Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy Aguirre
Hi Nancy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Cenizo started as an idea that had been brewing for years. We bought our home in Southeast Austin in 2020 and immediately noticed there was no good specialty coffee nearby. Just a few months later, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Harrison lost his job. Those days were filled with anxiety and disbelief, but during that time, we floated the idea of opening a community coffee shop because we saw the need as residents in the area ourselves. We ultimately put it on hold due to the high investment risk, especially with a new job opportunity that thankfully came up in Georgia. With so much uncertainty, we packed up and moved there in a matter of weeks.
Fast forward to January 2023, after returning to Austin from our short stint in Georgia, we looked at each other and said, “There’s still no coffee here. Let’s do it!” This time, we saw it as a way to be self-reliant while meeting a real need in our community. So, we jumped in. We incorporated that week, and from there, everything started falling into place. We went from concept to reality in just a couple of months—wild, considering neither of us had any service, barista, or coffee experience beyond being regular consumers! It meant a lot of late nights and long days, especially while juggling corporate jobs. One day we were incorporating, the next we were sourcing suppliers, buying the trailer, equipment, and POS system—there was no shortage of tasks. By mid-March, we were doing soft opens, and by early April, we were serving our first cup of espresso.
It’s been a crazy ride, but we’re thrilled to fill a real need in the neighborhood and share our love for quality coffee and community with everyone who stops by.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road… but rewarding, absolutely. There have been, and still are, a lot of challenges every day. I think many people have misconceptions about running a business—sometimes it’s seen as an easy journey. But when you truly care about the health of your business and your team, it can be all-consuming. From the start, we decided our coffee trailer would be open daily. In theory, it was a great idea and helped us build the loyal customer base we have today. But as new business and coffee shop owners, it definitely pushed us to our limits at the time.
Like most new businesses, we didn’t have documented processes or SOPs in place, and our team was small. Some of our struggles were growing pains, but the majority were random, on-the-spot challenges. Every day brings something new, but ultimately, it makes us stronger. It sounds cliché, but it’s true—those tough moments have been the ones that helped us grow and get better at what we do.
As you know, we’re big fans of Cenizo. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Cenizo is a coffee trailer based in southeast Austin, serving specialty coffee along with hyper-local pastries and bites. My family (Nancy’s) is from Mexico City, so you’ll definitely notice some Mexican influence in our menu offerings. What sets Cenizo apart is our commitment to both quality and community. One of our most popular drinks year-round is the iced horchata latte, made with scratch-made horchata. Other special menu items include our cafe de olla syrup. There’s intentionality behind every menu item, and outside of our coffee, the majority of our offerings are sourced hyper-locally. We’re proud to source our espresso beans from Talisman Coffee, a single-family, single-farm based in Nicaragua.
We started with the simple idea of filling a need in our neighborhood—serving locally-sourced, high-quality coffee while contributing to our community. What we’re most proud of, though, is the connections we’ve made along the way. Harrison and I often talk about how through Cenizo, we’ve gotten to know so many people in our neighborhood that we never would have met otherwise. Ultimately, we’re proud of the sense of community we’ve been able to build.
How do you think about luck?
Of course, luck plays a role. But we believe in “making your own luck”—positioning ourselves to recognize and take advantage of opportunities when they come.
For example, we could say it’s lucky that we set up shop in an up-and-coming neighborhood that needed a coffee option. But so did about 8,000 other people. What sets us apart is the intentionality and hard work that have shaped Cenizo into what it is today.
We might also say it’s lucky that our signature drinks became popular. But that would ignore the hours of daily prep, the time spent perfecting recipes, and the storytelling that helps people understand what makes Cenizo different.
Luck might give you a shot, but what you do with it is what really matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cenizoatx.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cenizoatx/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/cenizoatx
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cenizoatx
- Other: https://maps.app.goo.gl/piXL39F15FZBNWMb8
