Today we’d like to introduce you to Syeda Hija F. Zaidi.
Syeda, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My passion and craze for coffee is what pushed me to began my blog, which consists of specialty craft coffee shops located in the Greater Houston area. I started off like any average person, with the ever-so-famous and friendly neighborhood Starbucks coffee. As everyone knows, Starbucks is located throughout the United States and in most parts of this world. I was crazy for Starbucks coffee, drinking it almost every day before college, at college, and even after college – during those late, exhausting nights. It was basically my fuel to stay alive throughout my college days. Fortunately, I left all that behind when a close friend of mine introduced me to the specialty coffee world – the latte world to be specific. I was lucky enough to be working with her as she would often bless me with a cup of coffee almost every day at work. At first, the taste was not as appealing because, of course, I was so infatuated with the basic taste of a Starbucks latte. So as I continued to be exposed to the taste of specialty, crafted coffee, I had the urge to explore the various coffee shops in Houston that provided this kind of coffee. Afterwards, Starbucks coffee basically gave me the feel of fast-food coffee, similar to a classic burger you would eat at a fast-food restaurant. The specialty, crafted coffee, on the other hand, felt more like the gourmet burger or food you would have had at a fine dining restaurant. This is the best comparison I can think of between both coffee worlds. Later, with the support of my husband, we went on the hunt for unique coffee and coffee shops around Houston to try out how they tasted. I had many good and bad experiences. I often shared these experiences with my friend at work who had introduced me to this world to began with. She then motivated me to start a coffee blog and to share these experiences with everyone. This triggered me to start an Instagram blog, where I shared my coffee pictures and reviews for the specialty coffee shops around Houston. That is basically what my Houston Coffee Guide (HCG) blog consists of. I was inspired to go out and seek the exclusive world of crafted coffee and get a taste of what real coffee actually is. It has been the best experience and decision by far!
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
“Patience ensures victory.” When I first started the Instagram blog, there were not many specialty coffee shops around Houston. I traveled around Houston to find new coffee shops and had many kinds of experiences.
This leads me to an important question: Have you ever had a bad start to your day after having a tasteless cup of coffee? Well, there you go! I have also encountered several of those ‘bad coffee’ experiences that have made my road not-so-smooth. Writing a negative review about coffee is as painful for me as it is for the coffee shop that has to see it. Nonetheless, I believe honesty is the best policy and one of the main foundations of HCG. Also, how else will a coffee shop be motivated to improve if they do not get challenged by those honest reviews. Writing an unfavorable coffee review for a business has always been very challenging, as I do not mean to bring anyone down but rather to inspire them to be better. Furthermore, coffee lovers should be aware of the variety of coffee experiences one can have throughout Greater Houston – whether they are good or bad.
Houston Coffee Guide – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Houston Coffee Guide, these three words depict the true meaning and work I have been doing in guiding the Houstonians and travelers visiting Houston. HCG established its Instagram blog in the late 2010’s.
At the time, I did not come across any specific Houston coffee blog on Instagram that stood out or had an objective of writing reviews about only Houston-based coffee shops. This encouraged me further to travel around Houston and to find the newest, hottest coffee shops. On the blog, I provide locals and travelers with pictures and reviews of the specialty coffee world I explore exclusively in Houston. I am proud to share my experience with the coffee shops only within the Greater Houston area. I believe the local Houston coffee lovers and travelers need to be aware of the great world of coffee offered through the many specialty coffee shops and coffee roasting companies within our city! I promise you. There are too many to count because up till now, I have tried over 150+ coffee shops located in this popular and booming city we call Houston. Since then, I have seen new Instagram blogs emerging as well, which have the aim of providing their readers with reviews about coffee shops in Houston. It makes me feel great knowing that I have inspired them to go on this path. I am proud to be Houston Coffee Guide!
Being recognized and appreciated for the reviews I write is what has created my most highlighted, proudest moments so far. If I had to select any single one of these proud moments, it would be difficult for me because being appreciated is what keeps me going even more than my passion for coffee. I have friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances, and even friends-of-friends who ask me for recommendations for the best coffee shops around town. It makes me so proud and happy when people ask me for my recommendation! It shows they acknowledge and value my taste as the coffee connoisseur of Houston. Also, the baristas that put in effort to prepare the best coffee they can and share their coffee knowledge with me makes me feel very appreciated. Their respect and recognition for my work have motivated me to continue my search for more coffee shops in the Greater Houston area, and to write my perspective about them for the viewers. Thank you, everyone! HCG could not be possible without all your support!
Contact Info:
- Email: houstoncoffeeguide@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houstoncoffeeguide
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/houstoncoffeeguide
Image Credit:
@Djzainy
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