Meet Jessalyn Italiano of Caffe Boa in East Valley

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessalyn Italiano.

Jessalyn, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I moved to Phoenix from New York when I was fairly young and enjoyed my upbringing and education here in the valley. I stayed local for undergraduate school where I attended the ASU Tempe and Downtown Phoenix campus and pursued a degree in Exercise Wellness. While working towards a Physical Therapy Graduate degree, I discovered Caffe Boa in Tempe during my pursuit of a supportive lifestyle after finishing my education. Caffe Boa brought me together with some of my now closest lifelong friends who have easily turned into family.

I’ve now been apart of the Boa Family going on 6 years starting as a server where I enjoyed learning all about the foundation of what makes Caffe Boa so unique. During that time, my colleague Zachary Powell helped promote me to General Manager where he and I now take care of running the heart and soul of Boa. The collection of people Caffe Boa has brought together over the past 25 years has made for a cozy, cohesive community of locals that support other local family businesses and partnerships.

We couldn’t be more honored and proud to work for a team that integrates the hospitality and integrity of timeless European tradition set in the heart of Downtown Tempe.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I don’t know any entrepreneur or business who hasn’t failed at something at one point or another. The challenges we’ve experienced not only provide the momentum for crafting solutions but were necessary for that it paved the way for our future success, and made us truly appreciate it all the more. Our customers and their feedback have played a pivotal role in the shaping of our solutions and we are always open and grateful for the communication.

Please tell us more about your business.
Caffe Boa’s heart and soul rest on a long standing tradition of European style food, drink, and hospitality where we feel everyone who walks in is family and should be treated as such. We pride ourselves on building our food and beverage menu around local, organic, and fresh ingredients that allow us to slow down and take our time. Our pasta are homemade in-house every day and our seafood is sustainably sourced and filleted in-house.

Our liquors are sourced from small-batched distilleries and our wine comes from the only the finest, natural vineyards around the world. We have the largest selection of natural wine in all of Arizona!

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
In the words of Pelè, “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing.” Personal goals and aspirations in my life have always followed this mantra and resonates as a core principle of mine. Sure, there are times where some days feel more or less inclined to reach 100%, but that’s what makes success worth the effort and the results so accomplishing.

Contact Info:

• Address: 398 South Mill Avenue
  Tempe, AZ 85281
• Website: www.cafeboa.com
• Phone: 480.968.9112
• Email: italiano.jess.r@gmail.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffeboaonmill/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caffeboaonmill/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/caffe-boa-tempe?osq=caffe+boa

Image Credit:
Jessalyn Italiano
Zachary Powell
Jason Wisniewski

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