“Embrace your ambition, and be the best you.” – Casey Casey
How many times in life have you tumbled out of bed, stumbled to the kitchen, and poured yourself a piping hot cup of ambition? Many times I’m sure. Let me ask you this. How many times has that sequence of events inspired you to start your very own coffee shop? I’m sure far less. For one mom of 3, and Dolly Parton superfan, a little cup of ambition was all it took to launch her into a caffeine-induced entrepreneurial journey.
Dreams often do become a reality when you work for them. For CC’s Coffee Bar owner, Casey Casey, the dream of one day owning her own coffee shop was something she’s always hoped for but also feared may never happen. “It was always a dream. I’d always wanted to run a coffee bar, but I was a little afraid of the financial load, so that’s why I started with the trailer. I wanted to see where it would go, and not even a year later we’ve grown so much. It really has been a great experience,” says Casey.
What sets CC’s apart from the numerous coffee shops around town is a genuine love for coffee and a charming take on an infatuation with everyone’s favorite Backwoods Barbie, Dolly Parton. “My morning coffee stops became my favorite part of my day. I began thinking to myself that I wanted to be a part of making people feel good. I wanted to help make everyone feel like someone, because that’s how people had made me feel every morning when I was getting my coffee,” recalls Casey. “As for Dolly, I listen to Dolly Parton everyday. It came to my mind one day that I could serve cups of ambition.” And boy does she ever. With drinks named “9 to 5”, “Islands in the Stream”, and of course “Jolene”, CC’s has taken a love for Dolly to a delicious level.
Ask any entrepreneur what their journey has been like, and odds are, they’re going to tell you the journey hasn’t been easy. When asked about hers, Casey Casey said just that. “My journey hasn’t been easy, I’ll tell you that,” Casey says with a laugh. “It’s been busy. It all started with my insurance business. My sister and I own Peaveler/Casey Agency here in Quincy, so I have a passion to help people and see them succeed. Being in this type of entrepreneurial role has given me the opportunity to do both of those things. This journey has been so much bigger than myself.”
When it comes to owning the coffee shop and helping run the insurance agency, Casey has had to learn a thing or two about how to keep herself balanced. “Staying balanced is probably the hardest part of it all. I feel like whatever I’m doing I give 100%, so there’s some days my insurance business calls for 100% of me, so that’s where I keep my focus. Then there’s some days where the coffee shop requires 100% of me. Some days my children need 100% of me because they’re sick or something, so those are the days I shut everything off and I tend to them,” states Casey. “I think a lot of times people will just give 25% of themselves here, 25% of themselves there, and then that’s where things become stressful. I’m definitely a schedule person, so if it gets put on my schedule, then I’m just going to do it. It’s got to be done if it’s on there, so even on days where I feel like I don’t have the motivation, I know I just have to do it. You’ve got to be self-disciplined to own a business.”
As a female entrepreneur, Casey was more than willing to share some advice for other women looking to start their own business. For Casey, her advice was all about accepting one inevitable thing: failure. “You can’t be afraid to fail, because you will, but it’s not the fall that matters, it’s what you do with the failure that matters. Let failure make you better, and go out and be the best you.”
The most rewarding part of owning a business, for Casey, has been her ability to give back to the community, as well as continue to develop relationships with her staff and customers. “I love being able to give back to the community. I also love the relationships I’ve built with customers and our CC’s team,” proudly states Casey. “We hope to continue to grow in the community and make a positive impact one cup of ambition at a time.”
The future of CC’s Coffee Bar is as bright as a new business can hope for. In fact, it’s brighter than their founder could have even imagined. “If you would have told me I’d be where I am today, I definitely wouldn’t have believed you. The support I’ve received has truly inspired me. I have big dreams for CC’s,” proudly states Casey.
For Casey, the motivation to continue growing her business comes from her family. “When I was thinking of starting CC’s, my niece Summer happened to be visiting one day, and when I shared my idea with her she was all about it. I asked her to manage it, and she’s encouraged me and believed in me ever since. She was willing to take the dream on with me,” states Casey. “I’m really close with all of my nieces. The name CC actually came from my niece MaKennah, because she calls me CC. All of my nieces have a hand in my business, and that alone keeps me motivated.”
“My husband and kids are also huge motivators for me. They’ve seen me at my worst and they get to see me at my best. I definitely couldn’t do what I do without their love and support. I am beyond blessed to have them,” states Casey with a smile. “There is something special about my 9 year old looking at me and saying ‘Mom, I’m proud of you,’ so it’s something special when your own kids look at you and are truly proud. That gives me daily motivation.”
With a strong support system, a community behind her, and a little help from Dolly Parton, Casey Casey has worked hard to make CC’s Coffee Bar one of the best coffee shops in the area. From lotus to coffee, to smoothies and more, she truly is serving up one cup of ambition at a time, and we can’t wait to see where that ambition takes her.
What female entrepreneurs do you want to hear from next?