Giovanni and Catherine Roberts share a love of coffee, and their business, Word Coffee in Fayetteville, was born from their combined experience, dreams, convictions and passion for coffee.

The couple met in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where Giovanni helped open a coffee lab, and Catherine was a barista in another shop. He started as a barista at 16, working his way up to management and consulting. Catherine began as a barista in college and eventually helped open a coffee shop that focused on refugee resettlement. "We always knew one day we would open a coffee shop together," Giovanni said.

The Roberts were referred to the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center by their banker in charge of SBA loans at First National Bank of NWA.

Working with ASBTDC consultant Lori Lieblong, they tackled the challenge of creating a business plan and developed financial projections needed for the loan package. "I found it very beneficial to be given an outline of the documents and questions that I needed to fill out for the bank to approve my loan request," Roberts said. "Lori went over my answers and data before presenting it to the bank, giving me the confidence and preparation as a first-time business owner."

Word Coffee opened in late 2023 and is dedicated to serving quality coffee as well as a commitment to the value of a living wage from the farmers who produce the beans to the barista who serves the beverage. The couple encourages community with a place for good coffee and to gather to talk about the things people care about. "We believe when something is shared by word of mouth it has greater impact — that is why we have branded ourselves Word Coffee," they shared.

Along with great coffee and high-end teas, offerings include pastries from Briar Rose Bakery, house-made croissant sandwiches and a rotating menu of drinks.

"We hope to serve you coffee someday, but more than that, we strive for authentic conversations," Giovanni said. "Stop in, grab a coffee and say hello."

About the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center at the University of Arkansas: The ASBTDC helps small businesses in Northwest Arkansas thrive. With offices in Fayetteville and Bentonville, ASBTDC consultants provide one-on-one confidential consulting at no cost to the client and in-person and virtual trainings and workshops to help entrepreneurs gain the knowledge and skill to be successful. The center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and is a unit of the Division of Economic Development, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.