The Aroma of Coffee in Guangzhou: A Turning Point in My Life

The start of a new year always feels like opening a fresh journal, full of promise and new beginnings.

I remember those days in Guangzhou, two months after my son was born. My then husband, a reserved Canadian, taught English to adults but struggled with younger students. I stayed home to care for our son, and with no extra income, money was tight.

To make ends meet, I leaned on my past work experience and personal connections. I had a solid background in sales and management across various industries—setting up branch offices, recruiting and training staff, improving quality, and streamlining supply chains. Despite these skills, new job opportunities were scarce, so I relied on support from friends and former colleagues.

Then, a chance meeting changed everything. Through a Taiwanese business owner who ran a coffee roasting factory in Dongguan and a coffee equipment store in Guangzhou's Wuyang New Town, I found an opportunity. One day, while walking nearby with my husband, we were drawn in by the rich aroma of coffee and discovered the shop.

The store was small but well-organized, filled with coffee equipment like moka pots, pour-over drippers, siphon brewers, and cold brew makers. They also offered various coffee beans, filters, and milk powders for enthusiasts. The warm, professional atmosphere featured posters about coffee culture, and behind the counter, a friendly staff member demonstrated brewing coffee with a siphon brewer, making it look like an intricate lab experiment.

Intrigued by the siphon brewer, I enjoyed the free coffee tasting and struck up a conversation with the owner, expressing my interest in becoming a sales representative. At that time, I wasn’t concerned about the salary—I just wanted to break into the coffee industry.

After some discussions, I started working at the store, handling daily operations, promoting products, and building customer relationships. This role deepened my knowledge of coffee equipment and sharpened my communication and marketing skills.

I also realized I had unique advantages in the coffee business. Coffee drinkers often have refined tastes and a deep appreciation for life. Companies providing coffee to employees and clients are typically well-established and globally minded. This insight boosted my confidence in business communications and marketing, giving me a clearer vision for my future endeavors.

Fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English, and with my multicultural background, I built trust with clients. My experience in office management and market operations led to strong sales performance, earning the Taiwanese owner's satisfaction. These strengths set me apart in my work and laid a solid foundation for my future ventures.

I've been a coffee enthusiast since I was 20. As I delved deeper into the coffee industry, I saw its vast market potential. This sparked an idea: a coffee shop model led by women entrepreneurs. These could range from large-scale operations to small, refined establishments, run by middle-aged women with experience in sales and office management, particularly mothers. These coffee shops would not only be businesses but also a lifestyle symbol.

This model is especially appealing to mothers because of its flexibility, allowing them to balance family, childcare, career, and social life. This balance enables women entrepreneurs to find the sweet spot between financial independence and personal growth while creating a warm yet dynamic work and living environment—just as it did for me.

Managing the coffee equipment and materials store was a pivotal part of my entrepreneurial journey. My persistence and hard work introduced me to a new field and redefined my career path.

Through this experience, I learned that a good beginning doesn’t have to be perfect. What matters is seizing opportunities and bravely taking the first step, as it can change the course of your life.

The aroma of coffee in Guangzhou not only delighted my senses but also opened a new door in my life. I will always treasure this beginning, as it shaped who I am today.

-To Be Continued EP002-