Today we’d like to introduce you to Bree Cummins.
Hi Bree, 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?
Although I just launched Brisa Coffee a few months ago, I’ve been surrounded by the hospitality industry my entire life and always knew I wanted to create something bigger than myself. I grew up in San Diego, California where my parents were pastors of a small local church. Through them, I learned the power of serving others and building communiy.
In 2013, I moved to Texas to serve in full time ministry while studying psychology, where I deepened my understanding of human connection—both inside and outside the classroom. It was also where my love for local coffee shops began. That season of life inspired me to foster community and connection in every aspect of what I do, values that are now at the very core of Brisa Coffee.
I went on to experience various roles in hospitality with incredible companies like lululemon, where I was mentored on the importance of vision, values, and goal-setting—tools I still practice today. In 2019, my partner, Chris, and I got married and moved to Tennessee to start our family. During the pandemic, I became a stay-at-home mom to our two BEAUTIFUL girls, Addy (4) and Ellie (2). While motherhood has been my most meaningful calling, I found myself craving a creative outlet so I became a part-time barista at my local coffee shop – however, the dream of opening my own coffee shop resurfaced stronger than ever—this time, as a mama who wanted to make her babies and husband proud.
Little did I know, God would begin opening doors for me to pursue this dream sooner than later. By what felt like pure luck, I crossed paths with renowned, organic coffee roasters here in Nashville (shoutout to Jonathan and Parker at Bongo Roasting Co!)—they were genuine, kind, and incredibly knowledgeable. They mentored me as I shared my business vision. When I left their facility, my soul felt on fire and I knew, without a doubt, that this was exactly where I was meant to be.
The very next weekend, I set up a table in front of my house and began giving away free cold brew & matcha to anyone who would stop by. All donations went towards saving for a coffee cart & espresso machine. The response was overwhelming— I had lines down my sidewalk and people were incredibly generous and supportive..
In September 2025 (about a month later), we officially launched Brisa Coffee Cart. Within my first few months, I went from serving coffee in my front yard to partnering with brands like Lululemon, Vuori, Amazon Corporate, Imogene + Willie, and White’s Mercantile.
I am full of gratitude for this journey, It’s been a dream having my husband and babies visit and talk about “mommy’s coffee shop” with pride – one day they will see how much courage it took to put myself out there into the world again after having babies. It truly takes a village and I am beyond thankful for mines – and beyond excited for what is to come.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Becoming a business owner while raising babies has been harder—yet more fulfilling—than I ever could have imagined. As a mompreneur, time is both precious and limited. Running a business and raising children both require my full presence—there’s no clocking out of either role. But I’m learning to balance my time and my mental health by being intentional with every moment. My kids often come with me on milk runs, and I do admin/creative work like recipe testing after bedtime. Prioritizing my mental health, my family, and my business has meant saying “no” more often in this season—which is hard because I naturally want to say yes to everything, but it has made our “hell yeahs” incredibly meaningful. I’ve found most people to be supportive and understanding as a momprenuer, and when they’re not, I truly believe it’s because they haven’t experienced what it’s like to build a business while raising children and breaking generational cycles. It’s a lifestyle that’s hard to fully empathize with unless you’ve lived it.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Brisa Coffee Co?
At Brisa Coffee Co, we bring a high quality coffee shop experience to you. We specialize in making all of our syrups and creams from scratch using real, organic ingredients. We proudly partner with Bongo Roasting Co in Nashville for our organic coffee beans, who is also committed to fair trade with the farmers. We locally and sustainably source our whole milk from JD Country Farms, who serve all natural, hormone free, low temperature pasteurized milk (as close to farm fresh as possible). We offer a full espresso and matcha bar that is thoughtfully designed to elevate events and leave guests feeling connected – while also offering custom brand activations and barista hospitality. Whether you’re hosting an intimate or larger event, planning a wedding, launching a new product, or looking to creatively engage with guests through upscale coffee, we work to bring your unique vision to life.
You can also find us at White’s Mercantile on 12s every Friday and Saturday from 10am-3pm, and Sundays 11am-3pm!
How do you think about happiness?
It makes me happy to be able to pour into my team of baristas the way that I was poured into as a twenty-something year old. My team is young, motivated, and in a season of both discovery and unknowns so I love being able to mentor them with “unreasonable hospitality” while building them up as a person…I also love taking orders and helping people discover their personal favorite drink outside of a vanilla latte – I call it coffee consulting! haha I also love when someone takes a picture of a drink I just made. Next to a tip, it’s the biggest compliment!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brisacoffeeco/
