Texas Border Business
By Veronica Salinas
South Texas College (STC) has helped shape the entrepreneurial journey of sisters Kaitlyn and Alexiah Tirado, whose passion for coffee and business recently led them to open Daily Dose Coffee RGV, a new coffee shop in their hometown of Weslaco.
With one sister currently pursuing a Business Administration degree and the other a recent graduate of the same program, the sisters credit their experience at STC for helping them develop the knowledge, confidence and skill needed to launch and grow their business.
Kaitlyn Tirado, 25, is currently studying Business Administration while balancing the responsibilities of being a small business owner. Inspired by her sister’s path through the program, Kaitlyn decided to continue her education while building Daily Dose Coffee RGV.
“I grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, so business has always been a part of my life,” Kaitlyn said. “This program has allowed me to deepen my knowledge so I can continue growing my own business and also help support and expand my family’s businesses.”
Balancing college and launching a business has not been easy, but Kaitlyn says the experience has helped her develop discipline and strong time management skills.
“The journey has definitely been challenging, but it has also been incredibly rewarding,” she said. “I’m learning in two ways now – through textbooks and lectures in class and through hands-on experience running our business.”
Through her coursework, Kaitlyn has gained valuable insight into the many moving parts behind running a company.
“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that business involves much more than just making sales,” she said. “It includes marketing, accounting, taxes, inventory management, customer service, branding and understanding regulations.”
One course that left a lasting impression was Accounting.
“My sister and I were fortunate to have Professor Cynthia Sanchez, who laid a strong foundation for understanding business finances,” Kaitlyn said. “At first, I never imagined that concepts like assets equal liabilities plus owner’s equity would play such an important role in running my own business, but those lessons have helped us make smarter financial decisions.”
Her education has given her the confidence to approach business decisions more strategically.
“My education has helped me think more critically before making investments or major decisions,” she said. “It has helped me grow not only as a business owner, but also as a person.”
For Alexiah Tirado, the path to entrepreneurship began even earlier.
At just 18 years old, she graduated from STC with an associate degree in Business Administration after participating in the college’s Dual Enrollment Business Administration Academy, which allows students to begin earning college credit while still in high school.
“Graduating with my associate degree in Business Administration from STC gave me a strong foundation both in my life and in my business,” she said. “Through my classes, I learned about management, marketing, finance and how businesses operate daily, which helped me make better decisions.”
The sisters initially launched Daily Dose Coffee RGV as a mobile coffee business, serving specialty drinks at events across the RGV., allowingthem to build their brand while keeping startup costs manageable.
“It gave us the flexibility to bring our coffee to different places and events while keeping our startup costs lower,” Alexiah said. “It also allowed us to grow our customer base and connect with different communities.”
Their dedication and growing customer support eventually led them to open a brick-and-mortar shop in Weslaco.
“It was an amazing feeling to officially open our coffee shop in Weslaco,” the sisters said. “It’s our hometown and the place where we grew up. Being able to serve the same community that has supported us means so much.”
Despite their success, the early months came with challenges. Alexiah says many people doubted her because of her age.
“It was discouraging at times, but it also motivated me to work harder and prove that age is not a factor in entrepreneurship,” she said.
Through it all, the sisters say their bond has been one of the biggest influences behind their success.
“Our bond has helped us grow the business because of the trust and support we have for each other,” they said. “Having that strong relationship makes it easier to work as a team and motivates us to keep pushing forward.”
As young Latina entrepreneurs in the Rio Grande Valley, Alexiah says representing STC and their community is something she carries with pride.
“It feels amazing to represent such a great school like STC,” she said. “I’m proud to show that hard work, determination and education can help you achieve your goals.”
Looking ahead, the sisters hope to continue growing Daily Dose Coffee RGV and potentially expand beyond the Rio Grande Valley.
Information source: STC
