Starting a first business is challenging, and, for young Kalle Freeze and his partner Erika Haavisto, it is daunting. After winning the award for best barista in Finland in 2013 and 2015, Kalle is determined to make an instant coffee that is as delicious as the real brew. For Kalle, the coffee should be convenient, taste great, and help to get a person smoothly through their day. Having studied film production, Erika decides to capture their story on film. Traveling to Kenya, Kalle tastes the fresh coffee berries, figures out how to brew and freeze-dry his coffee product, and turns to venture capital.
With financing from several investors and winning the very competitive Y Combinator start-up support, Kalle sets out for San Francisco to join Joshua Zloof, his co-founder and CEO for their new company “Sudden Coffee." Together they become part of a robust community of start-up founders. Articulate, passionate, and enthusiastic in speaking about his new product, Kalle fulfills his dream and appears on the covers of magazines and in newspapers.
More than a film about Kalle and “Sudden Coffee," the documentary delves into Kalle and Erika’s personal relationship. Erika expresses her support for Kalle but also feels left out at times. While Kalle is consumed with making the company successful, Erika is left with homemaking. Eventually, Erika pursues a pottery class with a fellow named Finn. After some fun times together going up in a hot air balloon, Kalle proposes, and he and Erika get married. Kalle and Josh have disagreements on the business model and one young employee expresses how hard it is to work in a start-up with such long hours.
Speaking to an advisor and coach, Kalle describes his frustration in achieving the scale to make a profit. Kalle has conflicts with Josh, feels pressure to complete timely sales requirements, and acknowledges his inexperience in growing a business. One investor asks him if he is still enjoying what he is doing and Kalle responds by saying no. After much soul searching, Kalle withdraws from the company and Josh continues to be CEO. Kalle and Erika take a much-needed vacation and return to Finland.
In the end, Kalle returns to San Francisco and creates a new company producing a coffee with health benefits. Kalle and Erika divorce. Erika states Silicon Valley is just not her thing and she begins teaching clay classes. While Erika Haavisto’s film captures the challenges in starting a new business and the stress it imposes on personal relationships, the production of the film could be better. Camera shots are sometimes shaky; the pacing of the shots is uneven, at times the scene is almost too fast to absorb the picture and subtitles, and at other times the edit is too long. Optional. Aud: H, C, P.