Today we’d like to introduce you to Kimberly Azpeitia.
Hi Kimberly, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
The Jackson’s Brew story is pretty simple. I had always had a passion for coffee, community and a desire to bring something different to our beautiful city! It probably goes back to 2013 when I had custody of my niece, Adrianna. I had three kids already and 2 dogs. Then we were given the life altering responsibility of taking my niece out of foster care and bringing her into our home. Which of course is what you do, right? During this time, I was a full time Realtor, recently “retiring” from 20 years in the dental field. I had a very routine schedule, I would spend 2 hours at the gym every day. Pick my older kids up from school, dinner was always made and on time! I was actually in the best shape of my life during this time as well But I was still bored so I re-enrolled in college and finally graduated with my degree in International Business. During this time I was dreaming of doing something with coffee. But had no idea what, especially since I had never worked in the industry. So I briefly had an idea to work part time at Starbucks. I thought it would be cool to learn how to make coffee and operate the machines. That idea was quickly dismissed by my family.
Two years had passed and before I knew it, I was graduating with my 3-year-old niece on my hip and my 18-year-old son, David was graduating high school at the same time! Many dynamics changed in the family in May 2015. My niece was scheduled to be reunited with her brother and her father in Pennsylvania and our home had just flooded from the Memorial Day floods. I remember flying to Pennsylvania to reunite her and then on the day that we said our goodbyes to the baby we helped raise for the last 3 years I, along with 2 of my older kids boarded a Trailways bus and I sat in that back seat and cried because I felt like I had lost everything. My house, my cute little BMW that I had just bought and lastly my niece who had been calling me “Momma” for the last several years.
Upon returning to Houston, I was faced with the realization that our, “Little Foot” was no longer running around the house, and I was left with a home that needed complete demo and remodeling. But I was alive and my kids were healthy and in reality, my niece was fine. The 2-hour gym days were gone! We rebuilt our home and moved on with our lives. I found solitude in cycling and running at Memorial Park. Until we were flooded again in the Tax Day Floods the following year and then I very unexpectedly lost my Daddy the same year, that was 2017. That broke me mentally and broke my heart. Many of you that are friends with me during that time saw the devastation I went through. I remember yet again, getting back on my bike to find peace and rode my 5th MS 150 ride to Austin a month later. Hurricane Harvey was the last flood we endured. It really felt like an emotional roller coaster year after year. What are the odds that one family gets three repetitive floods? I was done. I was mentally and physically exhausted. So, we moved.
Fast forward, I finally sat down in January of 2018 and had a talk first with myself, then with my kids. I wanted to revisit my “coffee dreams”. I decided we would go mobile, and we would learn as much as possible as fast as we could. I took it even further and imported the cutest little coffee truck in Texas! It’s so cute!!! And from there, Jackson’s Brew was born.
Once you know, you know. And I knew I was ready to take the plunge into the coffee world.
So, ‘Kimberly, what is Jackson’s Brew?” who is Jackson? Well, Jackson is my maiden name. My Daddy’s name. I was in the middle of getting a massage, lying there thinking of names when that name came to me, and it never really left. Several friends and family wanted me to incorporate my middle name as the business name which is Star. Star is heavily overplayed here in Texas, and I giggle sometimes because I use to hate my middle name. But now I love it, because my Daddy gave it to me. I don’t have any brothers to continue my Daddy’s name, so Jackson’s Brew felt very right.
We are currently in our 4th year of business! We have grown from a little family team to having a team of part time employees that help make my life easier now! We have catered almost 300 private events and still going strong!
We have really found our niche with private events, from weddings to real estate events, birthdays and baby showers. No event is too small or too big for us! Our next step is currently building out a shipping container coffee shop concept near the Washington corridor. We are currently working on that project.
I am forever grateful for the outpouring of support from my family and friends to strangers. We are also grateful that even though the pandemic slowed us down, like everyone else, we were able to bounce back and grow year over year. And that is because of all of you that continue to book us and refer us to your friends, family and other businesses!
If I had one bit of encouragement for other moms out there, don’t give up on your dreams. You may be in the middle of raising your family and have a ton of other obligations to handle but believe me…my little dream was just a thought sitting in the back of my head for many years. It never went away, I just had to figure out how to put that thought into action and you can do it too!
So if you see us towing the cutest little blue coffee truck in Texas to its next event, give us a beep beep and a wave!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being mobile is like driving a little RV around that has its own set of trials and tribulations. The cutest little coffee truck in Texas only goes about 20 miles per hour so we have to haul it on a trailer. We are powered by a small generator and right before every event I say a little prayer that we will arrive safely and will not have any power or mechanical issues on the truck. And I have to say this, when you are hauling a trailer, I think it is a magnet for every other vehicle around you to test your patience. Many drivers jump right in front of you, and it can nerve wrecking with hauling all that weight!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Besides bringing an amazing experience to private events with the cutest little coffee truck in Texas, my other passion is Real Estate. I am the local Houston, Senior Account Manager for Choice Home Warranty. Real Estate feeds the other passion in my life with helping home buyers with a seamless transaction and protecting one of their biggest purchases in their lifetime. I am always available to help with any home warranty or real estate related questions as well!
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My team of cheerleaders that helped support me with getting Jackson’s Brew started was definitely my kids. My family was very supportive and even though we struggled we made it happen. I also had an amazing group of friends and people within the coffee community that cheered me on from the sideline! It was truly a team effort and without these people in my life it may not have ever come to fruition. So thank you to all of you that have been there for me over the years!
Contact Info:
- Email: kimberly@jacksonsbrew.com
- Website: www.jacksonsbrew.com
- Instagram: @jacksonsbrew
- Facebook: @jacksonsbrewcoffee
