OUr Story

Ray has enjoyed a long career as an entrepreneur - having founded and built many businesses in multiple industries and geographies. These businesses have included; construction management, business reengineering, commercial security systems, enterprise software & technology, medical diagnostics and medical device design.

He views the Brave Bean Coffee opportunity as a great way to bring his business acumen and experience to the table in order to grow a strong team with a fun culture in a meaningful way and to positively impact communities and our veteran community. It's an opportunity to give back and to have a great time doing it!

While deployed with the United States Air Force in Columbia, South America, co-founder of Brave Bean Coffee Company Milo Speranzo was introduced to his first “real” cup of coffee. That first full-bodied aromatic cup, which he romanticizes now as a vibrant memory, kick started his love and appreciation for coffee. This prompted him into action and to start his next big meaningful mission: open a community-centric coffee shop. After his deployment was over, Milo moved back to his hometown located in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, PA.  It was evident that what he so fondly remembered while a child had dramatically changed. People were moving away, there was less laughter and positivity; less community. Something needed to be done, and he had an idea of what could help.

So began the journey to launch Vault Coffeehouse. Why Vault? Easy: the Vault Coffeehouse was located in an old bank! After renovations, the bank vault still stands as a marker of transition, welcoming new customers into its home each and every day.

Aside from being the best cup of coffee you can find, the Vault had become an important place for the community to gather, bringing that spark back to Milo’s hometown. People from all backgrounds come to converse, enjoy tasty food, and music. It's a space for long lost friends to reconnect and families to celebrate birthdays; for students to study and teachers to catch a quick cup of energy before the long day ahead. It is more than just a coffee shop, it is a public hub for all to enjoy.

As a Service-Disabled Veteran, Milo wanted to give back not only to his community, but to all who have served in the Armed Forces. After opening Vault Coffeehouse, he realized just this one cafe wasn’t going to facilitate the large impact he desired for those who sacrificed so much for their country.

And so, Brave Bean Coffee Company was born! Milo partnered with longtime friend and business guru Ray Ramey to create Brave Bean Coffee Company. The co-founders are passionate about honoring their Pittsburgh roots while expanding the impact and reach of the business in support of the veteran community.

As a Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business, we are committed to giving back to those who served our country. We want to help make a better tomorrow for our Veterans who have sacrificed so much for us and our families. With this in mind, we are working with veteran initiatives including the Wounded Warrior Project to make impactful donations from a portion of Brave Bean’s proceeds, we interview local veterans to share their stories with the greater community, and we are eager to grow to offer small business mentorship and leadership opportunities for veterans.