Amy and Scott Angelo of Oceana Coffee (front) accept their $10,000 grant from judges Robbin Lee, Mark Bellissimo, Jeff Brown and Tre Zimmerman.
Xcelerate Wellington 2.0 Awards Grants To Coffee Roaster And Menswear Store Story and Photos by Julie Unger
Amy and Scott Angelo of Oceana Coffee wowed a four-judge panel at Xcelerate Wellington 2.0, a special entrepreneurship event hosted by the Young Professionals of Wellington on Jan. 25 at the Wanderers Club. Oceana Coffee edged out runner-up Aquaco Farms and finalists AllerCheck and Direct Dispatch. After presenting their company, winning the grant was a milestone accomplishment for the Oceana Coffee owners. “We were surprised and kind of overwhelmed, but it definitely makes you feel validated in what you’re doing and that you’re on the right track with your business. It’s an amazing achievement,” Amy said. “We’re super passionate about the product and where it comes from. We’re all about the coffee.”
Judges Tre Zimmerman of Ubicquia and Wellington Regional Medical Center CEO Robbin Lee were impressed with the company. Lee felt that the owners showed entrepreneurial drive and epitomized the American spirit. Zimmerman looked for scalability and sustainability with the business model and where the $10,000 grant would have the greatest impact. “We weren’t looking at it as awarding a prize,” Zimmerman said. “Where would we put our money? That was where we all agreed. If we were going
to place our own personal capital into funding and growing a business, it was going to be the coffee business.” Working with groups such as the Young Professionals also helps them refine their pitch, Scott said, which, as the company grows, will help them when approaching larger investors. The grant will help toward opening at kiosk at 189 Bradley Place on Palm Beach and is also helping with a new cold-brew program. “We have our ready-to-drink cold brew in cans, and also in bottles coming,” Amy said. Growing the company and reaching as many people as they can, as well as opening the new location, is what Amy is looking forward to in the coming months. They already have two locawellington the magazine | march 2017
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