Adam and Alyssa Tracy are co-owners of Southside Cabin Fever Coffee, located near Defiance High School. Adam and Alyssa are proud Northwest State Community College business alumni. Their time at Northwest State Community College was instrumental in their journey, providing them with the knowledge and skills they needed to start their business. While attending Northwest State Community College, Adam and Alyssa spent countless hours and nights at the primary location of Cabin Fever Coffee in downtown Defiance. This is where they birthed the idea of opening a second location for the Bulldog community to enjoy and, of course, many others.
While attending Northwest State Community College, Adam and Alyssa started a family and married. Time slipped away from them as they were focused on providing for their family, yet the desire to create another location stayed. In 2018, roughly six years ago, the doors of Southside Cabin Fever Coffee opened. However, Adam and Alyssa had to work through what they were taught at Northwest State. This meant that they had to go through the trials of every business owner, navigating health department regulations, insurance, taxes, and providing for start-up costs. They then had to learn the art of hiring employees and balancing their personal and professional lives. Despite these challenges, they persevered, demonstrating their commitment to their business and community.
Though Adam and Alyssa have bootstrapped their way to learn and ever grow in business, all while finding out their daughter has cancer, they persevered and succeeded in a journey they only thought possible. Through the success of the Southside location, they have had the privilege to return to the Northwest State Community College community and have opened a second Cabin Fever Coffee location in the heart of NSCC. Each day, they give all aspiring students and faculty members a glimpse of entrepreneurship through one specialty drink at a time.
Mandi Sisco, the owner of Kommon Kravings in Montpelier, Ohio, has gone through many steps to get her business to where it is now. Coming from a normal background, Mandi did not go to college or work in a management position before her venture into coffee and ice cream. This lack of experience led her to believe she would never own a business. She took the risk anyway. Soon the business will be back open after their relocation and things look bright for Kommon Kravings.
Mandi and her husband had learned about an ice cream place for sale and decided to check it out. They had no real intention of buying it, but they went for fun. The owner ended up liking them and wanted it to go to someone involved in the community. She knew that Mandi helped run youth groups and was very involved with the church community. She called Mandi back a few weeks later with a price she could not refuse. Mandi knew she had to see where this would go. Because of some smart decision-making, she was able to get the business without going into debt.
All the equipment was already there. Mandi just needed to learn to use it. Google was her biggest friend. She learned to make different kinds of coffee, teas, and bubble teas. She also got some valuable time training to make ice cream with the previous owner. She had learned a lot, but now that the business was hers, she would make her own changes. She adjusted the recipe for the ice cream to improve the flavor as well as redecorated the entire interior. She also had to learn many things about managing her staff, keeping good books, and selecting suppliers.
The biggest challenge for Kommon Kravings was always their building. Sharing ownership with someone next door led to complications and the old building was constantly finding new ways to leak water through. Eventually, the building was condemned by the town, and she was forced to find a new location. The whole process of selecting, moving, and repurposing an office building into a new Kommon Kravings took over a year to complete. With the new location also comes innovation. Now with a pickup window and a more reliable building, they are set to open this month.
Mandi’s passion for her work and her love for her community are inspiring. She only wanted enough to get by. For her, it is all about what she can do for her community. Her dedication to her business and her customers is unmatched by many. Thanks to her and the efforts of many others who helped her along the way, the new location looks amazing. By making their ice cream in-house and having their own brand of coffee, she is looking to hit the ground running when the business reopens.