"The Journey of Building Leaven: From Shanghai Brewmaster to Taiwan Coffee Entrepreneur”

When I decided to start Leaven, I knew I had to go all in. After graduating from the University of Texas, I had been a brewmaster in Shanghai for years, but after quitting my last job, I knew I wanted something of my own. However, starting a brewery in Taiwan was a whole different ballgame; we're talking about millions of dollars in investment, let alone building one. I had limited capital and was unfamiliar with the market, so I had to get creative.

The process of "searching" for my ikigai took some time, but in the end, I decided to utilize the skills I had acquired during my brewing career and got certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA). Not only did this give me the knowledge and skills to succeed in the coffee industry, but it also gave me the credibility and connections I needed to build a strong foundation for my business.

As I studied and trained, I realized that the principles of brewing coffee and craft beer were actually pretty similar. Both required attention to detail, a focus on quality, and a commitment to innovation. So, I decided to combine my passions for both under one roof and create Leaven.

Building Leaven from the ground up was no easy feat. It was a never-ending marathon. As it's still a one-man show so far, it took long hours, hard work, and a lot of trial and error. Finding the right location was also a challenge, and it took many iterations of designs to get the space to its final form. And we're still not done yet - the second floor is still a work in progress. But through it all, I was determined to create a thriving business that would be a destination for coffee and craft beer lovers.

Now, as we enter 2023, we're excited to continue sharing our passion for fermentation with our customers and push the boundaries of what's possible in the world of specialty drinks. Our name, Leaven, comes from the process of fermentation, which is used to make something better and bigger. It's also the process that helps bread rise, which is fitting as our business has been a slow and steady rise. The pronunciation of Leaven sounds like the Chinese word 樂坊, which means a happy place. This is where we get our slogan, "Happiness is bubbling," as bubbling is a sign of good fermentation. We believe that good fermentation leads to good things, and that's what we strive for at Leaven.