In a LinkedIn post published this week, Erika Angell Haugen recounted her experience presenting her

In a LinkedIn post published this week, Erika Angell Haugen recounted her experience presenting her startup idea, CoffeeRun, for the first time at Beta Brew during Hawaii Tech Week, describing the moment as one of the most significant of her entrepreneurial journey and arguing that sharing unfinished ideas with the world remains essential to building something meaningful.

The post, which LinkedIn reported as a reflection on stepping outside her comfort zone, details how Haugen nearly withdrew from the opportunity before ultimately taking the stage to share CoffeeRun with an audience of peers, investors, and community members gathered in Hawaiʻi.

Haugen wrote that she was “SO nervous beforehand” and had “actually considered backing out,” but chose to proceed, later describing the decision as one she was “so happy” she made. She characterized the experience as transformative, noting that what began as a solitary project “suddenly became something I was sharing with a room full of people.”

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From Solitary Work to Public Pitch

According to her LinkedIn post, the Beta Brew event marked the first public sharing of CoffeeRun, a venture she had been developing independently. Haugen wrote that getting to “talk about CoffeeRun, hear different perspectives, receive feedback, and see people genuinely interested in the idea was such an encouraging experience.”

She emphasized the psychological shift that occurred when she moved from private development to public presentation. The entrepreneur wrote that the experience “reminded me how important it is to step outside your comfort zone and put your ideas out into the world, even when they aren’t fully developed yet.”

Haugen identified the core challenge of early-stage entrepreneurship as simply initiating the process, writing that “sometimes the scariest part is simply taking that first step.”

Haugen Shares Audience Reactions Boosting Project Confidence

The post details the reception she received from the Hawaii Tech Week audience, with Haugen expressing gratitude to “everyone who listened, asked questions, and shared their encouragement and feedback.” She described leaving the event “even more motivated to keep building, learning, and bringing CoffeeRun to life here in Hawaiʻi.”

Haugen framed the experience as validation of her approach to entrepreneurship, suggesting that public engagement—even at early stages—provides value that private iteration cannot. She concluded her LinkedIn post with an exhortation to others facing similar hesitation: “Here’s to taking chances, learning as we go, and saying YES to opportunities that scare us a little.”

The CoffeeRun founder’s account arrives as Hawaii Tech Week continues to serve as a gathering point for the islands’ technology and entrepreneurship community, with Beta Brew functioning as a venue where founders present early concepts to live audiences.