Andrew Padilla dropped out of college a year before graduating with the vision of a community-driven coffee shop. However, without a degree, a building, staff, or any business experience, most everyone thought he was a little crazy. But don't the best ideas always seem that way at first?
His vision grew into what is now La Vida, a thriving coffee shop and gathering space in downtown Lynchburg. In just a few months since their opening in July, they are fulfilling their mission as a business that brings joy to locals and have established themselves as a favorite within the community.
So how did Andrew start out with almost nothing and create La Vida? And how did he and his business partner, James, establish a presence unique to the countless other coffee shops in Lynchburg?
At PRSSA's most recent event, Matcha and Marketing, members got to hear from Andrew and gain insight on what it takes to build, and effectively market, a business. Here are some key tips he gave members during the event:
1. Create excitement.
Andrew explained that his team actually didn't do a lot of marketing before to their big opening; they were too busy trying to build tables and simply put the space together. However, one tactic they used on their Instagram was creating posts that showed only pieces and parts of the shop (a couch here, a cup there). Creating suspense, without taking from the excitement of seeing the shop for the first time on opening day, made consumers eager to check it out in-person.
2. Find great people to work with.
Andrew couldn't get very far into the evening before mentioning his marketing coordinator/graphic designer Ansley, who created all of La Vida's branding and who runs their Instagram. He claims that she is to blame for most of their marketing success, and credits the community around him for helping the shop reach this point. Even the night before opening day, employees and friends stayed until 4:00 a.m. to make sure everything got done in time.
3. Stick to your values.
Customers are drawn to businesses that are passionate about their mission. For La Vida, above all else, they value community. One of their first Instagram posts shared that, "Coffee is our passion, but bringing life to our community is our mission." Since its opening, their shop has gone above and beyond in fulfilling this mission. Last month, they hosted a salsa night and expected about 50 young adults to come. Instead, almost 600 people showed up for an evening of dancing and community. Andrew shared with PRSSA that the event was his favorite memory from the business so far.
We are so grateful that Andrew came and spoke to us at PRSSA, and we are excited to see how La Vida continues to grow in the future.
For more information on their business, head to their website or check out their Instagram for more social media marketing ideas!
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