The Coffee Purists Hate Her Drinks...Her Customers Can't Stop Ordering Them

MaryAshley didn't set out to start a business.

She went sugar free. Tried every syrup on the market. Hated all of them. So she started making her own at home — better flavor, less sugar, actually tasted like something.

Then people started asking about them.

Controlled Chaos Coffee was born out of a simple idea: coffee should be fun, it should taste good, and you shouldn't have to choose between flavor and quality. Mary Ashley brings that idea to a beverage cart that shows up wherever the people are — Walmart parking lots, elementary schools, fundraisers, corporate events, and everything in between.

The purists hate it. Her customers can't stop ordering it.

In this episode, Mary Ashley breaks down:

• Why she calls it a beverage cart and not a coffee truck (and why that distinction matters)
• How her bartending background changed the way she thinks about coffee
• The fluffernutter latte — peanut butter, marshmallow, banana — and why it works
• What a real day in the life of a mobile coffee cart owner actually looks like (spoiler: it's longer than the internet tells you)
• How she markets a business with no fixed location using nothing but consistency and social media
• Why she'll show up anywhere once — including your dog party

If you've ever thought about starting something but talked yourself out of it because you didn't know enough about the business side — this one's for you.

Find Controlled Chaos Coffee on Instagram: @controlled.chaos.coffee

Order online at controlledchaoscoffee.com

We Are Lake Norman is hosted by Ryan Webber of Webber Marketing. New episodes every week.

🎙️ Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.