UAH Student Brings Taste of Alaska to Madison, AL
By: Max Reed
Alexi Florian lived in Alaska until she was 17 years old. 鈥淚 never realized how different our lifestyle was until I moved to 鈥楾he Lower 48,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 live in igloos or ride polar bears to school, but what we valued and emphasized was different.鈥�
Her time up north gave Florian and her family a 鈥渉ealthy fear of nature鈥nd a sense of solidarity with humankind.鈥� Additionally, they got used to quality coffee on every corner.
In 2021, Florian鈥檚 family moved three times with her father鈥檚 work, first to Hawai鈥檌, back to Alaska, then settling in Madison, Alabama. 鈥淢y plan was never to go to college. Somehow [though], I was convinced to apply to a few schools in my area.鈥� Florian is happy to say she does not regret the decision. 鈥淯AH has provided me with some of the best learning experiences and community that I have been around in my life.鈥�
As a junior, Florian was selected to be a 2023 Ambassador of the College of Business. 鈥淚 am proud to work alongside my fellow ambassadors,鈥� she says, 鈥減roviding a welcoming environment to business students, and it has been an honor to rub shoulders with Dean Greene, Ms. Pettitt, Mona Foroughi, Drew, Lacy, and the guests they bring in.鈥�
Florian is also the president of the Women in Business and Leadership Club. 鈥淚 hope to facilitate opportunities for our members,鈥� she says, 鈥渨ith each other and with contacts inside and outside of UAH.鈥�
But, Florian says, 鈥渕y proudest achievement is known as Cr猫me Brew Lait.鈥� This is her family鈥檚 drive-through coffee shop in Madison. 鈥淚t all goes back to my Alaskan roots. I have been working in coffee since I was 16.鈥�
鈥淲hen we moved to Alabama, we were struck by the utter and complete lack of quality coffee shops.鈥� So, Florian and her family decided to open their own. 鈥淲e got the idea over dinner one night,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e got someone to draw up the plans, contacted a friend who roasts coffee, and found a plot of land that was much too good to give up.鈥�
Florian now serves as Cr猫me Brew Lait鈥檚 manager. 鈥淢y job these days focuses mostly on operations, supply, hiring and training, and recipe development. My next goal is to develop a foolproof training program that can be replicated on baristas in ours and other coffee shops.鈥�
She says starting a business as a full-time student is not easy, and Florian has needed her Alaska-born resilience to get up every morning and face inevitable obstacles.
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