Meet Brenden Davis-Ortiz | Entrepreneur & cafe owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brenden Davis-Ortiz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brenden, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I have worked in the service industry throughout the entirety of my career. I encountered countless jobs where the culture had been toxic and, in many cases, dangerous to the health of myself and others. Simultaneously, I began to notice a profound sense of community around coffee, which sparked my interests. Coffee has this way of creating a bridge between worlds; connected communities that would otherwise never intersect. I decided, if i could not find a safe space for me to work safely and happily in, I would create that space for myself and others. I wanted something that people could count on, a safe space where people could meet. I had found my intention, my drive, or motivation… now comes the work.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am 24 years old, so I don’t have the most extensive resume. Nonetheless, I spent pretty much the entirety of my career in the service industry. I started working when I was 16. I began in retail but quickly shifted gears into food service and cafes, and then finally landing in coffee.

I started as a barista at Starbucks in 2017 while studying in college. I left for a small roaster/ coffee import in 2019 to be a shift supervisor where i developed my passion for specialty coffee. I began learning the basic but i wanted to learn more so, in my pursuit of knowledge, In 2021, I started working for Amp Coffee LA, as a barista. At Amp Coffee, It did not take much time at all for me to advance to management, and before long I was running the whole cafe. I am responsible for training, ordering, running the coffee program, and drink recipe development. It has been the perfect learning environment for me. I am able to really get a sense of the responsibility of running a cafe, making sure i am meeting the needs of my employees, maintaining quality control, managing health safety and sanitation, and so much more.

In 2021, I started running my own coffee pop up, named Kaleido Coffee. I started serving drip and hand pour over coffee at Sunday church services. Just for a bit. I graduated to espresso based drinks after purchasing my espresso machine and started working with businesses and serving private events. All while still running operations at Amp Coffee, I launched my full service coffee cart in August of 2023. I am now able to travel anywhere with my mobile coffee bar.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would take my friend around the LA street fashion scene and the arts district. Right off Fairfax is BrainDead Studios, they collab with incredible artists and individuals to create really unique street fashion pieces. We can also catch a film there too. After that, I’d like to take my friend to the old American Apparel factory, where we would hit up Bodega and grab some snacks with the food trucks at LA’s Smorgasburg. Since we are in the area too, I would take them to Dovers Street Market, to check out what moves the big boys in the fashion industry are making. Other than that, I’d probably go hiking around Griffith Park and then go on a coffee tour around the city. Some honorable mentions include: Dinosaur Coffee, Kumquat Coffee, Canyon Coffee, Stereoscope Coffee, and Sightglass Coffee, just to name a few.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My friends, family, peers are constant reminders of how important a community is to me. I need my community because I don’t always have the answers and it’s necessary to seek help from others to gain perspective and insight. I owe my husband an immense shoutout for his support through this journey. He’s always been my number one cheerleader! My mentor, Ian Varady, refined my skills as a barista and educated me about cafe management. He was the first person to show me what it looked like to operate a cafe that played to each others strengths, encouraged the best out of each other, and felt like a safe space to work in. Ian showed me what it meant to be compassionate to the needs of your employees and to always look out for their best interest.

Website: Www.kaleidocoffeela.com

Instagram: @kaleido.coffee

Yelp: Kaleido Coffee

Other: Amp Coffee Info: Insta: @ampcoffeela

Image Credits
Ritt Pontepsiripong