Cover Story:
The Business Of Bold – Kirsten Coté Built A Booming Alaskan Coffee Concept With A Sexy Twist!
In this edition of Athlete Entrepreneur, we dive into the inspiring journey of Kirsten Coté, a powerhouse in both the fitness and business worlds.
PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS BY BEN YOSEF
Recently dominating at November 2024 IPL APEX VIII in Phoenix, Arizona with five first-place wins, including two Pro titles and three new Pro Cards, Kirsten’s dedication to fitness has propelled her to new heights. But her ambition doesn’t stop there—she’s also co-owner of The Brew & View, a thriving Alaskan coffee shop that combines fitness culture with a sexy twist. In this exclusive cover story, Kirsten shares how she seamlessly merges her passions, balancing her dual careers, and how she’s redefining the coffee shop experience with boldness, flair, and a commitment to empowering women.
ATHLETE ENTREPRENEUR: Kirsten, congratulations on your recent success at IPL APEX VIII! Winning five 1st place titles, including two Pro wins, and three new Pro Cards is no small feat. How did you prepare for such an intense competition, and what did this contest and these victories mean to you?
KIRSTEN COTÉ: Thank you so much! It was a whirlwind of a day, that’s for sure. Prepping for this competition was definitely tough. Both physically and mentally. I had just done the IPL Golden Heart Classic in Fairbanks, Alaska two months prior to this show. I gave myself a week off and then decided to get a little more serious about prep. I actually started up with intermittent fasting and incorporated a little extra cardio before APEX. That definitely made a huge difference in cutting and I did get leaner than I ever had in previous competitions.
Regarding the mental aspect of prep, which I think everyone struggles with…I told myself I wasn’t going to sacrifice my social life just for a competition. Being around my friends and family makes me happy and not isolating myself to the house or gym really helped a lot with staying more consistent.
I’m honestly still in awe that I won so many 1st place titles. I never expected that. I just wanted to go up there and have a good time with other wonderful competitors that share the same passion as I do.
I WANTED TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO THE COMMUNITY THAT THIS IS A PROFESSIONAL, CLASSY ESTABLISHMENT WITH…A NICE VIEW.
AE: You co-own The Brew & View Coffee shop in Alaska, a 100% women-owned and operated business. What inspired you to merge your passion for fitness with the world of entrepreneurship, and how did the idea for the coffee shop come about?
KC: My idea for The Brew & View came from further developing on other “bikini” coffee shops. Alaska had a few of them already, but what they didn’t have is good customer service, or classy behavior. I hire like-minded women who enjoy being healthy, fit, and professional. I wanted to make it clear to the community that this is a professional, classy establishment with…a nice view.
I suppose the inspiration for the merge of The Brew & View with fitness is probably driven by the creation of a community-focused location that promotes healthy living while also providing quality coffee and food.
AE: At The Brew & View, you have a unique concept where the baristas are dressed in sexy, scantily clad attire. Can you share the inspiration behind this distinctive approach, and how do you balance fun with professionalism in your business?
THERE ARE COFFEE SHOPS ON EVERY CORNER HERE IN ALASKA. IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL YOU NEED TO HAVE AN EDGE. OURS IS “SCANTILY CLAD ATTIRE” ON ATTRACTIVE WOMEN AND GOOD FOOD MADE FRESH.
KC: There are coffee shops on every corner here in Alaska. In order to be successful you need to have an edge. Ours is “scantily clad attire” on attractive women AND good food made fresh. Balancing fun and professionalism is essential for creating a positive work environment. You need to understand your customers. Different individuals have different comfort levels with humor and casualness. You need to know how and when to use humor appropriately. I also set clear boundaries for what can and cannot be discussed with our customers. Our atmosphere is generally very fun, but our customers know that even though our attire is sexy, they need to speak to us with respect.
AE: As a successful businesswoman and athlete, you clearly have a lot of experience managing both fitness and business. What strategies do you use to stay organized and focused on your dual careers?
KC: Well, it did take me about 5 years to figure out a good balance between fitness and entrepreneurship and it was definitely tough those first few years. As a business owner I want to be involved in everything so that I know duties are being done correctly, but that is unrealistic (at least for me). I started delegating my duties out one by one and occasionally I have to pick those duties back up, but at least I’m not doing them all at one time anymore. Then the company became co-owned and that helped relieve some of the burden and allowed me to get back into my passion of fitness. Since about 2023 I’ve been able to slowly get back into fitness competing and making more of a name for myself in the fitness industry.
AE: The Brew & View offers delicious drinks, breakfast, and made-to-order lunch items. How do you ensure that your business stands out in such a competitive industry, especially in Alaska, where local flavor and community are so important?
WE STRIVE TO BUILD WOMEN UP, NOT TEAR THEM DOWN. WE WANT WOMEN TO KNOW THAT WE AREN’T JUST HERE TO SERVE COFFEE IN LINGERIE.
KC: Well, you said it…all our food is made to order. Competitors in the area generally prep their food and then reheat it. All our food items are made to order in a cast iron skillet, and I think that is one of the reasons we really stand out, obviously besides being in “scantily clad” attire.
We are also well loved because we have excellent customer service skills. We love to chat with our customers about their day, travel plans, dogs, kids…etc. We stand out because we actually care about our customers and the products they receive.
AE: What challenges have you faced as a female entrepreneur in the competitive coffee shop industry, and how have you overcome them?
KC: Oh, many, many challenges. And some we are still working on. Stereotyping was probably our biggest challenge. We encounter preconceived opinions of our morals based on how we dress. Especially with women. We simply focused on showing people that we are women that empower other women. We strive to build women up, not tear them down. We want women to know that we aren’t just here to serve coffee in lingerie. We are here to show men, women…anyone that we are strong, independent, and confident women who are comfortable with their bodies, and we want to spread that notion far and wide. And it did work. About 40% of our customers are female. when we first opened, it was likely around 10%.
AE: What advice do you have for other athletes who are considering starting their own business?
MAKE WHATEVER DREAM YOU WANT TO HAPPEN…IN THE END, YOU’LL BE SO PROUD OF YOURSELF FOR WHAT YOU HAVE CREATED…
KC: Owning a business isn’t easy, but it is worth it. You’re going to work really hard, but your hard work is directly for YOU and no one else. You will be the reason it succeeds. My advice is to make whatever dream you want to happen. It won’t be without ups and downs and sometimes you’re going to ask yourself why you decided to do it. But in the end, you’ll be so proud of yourself for what you have created from literally nothing.
AE: Looking ahead, what are your goals for The Brew & View Coffee shop and your fitness career? What new projects or challenges are you excited to take on in the coming years?
KC: We are working on opening a third location by Fall 2025, so that’s the next big goal. And one goal is enough for now. [smiles] For my passion of fitness, I’m just going to keep doing what I’ve been doing…having fun. I am very excited to try some new divisions that the IPL offers!
AE: Finally, you are on an incredible run within the IPL! Congratulations again. When will we see you back on the IPL stage?
KC: Thank you so much! I will be back on the IPL stage in May 2025 at the IPL Arizona Championship! AE
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