Parker Russell: Founder of Black Ink Coffee

Parker Russell

You ever stare at your ceiling at 2 a.m., wondering how the hell your life ended up here?

I have.

Not from a cushy office. Not from some VC-funded startup fantasy. But from the front seat of my car, parked outside a Walmart, curled up on burlap sacks of coffee beans because I couldn’t afford both rent and chasing a dream.

My name’s Parker Russell. I’m the founder of Black Ink Coffee.
And no, I didn’t get here the easy way.

From Chaos to Coffee

I didn’t grow up around business plans, trust funds, or people telling me I could be anything I wanted. I grew up around addiction, violence, and the kind of instability that forces you to grow up fast—or not at all. My mother was abused. I had to step up young. I didn’t get to choose safety—I had to build it.

I joined the military because it felt like the only ticket out. I served, I adapted, I endured. But when I came home, I wasn’t looking to “settle down.” I wanted to build something that stood for more than just coffee. I wanted to create something for people like me—rebels, dreamers, the ones everyone doubted.

So I started roasting coffee. In my garage. With barely any equipment, no real business background, and no one telling me this was a good idea.

Spoiler: it wasn’t. Not on paper.

But rebels don’t need permission. They need purpose.

The Road That Almost Broke Me

When I moved into our first roasting facility, I thought things would finally take off. Instead, I got hit with nine months of delays from the town. No roasting. No income. Just bills. I was driving over 300 miles a week from Massachusetts to Maine—sleeping in my car, broke, exhausted, and still refusing to quit.

I sold my truck to pay for ductwork the town claimed was “recommended,” not even required. I was losing customers. Losing momentum. Most people would’ve pulled the plug.

But I didn’t come this far to give up because things got hard. I came this far because I believed in something more.

Why I Built Black Ink

Black Ink Coffee isn’t just about caffeine. It’s about fueling the rebellion.

We don’t pander. We don’t play nice with corporate. We don’t chase trends.

We roast bold coffee for people who live bold lives—people fighting to write their own story. People chasing dreams that scare them. People waking up at 4 a.m. not because it’s trendy, but because their purpose doesn’t let them sleep in.

“Black Ink” isn’t just a name—it’s a statement. A reminder that you’re not a rough draft. You’re not here to play it safe. You’re here to ink your legacy.

What We Believe

At Black Ink, we believe in:

  • Starting before you’re ready.
    I didn’t wait to be “qualified.” I started broke, scared, and uncertain—and it was the best decision of my life.

  • Betting on yourself.
    No one’s coming to save you. The world doesn’t hand out permission slips. You take the leap, or you rot in place.

  • Staying defiantly bold.
    Our brand exists to stand apart. We don’t water down our coffee—or our message. We’re here for the misfits, the overlooked, the underestimated.

  • Doing the hard things.
    Success isn’t supposed to feel easy. It’s forged through rejection, doubt, and discomfort. That’s why we say, fuel your grind.

The Dream Is Bigger Than Coffee

Yes, we sell coffee. Damn good coffee. But we also exist to push people toward their dreams.

Every product we launch, every video we make, every word on our bags—it’s all part of a bigger mission:

To prove that underdogs don’t just survive.
They rise.
They win.
And they inspire others to do the same.

We tell stories. Of fighters. Entrepreneurs. Creators. Athletes. Rebels. Because people don’t just buy coffee—they buy belief. And we believe in you even when no one else does.

For the Ones Still in the Fight

Maybe you’re reading this from a garage.
Maybe you’re still at the 9-5, plotting your escape.
Maybe no one believes in your vision yet. Hell, maybe you barely believe in it.

But I’m telling you right now: you don’t have to feel ready. You just have to move.

That’s what I did. One painful, imperfect, relentless step at a time. I’m still building. Still failing. Still learning. But I’m not in the car outside Walmart anymore. I’ve got a thriving company. A family. A team. A mission.

And you? You’ve got no excuses left.

Why This Matters

There are a million coffee brands out there.
But how many of them bled for this?

How many of them slept in their car to keep the dream alive?
How many of them roast with purpose, not just profit?

Black Ink isn’t for everyone. It’s not meant to be. It’s for the rebels. The relentless. The ones who bet on themselves when the odds say “fold.”

We’re not here to make you feel good.
We’re here to make you feel ready enough to start.

So if you’ve got a dream you’ve been sitting on…
A business idea, a story, a second chance…
Pour a cup.

Then go make your move.

— Parker Russell
Founder, Black Ink Coffee