Seventeen-year-old Natalia Jurado has taken it a step further by launching and operating her own coffee trailer while many teenagers work as baristas.
Jurado, a student at Rio Rancho High School who also takes online classes at Central New Mexico Community College, owns Pink Pour Co., a mobile coffee business that serves specialty drinks.
She began taking coffee orders from her home in February, but demand quickly outgrew the available space.
“When the orders started piling up, our house just couldn’t handle it anymore,” Jurado said. “That’s when we decided to open a trailer.”
Pink Pour Co. officially opened its trailer in early June.
Jurado’s workday begins around 4:30 a.m. She hitches the trailer, prepares homemade cold foam and syrups, and handles nearly every aspect of the business. “We don’t use whipped cream,” she said. “Everything is homemade.”
Running the business has also meant learning responsibilities beyond making coffee. “I never knew about the business side,” Jurado said. “I never knew about permits, business licenses, or filing gross receipts taxes every single month.”
She said the administrative demands have been overwhelming at times. “I’ve cried multiple times in my truck,” she said. “But I remind myself that I’m doing this for myself and to build a community.”
Jurado said she has already built a loyal customer base, something she hopes will sustain the business as she returns to school this fall. Because she is still a minor, the business is legally under her mother’s name. Once she turns 18 in September, ownership will be transferred to her.
Pink Pour Co. operates from the parking lot of a Lowe’s store in Rio Rancho. Jurado said her mother helps whenever she can, and she plans to repay her for helping launch the business.
Despite running a growing business, Jurado will continue her senior year of high school online while taking courses through Central New Mexico Community College.
As she looks ahead, Jurado said she believes there is no time to waste. “I’m getting older,” she said. “I’m building my future now.”
