Boss Mama CEO Story: Brewing Dreams & Breaking Barriers

Every time I sit down to write another feature story about one of these incredible Boss Mamas, I’m reminded all over again just how special our stories are. Because we all have a different story to tell.

I’m always a little caught off guard by some of the triumphs these women have walked through because, honestly, I wouldn’t have known about the struggles they overcame if I hadn’t asked them to share their stories. It makes them feel all the more human, relatable, and real.

And THAT is what makes these features so special and why I will continue writing them, and continue sharing them.

It’s a chance to shine a light on these Boss Mamas and the real, raw, unfiltered truth behind what it took to chase their dreams. The hard seasons. The pivots. The setbacks. The “what the heck am I doing?” moments. And, of course, the wins.

That’s why I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of writing these. Every Boss Mama deserves to have a light shined on her story.

And Gizem? Oh, you are in for a treat.

Gizem has created such a unique business because it’s so much more than a business—it’s a cultural experience. And I am SO excited because she is launching a BOOK in less than two months!

She’s sharing more about her journey building the Turkish Coffee Lady and, through her story, hopes to inspire even more women and mamas to chase after their own dreams.

So go give her a follow, keep an eye out for that book launch, and get ready to add another book to your nightstand!

YOUR STORY

Tell us who you are!

My name is Gizem Salcigil White and I’m a cultural ambassador and a global gastro diplomacy expert since 2009.

We love a good origin story, but first, give us your short + sweet intro!

I’m the founder & CEO of Turkish Coffee Lady, an award-winning women-owned company curating unique cultural experiences and bridging communities one coffee at a time through our Turkish coffee houses and innovative products.

Every boss mama has a ‘day one.’ What was yours?

My journey began in Boston in 2007, when I started sharing Turkish coffee to bring people together and introduce them to my culture. In 2009, I launched a cultural diplomacy initiative with a mission to “bridge cultures one coffee at a time.” That mission took me on the road with the Turkish Coffee Truck across the United States, and later to Europe and Canada.

In 2017, I founded Turkish Coffee Lady and opened our first coffee shop in Tysons Corner. When the pandemic forced us to close, I rebuilt the business and opened our Old Town Alexandria location in 2021. This year, we’re celebrating five years in Old Town and two years at our second location in Apex, North Carolina. This holiday season, we plan to share the experience with even more people through our ready-to-drink iced Turkish coffee collection.

Which came first—the business or the babies? Tell us how your family + business journeys intersected.

My entrepreneurial journey began in 2009, before I started my family in 2010. I became a mother in 2016.

We know it’s a wild ride—tell us how you’ve balanced building your dream biz while raising your crew. The good, the tough, the real.

Building my small business while raising my baby girl meant working on financial projections between diaper changes and building a coffee shop from scratch during her naps. Some days, one quiet hour was all I had to move an idea forward. As a new mom, I felt pressure to put my business dream on hold, but I wanted to build something for my daughter and our family. So I kept going, one nap and one small step at a time.

What’s one obstacle you’ve overcome?

A challenge I’ve overcome is building Turkish Coffee Lady after being diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after opening our first coffee shop. I was just beginning to bring my vision to life when I had to face a 6 months chemotherapy treatment and surgeries. Coming through that experience gave me a deeper sense of purpose and the determination to keep building.

YOUR BUSINESS

Tell us your superpower—what’s your product, service, or special offering?

Turkish Coffee Lady serves authentic Turkish coffee, desserts, and hospitality at our coffee houses in Old Town Alexandria and Apex, North Carolina. We also offer cultural wellness experiences, including coffee art workshops, Turkish coffee readings, and curate experiential catering for special occasions.

What’s the magic that sets you apart?

Turkish Coffee Lady offers more than a cup of coffee: we invite people into a 500-year-old tradition of hospitality, storytelling, and connection. Our coffee houses bring that experience to life through authentic Turkish coffee and cultural events. Now we’re carrying the same spirit into our ready-to-drink iced Turkish coffee collection, so people can discover it wherever they are.

Spill the tea — any big milestones, press shoutouts, or launches on the horizon? 

