Gefen Skolnick

Gefen Skolnick is redefining what a coffee brand can look and feel like. As the founder and CEO of Couplet Coffee, she has built a vibrant, irreverent, specialty coffee company that challenges the industry’s often minimalist, serious aesthetics. Originally working in tech, Skolnick carried a “gnawing passion” for coffee in the background before turning it into a full-fledged business. “I hadn’t seen anyone truly test the boundaries of branding and fun with specialty coffee, and I wanted to put out the wackiest, most vibrant brand I could,” says Skolnick. Recently, her Los Angeles shops have become community hubs, where customers return again and again, finding both connection and a sense of belonging. For Skolnick, Couplet is just the beginning. Driven by a growth mindset and an ambition to build lasting, culturally relevant brands, she’s focused on creating food and beverage experiences that are unique and deeply personal. Being a masc-presenting woman has shaped her journey. She says, “Nobody ever expects me to be an investor and the CEO of a highgrowth, investor-backed business when I walk in a room. I love seeing people’s attitudes visibly shift towards me on a near-daily basis the second they find out who I am and what I do. I love being nonconforming in a very male-dominated industry!” –AK