Making the Brand

Today I had the honor of interviewing my cousin, Be’Anka Ashaolu. She has been teaching me how to become a great marketer like herself. In the midst of her excellent teaching, she has also been challenging me to come out of my comfort zone. First step, interview and write a creative blog about Be’Anka. So, bear with me as we take a quick journey through our conversation.

Throughout this journey, we talked about Nirvana Soul, we talked about building a brand, and we finished with a discussion about inner Be’Anka.

CC: What’s your favorite coffee?

BA: Well, spoiler alert: I don’t drink coffee. (lol) But I love it! It just makes me jittery and anxious, unfortunately. I drink no or low caffeine teas though, which is why we’ll serve both. My favorite is Honey Citrus Mint Tea from Starbucks. I drink it almost every morning.

CC: What is Nirvana Soul?

BA: First, I’ll give you our boiler, then I’ll give you the heartfelt answer. Nirvana Soul is a soulful coffee and tea shop bringing exciting flavor, bold artistry, and creative inspiration to the Bay Area. Now, what is Nirvana Soul to me? It’s a spiritual experience, it’s peace, it’s relief, it’s an escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. It’s a sanctuary for people who need a space. When I think about what Nirvana Soul is, I think it’s fun, I think it’s joyful, I see happy and bright; it’s just a chill place to be where you are thought of and taken care of.

CC: What is your role with Nirvana Soul?

BA: Moperations (lol)

CC: Huh?

BA: I’ll explain. Moperations is Marketing and Operations combined into one. I stole the word from a colleague and loved it! Currently I’m responsible for all content such as social media and blogging. I’m essentially telling the story of our brand. Today, that story is about how we are going from here to there. I’m chronicling our journey of opening up shop. On the operational side, I’m managing the engine behind Nirvana Soul, which touches on finances, property, and project management. Oh, and fundraising! It’s so hard! I know all the stats about how difficult it is for women and people of color to raise money, but I’m talking about just at the friends and family level, not even VCs. It’s just as uncomfortable to ask for money as you think it is. But we’re making a lot of progress.

CC: How do you plan to tell the story of a coffee shop being an escape from the big city?

BA: I think it’s all in the messages we send and the images we display. Nirvana Soul is the place where you can sit down, relax, and focus. We will have people working here who know you by name and will take a genuine interest in who you are as a whole person.

Today we posted an photo of a cup of tea, flowers, and journal. To us, it’s those kinds of images that reiterate what the brand means. It’s about taking a moment and reflecting and giving yourself that time for self-care. We’re not glorifying busy culture or hustle all the time. When people are at Nirvana Soul, and they’re working on something, we want it to be their dreams. The stuff that really brings them joy and fulfillment. We all have a dream and there is an artist inside of you too. At Nirvana Soul we want to tap into that inner artist. We want you to watch us and see how this is bringing out our creative side and hopefully Nirvana Soul can do the same thing for you.

We’re not glorifying busy culture or hustle all the time. When people are at Nirvana Soul, and they’re working on something, we want it to be their dreams. The stuff that really brings them joy and fulfillment.

CC: Why is #selfcareinacup your hashtag and how does it tell the story of your brand?

BA: When you’re drinking a cup of coffee or tea, you have no choice but to slow down. Why? Because that shit is hot! (lol) In those moments, you should feel the experience. You should taste the flavors of the coffee, sip it slow, and just be present in the moment. You shouldn’t be rushing from here to there. I learned that lesson in Montreal when I stopped at this super cute cafe for a to-go cup of chai and the barista looked at me like I was crazy! He was like, “We don’t do to-go here.” I’d like to bring a little bit of that here so when you’re sitting with your tea and coffee, you’re embodying what Nirvana Soul means.

CC: How do you display your brand and #selfcareinacup in your personal life.

BA: Good question. I think it’s important to practice what you preach. Sundays are my main self-care days, for example. I run the stairs at San Jose State, I walk my dog, and while doing those things, I’ll listen to a good Word. Then I’ll come home and put on some music or a podcast, I’ll make some tea and I’ll write in my journal. Sometimes just being with my husband or sister or friends is the self-care I need. I also write three things I’m grateful for every night. Self-care is very important to me.

CC: What’s something most people don’t know about you or would be surprised about?

BA: Hm. Probably that I’m a serious introvert. Like, when people meet Jeronica, who is a serious extrovert, before they meet me, they’re sometimes taken aback by how different we are. I present as an extrovert primarily, but that means I have to take a lot of time for myself to recharge. If I don’t, I’m a tired, cranky mess! But this is also why Jeronica and I work so well together. We know our strengths and weaknesses and we leave a lot of space for each of us to be who we really are. My sister always has my back!

CC: What is the anticipated grand opening date for Nirvana Soul?

BA: December 31, 2019. We’ve just been saying “this year.”

CC: Ok, I look forward to having a New Year’s Eve Party at OUR new coffee shop!

BA: I’ll see you there!