Meet Nadia Dardha of Troy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nadia Dardha

Hi Nadia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Four years ago I quit my corporate job because I wanted to create something that set my soul on fire. The idea of going to an office and working a 9 to 5 for the next 30 years or so of my life didn’t seem fitting. My inner child did not want to continue to climb the corporate ladder, but wanted to spread love through serving coffee. That’s when this tiny seed of a life of leaving that path to become a traveling barista came to me. I knew it was something worth pursuing because each time this vision crossed my mind, it brought me joy and a sense of fulfillment that I had never felt before. I felt inspired.

I shared my idea with a few close friends and family. Some of them thought I was crazy for leaving a consistent salary behind to venture out into the unknown with no guarantees and others saw the genuine smile on my face when I discussed my plans with them. The one person who stood by my idea from the start was Katie. With her art and design background, she was the ideal partner to help me realize my vision. It was a no-brainer to team up with her, not just because we clicked creatively, but because I desperately needed her Jeep to haul the trailer that would become the Beans & Love Coffee trailer A.K.A The Bean Baby! Let’s face it, my Volkswagen Beetle wasn’t exactly built for hauling coffee equipment, I mean, it could barely handle my coffee addiction!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been many twists and turns in this journey, for example driving after work in the dark 3 hours south to Ohio to pick up a trailer we had finally found after searching for months. Both, us and the owner of the trailer, were skeptical about meeting at night. He even told us he brought a gun just in case! We brought Katie’s dog, Red (whose bark is worse than her bite, but made for great protection nonetheless!) On our way home, we got pulled over by a Michigan police officer due to us not yet having a license plate on the trailer. Luckily, he liked coffee (He actually asked us if this was going to be a coffee trailer!!) and we ended up having a conversation about our plans for the trailer, which wasn’t in great shape when we got it.

After hitting many dead ends in finding a service shop to help us refurbish the trailer, we finally found our first one that was located about 40 minutes away. We weren’t exactly adept at towing trailers at this point and didn’t notice that certain parts had become loose. So, on our way to the shop, the trailer fell off the hitch! Thankfully, the chains were connected, so when I saw the trailer bounce off and sparks fly, it didn’t fall over! Katie and I were on the phone and I was driving behind her to make sure everything was ok. I remember her saying “Omg, is it falling over?!?” I just yelled “Get into the turning lane!!!” We were able to reconnect the trailer in the middle of the road and somehow made it to the shop, where we encountered a man who gave us hope that he could help. However, after weeks of waiting for a quote while the trailer was in his lot, he hit us with a shocking number that was way out of our budget. So, I guess you could say, sparks have flown since day one, but we have learned a lot along the way, like to always check for loose ends! Not to mention, the bumps we encountered with painting the trailer, replacing the windows, and fixing the plumbing, all of which were their own special obstacles and would require a whole article of their own. We eventually found a small, local business who helped us replace the windows and give the trailer a new paint job.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Nadia: My education is in Behavioral Sciences, but for most of my adult life I’ve worked in logistics/transportation. It was great money, but the work/life balance was not good. What I’m most proud of is having the courage to leave my corporate job and the financial stability that came with it to take a leap of faith in a direction that better aligns with my values and goals.

Katie: I have always been an artist and in wanting to make a difference in the world, I decided to become a teacher, which I did for 6 years before getting laid off. After that, I transitioned to graphic design and have worked for myself and other small businesses along the way. I have always wanted to be a positive influence in the world and have found that helping people bring their ideas to life through art has been an avenue for that. Being a part of Beans & Love has reignited my passion for spreading positivity and I can’t wait to see where we go!

Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
So far, we feel so lucky to be doing something we love and have already met many people in our community who share our values and passion for life, which has been amazing. We’re so grateful to be able to connect with people over a shared love for something as simple as coffee.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.beansandlovecoffee.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beansandlovecoffee
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566252151956
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@beansandlovecoffee?_t=8qbhhv5pKKU&_r=1