Today we’d like to introduce you to Faith Valenti.
Alright, thank you for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, how did you get started?
We officially launched Smart Owl Coffee in September 2020. However, The idea started with a conversation in 2010 between Justin and Sean (who were raised in a household where preventative wellness was a common topic). At the time, Justin was studying for his doctorate in optometry. And Sean was practicing in a private clinic, having already received his doctorate in chiropractic. Justin commented about how demanding school was and how endlessly refilling the coffee pot was not doing the trick. Sean and Robin not only remembered having the same experience in school, but the lack of energy and clarity was a very common complaint from their patients.
Years later, Justin had the same conversation with me. At the time, Justin and I had a newborn, a two-year-old, and an eight-year-old. Stress was abundant, and sleep was a luxury. I found myself doing things like leaving the bathtub running and flooding over, forgetting appointments, and feeling as if I was in an overall funk. Justin shared a study and podcast he had found about how caffeine and L-Theanine had a pronounced synergistic effect that improved focus, mood, and mental clarity.
In my desperation, I gratefully accepted his homemade Theanine-infused coffee. After drinking it for several weeks, I can’t say that I felt like a superhero, but I stopped flooding the bathtub:) I can say that the feeling that I got the first time that I went back to drinking regular coffee -without Theanine- was jittery and anxiety-ridden. It was then that I realized what a gem of a combination this was and that every person who drinks coffee would want Theanine in it if they understood what it could do for them.
So I searched for a reliable company that provides certified, pharmaceutical-grade supplements, partnered with a USDA organic coffee roaster. We started formulating our line of coffee products.
We are now in 22 stores in Springfield and surrounding areas. Our goal in the next five years is to increase our wholesale visibility significantly.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have been ups and downs, but we’ve had relatively smooth travels so far. Achieving proper certifications has been (and continues to be a lot of work), but we must go through the proper steps to verify that our products, business, and staff meet the standards that fit our philosophy.
Also, (I’m sure we are not alone here) learning new technologies and social media strategies has consumed a lot of time and energy.
Since our background is primarily rooted in science/medicine, the marketing aspect is daunting. We have no shortage of innovative ideas or product development plans, but the details of how to get our info out there are another story.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
Designed by doctors and backed by science, Smartowlcoffee puts a new spin on an ancient ritual by infusing direct trade, USDA-certified organic beans with science-backed vitamins and supplements. Each of our signature blends was curated by our team to provide a high-quality, clean, sustainable energy source while also decreasing stress, improving focus, and providing a host of other benefits to your body.
Our key ingredient, L-Theanine, is a unique amino acid found in green tea leaves and is a known cognitive enhancer. Its well-studied effects are synergistic with caffeine, producing low-stress, sustained, super focus, eliminating the jitters and crashes of caffeine alone. For these reasons, we have included L-Theanine in our infused coffee blends.
While brain health is crucial, we were looking for ways to support other systems in our bodies as well, to maximize the opportunity that a daily cup of boosted coffee afforded. Each of our coffees has a dedicated blend of ingredients designed to provide various benefits throughout the body.
We are dedicated to providing a superior product. Utilizing USDA organic, direct-trade coffee beans allows us to provide clean, quality coffee that is traceable and sustainably sourced.
Our supplements come from cGMP, FDA-registered, regularly inspected manufacturing facilities. They’re lab tested for purity and accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
For a detailed description of the ingredients present in each blend and to see the peer-reviewed science, you can visit the ingredients page of our website.
Since research and development is one of our favorite parts of Smart Owl, we try to release a new seasonal coffee every spring and fall.
With the introduction of our new sister company, SMART OWLCHEMY, we wanted to create a line of products that could be added to any coffee/tea if a customer already has a preference for a specific roaster or brand of coffee. They would not have to sacrifice that in order to achieve some of the health benefits available in our coffees.
Smart OWLCHEMY red drops are the first in this new line of health-focused coffee and tea-enhancing additives. We plan to develop and release a new health-focused infusion drop each year to compile a comprehensive collection to meet the needs of our varied customer base.
RED DROPS are designed to deliver the benefits of six known medicinal mushrooms in a concentrated form that can be added directly to your morning cup without any bogus flavor or clumpy powders. Using a patented, alcohol-free, serial extraction method, RED DROPS have a mild pleasant flavor (unlike many alcohol-based alternatives).
In addition to containing antioxidants, amino acids, polyphenols, and digestive enzymes, mushrooms contain soluble fibers called beta-glucans, which are known to provide a range of health benefits, including support of the immune and cardiovascular systems, memory, focus, and energy, as well as anti-anxiety and anti-inflammatory properties.
We have tried many commercially available mushroom coffee powders on the market and didn’t ever feel like they were a good fit for us. We’re excited about the RED DROPS and have had great success with them so far.
What was you like growing up?
I’ve held pretty true to the “older sibling stigma.” A little shy but bossy, an overachiever, and a slight perfectionist. I was curious and creative and enjoyed making music with many instruments, making art in various forms, creative writing, etc. Science was always my favorite subject. As I have gotten older, I think these traits have served me well and ultimately have served my business.
Overall, though I guess I should say that I’m still in the process of growing up 😉
Pricing:
- 12oz Supplement-infused, Organic Coffees are $17
- Coffee Subscriptions save %20
- Smart OWLchemy RED DROPS are $28
- Various coffee accessories range from $3-$30
- Sampler Variety Packs are $17
Contact Info:
- Website: www.smartowlcoffee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smartowlcoffee
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/smartowlcoffee
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/smartowlcoffee
- Other: https://linktr.ee/smartowlcoffee
