Success Story: Bo’s Coffee

Summary

In this insightful interview, Steven, the CEO of Most Coffee, shares his journey as an entrepreneur since founding the company in 1996. He emphasizes the importance of passion, resilience, and community in overcoming challenges, particularly in introducing the coffee shop experience to a hesitant market. Steven's mantra highlights the value of shared success and the importance of learning from others. He reflects on his early experiences of hard work and resourcefulness, illustrating how these principles shaped his approach to business and life. His message resonates particularly with university students aspiring to enter the business world.

Takeaways

• 😀 Steven is the CEO of Most Coffee, which he founded in 1996 inspired by his global travels.
• 😀 He describes himself as unrelenting, focused, and strategic as an entrepreneur.
• 😀 The initial challenge was gaining community acceptance of the new coffee shop experience.
• 😀 Steven treated his coffee shop as a passion project rather than just a business.
• 😀 His view of being a boss evolved into creating a platform for social entrepreneurs.
• 😀 He believes success is meaningful when it includes helping others succeed.
• 😀 He advises students to be clear about their business goals and aspirations.
• 😀 Learning from those who are better is crucial for personal and professional growth.
• 😀 Steven's early entrepreneurial efforts included selling items to fund his social activities.
• 😀 He emphasizes the importance of hard work and resourcefulness learned during college.

Q & A

What motivated Steven to start Most Coffee?

Steven was inspired to start Most Coffee due to his positive experiences at coffee shops while traveling, and he wanted to replicate that experience in his hometown.

What three words does Steven use to describe himself?

Steven describes himself as unrelenting, focused, and strategic.

What challenge did Steven face when introducing Most Coffee to his community?

The biggest challenge was acceptability, as the coffee shop experience was new to the community, and people were initially unfamiliar with the products and perceived them as expensive.

How did Steven view his role as a boss?

Steven's perception of being a boss evolved into creating a platform for social entrepreneurs to grow alongside him, giving more meaning to his work.

What is Steven's mantra regarding success?

His mantra is that 'success means nothing if we can’t take others with us,' emphasizing the importance of helping others succeed.

What advice does Steven offer to university students interested in business?

He advises them to know what they want to achieve or what they want to enter in business and to learn from people who are more knowledgeable than they are.

What personal experience shaped Steven's work ethic?

Steven learned the value of hard work and resourcefulness in college, exemplified by his efforts to earn money to socialize with friends instead of relying solely on his allowance.

What kind of business endeavors did Steven undertake before starting Most Coffee?

Before starting Most Coffee, Steven engaged in small businesses such as selling shoes and watches to fund his outings with friends.

How does Steven define success in relation to others?

Steven defines success as a collective achievement, where individual success is meaningful only when it contributes to the success of others.

What did Steven believe about learning from others?

Steven believed that to improve and succeed, it was essential to learn from those who are better and more experienced.