Yes! I’m preparing to launch my book, “Brew Your Dream”, on November 19, Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. It shares the journey behind Turkish Coffee Lady: the dreams, setbacks, and people who helped me keep going. I hope it encourages other women, especially mothers, to pursue their own ideas.

Give us a Day in the Life of being both Mom and CEO!

I start each morning grateful for my health and my family. Then I make a to-do list, check our bank balance and upcoming payments, and catch up on bookkeeping. Some mornings, I shop for coffee house supplies from the Restaurant Depot before the meetings begin.

My afternoons often include back-to-back calls, planning with my team, welcoming guests to our Culture House, and attending networking events or luncheons. Around 4 p.m., I pick up my daughter from the school bus. We have an early dinner together as a family, and later I answer the day’s last emails. I try to go to sleep early so I can wake up refreshed and do it all again.

ADVICE FOR MOMPRENEURS

What’s the single best piece of advice or favorite tool you’d share with other mamas building their businesses?

Never give up on discovering, and on savoring the joy of discovery. For we discover not the world first, but ourselves.

What’s been your biggest challenge juggling motherhood and running a business?

The hardest part has been feeling that I had to prove I could be fully committed to my business while also being a present mother. When I started building our first coffee shop with a young daughter, I heard the message that a new mom should wait before taking on such an ambitious project. Female entrepreneurs can face extra pressure to justify their choices, especially when they’re raising children. I’ve learned that my commitment to my daughter and my commitment to my business can both be real, even when I have to make difficult choices about my time.

What’s your approach to balancing business and family? We love the real, unfiltered stories!

I don’t balance business and family perfectly every day. Some days the business needs more of me; other days, my daughter does. I try to be honest about that and make choices around my purpose: building something my family can be proud of.

That means picking my daughter up from the school bus, making time to have dinner together, and sometimes answering the last few emails after she’s settled. There are still missed moments and unfinished to-do lists. What keeps me going is knowing why I started: I want my daughter to see that she can care deeply for her family and pursue a dream of her own.

Looking back, what’s something you wish you had known before starting your business?

I wish I had known earlier how many resources exist for women entrepreneurs, from mentorship and business development programs to grants for small business owners. I spent too much time thinking I had to figure everything out on my own. Finding the right community and asking for help can make a real difference.

What tool, resource, or habit has completely changed the game for you?

The habit that changed the game for me was learning to filter the advice I receive. Early on, discouraging opinions could pull my attention away from what I was trying to build. Now I listen to people with relevant experience, make my own decisions, and focus on the next step I can take. That focus has helped me keep moving, even when the path has been uncertain.

What mindset shifts have helped you keep going during hard seasons?

I’ve learned to pause, clear my mind, and focus on what I can do next. During hard seasons, trying to solve everything at once can feel overwhelming. Persistence, for me, means taking the next small step, then another, even when progress is slower than I hoped.

What words of encouragement would you give a Mom tempted to give up on her business dream?

An entrepreneur sees opportunity where others see problems. Motherhood may change the pace of your journey, but it doesn’t make your dream any less possible. Take the next step, however small it may be. Keep brewing your dream, and never, ever give up.

I’m honestly speechless at the amount of incredible advice Gizem has for other mompreneurs. She faced some pretty difficult opinions from others early in her journey of building this business, especially while navigating motherhood, but instead of letting them stop her, she used them as fuel to keep pushing and chasing her dream.

And that takes an incredible amount of courage and strength.

Because imagine if she hadn’t?!

She may not have expanded her business, opened two stores in two different states, and built what she has today. That’s why I love Gizem’s advice to filter the advice you receive—because not all advice is good advice. Sometimes, you have to know what to take in, what to leave behind, and what to turn into fuel.

I’d love to feature more Boss Mamas like Gizem. If you know someone who deserves the spotlight, please reach out and send me their info at ashley@bossmamaceo.com or via my contact page here. And hey, if that’s you, I love a little self-brag too! Send me your details so we can shine the spotlight on you as well.

Here’s to all the incredible Moms juggling a million things—keep shining bright, cheering each other on, and building the life you love!

Ashley

Friendly Note: I’m simply sharing my journey, experiences, and lessons learned as a Mom in business. This isn’t legal, financial, or professional advice. Always check with a qualified pro for guidance tailored to you.