Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexis Hallam.
Hi Alexis, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My sister and I have worked in coffee since we were teenagers, and for as long as I can remember, we’ve talked about owning a business together. Coffee was always something we shared, but for years it was just a dream we would casually discuss.
During the COVID pandemic, my husband bought me a home espresso machine so I could still enjoy my favorite café drinks while everything was shut down. Around the same time, my sister, who has always loved baking and cooking, started experimenting with making coffee syrups completely from scratch. We spent alot of time creating recipes, testing flavors, and imagining what our future coffee business might one day become.
The name Char’latte actually came about by accident. At the time, I was pregnant with my daughter, Charlotte, and working at a local coffee shop. One day, a coworker affectionately asked me how our little “Char’latte” was doing. She knew we were naming our daughter Charlotte and was simply being playful, but the moment she said it, I knew it was special. Before that, my sister and I had been considering the name “A & J Café.” The second I heard “Char’latte,” I told her we had just renamed our future business.
Not long after, an unexpected opportunity brought the idea to life. Our younger cousins were graduating high school during the pandemic, and their open house was held drive-through style. Guests would pull into the driveway, drop off gifts, and remain in their cars. My aunt and uncle asked if I could bring my small espresso machine and make lattes from the garage. We served every guest handcrafted drinks featuring our homemade Madagascar vanilla and brown sugar lavender syrups. The response was incredible.
Soon after, another cousin graduated from college and we asked if we could do the same thing for that celebration. Once again, we brought our little espresso machine, homemade syrups, and passion for coffee. Seeing how much people enjoyed the experience made us realize this was more than just a hobby or dream.
That was the moment Char’latte Coffee Co. was born.
Today, Char’latte has grown into a mobile coffee company serving weddings, corporate events, graduations, community gatherings, and private celebrations throughout Southeast Michigan. While we’ve grown considerably from that little espresso machine in a garage, our mission remains the same: creating handcrafted drinks, meaningful experiences, and moments of connection through coffee. What started as a dream between two sisters has become a business built on family, creativity, and community, and we’re excited to continue growing.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road.
When we started Char’latte, we had plenty of passion and coffee experience, but very little business or financial experience. We were young, ambitious, and believed that if we worked hard enough, everything else would fall into place. Looking back, we made some costly mistakes. Without outside financial support, we relied heavily on credit to purchase commercial equipment and get the business off the ground. We accumulated far more debt than we should have, assuming that as bookings increased, the business would eventually catch up financially.
The challenge was that while we were booking events and generating revenue, we weren’t actually seeing much profit. Every dollar seemed to go right back into expenses, equipment, inventory, and debt repayment. At first, that felt manageable because we believed we were building toward a point where we would finally break even and begin to see the rewards of our hard work.
Then we experienced a major setback when we lost what had been an excellent operating location in a county owned park drive. The change significantly impacted our day-to-day sales and put tremendous strain on the business. Even now, we’re still working to recover from that shift and correct some of the mistakes we made early on.
There have been many moments when we’ve questioned whether we were in over our heads. We understood coffee, hospitality, and creating great products, but we had to learn business ownership, financial management, marketing, and operations in real time. More than once, we’ve considered walking away.
What has kept us going is our belief in the dream that started all of this. Every event, every returning customer, and every person who takes a sip of one of our drinks and tells us how much they love it reminds us why we started. Those moments provide the motivation to keep learning, keep improving, and keep pushing forward.
The challenges have humbled us, but they’ve also made us more resilient. We’re still here, still growing, and still committed to building the business we’ve dreamed about since we were teenagers.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Char’latte Coffee Co. is a sister-owned mobile coffee company serving Southeast Michigan through weddings, corporate events, private parties, community gatherings, pop-ups, and special celebrations. Our mission is simple: to create memorable experiences through thoughtfully crafted coffee.
What sets us apart is our commitment to doing things from scratch whenever possible. Many of our signature syrups are homemade using real ingredients, inspired by flavors we develop ourselves rather than purchasing pre-made products. From our original two Madagascar vanilla and brown sugar lavender lattes, to seasonal specialties, every drink is designed with intention, creativity, and quality.
We specialize in bringing a full café experience directly to our clients. Rather than simply serving coffee, we work closely with each client to create something that feels personal to them. We love learning about their favorite flavors, event themes, and vision, then transforming those ideas into a custom menu that becomes part of the celebration itself.
What makes us most proud is the relationships we’ve built along the way. There is something incredibly rewarding about being invited into life’s biggest milestones. We’ve had the privilege of serving clients at bridal showers, then later their weddings, and even baby showers as their families grow. We’ve met guests at events who loved the experience so much that they later hired us for their own celebrations and recommended us to their friends and family. Those moments mean the world to us because they remind us that we’re creating more than drinks. We’re creating memories and becoming a small part of people’s stories.
As a family-owned business founded by two sisters with a lifelong passion for coffee and hospitality, connection is at the heart of everything we do. We believe coffee has a unique way of bringing people together, creating conversation, and making ordinary moments feel special.
As we continue to grow, our goal remains the same: to provide exceptional coffee, genuine hospitality, and a personalized experience that leaves every guest feeling seen, celebrated, and cared for.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that passion alone isn’t enough. You can be incredibly talented at your craft, but if you don’t understand the business side, it can still be an uphill battle.
When my sister and I started Char’latte, we knew coffee. We knew hospitality. We knew how to create drinks people loved. What we didn’t know was accounting, cash flow management, pricing strategy, forecasting, or how to scale a business responsibly. We learned many of those lessons the hard way.
Over the years, we’ve realized that growth isn’t always about saying “yes” to every opportunity. Sometimes it’s about taking a second, asking better questions, protecting your finances, and building a strong foundation before taking the next step. We’ve learned that success isn’t measured by how busy you are or how many events you’re booking, but by whether your business is healthy and sustainable.
We’ve also learned the importance of resilience. There have been seasons when things didn’t go according to plan, when we questioned our decisions, and when giving up felt easier than pushing forward. But every challenge has taught us something valuable. The mistakes we once viewed as setbacks have become some of our greatest teachers.
Most importantly, we’ve learned that dreams don’t always unfold on the timeline you expect. Building something meaningful takes patience, humility, and a willingness to keep learning. We’re still learning every day, but we’re stronger, wiser, and more prepared because of the journey we’ve been through.
If there’s one thing I’d tell another aspiring entrepreneur, it’s this: don’t let fear of making mistakes stop you from starting. You’ll make mistakes. We certainly did. The key is to learn from them, adapt, and keep moving forward.
Pricing:
- Catering Packages:Contact for specific quote
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Charlattecoffeecompany.com
- Instagram: @charlattecoffeeco
- Other: https://linktr.ee/Charlattecoffeeco
