HN: How I'm building my business through pop-ups

There are a reported 653 coffee companies in Colorado.  Where does the Guesthouse fit in?

When I first got into this business, I knew that I wanted to build something bigger than just another cafe. Coffee has always been about more than just a drink to me—it’s about the community that can form around it. As much as I knew that I needed a great product to keep up with the incredible roasters already in Denver, I also needed real connections—people who believed in what I was creating and wanted to be part of it.  That’s where pop-up events, and my collaboration with Lizzie Chafin, came in.

For our events, Lizzie, a Denver real estate expert, brought her deep knowledge of the residential housing market and an energy that could light up a room, while I brought a coffee experience designed to make people feel at home. Our main goal: to make authentic connections.  I’ll be the first to admit that my coffee is delicious, but not groundbreaking.  However, the relationships that I build along the way will be the part of my business that sets me apart.  Together, Lizzie and I hosted pop-ups in unexpected spaces all over the city, including luxury home showings and apartment complexes, boutique shops, and local businesses.  At first, these events felt like experiments. Would people show up? Would they engage with us?   When we focused on created an atmosphere where people felt welcomed and listened to as the primary mission, it turns out they do.

These events weren’t just about selling coffee or real estate; they were about starting conversations.  We met transplants from outside of Denver looking for new friends, entrepreneurs launching their own ventures, and leasing managers who respected our desire to connect with their residents.  When we were invited back for follow up events, new visitors became friends, others became collaborators, and many became advocates—spreading the word about the Guesthouse and Lizzie long after our event ended. The ripple effect was real: one introduction led to another, and soon, we had a growing network of people who wanted to support and work with us in our own companies.

What surprised me most was how natural these connections felt. I’ll admit, I get nervous before events because of the number of people that I anticipate talking to.  I’m also not great at selling things, which is a necessary part of the business I need to get better at.  But I always leave energized when I meet someone who feels more like a friend than a customer, regardless of whether than decide to buy my coffee.  Instead of traditional networking and sales—where the goal is to exchange business cards and make an impression—these events created organic relationships.  There just happened to be really good coffee there as well. 

The biggest lesson I’ve learned? Create value first. Instead of focusing on what I could gain, I focused on making the experience memorable for others.  I wanted every event to feel like an invitation into something special, a place where people could come to connect with more than just coffee company #654 and another real estate broker, but with Ian and Lizzie.  And because of that, my network and business expanded naturally—one cup, one conversation, one relationship at a time.  

Now, 200+ days into this journey, I realize that the foundation of relationships built at these events is what’s fueling my next phase: how can the Guesthouse Coffee Bar help people connect on even bigger stages?  Stay tuned.

Stay positive,

Ian

P.S. I've run a lot of events at apartment buildings in Denver. Here are a few that Lizzie and I loved and can't wait to get back to:

Parq on Speer

Coda Cherry Creek

Aspire 7th and Grant (we supply their community coffee)