From $200 to Copper & Cocoa: Why You Gotta Start Somewhere

Devin Coxwell
Sep 14
3 min read

There’s a story I’ve always loved about a sweet southern lady who started her career back in Savannah, Georgia, in 1989. She called her little business The Bag Lady. With nothing but her last $200, a kitchen, and her two sons willing to help, Paula Deen started delivering homemade southern food to office workers. She built something outta nuthin’—and y’all, she built it BIG.

Here’s the kicker… 1989 just so happens to be the year I was born. I don’t believe in coincidence. I believe God knew exactly what He was doing. He planted that seed of timing in my story before I even knew I had one to tell.

Why Paula Deen Matters to Me

Paula Deen has always been one of my favorite people. I’ve looked up to her my whole life—not just because she can sling butter like nobody’s business, but because she proved what mamas have been showing the world forever: we make something out of nothing, and we make it stretch.

Whether it’s supper out of scraps, school clothes out of hand-me-downs, or businesses out of dreams, mamas find a way. Paula was a mama who hustled, who scraped by, and who dared to build something that folks said wouldn’t last.

And that? That speaks to my soul.

“She made something outta nuthin’—but isn’t that what us mamas do best?”

This Little Shed is My "Somewhere"

Right now, I’ve got a little shed with a sign on the door that says Copper & Cocoa. It’s not big, it’s not fancy, and it’s not perfect. But it’s mine. It’s my dream, my grind, and my hard work all rolled into one.

This shed is my somewhere—the place where my hustle turns into something real. People think starting a business means you have to have the perfect setup, the shiny storefront, the money stacked and waiting. But y’all, that’s not how it goes.

You start with what you’ve got, where you’re at, and you trust God to grow it.

I See Who’s Watching

Now, let’s be real for a second. I see the ones sharing my posts, the ones cheering me on, the ones telling their friends about Copper & Cocoa.

And I also see the ones scrolling right past, whispering to their friends, or straight up doubting me.

Go on and do it. Hate if you want. But just wait.

“The same God that planted this dream in me is the same God that’s going to water it, grow it, and make it bloom.”

We Ain’t Just Stopping at Soap and Candles

Right now, Copper & Cocoa is known for candles and soaps—and don’t get me wrong, we pour our hearts into every single one.

But hear me loud and clear: we ain’t stoppin’ there.

Mannnn, y’all just wait. What we’re building is bigger than wax and fragrance. This is about Southern comfort, creativity, and connection. It’s about creating little luxuries that make people feel at home, loved, and rooted in tradition.

It’s about showing that small-town dreams, backed by a big God, can turn into something folks never saw coming.

The Takeaway

You gotta start somewhere. Paula Deen started with $200, a kitchen, and two boys willing to hustle. I’m starting with a shed, a dream, and a whole lotta sass. And just like her story, mine will be built one step, one share, one product, and one prayer at a time.

So whether you’re cheering me on or doubting me from the sidelines, stick around.

Because God isn’t done with Copper & Cocoa yet—and neither am I.