Our Story
‘Do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life’ – Anon.
Little did Joy-Full Cups’ founder Debbie know just how literally she’d eventually take that sage proverb!
The jigsaw pieces clicked into place in summer 2025, when her then-dream job as a local government community engagement manager, was deleted. The team’s direction hair-pinned into systems and process, leaving her with a choice: a future buried in Excel spreadsheets, or redundancy.
It was a no-brainer. The thought of applying for another council middle-management job, with all the stick and none of the perks, was deeply unappealing. With nothing lined up, but zero hesitation, she filed her wish to be paid to leave.
As often happens when you keep an open mind and a strong faith in the power of manifestation; within days of her redundancy being confirmed, the local coffee man (who kept the school parents and teachers caffeinated) put up a sign announcing his retirement by Christmas, and advertising the sale of his van.
At first, it was a tongue-in-cheek conversation. After all, she loved coffee and didn’t have anything better to do…
Then he started talking. And suddenly, it all aligned; and she realised that it was just what she wanted from her next move. Better still, she could afford it thanks to the discovery of a start-up loan initiative by Biz Britain.
After 48 hours of mulling it over, the idea of owning a coffee van wasn’t a pipe dream anymore.
And so, Joy-Full Cups was born.
Now, as a self-confessed ‘accidental businesswoman’, Debbie is loving the experience of doing something that tangibly lifts people’s spirits every day and gives her freedom and flexibility to adapt to her customers and build something ethical, sustainable, inclusive and totally unique.
She’s occasionally helped out by a slightly bemused husband who doesn’t like coffee, and constantly distracted by two very young children who will be trained in the art of milk frothing as soon as they’re old enough not to sneeze in the jug. And she certainly wouldn’t be able to do any of this without the unerring support of her long-suffering parents.