If you asked Stephanie Braun where she’d be post-graduation, she certainly wouldn’t have said: “in the coffee industry.” 

And initially, she would’ve been right. Because after she earned her graphic design degree, she applied her skills exactly where she expected to: in the creative industry. But instead of a sturdy foundation on which she could build a successful career, Braun was faced with competition and constant change. During these tumultuous times, she found comfort in warm cups of coffee and the inviting cafés where she enjoyed them.

Coffee, Braun realized, was her rock. So, she jumped off her expected course in favor of a fresh start. Though the thought of giving up everything to become a barista petrified her, in the end, she knew having a career she was passionate about mattered more than anything. And in the end, growth in her career proves that this risk was one worth taking. She still uses her graphic design skills in her role as marketing coordinator, but she now gets to collaborate with the darers and daydreamers that fill the café industry.