We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Paris Landon Hutton. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Paris below.
Paris , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
My life story began in Seattle, Washington where I grew up in low income housing with my mother and two siblings. My father was incarcerated for most of my childhood until he was released when I was five years old. Despite the challenges we faced, my mother did her best to raise us and instilled a strong sense of creativity and independence in me.
At the age of 17, I found myself facing a 100-year prison sentence. Thankfully, my sentence was reduced to just under 5 years but this experience had a profound impact on me. While in prison, I took the opportunity to further my education, build a business plan, and prepare for my release.
Upon my release in 2007, I was determined to turn my life around and not fall back into my old ways. Unfortunately, I found that my criminal record made it difficult for me to find employment and my options felt limited. I started a production company with a friend and worked in health and fitness, but I knew I needed to do more.
In 2015, I moved to Georgia after visiting and feeling a sense of hope for my future. Starting my own business was a challenge, but I knew it was the right path for me. Woodstock Coffee Company was founded in my garage while I worked full-time and raised four children. My father Paris Landon Sr and best friend Travis Anderson jumped in and joined me shortly after starting up and getting our 1st coffee roaster.The long nights and hard work paid off when we opened our first store a year ago in March.
But my journey didn’t stop there. In October of 2022, the gym I had worked for and relied on for income was sold, leaving my family and me with a choice to make. I knew I had come too far to give up, so I turned to Woodstock Coffee Company and focused on making it my full-time job.
As I worked on growing my business, I realized that I wanted to give back to my community. In the past 8 months, I have been networking and building a strong team of successful people to start my non-profit, 2nd Chance Coffee. I am proud to say that we have over 20 strong partnerships and are working to build entrepreneurship opportunities, advocacy, and support for those who just need a second chance.
My life story is a testament to the power of determination, resilience, and hope. I know that my journey is not over yet, and I am excited for the opportunities that lie ahead. Woodstock Coffee Company and 2nd Chance Coffee are not just businesses to me, they are a movement. A movement to create positive change in the world, one cup of coffee and one life at a time.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
My biggest quality is not giving up , staying positive and believing that God has a purpose for each of us ,has driven me to push when I felt like I could not.
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Better than we Found it – Porsche and Frederick Joseph.
My sister and brother in law are authors and my sister shared my story in her nationally published book. It really showed me the impact not only my story had, but the effects of family of those incarcerated. I was so supported by my family and to know that my sister and family were impacted made me realize the circle of effects went to those that did not even do anything wrong.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thewoodstockcoffeecompany.com/
- Instagram: @thewoodstockcoffeecompany.com
