When the Independence Coffee Company (Brenham, Texas) was established in 2003, it began by roasting 2,000 pounds of coffee. Owners Ragan and Christi Bond like to joke that they gave away 1,800 pounds of that first batch and drank the rest themselves.
Today, Independence Coffee roasts approximately 620,000 pounds of coffee per year. Along the way, they worked with the Blinn College SBDC to make smart choices and, even more importantly, avoid the pitfalls of owning a small business.
The Blinn College SBDC helped Ragan and Christi expand into a new, larger facility to accommodate their growth. For over ten years, the SBDC has provided no-cost advising services regarding loans, equity financing, marketing strategies, management delegation, and financial analysis.
“I credit the SBDC for saving our company from making the wrong decisions,” Ragan said. “We have become accustomed to using our local SBDC for many of our business needs as Independence Coffee Company grows.”
Today, Independence Coffee has 20 full-time employees and 10 part-time employees, and their coffee can be found all over the state of Texas. Look for it at your local H-E-B or Whole Foods……. Savor Your Independence.