Scholastic: Why did you start your business?
Frankie: I started Joven (HO-ven) because I wanted to work with other young people interested in coffee. Joven means “young” in Spanish. Coffee drinkers don’t realize that many farmers who cultivate coffee beans are retiring! I started Joven to support young coffee farmers around the world. Many of them worry they won’t be paid a fair price for their beans because of their age.
Scholastic: What’s the best part of running your business?
Frankie: I’ve had so many opportunities to travel to different countries! I went to Brazil in September 2023 and traveled with local high schoolers who were interested in learning about coffee farming as a career. Learning from others my age from different cultures with similar interests was the best.
Scholastic: What’s the most difficult part?
Frankie: Balancing a business on top of school, extracurricular activities, sports, and, now that I’m a senior, college applications! Typically, I’ll work on Joven after school and on weekends. I taste different coffee beans from new suppliers. Then I work with my team to ensure the beans are high enough quality for Joven and come from a farm run by a farmer younger than 35 years old.
Scholastic: What math do you use to run your business?
Frankie: I use simple spreadsheets to keep track of inventory and sales. We sell 12-ounce bags of all three of our coffee beans. Each bag is priced differently based on where the beans come from. This is to ensure we are offering the farmers a fair trade price based on the quality of their coffee. We determine the quality of the beans by tasting them! It’s called Q grading.
Scholastic: What advice do you have for other kidpreneurs?
Frankie: If there is something you are passionate about, give it your best effort. Don’t convince yourself that you don’t have the resources to pursue it!