Creating a Culture of Joy: Natalie Fairchild and the Pacific Perks Coffee Success Story
Mar 11, 2025"I feel like I'm very time wealthy... Last Monday I got the opportunity to go skiing on a gorgeous day. And I did."
In this illuminating conversation, Kendall Hagensen welcomes Natalie Fairchild, CEO—or as she prefers, "Chief Inspirational Officer"—of Pacific Perks Coffee, a thriving mobile catering business specializing in espresso bar services. Natalie's entrepreneurial journey is deeply intertwined with her personal story, offering powerful insights about resilience, adaptation, and creating business models that honor the full human experience.
Natalie's path to business ownership began with a significant life change when her husband was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis two years after they married. As his condition evolved, they needed to reimagine their professional lives, eventually leading them to start Pacific Perks Coffee after moving back to Oregon to be near Natalie's support system. What began as a partnership gradually shifted as her husband's health changed, requiring Natalie to step fully into leadership.
"Life twists and turns all the time," Natalie reflects. "I had to mourn that and accept it. And then once I accepted it, I took it on and realized, wow, like this feels really, really comfortable." This transformation became the foundation for how she would structure her entire business.
The heart of the conversation centers on work-life integration—a theme particularly resonant for the wellness entrepreneurs in Kendall's audience. Natalie shares how she had to overcome her own internal guilt about leaving work at 3:30, even though it allowed her to be present for her children. "The new normal is the abnormal," she explains. "Normal is what works for each one of us. And each one of us has our own recipe."
Particularly inspiring is how Natalie has extended this philosophy to her entire team. Her "perkologists" (the front-facing employees who handle events) work on a flexible scheduling system that honors their personal availability and life priorities. This approach has created a diverse workforce of people who genuinely enjoy their jobs because they can integrate work with their personal priorities without guilt.
"When our brain is clear of clutter, it just opens up," Natalie observes, explaining how this approach actually enhances productivity and creativity. "Our abilities and our ability to focus on our work and be more efficient just happens when we feel better."
The conversation also explores practical strategies for building positive team culture, including starting meetings with celebrations and ensuring employees use their vacation time. These seemingly small touches have helped create a business where people feel seen and valued, directly impacting the joyful experience they then deliver to customers.
As a franchise developer, Natalie now seeks to share this model with others, emphasizing that business success doesn't have to come at the expense of personal wellbeing. "I want to empower people to let them know that they can thrive and have success and not be tied and running around with their head cut off," she explains.
The episode concludes with information about Natalie's upcoming women's event "Together to Laugh" at the Kiggins Theater in Vancouver, Washington on May 15th, benefiting the Alzheimer's Association, and the "Sweet Perks Calendar," a free resource for small business marketing ideas.
This conversation offers a refreshing perspective on entrepreneurship that centers human needs and wellbeing. For wellness business owners especially, Natalie's journey demonstrates how creating a business that honors your own needs and values can become your greatest strength in the marketplace. Her approach to leadership, team culture, and work-life integration provides a blueprint for creating businesses that not only succeed financially but also contribute positively to the lives of everyone they touch.
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About Natalie Fairchild
Seventeen years ago, a shocking diagnosis prompted Natalie Fairchild to seek a new path for her family's livelihood. With a passion for event coordination, living a balanced life and creating an ""experience"" for others, Pacific Perks was born, a venture specializing in espresso bars for extraordinary catering experiences.
Today, their franchise has served over 15,000 events and provided unforgettable service, with their staff of happy “Perkologists.” Natalie hopes that Pacific Perks will continue to inspire others to live a life of balance and to always enjoy the experience of the service.
When not ""perking"" others, she is often planning her next trip, enjoying her daughters & friends, scouting for decorative treasures and snuggling with Gunner, her dachshund.
Natalie’s Website and Links
- Website (free resources): http://www.pacificperkscoffee.com
- Free Sweet Perks Calendar: https://pacificperkscoffee.com/sweet-perks-calendar/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PacificPerks/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pacificperks/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-fairchild-1050b656/
About Anna Rudel
Anna Rudel, L. Ac is the owner and founder of Lokahi Acupuncture Clinic in San Jose California, founded in 2003. Anna is a master organizer and clinician, and as a Coach she specializes in working with Clinic Owners in the state of California, and Acupuncturists and Acupuncture Clinic Owners, or groups wanting to add Acupuncture worldwide, as well as teams that need support with employee retention and satisfaction. Born in the UK, Anna has traveled extensively in Asia and now has a thriving multi-practitioner clinic in the US!
Anna's Website and Links
- Website: https://lokahiacupuncture.com/
- Learn Group Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/group-coaching
- For info about Individual Coaching: https://www.wellnesscentercreators.com/individual-coaching
About Kendall Hagensen
Kendall is a Somatic Mental Health Therapist, Multidisciplinary Clinic Owner and Business Coach. She specializes in, and is passionate about, working with healthcare professionals to create the businesses of their dreams. Big goals always have a psychological component beneath the surface, so Kendall uses her background in Somatic Psychotherapy and EMDR Therapy mixed with Business Coaching tools to help clients develop a healthy relationship with their business and their strength as a leader.
As someone who lives with a chronic illness herself, Kendall feels that health happens best within community, which is why she takes a holistic, integrative, and collaborative wellness approach to her personal and professional life.
Kendall’s Web/Social Links