Today we’d like to introduce you to Chelsea Janssen.
Hi Chelsea, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up I never had a clear vision of what I wanted to do I just knew I wanted to be proud of it. Married my husband Shane had 2 beautiful children Skylar and Ace then became a stay at home mom for 5 years. Everyone in my life always told me I was the best to lean on and contact when needed, they would use the saying “ you always fill my cup when it feels empty” that’s when it all of a sudden hit me. I lived on coffee or any kind of caffeine really raising two kids I needed as much as I could get since they like to keep me on my toes! As my friends and family would come to visit I would make them drinks and they always absolutely loved them! I honestly didn’t see it going any further than that. Until one day I was contacted to restart Joywave coffee and make it my own! I fell in love with the name it just felt like it already fit me filling cups with joy and being mobile I was like a wave I could go anywhere. We started out at our local farmers market here in Paynesville with just 3 little tables a few bottles of syrup and my cold brew coffee. We were there selling a small menu every Saturday all summer. Seeing the way people lit up after the first sip let me know that this is what I wanted to keep doing! We eventually started the process of getting a Trailer so we really could be mobile and not have to deal with the silly tables or set up. It took us about two years of making the trailer our own two years of a lot of blood sweat and tears if I’m being honest but that’s what makes it ours. Now that little menu and the small tables have turned even bigger and even more mobile. I am beyond proud of what me and my brew crew have made this business!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth is definitely not the word I’d use if you’ve ever seen a rollercoaster that’s about as accurate as I can make the visual! I’m the kind of person who thinks that they can just jump and get to the moon in seconds. This journey has taught me that is not the case and that it is ok to not know all of the answers right away. We redid most of the inside of the trailer to meet all of the guidelines times like that were a little frustrating but it made me Slow down and enjoy every minute of every tiny step to the top. Also every drink recipe you make is not always going to be everybody’s favorite some of them might be really bad actually and not even make it to the menu board but just like a rollercoaster we continue to get back on.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our menu is very customizable I believe that is why our customers love it so much! We have our cold brew coffee that I personally take the time to brew myself it’s about a 24 hour process but it’s SO worth it! We have the classic vanilla and caramel option but our most popular is cinnamon toast it’s delicious! Next we have our jitter juice that is Red Bull base and what ever yummy syrup combo you want to pair it with I always have many fruity options to choose from. We just recently started doing dirty soda options with Dr Pepper or sprite base, syrup and coconut cream people are going crazy for it. I always keep my options open for people who don’t love or can’t have their caffeine. We are also known for our fresh squeezed lemonade. We have fresh lemonade written on our menu board, but it’s something about when people see us squeezing it in front of them. They absolutely go wild for it!
Who else deserves credit in your story?
I would be no where in this journey without my husband Shane. He is always there supporting my spur of the moment ideas and he always gives me the stone cold truth about things. He’s amazing at looking at the bigger picture and all of the little details at the same time it’s the trait I love about him the most! My two kids Skylar and Ace keep me going always! They look up to me and my ideas. Skylar is 6 and at the age where she wants to work with mom. I am incredibly grateful that I have the opportunity to teach her the way of working and making people happy with my very own business it’s amazing seeing it first hand. Ace is 3 so of course just comes to “ help” or in other words drink the lemonade. I am incredibly grateful for all my friends and family who help whether it’s watching the kids so I can run the Trailer while my husband is at his own job, helping us with material or the tools to redo the trailer, and trying all my crazy drink potions I mix up. A huge Thank you to all of my every day regulars who follow me around just for me to be the one to fill your cup with joy I look forward to seeing them always and know exactly what they are having! I also owe a huge thank you to everybody in the Paynesville farmers market without them excepting the application I turned in two years ago I would not have been in this spot today they are what started me and got my name out there!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Joywave_coffee
- Facebook: Joywave coffee
- Other: TikTok: joywave.coffee
