449: How to Break Into the Coffee Industry With Joshua Dick, Wave Investments [Espresso Shots]

Joshua Dick was the CEO of Urnex Brands, which sells cleaning products for commercial and household coffee equipment, for over 13 years. During that time he transformed a small family business into one of the worldwide leaders in the coffee industry. After Josh graduated from Yale university, he headed to Wall Street where he spent a couple years before heading to business school.  He is currently a partner in Wave Investments, a private equity firm that focuses on helping entrepreneurs grow their coffee-based companies. Josh is also the author of the book Grow Like a Lobster, which provides valuable lessons about the business world — centering around the idea that companies must be ready to “molt” like lobsters do when they grow out of their shells, in order to take their businesses to the next level.  WHAT YOU’LL LEARN ABOUT IN THIS EPISODE: How working in the field of coffee sales or as a barista are a great ways to break into the coffee industry (6:48) Why Josh’s company thrived without ever having to brew a cup of coffee and why other product companies are good places to explore (7:40) Why you should check out the Specialty Coffee Association or the National Coffee Association (8:40) Why having writing skills and passion are crucial if you want to work in the coffee industry (9:22) Why the people are the best, and worst, aspects of the coffee industry (13:27)  How the Netflix documentary “Barista” is an accurate depiction of the coffee industry (15:42)