Vincent Chiclacos, Founder of Kicco Koffie, Shares His Story Of Overcoming the Odds, Building a Business and The Power of Giving Back
Vincent Chiclacos created Kicco Koffie with a dream of leveraging his business to make a difference in marginalized communities.
Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, Vincent is no stranger to hardship. He was born homeless and raised by his single mother and grandmother. Although they showered him with love and support, the family struggled to make ends meet. Growing up poor, Vincent quickly developed a “scrappiness” that he attributes to his success today. “Early on, I learned that I had to hustle to be able to buy the things I wanted or needed.” Later on, this hustle would translate to a knack for idea innovation. After graduating from Colorado State University with a degree in Kinesiology, Vincent landed his first job selling pilates equipment, where he developed an affinity for business and sales. He went on to obtain his MBA from Regis University and began to teach himself search engine optimization (SEO) and other marketing skills.
Over the next decade, he worked for multiple companies from start-ups to large corporations and continued to hone his business and marketing expertise. It was while doing marketing for a national CBD brand that Vincent began to realize the gap in branding and marketing services that existed within the CBD industry. He was intrigued by CBD and its growing popularity. This interest, combined with his love for coffee and desire to develop a philanthropic business entity led to the creation of Kicco Koffie in early 2019.
Kicco Koffie is an organically sourced and locally roasted, CBD infused coffee company based out of Denver, CO. When added to coffee, CBD enhances the effects of caffeine while combating the negative side effects (i.e jitteriness, the crash, etc.) Beyond being delicious, sustainably sourced coffee, Kicco Koffie exists as a means of giving back to the community.
As a transgender person who grew up in poverty, Vincent is no stranger to facing and overcoming extreme challenges. “If it hadn’t been for the mentors in my life, I would not be where I am today,” Vincent explains. He credits the mentorship of a middle school teacher, Carol Hill, the love and support of his grandmother, and his mother’s incredible work ethic as the motivating factors that kept him going. “I had all the reasons to go down the wrong path, but my support system and personal ambitions guided my journey, even in the darkest hours.”
Today, Vincent is passionate about providing that same support system he had to others. He intentionally keeps a very diverse advisory board that includes more women than men and many voices from people of color and the LGBTQ+ community. Vincent says he wants to create a business that celebrates diversity, while also encouraging those that may be struggling with their identity, or from an underprivileged background, that they too can go after their dreams. Vincent is particularly passionate about pouring into marginalized youths and members of the trans community that may feel entirely alone. Through Kicco Koffie, he hopes to give that community a voice, and the opportunity to develop valuable business and marketing skills to find great jobs or found companies of their own one day.
Because Vincent is dedicated to giving back on a global scale as well, he has intentionally aligned himself with partners and charitable organizations with a shared vision. Kicco Koffie roasts their beans with Hannah Ulbrich of Copper Door Coffee, who sources beans from farms with female representation. Additionally, Vincent has teamed up with Creamos, a partner of Safe Passage that provides education and employment opportunities to Guatemalan women in severe poverty. Each purchase of coffee from Kicco Koffie contains a unique item made by one of the empowered women in this program.
As Vincent looks ahead to the coming months, he is aglow with anticipation, his passion both inspiring and moving. “I am proud to say I overcame the odds, from being transgender, and a minority born into poverty, to building a business that positively impacts the lives of others. Now, my mission is to provide others with the tools, resources, and opportunities to do the same,” Vincent declares.
To learn more about Vincent and Kicco Koffie visit https://www.kiccokoffie.com/ and look for Kicco Koffie’s mobile trailer within Denver parks and neighborhoods in Spring 2021.
Media Contact
Company Name: Kicco Koffie
Contact Person: Vincent Chiclacos
Email: Send Email
Phone: 310-651-8732
City: Denver
State: CO
Country: United States
Website: https://www.kiccokoffie.com/
