Chapter 1:
Have you ever had a crazy idea that got totally out of control?
Well, we have, too! Tampa Bay Coffee & Art Festival was precisely that kind of idea. This event was a harebrained idea that became serious in about 6 hours. Pour your favorite cup, sit in your favorite chair, and give this gem a read.
It all started some amount of years ago (I believe it was 2016, but who really knows). Our team was discussing our love for art, coffee, and all things wonderful. Then, in a stroke of pure genius, someone said the phrase “Tampa Bay Coffee & Art Festival” and that was it, we were hooked — now to market it.
At first, we thought it’d be cool to have a small event with a few friends and acquaintances. So, that night, we made an event page, went to bed, and woke up accidental geniuses. We had struck gold. Thousands of people interested in the event. This is great, right? Well, not entirely. We were losing our minds. We didn’t really know how to keep up with that kind of attention. (But, we’re not gonna lie, we did kinda liked it).
Needless to say, we called an audible and made it happen. We sold out the first event and it went so well that we had to host another one 6 months later, just to keep up with the demand.
So that was going great for a few years, then…2020.
Have you ever had a crazy idea that got totally out of control?
Well, we have, too! Tampa Bay Coffee & Art Festival was precisely that kind of idea. This event was a harebrained idea that became serious in about 6 hours. Pour your favorite cup, sit in your favorite chair, and give this gem a read.
It all started some amount of years ago (I believe it was 2016, but who really knows). Our team was discussing our love for art, coffee, and all things wonderful. Then, in a stroke of pure genius, someone said the phrase “Tampa Bay Coffee & Art Festival” and that was it, we were hooked — now to market it.
At first, we thought it’d be cool to have a small event with a few friends and acquaintances. So, that night, we made an event page, went to bed, and woke up accidental geniuses. We had struck gold. Thousands of people interested in the event. This is great, right? Well, not entirely. We were losing our minds. We didn’t really know how to keep up with that kind of attention. (But, we’re not gonna lie, we did kinda liked it).
Needless to say, we called an audible and made it happen. We sold out the first event and it went so well that we had to host another one 6 months later, just to keep up with the demand.
So that was going great for a few years, then…2020.
Chapter 2:
What do you do when things get derailed?
Oh yes, Covid. What a crazy time. Can you believe it’s been over 5 years since it first started?? It’s certainly hard for us to believe. Anyways, back to the story. What started out as a terrifying experience, made us who we are today.
As an in-person event, we had to close our doors for a bit. We weren’t sure what kind of long term impact that would have, but it definitely disrupted our short-term plans. What do you do in that situation? Do you give up? Do you start something else? Do you wait for things to clear up? What if they never clear up? As we’re sure many of you can relate to, COVID created many uncertainties. The instability was difficult, but it gave us time to reflect.
Starting and maintaining a viral event left us with very little time to analyze what it meant for us, our team, and our community. It was easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget why we even started the event in the first place. However, if we were to overcome this new obstacle created by the shutdown, we had to pause and reflect. We had to adapt. And strangely enough, COVID gave us that opportunity. We were able to explore the significance of the event and the impact we could have with its success. Through this process, we begin to realize that Tampa Bay Coffee & Art Festival is way more than an event – it is a gift. An opportunity to impact our community through meaningful connections.
We believe that art has the power to connect people and change lives. We also believe that coffee is the best fuel for that kind of revolution. This event is more than just a place for people to taste great coffee and buy local art. It’s a space for people to share ideas, to build each other up, and to craft a future that is fulfilling and equitable for all! This is the gift that we have been given – the opportunity to bring people together around coffee and art.
The only problem is…How do we get this thing off the ground again?
What do you do when things get derailed?
Oh yes, Covid. What a crazy time. Can you believe it’s been over 5 years since it first started?? It’s certainly hard for us to believe. Anyways, back to the story. What started out as a terrifying experience, made us who we are today.
As an in-person event, we had to close our doors for a bit. We weren’t sure what kind of long term impact that would have, but it definitely disrupted our short-term plans. What do you do in that situation? Do you give up? Do you start something else? Do you wait for things to clear up? What if they never clear up? As we’re sure many of you can relate to, COVID created many uncertainties. The instability was difficult, but it gave us time to reflect.
