Fort Family: Ujjo

We sat down with Ujjo owner Lauren D’Souza because we had one hot (and spicy) question to ask (see below). And spoiler alert… Lauren’s creations are delicious…

First… hot sauce for coffee?

Lauren: Haha, right? It’s one of those things that definitely shouldn’t work, and when my buddy Lucas dared me to throw some hot sauce in my coffee, I was honestly pretty grossed out. What I realized was that “traditional” hot sauce in coffee is gross, but spiciness adds a fun dimension to coffee, so I started wondering…how would a hot sauce need to change to bring out the best of coffee?

The idea of those two things combined is wildly creative. Do you have a background in wild creative ideas?

I don’t know if I have a background in wild creative ideas per se, but I did lean into the arts in college (I ended up with a double-major in English and Studio Art, and a minor in Theater) and I think that’s really helped me connect the dots in weird and fun ways.

Your Kickstarter blew up—did you see that coming?

Truthfully, I wasn’t really sure what was going to happen. On the one hand, I knew that our team crushed the creative side of the campaign (side note, Adam Brigham, who also has an office at The Stable, was the mastermind behind the Kickstarter video), but the idea of hot sauce for coffee is so wacky that I didn’t know if people would actually "get" it. I was stunned when we hit our goal on the first day, and the fact that we’re over $35k in sales now is absolutely wild.

What’s the biggest challenge for you right now?

Oh man, there’s a lot of challenges right now (but they’re all good challenges to have!) I think the biggest one is being a solo founder––one minute I’m brainstorming digital marketing ideas, the next I’m building financial projections with my accountant, and then I’m planning a sales strategy for an upcoming conference. There’s a lot of switching costs when you have to wear so many hats, but I’m learning a ton and having fun, and that’s what I’m prioritizing right now. As we start seeing some recurring revenue, it’ll be nice to have a team around me to lean on day-in and day-out.

Why did you choose The Stable to launch this venture?

I had always thought I was an introvert, but after a year spent working in my living room I started to realize just how much I wanted—needed, really—to be part of a vibrant and creative professional community. As Ujjo started growing and I realized I was going to need a place to store inventory, The Fort and The Stable were top of mind because of that network. Even though I’ve only been here about a month, I’ve already made some awesome connections and have some really fun collaborations in the works.

Where can people find you?

People can learn more about Ujjo through our website (ujjo.com) or our Kickstarter, which ends May 14 (this Friday!) at 11:59pm. Or if they want to check out our space at The Stable, I’m in Suite 112––I basically never leave anymore, so stop by anytime to say hello and grab a cup of coffee!