El Tiny Cafe is a small, heart-led coffee shop rooted in Berkeley and Mexico, born from a very tender family moment. While Lilia Vizcaino—“Lily”—the café’s founder, was working two café jobs and pregnant at the time, her three-year-old daughter often accompanied her. Full of curiosity and joy, her daughter loved “serving cafecitos” to teachers and customers, proudly handing out tiny cups of coffee with a big smile. The name El Tiny Cafe comes directly from those first “cafecitos”—small cups filled with love, culture, and togetherness.
Today, the café reflects Lily’s journey as a working mother, an immigrant, and an entrepreneur, creating a space that feels intimate, joyful, and deeply connected to the community. Lily was inspired to start her business primarily by her children and her desire to have control over her own time. While balancing family and business has been challenging, it has also been a source of growth and purpose. The café’s early closing hours reflect her commitment to a healthier work–life balance—one she navigates alongside her husband, a true partner in this journey.
Lily has always loved working in cafés and fell in love with Berkeley and the sense of community these spaces naturally create. Originally trained as a public accountant in Mexico, she planned to stay in Berkeley for just one year. While working at a local café, she became immersed in the world of coffee and discovered that it was much more than a trade—it was a space for human connection. What began as a job evolved into a calling. Over time, her café became a gathering place where relationships grew—so much so that many of her early customers now return with their own children.
Lily’s story is also one of perseverance. She leased the café space in 2019, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was unable to open until late 2020. Amid uncertainty, financial pressure, and countless challenges, her tenacity and deep commitment made the vision a reality.
Her vision extends far beyond the storefront. Lily partners with women-led coffee producers in Chiapas, Mexico, creating a full circle of collaboration between women in her home country and her community in Berkeley. Today, the business employs four women and plans to add a fifth team member to support both café operations and marketing. At its core, Lily’s work is about community, care, and creating opportunities for women—locally and across borders—through coffee.
“It has taken a lot of effort, but also deep determination to make this dream real. These have been very hard years, but I truly believe that when you speak to the universe, the universe listens. I used to tell everyone, ‘I don’t care if I have to live here—this café will open,’ and it did. There is always fear, but you have to do it anyway. When you look around and see how many businesses exist, you realize—why not me? And why not you?”
How Prospera Has Supported Lily and Her Team
Running a small café is no easy task, but with the right support, Lily has turned El Tiny Cafe into more than just a place to grab coffee—it’s a true community hub. As Lily shares, Prospera has been the only organization supporting her business over the past year.
Through workshops, courses, and events, Lily and her team learned essential business skills that improved communication and strengthened teamwork. Two of her employees completed a full business plan through the Planeacourse, helping them understand the business more holistically—not just their individual roles. This gave Lily more time and confidence to delegate tasks, build trust, and allow her team to take on greater responsibilities. She is even considering future opportunities for shared ownership.
With a stronger team in place, Lily was able to focus on strategic priorities: increasing sales, improving daily operations, and planning for the future. She is also working on a space remodeling project to expand the café’s capacity. She is planning to hire a fifth team member to support at the cafe and in marketing —an area that had not previously been a priority.
The results speak for themselves. Thanks to a more capable team and a clearer strategic focus, the café experienced its most successful months in years. Catering orders surged in September and October, and December 2025 marked the highest sales month to date.
In addition, Lily completed the Escala y Emprende course in partnership with Digital Jump, where she learned how to create a functional landing page, launch a digital campaign, and integrate AI and automation tools. With her team now consolidated, she’s ready to put these strategies into action—expanding the café’s reach, increasing sales, and continuing to build a space where both coffee and community thrive.
Don’t miss their delicious sandwiches and incredible coffee with flavors inspired by Mexico!
3219 Adeline St, Berkeley, CA 94703 – https://eltinycafe.com