We had the good fortune of connecting with Lawrence Johnson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lawrence, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think risk taking is probably one of the most difficult things to handle as an entrepreneur. It can be difficult at times navigating risk taking. However, taking risks in the business world is essential. I think my first successful business (Helix Cleaning Services) was a bit of a risk upfront when I started it a few years ago after leaving my corporate job. However, through time I developed a solid business model based off recurring revenue and this has really helped diminish risk from within my entrepreneurial ventures. Terminus Coffee, my most recent business venture, has been a lot of fun getting off the ground and has not been as risky because of how stable my first business has been through the years. I basically used capital from my first business to launch the coffee roasting business. It has been a really fun and exciting process!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Terminus Coffee is a Veteran Owned specialty coffee roaster based in Decatur, Ga. We offer weekly, biweekly or monthly coffee subscriptions in addition to wholesale partnerships with coffee shops, restaurant and retail spaces. We have also started working with a few breweries in the Avondale Estates/Decatur areas and it has been fun connecting with other local businesses and coffee lovers! My love for specialty coffee began in 2014 while I was in the US Army and deployed down in Honduras. Some incredible coffee comes out of the Western region of Honduras on the border with Guatemala and El Salvador. I spent quite some time in a region called Copan, Honduras. I toured several coffee farms and got to experience some incredible farm to cup coffees. I have never forgotten this experience I had in Copan. I got out of the military in 2015 and moved back to Atlanta, Ga. soon thereafter. I would frequent a few specialty coffee shops throughout the city and realized that Atlanta has such an incredible coffee scene. There was a core group of coffee roasters that had such a loyal following and I began to love some of these roasters and their connections to fair trade in the coffee world. I wanted to get into the coffee roasting industry after seeing the love these roasters had for the industry. In July of 2020 I decided I wanted to get into roasting and actually establish a business. We acquired the space here in Decatur, Ga. in September of 2020 and started roasting our own origins and blends in October, 2020.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Friends who visit Atlanta would be taken to Rising Sons and Daughters in Avondale Estates for breakfast, Buford Highway restaurant for lunch and maybe dinner! There are some of my favorite Korean and Vietnamese restaurants on Buford Highway! Dongnea Bangne and Lee’s Bakery are just a few… There are also so many others! Piedmont Park, the Beltline, and the North Georgia mountains provide endless activities. There are also so many great coffee spots, too! Taproom Coffee, Banjo Coffee, Radio Roasters, and East Pole Coffee are just a few of many!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would like to give a shoutout to the amazing people working for me within my two businesses. None of this would work without them!

Website: www.terminuscoffeeatl.com

Instagram: @terminuscoffeeatl

Facebook: @terminuscoffeeatl

Image Credits
Instagram: Atlanta Coffee Shops

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