Cafe Cà Phê Founder Forges Community, Culture and Inclusivity in Columbus Park

Like every small business, Cafe Cà Phê started out as an idea.  

At the onset of the pandemic, Jackie Nguyen quit her job as a Broadway performer and moved to Kansas City to brew up a new coffee business.  

But her dream was more than coffee and pastries. As a first-generation, Vietnamese-American woman, she envisioned a shop that cultivates a culture around its coffee — and curates a space where Kansas City’s Asian-American community could feel welcome and celebrated.  

Amid the onset of the pandemic, Nguyen set out on her entrepreneurial dream by serving beverages out of a food truck. While the mobile cafe quickly garnered a following, she aspired for a dedicated location in which to build community.  

A major roadblock, however, was how she’d fund a brick-and-mortar location. Fortunately for Nguyen, she learned about AltCap through InnovateHER’s Facebook page, an organization dedicated to female entrepreneurs. 

After receiving her peers’ endorsements, Nguyen took a chance and entered Cafe Cà Phê into the AltCap Your Biz: Pitch Competition. The annual contest is a platform for small business owners to compete to win cash prizes and mentorship from AltCap and its partners.  

“The fact that there was a competition for small businesses in town where you could showcase what your business is all about, what your intentions are, and what your plans are — I'm so happy that even exists,“ she said. 

Jackie Nguyen

Nguyen earned a nod as a finalist and went on to pitch her business alongside nine other entrepreneurs for a panel of judges at the 2021 Closing Your Deal event.  

Judges scrutinized finalists’ application videos, business proposals, and live pitches. The process was challenging for Nguyen and with $20,000 and her vision of making a cultural impact on the line, the stakes were high.

After impressing judges with her vision and enthusiasm, Nguyen edged out competitors to win the grand prize.  

That $20,000 meant the difference between working from a food truck and transitioning to a permanent location. Nguyen finally had the funds to begin the process of building her brick-and-mortar cafe. Not long after, she put down a deposit on a new building, paid off the first three months of rent, hired a contractor to build a restroom, and purchased equipment. 

A year later, Cafe Cà Phê’s new location is now open. The space serves as a popular meeting spot in Kansas City's Columbus Park neighborhood, a diverse area with Vietnamese, Italian, and Sicilian immigrants.  

The “Hella Good” and “Electric” drinks by Cafe Cà Phê. The Hella Good features Vietnamese espresso with ube syrup, oat milk, condensed milk drizzle and ice.

Already fulfilling her community-focused vision, Nguyen has hosted several events and pop-ups for small businesses, attracting hundreds of patrons across Kansas City. The funding, Nguyen said, helped make it possible. 

“Winning that money was probably the biggest blessing and resource that AltCap could have provided for me,” said Nguyen. 

Keep up with Cafe Cà Phê, follow them on Instagram @cafecaphe or visit their website at cafecaphe.com. Learn more about the AltCap Your Biz: Pitch Competition here.