Esther is a Q Grader (official coffee taster), SCA Trainer in roasting, sensory and barista and an ESTA Tea Trainer. Successful entrepreneur and coffee aficionado, Esther is featured in the 30 Under 30 in the Coffee Industry for Caffeine Magazine, Top 5 Innovators within the Coffee Industry by Brita Water (alongside James Hoffmann) and is an Entrepreneur in Residence at Cardiff Business School.
“Really, my passion lies in great tasting coffee, sustainability and supply chains.”
Esther the dog lover
Firstly and most importantly, have you ever had a dog?
Yes! We grew up with a golden Lab called Joe. Now my parents have a Springer Spaniel Bella and a Labrador called Haelwen. Personally, I had a gorgeous dog called Tigga who was an XL bully.
Describe your dog(s) in three words.
Dopey, energetic and compassionate.
“Tigga was truly my first love.”
What do you love most about you dog/(s)?
Tigga was there for me in one of the hardest times of my life. He was such a loyal friend and companion, gave the best cuddles and always matched my energy. When I was energetic, he was playful and when I was sad, he comforted me. I learnt a lot about managing myself and my energy by having him as my best friend!
Esther the Entrepreneur
How long have you been in the coffee business?
I started in a cafe when I was 14 years old as a pot washer and worked my way onto the coffee machine. Now I’m 30 – eeek! So well over half my life now…
Can you name three individuals that have inspired you the most?
- Emma Haines – she has been a mentor for me since I was 22 when I embarked on my first business venture. She’s still my go-to and guru now.
- Sahra Ngyuen – founder of Ngyuen coffee in New York. She has worked hard to put Vietnamese coffee (especially Robusta) on the map and her hard work paid off as her business has exploded in America: Nguyen Coffee Supply
- Grant Cardone – when I first had this passion and buzz for entrepreneurship and pushing boundaries, Grant Cardone was the author (I listened to most of his audiobooks) that showed me I wasn’t crazy. He helped me to tap into that passion, push myself to set even bigger goals, take a hold of every opportunity and work hard for them – ‘be obsessed or be average’ has always stuck with me!
What has been your biggest challenge?
Just before Covid, I realised that the first business venture I was a director of (Manumit Coffee Roasters) had reached a point where it was thriving and didn’t need me to be hands-on in the way I had been. I had been offered the opportunity to do some training internationally and flights were booked to Poland, Paris and Jakarta, with plans lined up for Russia, Dubai and other exciting places, so I took the opportunity and resigned.
Of course, when I was in Poland, Covid really took hold and I had to catch the last flight back to the UK. Sequentially, the rest of my flights got cancelled. I had no income stream and I had just moved into my own rental property alone. I literally didn’t know how I was going to pay my rent…
So I had to ransack my brain and come up with a way to make money. I immediately looked at the skills I had and started contacting roasteries to be a freelance barista trainer for their wholesale customers, offering general support or cover for holidays. I contacted local cafes and offered to cover for staff when they had shortages during Covid. I created training documents online and made a website to sell them on, and in a random turn of events, ending up live streaming making coffee and latte art on a Chinese app Bigo Live (this was before TikTok live was even a thing!). Somehow I managed to hustle paying my rent.
“I called my ‘hustling’ Hope Espresso, set up as a Limited Company, and that’s still what I do today!”
What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting a business?
GO FOR IT. Find your NORTH STAR – this is what you are PASSIONATE about. What wakes you up in the morning (and I’m not just talking about coffee)? What drives you to take action, even when you’re tired? What change do you want to see in the world?
List your skills – what you are good at, enjoy doing and find easy to do, or what other people say you are good at (even if it’s waffling – it’s a skill!).
Analyse the two of these together and see how you can make them overlap. Then just take action to make it happen- start TODAY and don’t procrastinate. You don’t need to ‘quit your job’ – setting up a website or social media is easy and you can do it on a budget. Start simple and grow with your business, learn from your mistakes and don’t be afraid to fail!
What do you feel coffee shops do well?
Most coffee shops are very good at creating cosy, warm environments that facilitate community and conversation. I hate to say it, but even spots with bad coffee can draw people back with their aesthetic! I think social media has made a lot of spaces focus on making their cafe ‘instagrammable’ as the highest priority – free reviews and advertising on social media can do a lot to draw people to visit.
Where do you feel coffee shops could improve?
“We should be proud to curate bespoke drinks for our customers exactly how they want them.”
Where do I start! A few things I have been thinking about recently are:
- Coffee shops having a USP- other than offering great coffee in an area with clear demand or good parking, coffee shops don’t necessarily know what their unique selling point is and have anything that separates them from everyone else. I think there is so much more room for cafes to have impact and purpose besides ‘great coffee’.
- Communicating more about the coffee with the customers – I think we can be really creative about how we engage with consumers about the journey and history of coffee that doesn’t have to be ‘boring’ or ‘pretentious’, especially when it is traded ethically.
- This kind of lines up with my second suggestion but customer service has often been forgotten about – the art of hospitality and experience – being attentive to customers and inviting people in rather than just trying to race through the queue. We should also be proud to curate bespoke drinks for our customers exactly how they want them, not shaming them for it!
How would you describe the current state of the UK coffee market?
As I write this, the coffee market is in an unusual position. The price of coffee is not stable and no one along the supply chain is sure what will happen in the next year. Prices are increasing, the impact of climate change is becoming heavier, taxes are rising, the cost of living is becoming more challenging and cafes and roasteries are going to need to diversify their income and become creative to offer something different and more valuable to their customers. I hope for coffee trading that there will be more communication along the supply chain, as cafes, roasters and producers need to share their struggles and requirements and work together to find solutions that work for everyone.
“I think we are going to see a lot of consolidation across our industry with more automation and innovation and excellent customer experience/service in the businesses that thrive!”
Esther the Aficionado
Do you have a preferred coffee origin?
That’s a hard question, but I have to confess if I see a washed Kenyan filter coffee on a menu I will always buy a cup to drink in and a cup to take away when I leave!
Where in the world have you had your best cup of coffee?
What I SHOULD say – best coffee was a Flat White from Flow in Doha – perfect on paper, super balanced and creamy.
But the one I am really dreaming about was the Tiramisu Iced Latte I had from a café, also in Doha, which was just presented in the most creative way – like a dessert in a cup.
How do you drink your coffee?
I love a Flat White or a black filter!
What is your preferred brew method when drinking coffee at home and what kit do you use?
At home I have a Conti Ace Espresso machine and a E5 grinder which doubles up as my training equipment – so I use that for making a Flat White!
But for filter, I use a clever dripper with the same recipe for every coffee – 30g of coarse ground coffee, 450ml of water and timer for 4 minutes, then straight onto the cup to drip through. It’s so easy even my 9 year old niece can make it for me!
Can you recommend any coffee books?
Coffee – A Global History by Jonathan Morris, or listen to his podcast.
GastroPhysics- The New Science of Eating by Charles Spence
These two were game changers for me!
