Colby Barr, co-founder of Verve Coffee grew up with a love for adventure, music, and mapmaking – which isn’t the most obvious blend for a career in coffee roasting. What inspired him to reach out to his old friend Ryan O’Donovan and started a simple coffee shop? Colby also shares how he brewed a brand with class and integrity, how they expanded Verve Coffee nationally and internationally, and why making mistakes means you’re doing something right.

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TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE:

1. If the world shows you a sign, sometimes you’ve just got to follow it and take the leap.

2. Aim to build the best company you can, even if no one cares.

3. You’re going to be better at your passion than anything else, and you’re more likely to be successful because you’ll give it everything you’ve got.

4. You owe it to yourself to work things through.

5. Being overwhelmed is probably a good feeling to have. If the work is a no-brainer, then you’re probably missing something.

6. You could be making only $1.60 an hour with your dream job, but it’s still worth it.

7. Take chances and overextend yourself.

8. Go make mistakes, go mess up. If you’re not making mistakes, you’re not reaching far enough.

 

MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

• Verve Coffee website

• Follow Verve Coffee on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

• Find their locations in Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, New York, and Tokyo

• Read more about Colby and Ryan’s story here

• What is a Montessori school?

• What does a cartographer do?

• Dwell – share and discover inspiring design

• Cafe Grumpy in Brooklyn, New York

• GQ Magazine article

• Republique, Huckleberry Cafe

• Reasons to go travel to Tokyo

 

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