Margaret Nyamumbo never imagined that a cup of coffee could change the course of her life, but today it has done more than that. At 36, she has built Kahara 1893, a specialty coffee brand that brought in over $3 million in revenue last year, all while empowering women farmers across Africa.

Her story began far from the coffee fields she now champions. On Wall Street, Margaret was one of the few Black women navigating the high-pressure, fast-paced world of finance. “I survived on coffee,” she recalls with a laugh. “It kept me awake, focused, and motivated to rise.” But despite her professional success, something was missing, a sense of purpose and connection to her roots.

Born and raised in a small town in western Kenya, Margaret grew up on a coffee farm. She saw that women carried most of the labor yet were often overlooked and undervalued. That early observation planted the seed for what would become Kahara 1893. The brand’s name reflects its mission: Kahara, meaning coffee in Swahili, and 1893, the year coffee was first commercially cultivated in Kenya. Through QR codes on her packaging, customers can tip the very farmers who grow the beans, creating a direct link between producers and consumers.

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Margaret left Wall Street to pursue coffee, despite her parents’ concerns. “They didn’t see it as a prestigious career,” she admits. “It was almost embarrassing to them that I chose coffee. But I loved what I was doing more than I had loved banking.” Her passion and commitment carried her through long days of roasting, tasting, packaging, and managing logistics, often from early morning until late at night. The first year was entirely self-funded, reinvesting every profit back into the business.

Then came the pandemic, a moment that threatened everything. With $50,000 in credit card debt and the business at risk, Margaret considered taking a part-time job. But a lifeline came unexpectedly. Trader Joe’s expressed interest in carrying her coffee brand. It was a breakthrough, the first Black woman-owned coffee brand in the retailer’s stores, and a turning point that launched Kahara 1893 into broader retail success, including partnerships with Target and Sprouts.

Today, Margaret remains hands-on in every aspect of her company. She cups the coffee, selects beans, oversees marketing strategies, and meets with investors, all while ensuring that the company’s mission stays at the forefront, empowering women and creating economic opportunity in Africa. The packaging reflects vibrant African colors and safari-inspired designs, a nod to Kenya’s landscapes and heritage.

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For Margaret, the success of Kahara 1893 is measured not just in sales but in the impact on the women who grow the coffee. “The more coffee we distribute, the more farmers we can support, and the greater the impact on the ground,” she says. Beyond the numbers, she finds joy in the smiles and dignity her work brings to others, a reminder that a simple cup of coffee can carry a world of change.

From Wall Street to the coffee fields, Margaret Nyamumbo has proven that business can be profitable, purposeful, and transformative all at once.