<body><div>CSKT Teen Launches Mobile Coffee Shop, Redefines Success for Local Youth<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1L1E5u_16uO8q0K00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1L1E5u_16uO8q0K00" width="443" height="255" ><figcaption>Mataya Oakland greets customers with a smile and offers unique weekly and monthly specials at the Bean Machine. Support this young tribal member’s business and enjoy a delicious drink. Marianne Addison</figcaption></figure>PABLO, Mont. — At 17, Mataya Oakland is redefining what success can look like for young people. While many of her peers are applying to colleges or still unsure about their futures, she launched her own business, The Bean Machine. She is not just brewing coffee, she is offering a message about the many paths available to youth.Her entrepreneurial journey began with a change in her schooling. “I knew from the first day of homeschooling that it was the perfect fit for me,” Oakland said. She dropped out of Ronan High School a week into her sophomore year and joined a homeschool program that transformed her academic experience. “I feel like I learned a lot more because the teacher gave you one-on-one time and you didn’t have the kids in the background that were ruining it for everyone.”The program helped her build confidence and practical skills. She took HiSET preparation classes at Salish Kootenai College and passed the exam in June before turning 17. Reading had always been her lowest-scoring subject in public school, yet it became her highest score at SKC. Her homeschool teacher also introduced her to real-world skills, including how to build a website.“The things she taught me in school actually helped me create this business,” Oakland said.She is still unsure what she wants to do long term, but becoming a homeschool teacher is one of the careers she is considering.“I still don’t know what I want to do long term, but becoming a homeschool teacher was actually something I have thought of because of her,” she said.As her former classmates began their senior year, she opened The Bean Machine on Oct. 6. “By the time my friends are graduating, I’ll be almost a year into my new business,” she said.Oakland credits her family for giving her the confidence to start a business as a teen. “It also helps with my mom owning her own business. My stepdad also has his own business. Aunt and uncle own the grocery store now and he used to own his own business,” she said.Her interest in the coffee world began in middle school when she worked at Iced Mocha Joint in Ronan. She later served drinks from The Rollin’ Bean coffee trailer until it was sold in July. When that job ended, the timing felt right for her to start her own business.She bought a trailer and transformed it into a fully functional mobile coffee stand. “I always wanted my own coffee trailer,” she said. “So I opened my own because it’s my favorite job.”Using the skills and connections she gained from her previous work and guidance from her family, she selected a spot in the Pablo Family Foods parking lot. “I figured people could get their drink, lunch and road snacks all in one stop,” she said. With the highway dividing Pablo, the location near the stoplight offers a steady flow of customers.The Bean Machine offers a range of weekly and monthly coffee specials, including Lotus, Red Bull, and filthy sodas for non-coffee drinkers. During Halloween, she gave goodie bags to kids, and offered apple cider and hot cocoa for kids along with themed drinks for adults. She also offers punch cards, Trivia Tuesday, drawings for gift cards, Happy Hour and other promotions.Monthly specials highlight seasonal flavors. Pumpkin, pistachio and maple headline the fall menu. Peppermint bark, gingerbread and eggnog are planned for the holidays. Oakland said she likes offering the rotating specials “so that it keeps people coming back in for something new.”One month into running her business, Oakland feels optimistic about the future. She plans to take the trailer to events such as carnivals, powwows, car shows, rodeos and other community gatherings. “That’s why I do enjoy the trailer, is because it is mobile,” she said.Her story challenges traditional expectations of teens living on the reservation. “Sometimes it is cool to see my friends are still in school,” she said, “while I’m already building something of my own.”Looking ahead, Oakland hopes to expand into a full coffee shop with a small boutique where people can shop, get coffee or hang out with friends. For now, she is focused on connecting with the community and embracing the idea that there is no single path to success.The Bean Machine operates Monday through Thursday from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. outside Pablo Family Foods. This week, it will be closed on Thanksgiving and reopen for Black Friday. For more information about specials or hours, call The Bean Machine at (406)303-1946.</div></body>

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PABLO, Mont. — At 17, Mataya Oakland is redefining what success can look like for young people. While many of her peers are applying to colleges or still unsure about their futures, she launched her own business, The Bean Machine. She is not just brewing coffee, she is offering a message about the many paths available to youth.

The Bean Machine: Brewing Her Future One Cup at a Time

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PABLO, Mont. — At 17, Mataya Oakland is redefining what success can look like for young people. While many of her peers are applying to colleges or still u

The Bean Machine: Brewing Her Future One Cup at a Time

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