Co Written by Student Bellaire Buzz Correspondent, Sophia Martinez

Joseph Tillman became a Wildcat in 2016 and is currently a senior at Westbury Christian. Joseph has shown a strong spirit of entrepreneurship during his time at WCS. He has taken every business course offered at WCS and is taking advantage of the WCS Dual Credit Course offerings by enrolling in Introduction to Business for college credit. A standout student-athlete, Middle School soccer coach, member of National Honor Society and National Art Honor Society, and President of the Interact Club, Joseph is constantly serving his peers, classmates and faculty but now in a different way… by serving coffee. 

When asked what motivated Joseph to start a coffee business, he reminisced, “After making a cup and giving it to a friend, and seeing them light up after just one sip, I thought this is fun. That’s been my favorite part and inspired me to make more coffee for others. I just love to watch people’s reactions.” Instead of waiting for graduation to start his dream business, Joseph took the initiative to start the roots of his dream in high school, delivering home made coffee directly to the hands of his consumers, his classmates. “I have now made over 500 cups of coffee. I have the method down” says Joseph.

With limited experience and no name recognition, Joseph has taken an unique approach to spreading the word about his business. He is giving out free coffee to friends and his WCS family but he gladly accepts tips. “The cup of coffee really speaks for itself. I haven’t had to spend any money on advertising” says Joseph. “Word spreads fast.”

Joseph has kept the secrets of his trade. No one is quite sure what is in the coffee, but what we do know is that his coffee is delicious. Westbury Christian Head of School, Mr. Nathan Wagner even had a compelling review of Joseph’s coffee. “Joseph’s coffee was a surprise treat this morning” says Mr. Wagner. “Initially it’s the rich smell that grabs your attention as you bring the cup to your mouth to drink. The enticing smell matches the silky smooth texture of the cold drink. It’s a true Java experience. The only drawback is the rich decadence that tells you not to drink too fast. 10/10”

“I want to do this when I get older. Starting my coffee business now allows me to learn how to operate a business and learn how to become a sole proprietorship” says Joseph. 

Joseph hopes to further his coffee company and major in business after he graduates from Westbury Christian. When asked what businesses he admires, he replied, “Everywhere I look I see a small business. I have read Atomic Habits by James Clear and learned a lot from him. I get many of my business ideas from social media. I have watched a lot of Youtube videos on different businesses” 

When asked what his favorite coffee shop is in the area, Joseph immediately said, “I don’t have to go to a coffee shop. I like my own coffee. But I do enjoy Starbucks’ cake pops”

Be on the lookout for a future coffee stand in the hallways of WCS! We are excited to watch Joseph’s coffee business grow beyond WCS!