Social Currency with Sammi Cohen Why I Shut Down My Matcha Business
Oct 10, 2025
Ever thought about turning your passion into a business, only to find it exhausting? Sammi dives into her rollercoaster journey of launching a matcha brand during business school, highlighting the harsh realities of entrepreneurship. From pivoting her product strategy to navigating the pandemic's impact, she shares how she rediscovered her identity after closing the business. With humor and honesty, Sammi illustrates that sometimes walking away can be a powerful move, opening doors to new passions and opportunities.
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How The Matcha Idea Began
- Sammi discovered matcha in 2018 and loved its calm alertness compared to coffee.
- She launched a matcha latte idea while starting her MBA at Berkeley without fully planning commercialization.
Validate Economics Before The Vision
- Do think through commercialization and unit economics before committing to a physical product.
- Consider not just the product vision but how it will actually reach customers sustainably.
Pitch Competition Humbling
- Sammi entered the BevNet new beverage showdown and made the finals despite lacking real distribution.
- She admitted she exaggerated progress on the application and didn’t win, which she later saw as a blessing.