Stamp Act Coffee is exploring new opportunities to bring its brews to the community

Stamp Act Coffee, founded by Seattle local Andrew Kent, is a small-batch coffee roaster that sources and sells unique, high-quality beans from all over the world.

A trained barista and coffee buyer who has worked with coffee growers and roasters from all over the world, Kent combined his knowledge and passion for coffee to start a business that’s taking the local coffee scene by storm. But as any small business owner knows, running a business—especially a roastery in a city where U.S. coffee culture got its start—requires more time and energy than one person can provide.

To ensure he could devote more time to his partner and young daughter, and explore new and creative opportunities for his business, Andrew hired Black Gallina to manage his business’ finances. Below, Andrew tells us how Black Gallina simplified his business processes and enabled him to spend more time doing what he wanted.

What made you hire Black Gallina?

I was spending so much of my time worrying about finances and trying to understand what the numbers meant and how they should inform my decisions. I thought I could do everything on my own, but the reality was that it was pulling me away from the things I’m good at, the things I wanted to spent time doing, and the people I wanted to spend time with. As a result, I wasn’t reaching the goals I had set for my business—and that was a big slice of humble pie. I realized that I needed to outsource financial management so I could help my business grow and be the best it could be.

What has your experience been working with Black Gallina?

Knowing that Black Gallina is accessible, affordable, and incredibly easy to work with gives me piece of mind. I don’t have to make decisions using only my intuition; Black Gallina gives me information and context about my numbers that allows me to make smart decisions. I’m learning to trust the numbers, which is challenging, but it takes a load off the small business owner by having someone else focus on those things.

In addition to easing my workflow, Black Gallina provides positive support, clarity, mental stability, friendship, and community. I get excited knowing someone trustworthy is in my corner and cares about our success.

What does it mean to you to be able to focus on the things you want to instead of the things you have to do?

Having time and energy to explore new creative opportunities motivates me to work hard and grow my business. It allows me to come back to my “why”—why I started this business in the first place and what encourages me to keep going. On a personal level, I’m not bringing my stress home, I’m not worrying about the numbers or the other business tasks that I don’t want to do or don’t have time to do.