Starting and maintaining a viral event left us with very little time to analyze what it meant for us, our team, and our community. It was easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget why we even started the event in the first place. However, if we were to overcome this new obstacle created by the shutdown, we had to pause and reflect. We had to adapt. And strangely enough, COVID gave us that opportunity. We were able to explore the significance of the event and the impact we could have with its success. Through this process, we begin to realize that Tampa Bay Coffee & Art Festival is way more than an event – it is a gift. An opportunity to impact our community through meaningful connections.
We believe that art has the power to connect people and change lives. We also believe that coffee is the best fuel for that kind of revolution. This event is more than just a place for people to taste great coffee and buy local art. It’s a space for people to share ideas, to build each other up, and to craft a future that is fulfilling and equitable for all! This is the gift that we have been given – the opportunity to bring people together around coffee and art.
The only problem is…How do we get this thing off the ground again?
Chapter 3:
Let’s rebuild!
As we mentioned in the last chapter, we realized that this event was a gift, an opportunity to create a space for people to share ideas, to build each other up, and to craft a future that is fulfilling and equitable for all.
As we thought about this gift, we realized that we had, not only the opportunity, but the responsibility to build an event that fosters those ideals. So, with trepidation and excitement, we began our journey to rebuild this event. In 2022, two years after the start of COVID, we waded back into the coffee-filled estuaries we once inhabited. The response was…alright – it wasn’t the viral sensation we first encountered. However, the spark was still there, still alive in the hearts of attendees, roasters, and artists. We just had to fan it. But how?
Without that viral impact, we weren’t entirely sure where to go or how to get there. How do we reignite the flame? Just like last time, we had to adapt. After much thought and consideration, we decided to invest more time and effort into our marketing. We began doing research and testing different strategies. After a heap of trial and error, the event began to grow again!
Of course, we have been ecstatic about our success, but it hasn’t come without its issues. With more people, comes more demand. More demand, means longer lines. When you have longer lines, you need to expand. When you expand, you have more overhead. The list goes on and on. And just like the last two times, we have to adapt. Just because we have a successful event, doesn’t mean that we can stop focusing on the little stuff. In fact, the little stuff often needs more attention as something grows. We managed the viral success, solved the reboot, cracked the marketing, and now we are focused on improving flow, traffic, and ease of access.
As we continue to grow this event, we know that we will face many more obstacles. But as our past has shown, we know we will have the courage and fortitude to overcome them because we know our mission. We are here to Inform, Inspire, and Empower our artists, roasters, and attendees to share their ideas, build the community, and strive for a better future. The journey toward a greater tomorrow is never easy, but it’s always worth it! Let’s craft it together!
With love,
-The TBCAF Team
Let’s rebuild!
As we mentioned in the last chapter, we realized that this event was a gift, an opportunity to create a space for people to share ideas, to build each other up, and to craft a future that is fulfilling and equitable for all.
As we thought about this gift, we realized that we had, not only the opportunity, but the responsibility to build an event that fosters those ideals. So, with trepidation and excitement, we began our journey to rebuild this event. In 2022, two years after the start of COVID, we waded back into the coffee-filled estuaries we once inhabited. The response was…alright – it wasn’t the viral sensation we first encountered. However, the spark was still there, still alive in the hearts of attendees, roasters, and artists. We just had to fan it. But how?
Without that viral impact, we weren’t entirely sure where to go or how to get there. How do we reignite the flame? Just like last time, we had to adapt. After much thought and consideration, we decided to invest more time and effort into our marketing. We began doing research and testing different strategies. After a heap of trial and error, the event began to grow again!
Of course, we have been ecstatic about our success, but it hasn’t come without its issues. With more people, comes more demand. More demand, means longer lines. When you have longer lines, you need to expand. When you expand, you have more overhead. The list goes on and on. And just like the last two times, we have to adapt. Just because we have a successful event, doesn’t mean that we can stop focusing on the little stuff. In fact, the little stuff often needs more attention as something grows. We managed the viral success, solved the reboot, cracked the marketing, and now we are focused on improving flow, traffic, and ease of access.
As we continue to grow this event, we know that we will face many more obstacles. But as our past has shown, we know we will have the courage and fortitude to overcome them because we know our mission. We are here to Inform, Inspire, and Empower our artists, roasters, and attendees to share their ideas, build the community, and strive for a better future. The journey toward a greater tomorrow is never easy, but it’s always worth it! Let’s craft it together!
With love,
-The TBCAF Team
