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In this episode of Small Business Success Stories at SCORE Houston, host and SCORE Mentor PV Bala sits down with Sarah Lieberman, founder of Dandelion Cafe — Houston's beloved breakfast and brunch destination with three locations across the city. Sarah shares how she left a career in oil and gas to follow her passion for hospitality, launched her first cafe with just $40,000, no collateral, and a lot of grit, and grew it into a thriving small business that survived two hurricanes and a global pandemic.

You'll hear the real story behind securing startup funding with no bank loan, the pivot that took her from coffee shop to restaurant, how SCORE mentorship shaped her business plan, and what it takes to reach break even, scale to multiple locations, and land a spot on Good Morning America. Sarah is the 2026 SBA Houston District Small Business Person of the Year — and her story is proof that drive, flexibility, and community are the real ingredients for success.

🎙️ Host: PV Bala, SCORE Mentor, SCORE Houston 🍳 Guest: Sarah Lieberman, Founder, Dandelion Cafe Houston

Topics covered: how to start a restaurant, small business funding, SBA loans, micro-lenders, restaurant startup costs, coffee shop vs. restaurant profit, scaling a small business, small business mentorship, SCORE Houston, Houston entrepreneurs, breakfast restaurant business, women in business, small business success stories.

Let us know what you think of this episode. What subjects you would like us to cover in next episodes.

Give your comments at https://scorehoustonpodcast.blogspot.com or write to pv.bala@scorevolunteer.org. Let us know what you like of this episode and suggest subjects on which you wish to know more.