The Gift of Freude
What Zona Sceerey’s mother passed down and what she’s built with it.
Presented by Freude Coffee, Sylvan Lake.
Zona Screery, the heart behind Freude Coffee, has built something rooted in more than hospitality; it is a reflection of where she came from, who raised her, and what she believes people deserve to feel when they walk through a door.
The space Zona is currently working in is still unfinished, something in the process of becoming. She has almost no digital footprint to speak of: no carefully curated Instagram, no website, and no trail of quotes. In many ways, that absence says something. Zona’s story is not one that has been packaged or broadcast. It is one she tells herself, at her own pace, in the way she lives and works – with Freude, meaning joy.
Zona was raised by a strong and resilient mother – a woman who instilled in her the values of independence, discipline, and unwavering hospitality. The family’s guiding belief was straightforward: there is always room for one more. For Zona, that phrase never left her. It became more than a family value. It evolved into the very foundation of her approach to business, leadership, and community.
Through the development of Freude Coffee, and future hospitality ventures, Zona has created spaces centred not simply around service, but around human connection. The name itself speaks to that vision. Freude is the German word for joy and for Zona, joy is not an afterthought. It is the driving force behind every aspect of her work. For Zona, creating environments where guests, staff, and community members feel welcomed, valued, and empowered to be fully themselves.
“My legacy is foundational. The commitment to everything at one hundred percent. Even when the path is difficult, if you can find joy in the process, then it is worth doing.” Zona shares. Her leadership style reflects the same warmth. Zona leads with humility and purpose, working alongside her team when it is needed, encouraging them through challenging moments, and ensuring that every guest who walks through her doors feels welcomed, valued, and free to be fully themselves. For Zona, great hospitality begins with genuine care for people, and that belief shows up in everything she does.
Motherhood, entrepreneurship, and legacy are not separate threads in her story, they are woven together. She speaks openly about what success means to her: not recognition, not financial achievement alone, but the positive impact she has on others and the sense of connection, belonging, and joy she creates along the way.
I truly believe we are meant to find fulfillment through connection, purpose, and the people we share our lives with — not simply to move through life without joy. In the end, I hope to be remembered for Freude — for joy.
This piece first appeared in ROSE Magazine, Issue #1. Dive into the full issue here.