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Switching from Teacher to Barista/Coffee Shop Owner

Elizabeth Fulks • November 15, 2022

I remember looking surprised at my 7th graders when I was co-teaching financial literacy with my mother. They asked me the same question they had been asked for years, “What are you going to do when you “grow up”?” I had told them when I finally do leave education, I wanted to be a barista. I wanted to make a cup of happiness every morning and bring a smile to a person’s face. Many agreed that being a barista would be a fun job. Fast forward five years after this discussion.

Four or five of my past seventh graders who are now seniors, came in and helped me clean the walk-in fridge to my very own coffee shop. They were as excited as I was, and they got to see their teacher make that switch. I seriously can’t think of anything cooler than that. Being a work in action as opposed to just telling them what to do, many of them got to see me do the very thing I taught. How often does that really happen?

Opening my shop was not only terrifying but exhilarating. I had gone to school to be a teacher, my masters was in mathematics education, everything I had done had been to teach. After COVID hit, my husband and I decided to make a change. We wanted somewhere where people could come in and have a conversation. We don’t have any outlets available for work, but we have a bunch of board games, topic questions, and connection. My parents came in to bake for me (The best cinnamon rolls in town!!!) and my children have ran the cash register and helped with making drinks. It is truly a dream to have a three generation shop where the family can work together and make something special for others.

Not many people get the same chance that we did. We took that chance and ran with it, and I haven’t looked back. We are coming up on our first year and I have learned a lot of very valuable lessons which will definitely be in my next post. For those that are looking to switch careers, you can do it. Yes it is scary. Yes, you will make a lot of mistakes. Yes, people will doubt you. On the flip side, you won’t have to second guess, you find your support system, and you become the you that you had wanted to be. I’m here to tell you that you got this!

I did want to end with the top five drinks that sell at my shop, in case you are so inclined to try one at a family coffee house:


  1. Lavender Honey Latte - A beautifully scented drink with the taste of floral lavender and sweet honey. I tell people that this was the reason I created my whole shop. This is just one of the most heavenly drinks in my opinion. 
  2. Raspberry White Mocha - Sweet and bitter all at once! This hits your taste buds like nothing else. The rich white chocolate flavor compliments the raspberry in a burst of flavor.

  3. Caramel Banana Latte - This started as a drink of the month and ended up landing on our menu board. Everyone loves the mix of caramel and banana flavor, it just is such a smooth soft flavor.
  4. Caramel Macchiato - Caramel, a hint of vanilla, milk, and coffee…. What’s better? 

  5. Strawberry Lemonade Tea - Strawberry puree in a nice blend of lemonade and tea. This drink is super refreshing and a hit with all our non coffee drinkers!

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    Strawberry Lemonade

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    Banana Caramel Latte

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The Importance of Connection and the Right Coffee Shop

By Liz Fulks • November 15, 2023
Growing up, there was a hit TV show called Cheers. There is a line in the opening theme song that says, “ Sometimes you wanna go where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” While the TV show itself was a dramady about the connections between patrons and a bartender and his staff, that line always hit me growing up. There is this rush of happiness when you walk into a place and are greeted by name.

Meet the Convo Coffee Family

By Liz Fulks • June 11, 2023
Owning a coffee shop that is run by a family is truly an amazing thing. Convo Coffee started on February 14th, 2022 and we haven’t looked back. It all started when I was a child and would wake up in the mornings to see my parents sitting and having coffee together. It always brought me peace to walk into the kitchen, smell Folgers coffee coming from their coffee pot and see them talk about a wide range of different things. My grandma would often make me a little coffee with a whole lot of cream and sugar so I could have coffee with her and do the same thing. Fast forward, and my parents, 55 years later, still do the same thing. They get up, have coffee in the morning. However, there is a little twist. Now, they have coffee in the morning and then come to the coffee shop and bake the absolutely yummy pastries that we have available.

What’s In A Coffee House Name? Building a Brand.

By Liz Fulks • November 27, 2022
Building a Brand...
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