A couple started a coffee cart using a credit card limit; it now generates $4.5 million a year
Audrey Finocchiaro and Sam Lancaster started 'The Nitro Bar' with a $1,500 credit card limit and scrap wood, initially struggling to attract customers. Their fortunes changed at Brown University, leading to expansion into wholesale and coffee shops, now generating $4.5 million in annual revenue.
Why it matters
This inspiring story showcases the power of entrepreneurship, resilience, and strategic adaptation, demonstrating how a small idea can grow into a highly successful business.
Audrey Finocchiaro and Sam Lancaster started ‘The Nitro Bar’ in 2016 with a $1,500 credit card limit, scrap wood, and a plan to sell nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee from a makeshift cart. The couple initially struggled to attract customers, earning just $20 to $60 during eight-hour days on the streets of Providence, Rhode Island.Their fortunes changed when they brought the cart to Brown University, where a queue of students helped transform the struggling venture into a promising business. Over time, the company expanded into wholesale, opened coffee shops, and gained traction on social media. According to an interview with Fortune, Finocchiaro revealed that the business generates $4.5 million in annual revenue.How a couple built a mobile coffee business with just $1,500In 2016, Finocchiaro and Lancaster used a $1,500 credit limit and scrap wood from her parents’ basement to build a basic coffee cart.
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