In the face of adversity, Daphnie Kelly, the force behind Modern Grind Coffee, has effectively steered her company through a pandemic and a life-altering brain injury to achieve significant commercial success. Reports from ABC 15 indicate that the Goodyear entrepreneur has boosted her business's annual revenue from a modest $8,000 in 2020 to an impressive $650,000 in 2024, with ambitions to hit $750,000 in 2025.
Kelly’s distinctive coffee brand, known for its unique flavor blends, including a less common white coffee, has become a standout in the Avondale area. “It's an under-roasted bean, so it doesn't taste like your standard espresso,” Kelly explained to Phoenix Business Journal. She attributed much of her initial growth to a fundraising business model that supported local schools and educators, in line with her dual background as a former second grade teacher and an entrepreneur with an MBA.
The opening of Modern Grind Coffee’s brick-and-mortar store in early 2020 was met with unforeseen delays due to the COVID-19 shutdown, just weeks after signing a lease. The construction took nine months rather than the planned three, necessitating a line of credit from the Small Business Administration to complete the project, as per Phoenix Business Journal.
Support came through the SMB Lab, a program developed by the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University aimed at helping small and midsize businesses navigate through growth-stifling issues. With their help, Kelly honed in on key operational hurdles and managed to position the retail store for success. As Kelly explained to Phoenix Business Journal, "I learned after having gone through that I'm actually making some good decisions.” Their menu now not only features a variety of drinks and food items but also includes health drinks with customizable supplements.
Modern Grind Coffee maintains a commitment to the community, sourcing about 90% of ingredients locally and a significant portion from female vendors. “It's really important for me to buy from local vendors because I want to keep our dollars right here in our community," Kelly emphasized. The company, staffed by a 14-member team, is eyeing expansion with plans to open another shop in the West Valley, reportedly negotiating on one location and looking at another, a testament to their growing local footprint. Kelly’s journey, as documented by ABC 15 and the Phoenix Business Journal, speaks to the resilience and adaptability of small businesses in the face of unpredictable challenges.
