Adam San Miguel is one of the partners of Cortaditos Coffee, a chain of six cafés in New Jersey that employs 75 people, mostly young Cuban-Americans.
The Cuban-American businessman was recently featured by CNN as a “Champion for Change,” a national recognition awarded to leaders who are transforming their communities with a positive impact.
Behind that venture lies a story marked by exile, the traditions of a Cuban family in the United States, lessons learned from military life, and a commitment to the community.
“Love for a free and prosperous Cuba”
Adam was born in the United States but grew up in a family deeply influenced by the Cuban exile experience. His parents emigrated as refugees and arrived in the U.S. in the late 1970s.
“The values instilled in me by my parents and grandparents are fundamental to the person I have become. They passed on to me their love and longing for Cuba. They didn’t do it intentionally, but growing up around them, listening to their stories, watching my grandfather cry many times while speaking of Cuba... that leaves a mark.”
That emotional connection to the island led him to establish CAALE (Cuban American Alliance for Leadership & Education), a nonprofit organization that supports young Cuban Americans through scholarships, leadership workshops, and training.
"I founded the nonprofit organization CAALE to ensure that Cuban-American youth born here and there do not fall into indifference about what happens in Cuba, that they maintain their roots, and can play a leading role in the future of the island. I don’t want them to give up on the dream of having a free and prosperous country, but rather to work towards that as well."
From a solidarity collaboration to a network of cafes
The origin of Cortaditos Coffee is directly linked to CAALE. Adam explains that his current partner, Andrés Carrillo, a Cuban immigrant and owner of a bakery, used to sponsor the organization's galas.
“My current partner would always graciously bring snacks for activities at CAALE. One day we talked, and he suggested taking the project to a higher level. That's how Cortaditos Coffee came to be. We currently have six cafés with a food production center. In this business, we employ 75 people, mostly young Cuban-Americans.”
What started as a community collaboration has grown into a chain of specialty coffee shops featuring Cuban coffee, with locations in Union City, North Bergen, Harrison, NJCU, Belleville, and the American Dream Mall.
The project has had a direct impact on the local community, both in terms of its cultural identity and job creation.
"My family instilled in me the spirit of sacrifice to achieve goals through hard work, dedicating myself to a project that is worthwhile and touches the soul. That is what I do with Cortaditos and with CAALE. It requires many hours and resources, but it brings good to our community, to our people."
United States Soldier: Service as a Form of Gratitude
Before embarking on this Cuban coffee business in New Jersey, Adam worked for Microsoft, Google, and Dell, but his sense of duty also led him to serve in the Armed Forces.
"My family came to the United States as refugees. I grew up among Cubans who were very grateful to this country for giving us a home and a chance to live freely. I have always felt a debt to the United States for giving us so much in terms of personal growth opportunities and freedom."
"I believe that is something many Cuban Americans share, a deep sense of gratitude towards the United States. Many of my successes are closely tied to the fact that I was born in a free country."
That feeling, combined with his lifelong love for sports, teamwork, and a calling to serve his country, led him to make the decision to join the Army.
"Choosing the Coast Guard is not by chance. They are the forces that have most likely been most connected to Cuba's recent history. Have you ever thought about the role the Coast Guard has played in our history? How many Cubans have we rescued at sea? Unfortunately, it’s something that has been very much on our minds through the years."
"I joined the army to give, but I have received so much more: fulfillment, personal realization, mental strength, a sense of humility, and the will to start over and reinvent myself."
Just a few weeks ago, Adam graduated as a Coast Guard officer, and he claims that experience also shaped the way he approaches starting a business in the United States.
"In this country, people quickly adapt to material things, to success, to the comforts of modern life. Recognition and awards can pave a comfortable path for you, but as a soldier, you learn to be humble and to start from scratch, reinventing yourself over and over again."
A leap into the void for something of your own
The most challenging moment in his life as a member of an immigrant family in the United States came recently when he left behind his career at major tech companies to start his own business, putting the family’s fortune at risk in pursuit of a dream.
"I left a job with a fixed salary and valuable benefits, took the risk, and bet on this coffee business. We are not a powerful brand like our competitors in the industry, so to stay afloat, you have to put your assets up as collateral. If the business fails, we lose everything."
However, he takes that risk every day with the conviction that he is not alone: he has the support of his family and honors a legacy of sacrifice.
"I overcome it every day because my family inspires me. If my grandparents and parents were able to leave their country and arrive in a place where they didn't know the language or the system, and they were able to rise from scratch to what we are today, I can do it too."
"My family gives meaning to who I am and to what we, as Cuban Americans, can achieve in the United States. Everything is possible with faith and sacrifice."
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