daily. Most evenings were spent prepping for the next day or working on custom orders. We’ve grown since the early days. My daughter is now my partner. We have a full-time bakery/cake decorator, Sara and three additional part-time employees. Probably the biggest challenge was the menu. What I thought would be popular wasn’t always the case. You just switch gears and keep going. Today, we offer a good selection of staple items with several rotating special baked goods per week. We also no longer have an indoor seating area as we’ve grown and needed the space for more equipment.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I have a BS in Special Education in which I taught high school special education for 26 years. I also have a Master’s in Educational Administration. I feel this education has helped me in the management of employees. I’m very organized and have great critical thinking skills which helps when starting a business from scratch. I also love to cook/bake. I grew up on the family farm and watched my grandma and my mother cook huge meals for the farm help, from scratch. I never saw them use a recipe. My grandma always said you can start with a recipe but should always make it your own. Creating new recipes is my absolute favorite!
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Connect with people that will support you. I have a wonderful friend that is an accountant that has been a tremendous help. Another friend is a lawyer and helped me navigate many aspects of starting a business. I work daily with my daughter, who is my best friend. Having loyal employees, like Sara, our baker, is an absolute god send. We also work closely with Dr. Katie Sherer, D.C. to provide clean healthy options for our customers. My husband is very supportive and my handyman. Surround yourself with people that share your goals.
Pricing:
- Custom cakes have a starting price and go up depending on the design
- Custom cookies have a starting price and go up depending on design
- Daily muffins 2.25 specialty muffins 2.50
- Buttercream cupcakes 2.50. Fillings are extra
- Coffees ranges from 2.25 – 7.75
Contact Info:
- Instagram: espressoyourselfbakery
- Facebook: Espresso Yourself Bakery
