After traveling to Southeast Asia for several weeks, Sheri Young and her (now) husband not only fell deeper in love with one another but also discovered a love for iced coffee during their adventure. The idea of making iced coffee more accessible to them in the States kept them up at night, as many good business ideas do. The couple co-founded Switters Iced Coffee in 2013 after moving to Nashville from New York City.
“We’re not a coffee shop but rather a flash chilled microbrewery,” Sheri proudly said while drinking her iced coffee at 8th & Roast. “Our goal is to make iced coffee accessible, convenient and high quality.”
Sporting her “Espresso Yourself” T-Shirt, Sheri explained that while she and her husband started their business together, she took the reins on the day-to-day operation in 2016, as he leaned into his corporate job more. When asked what it was like being a female run business, she said it was incredibly rewarding but also frustrating.
With only 29% of women employed in the beverage manufacturing industry in 2022 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statics, Sheri feels she must work harder to be taken seriously in her field.
“I have attended meetings with my male employees, and those I was meeting with were talking to him and not me,” Sheri said. “Those situations taught me to be more assertive and exhibit more confidence in order to command the attention needed.”
Sheri is very proud that Switters is female led, and she makes a conscious effort to partner and support other female operated companies.
In addition to owning Switters, Sheri and her husband have two daughters, ages 5 and 7. Sheri noted that it’s important for her girls to see her struggle with work but also witness great achievement as she builds Switters.
“I love for them to come to Switters to see what I do,” Sheri exclaimed with a smile on her face. “I get to see it through their eyes, everything from getting new equipment to new can designs. It makes me feel amazing to have them see the fruits of my labor.”
In addition to showing her girls where the iced coffee brew magic happens, Sheri lets them give input, especially on Switters' seasonal coffee flavors.
“It was my girls’ idea to call this summer’s coffee, Supernova,” Sheri noted as she squinted through the blazing summer sun. “I love that they can be part of the process.”
Like many mothers, Sheri wants her daughters to see that they can do anything they want with hard work and determination. “They see me struggle and go through frustrations, but they see me overcome those challenges to succeed,” she said.
Sheri said while Switters continues to see exciting growth, the hurdles to get to this point have been tough. If she could go back and give advice to the Sheri of 2013, she would tell her that it’s going to be okay and give herself grace.
“Not everything is going to work out, and it’s not going to end up exactly the way you thought,” Sheri recollected. “But at the end of the day, it’s just coffee. There are things like family and health that are so much more important, and I would want to remind younger Sheri to not let work consume her and to let go and give up a little control.”
Sheri’s pep talk to her former self also recognized that through Switters, she has created a community and has a career that brings her joy. She notes that when Switters started, there were no children to care for. Switters was her and her husband’s baby, and when their first daughter was born, balancing Switters and motherhood was challenging.
“I struggled with having a baby and running a business at the same time, and I struggled with not letting certain things go,” Sheri explained. “On the flip side too, I wanted to spend more time at home with my daughter. I had to relinquish control to trust and depend on my employees.”
Sheri described the huge balance of juggling small children and a small growing business. “I essentially had 3 babies, and I was choosing how to spend my time,” she said. “And I felt it was more important to spend more time with my girls and less time at the office.”
Fast forward to present day, Sheri says the juggling act is different. “My girls are a little older and in school,” she stated. “I’m at the office more, but I’m also on a regimented schedule as to when I can work.” Like many working couples, she and her husband play the game of divide and conquer on school pick up based on work meeting schedules, work travel, sports practices, and such.
When Sheri was asked about her favorite Switters roast, she said it was like choosing her favorite child, but she said if she must choose, Switters Light Roast Single Origin is her favorite. But she was quick to back peddle to say that she is the brain behind all Switters seasonal flavors, and she loves that process of creating and infusing flavors without adding sugar and dairy.
Their upcoming fall flavor is fan favorite - Elm Hill Spice. It is Switters take on an iced coffee chai. You can find Switters online at SwittersCoffee.com with free local delivery in Nashville, and they also ship across the U.S. The company has iced coffee subscriptions that provide exclusive offers, discounts, and first flavor launch access.
If you are in the Nashville area, you can find them at retailers that carry local beverages in the ready to drink section, or find them on tap at local restaurants. You can also find Switters at Nashville area grocery stores like Turnip Truck, Whole Foods, and Produce Place.
Author’s Note:
Sheri is one of my dearest friends, and we knew one another before we were wives, mothers, or even had careers. We both grew up in Mississippi, but we met in New York City summer of 2006. She had just graduated from Mississippi State University, and I had a summer internship before my senior year of college at Ole Miss. The two of us along with our roommates spent the summer traipsing the Big Apple putting the City that Never Sleeps to the test.
Once Sheri and her husband made the move from NYC to Nashville, I remember going over to their new house. Once she showed me and my husband their new digs, I asked her what she thought she was going to do for work now that they moved. Sheri had been in the fashion industry in New York, but I knew she did not want to reenter the world of fashion in Nashville. We sat at her kitchen table, and she told me that she was trying to figure out how she could create her dream job. That’s when she told me about the idea for Switters Iced Coffee. My husband and I had one of their first batches of iced coffee in her kitchen, and I feel honored to have been a witness to her hard work and success. I think she has done an incredible job building the life and career she wanted, and I’m so damn proud of her! Now, let’s support Sheri, and become a Switters Iced Coffee subscriber.