Noushin Ketabi
Founder at Vega Coffee
“There is nothing like the mix of triumph, anxiety, bewilderment, and excitement when you see something that started as a dream manifest into reality.”
Between living in New York City and San Francisco, Noushin’s typical morning included something we’re all too familiar with: an overpriced cup of coffee. Questioning the $5 price tag on your morning cup is usually compromised by convenience and quick energy, but for Noushin, this was a matter she couldn’t ignore.
Noushin’s first encounter with the coffee industry occurred while she was living in Central America through a Fulbright program to study environmental and renewable energy policies. At the time, she had aspirations of becoming an environmental attorney, but her interests soon shifted after spending time with local coffee growers. She was instantly enamored with their communities and the beauty of slow, foggy mornings on the farms. This experience gave her insight into the coffee industry, an industry whose supply chain involves as many as 20 middlemen and leaves the growers at or around the poverty level. After witnessing a clear disconnect between the standard of living for growing communities and the price we pay for our coffee, Noushin’s interest in creating a more equitable supply chain was sparked.
In 2014, Noushin and her husband, Rob Terenzi, left their practices as attorneys in San Francisco to move to Nicaragua. Along with their close friend, Will DeLuca, they launched their own coffee company. Vega Coffee empowers farmers by training them to roast, package, and distribute their coffee, thus eliminating middlemen and keeping the most profitable part of the supply chain in farming communities. The consumer receives coffee that is grown ethically and sustainably, directly from the farm, complete with their grower’s name on the bag. Keep reading as Noushin shares the power of ethical business, learning your market, and her love for travel.
Q. What’s keeping you busy?
A. “Since we’re still in lean startup mode, we all wear a lot of hats. A lot of what I do now is broader, strategic organizational building as we’re bringing on more employees and expanding to Columbia.”
Q. Have you always seen yourself as an entrepreneur?
A. “I didn’t see myself as an entrepreneur. I was someone that thought if you want to do good for the world you go into government or a non-profit. I didn’t view business that way. I was motivated to seek a career path that aligned with my values so I thought I would be an environmental attorney. But ultimately this coffee idea was really interesting to me.
I had grown very passionate around coffee farmers, living in coffee growing countries and learning what this whole thing is about. I fell in love with it. When you’re on a coffee farm it’s the most beautiful place. It’s foggy, you have this hot cup of coffee, it’s green, lush and it’s just so wonderful. As someone who has a healthy dose of wanderlust and desire to travel in me, that really starting getting me interested in seeing if we could make something out of this.
Ultimately what we’re trying to do is to create more a sustainable supply chain that is more equitable and also source coffees that are grown in harmony with the environment. This feels like my place right now, where I want to devote myself to help make the world a better place.”
Q. What do you love most about your job?
A. “The people. Vega started as a family and I love it because we’re working against the odds. No one has done coffee like this. We’re kind of like a band of rebels who are trying to create something better than the current system.
And there’s no shortage of challenges to our work. I’m someone that likes problem-solving and figuring out a way to make something work so that makes me excited every day.”
Q. What advice do you have for aspiring entrepreneurs?
A. “There are no shortcuts. Whatever you want to work on as a company, you have to learn everything you can about that. No amount of visionariness is going to substitute for learning your market, learning who your customer is, learning how to identify what people’s needs are and how to relate to them. It’s a humbling road and the only way to connect with people is with a bit of humility. Learn as much as you can, be humble, and be resilient.”
“The people that inspire me are the people who are committed to doing the right thing even when that’s a hard thing for them to do.”
Q. What has been your biggest learning experience from starting Vega?
A. “Learning how to be comfortable with uncertainty. I wouldn’t say I have it down pat by any means, however, I have gotten better at letting go of what is not in my control and working on what is.”
Q. Where did Vega get its name from?
A. “Vega is the brightest star in this 3-star constellation and for us, it was the perfect metaphor for our model. Taking this historically complicated supply chain and distilling it down to its three essential parts: the producer, the coffee farmer, and the consumer.”
Q. What has running a business with your husband been like?
A. “Rob and I have very similar work ethics. We were both attorneys and we both worked under that more traditional kind of structure. It can be very hierarchical and demanding so we’re both get-it-done type of people. That really helps. When I kick something off to Rob or vice versa, I know he will take care of it and that builds trust as a colleague and personal relationship. We’ve always hoped we would work together so this has been really neat.”
Q. What’s something most people might not know about coffee?
A. “It’s an over 50 billion dollar industry in the US and it’s the second most traded commodity behind oil. It’s a huge driver for economics in parts of the world that might be struggling economically or have political turmoil. Coffee is wildly important. Making the decision to be conscientious about what coffee you drink every day is a way for you to have that power to vote where you want your dollar to go.”
Q. What do you do once your work is finished?
A. “I try to do stuff that makes me not able to check my phone at the same time I’m doing it. I feel really good when I’m outside. I also love playing with my daughter and being in her imaginary world because it takes you out of the grind. It’s nice to plug into life.”
“I have a never-ending urge to travel. I just want to go everywhere. My adventure streak comes in my desire to go abroad and try different experiences living abroad and immersing myself in a different way of life.”
Q. What do you wish you knew?
A. “More languages. I love speaking Farsi, Spanish, and some French. Travel can feel so superficial when you can’t even talk to the people. Really being able to communicate with other people is a passion of mine.”
Q. What do most people not know about you?
A. “I’m a licensed Q-Grader. It’s like being a wine sommelier but for coffee. I’m able to taste whether there’s a peach flavor note or a hint of bergamot in a cup of coffee.”
Q. What are some of your passions?
A. “I have always been into traveling. I’m also really into music. I’m a huge Bruce Springsteen fan. I’ve been to about 8 of his shows! He’s a genius — put on Darkness on the Edge of Town and it’ll speak for itself.”
Q. What is something adventurous you’ve done?
A. “I have lived in Spain, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Argentina.”
Q. What’s your spirit animal?
A. “Probably a wolf. I tend to be intuitive and instinctual, and always looking toward adventure and freedom. At the same time, I love my pack.”
