Charlotte, N.C — A 2021 survey by Guidant Financial shows a large percentage of Black entrepreneurs are using their own savings to finance a new small business. This makes it difficult to advertise and promote a product enough to gain a national audience.

What You Need To Know

  • A 2021 survey by Guidant Financial shows a large percentage of Black entrepreneurs are using their own savings to finance a new small business

  • Keysha Taylor founded ADOS Coffee, an online coffee brand during the pandemic

  • Keysha Taylor is working with Sipping Black Only to promote ADOS Coffee and support other Black-owned brands

Pre-pandemic, Keysha Taylor would walk to her office with her husband, Lucious Taylor, grabbing coffee along the way. When they started working from home during COVID-19 lockdown, they were so disappointed in their coffee choices that they decided to try making their own. 

“We ordered green beans and got a DIY starter roasting kit, which is really just a popcorn maker, and started roasting our own beans. So that just eventually evolved into, ‘We feel pretty confident we can make something delicious,'” Keysha Taylor said.

Keysha Taylor founded ADOS Coffee, creating flavored coffees based on her favorite southern flavors like butter pecan.

Currently, ADOS Coffee can only be bought online, but Keysha Taylor wants to get her product into stores and selling alongside national brands. 

Along with her southern heritage, Keysha Taylor is promoting that ADOS Coffee is owned by a Black woman.

“There are retailers and companies who are setting aside dollars and are setting up initiatives to support Black-owned companies. So I think the more we know and we can share those opportunities and promote each other. It just makes sense,” Keysha Taylor added.

Demetra Harris founded Sipping Black Only in Charlotte. Sipping Black Only uses a large Facebook group, subscription list and events to promote Black-owned brands and teach people how to get their products onto store shelves.

Keysha Taylor plans to open a coffee cart in late summer of 2021.