The Next Logical Step

Inspiration

I’ve been sitting with this question: What is the next logical step?

It sounds so simple. Like the direction should be obvious, and the next step should be just waiting for me to notice it, right? And yet, my mind keeps jumping ahead to the big dream instead. If you’ve ever tried to bring a vision to life in a city like Montreal, you know this is rarely that straightforward. This city loves to complicate the paths of small business owners.

For the past five years, I’ve been dreaming up (and building up) something bigger, something permanent. You got a taste of it last year, and the whole project helped to re-align and focus my vision. I am building towards a permanent space where all the ideas I’ve poured into coffee, cookies, and connection can finally live under one roof. A place that feels like a deep breath and a big smile. A cozy, creative corner and a world where people don’t just grab a latte… they feel inspired.

No one talks about how dreams can be exhausting. Especially when they often feel close enough to touch, and then slip away.

I’ve had many different projects come so close to happening. Like, actually signing the lease close. But each time, something major got in the way:

Landlords accepting higher bids.

Commercial zoning conflicts with the city that forced me to walk away.

Real Estate agents not taking me seriously and giving me the condescending run around.

Locations where parking regulations that made it impossible to open.

Locations in the end, that didn’t feel quite right.

It’s been a lesson in patience, over and over again. As time passes I have also been wondering if the coffee scene here has become more about Instagram reels than actual product and heart. I walk into new cafés all the time and think, “Didn’t I just see this exact place on Instagram five minutes ago?” Same countertop. Same music. Same white tee and jeans, same croissants and square banana bread.

I know that sounds cynical, and I apologize, I really appreciate the coffee scene in Montreal. It’s also made me pause and rethink what my version of my dream looks like. And more importantly — why I want to build it here, in the first place. You may have gotten a taste of it last year and it is kind of that... but more focused.

I’m not interested in fitting into a scene anymore that is rooted in status. I want to create something that stands out, not for being trendy, but for being thoughtful. I want it to feel handmade like my cookies, colorful and soulful. The kind of place where the coffee is amazing, yes, but also where people feel inspired.

So, what is the next logical step?

Honestly, I’m still figuring it out.

I know it’s not a giant leap unfortunately, it’s something quieter, but deeply necessary. I’m already doing cookie and coffee drops now at seven cafés across Montreal, baking from my home kitchen, and running an online shop in between my full-time job. I’m at capacity. The next step is about continuing to dream bigger but about building smarter and more sustainable. Some options have been renting a commercial kitchen part-time to give myself space to breathe (and bake). Maybe it’s creating a more consistent drop schedule or getting a little help with production. Whatever it is, it’s not about rushing toward the dream anymore, it’s about making sure I can actually sustain it when I get there.

Right now, I’m leaning into this pause. Trusting that this season of stillness is just as important as the hustle. I’m learning (again) to be gentle with myself. To take deep yoga breaths when the sense of urgency creeps in. To keep holding space for the dream, even when it feels far away, and especially when it feels so close.

Thank you for being here. Whether you found me through last year’s pop up, or a sticker, a latte, or a cookie drop, I’m so grateful.

The next logical step may not be obvious… but it’s coming. And when it does, it’ll be worth the wait.

XO Namaste, love, coffee, and cookies.

Stephanie