Mix Business With Pleasure. Find A Business That Pleases You … and if you can’t find one, start one.
I knew little about coffee when, as a 17 year old school leaver, I got my first job with Dublin’s legendary Bewley’s Coffee. I soon grew to love coffee and to learn a great deal about it. As I did so, I also grew to love the dialogue between a product and its consumer, between a brand and its audience.
That was my doorway into the world of business. I learned the careful balance between knowing the craft and knowing the business and its market. During that time, on a trip to San Francisco, aged about 26, the vision for Java Republic materialised and I turned it into a reality. Over the years I have had successes and hard lessons, in fact I came close to losing the whole lot during the 2008 recession. I’ve had good years and bad, I’ve taken risks and reaped rewards.
With Java Republic, I was at the vanguard of the Irish coffee revolution, building a business. I made enough to be comfortable for life but I love the thrill of the game and now I’m ready to help coach, invest and challenge a new generation of players.
