Nirvana Soul in San Jose, California is not where you go to bury yourself in a book or work quietly on your computer. Colorful artwork lines the walls and upbeat music fills the air. You'll meet someone new during your visit, as the chatty bartenders and owners float around the tables to chat with CLIENTS.

Sisters Jeronica Macey and Be'Anka Ashaolu started coffee shop in 2018 to create a space for belonging. They wanted people to have a space where they could experience community or come to make a friend. Since day one, they have poured their efforts into curating an energetic and welcoming environment in the store.

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Nirvana Soul's close-knit community feel is a big draw for customers, including Yelp Elite and Community Intern Camy T. A student at the local college, Camy attends Nirvana Soul to study, work on art, and hang out with friends. “Cafés downtown were missing that community aspect,” she said. “But when Nirvana Soul came to town, things changed in my view. It became a hub for many college students to study, create art, showcase their talent at open mic night, and meet people of young, especially creative.”

The team of Be'Anka and Jeronica laid the foundations for the store's accessible and inviting feel. Their friendly staff are eager to answer questions and make an effort to “knock on the table,” walking up to each customer to ask how they're doing and offer them water. “We just try to put in little happy moments, so (people) have great coffee and a great experience at the same time,” Be'Anka said.

The owners admit that their departure from the traditional coffee shop work environment can lead to misunderstandings and sometimes critical feedback. They need to learn how to respond when criticism comes from someone who may not be in their target audience.

“Change is hard, isn't it?” Be'Anka asked. “So sometimes, it's almost like a culture shock. We've had comments where people say, 'This is not what a coffee shop is supposed to be.' And we say, 'Okay, I hear you, but maybe it's different than what you're used to it and we can be a little more open-minded'.”

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Reviews like these can actually be a helpful way to do it sets expectations for future customers about the store experience. By clearly communicating how your business works, prospective customers will have a better sense of what to expect and can decide if it's a good fit for their needs. In her time running Nirvana Soul, Be'Anka has learned value of all responsespositive and critical, to help him optimize the customer experience.

Be'Anka also emphasized the importance of sharing your comments at this time. While Camy loves the atmosphere and food at Nirvana Soul, she mentioned in her 4-star review that the sweet flavors in her drink were outstanding. Criticisms like these are easy fixes that the Nirvana Soul baristas are happy to accommodate in the moment.

“We'd rather (hear it in person) than read about it later, because now you're out there in the world with a drink you hate. We could have gotten you something better and you're already gone.” said Be'Anka.

As a consumer, Camy feels a responsibility to provide thoughtful feedback, always striving to help businesses improve.

“I think people get into the realm of people-pleasing a little bit,” she said. “You want to make people feel good, but you're also sacrificing your needs as a consumer by not letting a business know if something might change. We're in an era of improvement, growth, and I think it's important to criticized from time to time”.

As a business, apart from being responses to feedback, creating touchpoints with your customers on social media is an important way to make them feel like a valued part of your community. As Be'Anka builds Soul's Nirvana social media presence, she makes an effort to repost posts from clients whenever she can. These expressions of appreciation go a long way with regular people like Camy.

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“I think it's really cool to trade that for a business,” Camy said. “I come here often. You understand that, you value me as your customer and I am committed to your business.”

Be'Anka also emphasizes the importance of being consistent and active on social media. If you find social media intimidating, start small. It's better to post a simple photo every day than to let the need for a “perfect” feed stop you from posting.

“I just take pictures of anything. It doesn't matter what it is. It could be a drink, it could be a piece of art, it could be a scene in a store. You don't have to say much. You can describe what's in the picture you can say 'good morning.' It doesn't even matter because tomorrow is another day and maybe you should post the next picture.”

Above all, Nirvana Soul is a space for community, a key part of which is representation. During their six years in business, Be'Anka and Jeronica have showcased the work of over 65 artists, including female artists and artists of color, with the goal of creating a space where diverse voices are seen and elevated.

While the store celebrates its role as one of the few black- and women-owned businesses in San Jose, Be'Anka admits that the quality of Nirvana Soul's experience is what shines through to customers at the end of the day.

“We know there will be people who will find us because we are black-owned,” Be'Anka said. “We also know it's not going to be one-and-done with them because they're going to come in, they're going to love the experience and they know it's a Black-owned experience. And then they're going to come back and bring more people – because after a certain point, it's just great coffee and a great experience.”

In addition to staying true to your mission and vision, Nirvana Soul believes in:

• Customer engagement during their visit to your business. Create a space where they feel comfortable talking, asking questions and raising any concerns they may have.
• Maintaining an active presence on social media. Frequent posts and reposts welcome customers to your online community and show your appreciation for their support.
• Using online reviews to understand, optimize and set expectations for the customer experience. Learn when to apply critical feedback and when to admit that you cannot provide what a particular customer is looking for.

Listen to the episode below to hear live from Be'Anka and Camy, and Subscribe to After the Review for more from new business owners and reviewers every Thursday.

Available at: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora AND Soundcloud.

Editorial contributions by Callie Morgan and Kristi Lindahl