Nick Stone

But ultimately, I think I became so frustrated and disillusioned with the coffee culture in New York and how different it was from what I was used to and what I craved in Australia. I had a very myopic view on Starbucks and on Dunkin'. They are brands that are not found in Australia.

But ultimately, I think I became so frustrated and disillusioned with the coffee culture in New York and how different it was from what I was used to and what I craved in Australia. I had a very myopic view on Starbucks and on Dunkin'. They are brands that are not found in Australia.

And Starbucks has emerged over the last couple of years, but it's very much focused on shopping centres where there's a critical mass of international students. Very, very rare to find I think Australians that have been in the country for a long period of time or born here to be drinking coffee at Starbucks, it's just atypical.

And Starbucks has emerged over the last couple of years, but it's very much focused on shopping centres where there's a critical mass of international students. Very, very rare to find I think Australians that have been in the country for a long period of time or born here to be drinking coffee at Starbucks, it's just atypical.

It might change, but Starbucks effectively failed in Australia like they failed in Israel. Starbucks wasn't as successful in Italy. And I just felt that there's got to be something different here because it wasn't just about... the coffee taste and the product per se for me. What was much more important was getting a coffee or the act of going to coffee was a ritual. It was a process.

It might change, but Starbucks effectively failed in Australia like they failed in Israel. Starbucks wasn't as successful in Italy. And I just felt that there's got to be something different here because it wasn't just about... the coffee taste and the product per se for me. What was much more important was getting a coffee or the act of going to coffee was a ritual. It was a process.

It was a way to facilitate human connection. And it was such a critical part of my day as a banker because we would start the morning with this team ritual of getting coffee. And then we would also often get a coffee in the afternoon because at times we wouldn't know what time we would go home. And we depend on the demands of the client.

It was a way to facilitate human connection. And it was such a critical part of my day as a banker because we would start the morning with this team ritual of getting coffee. And then we would also often get a coffee in the afternoon because at times we wouldn't know what time we would go home. And we depend on the demands of the client.

You might have calls internationally that could run into the evening. So I just missed that feeling of being a local where I walked in and they knew my name, face and order. It's pretty simple. That's what I was used to. And that's what I expected. And after a number of years of living in New York, I just thought, we've got to change this.

You might have calls internationally that could run into the evening. So I just missed that feeling of being a local where I walked in and they knew my name, face and order. It's pretty simple. That's what I was used to. And that's what I expected. And after a number of years of living in New York, I just thought, we've got to change this.

And I had an opportunity to really think about a business model through completely objective, I had never worked a day in hospitality. I had this customer-centric view. I had experience with numbers and advising businesses and financing businesses. And I had some insights around building brands and marketing through my time studying my MBA. And also my brother was in advertising.

And I had an opportunity to really think about a business model through completely objective, I had never worked a day in hospitality. I had this customer-centric view. I had experience with numbers and advising businesses and financing businesses. And I had some insights around building brands and marketing through my time studying my MBA. And also my brother was in advertising.

And my best friend, who I lived with for five years prior to moving to New York, was very, very strong, a bit of an expert in brand management. I just put the business plan together, thought about it for a couple of years, asked a million questions, most of them repetitive and naive and very much a novice. But that's how it all came together.

And my best friend, who I lived with for five years prior to moving to New York, was very, very strong, a bit of an expert in brand management. I just put the business plan together, thought about it for a couple of years, asked a million questions, most of them repetitive and naive and very much a novice. But that's how it all came together.

And I didn't have these ambitions of building it into... 60 plus stores that we have right now, 65. But it was something I thought the community would love because we were going to focus on people and have much better product. And that's what we went about executing.

And I didn't have these ambitions of building it into... 60 plus stores that we have right now, 65. But it was something I thought the community would love because we were going to focus on people and have much better product. And that's what we went about executing.

It's such a great question. And when I think back to my mental state when I was considering Bluestone, I am naturally pretty risk adverse. I like to do a lot of planning. and become a student before I dive into anything. And with Bluestone, I think I just summed up that I understood what the downside was going to be. I wasn't going to leave my job as a banker full-time.

It's such a great question. And when I think back to my mental state when I was considering Bluestone, I am naturally pretty risk adverse. I like to do a lot of planning. and become a student before I dive into anything. And with Bluestone, I think I just summed up that I understood what the downside was going to be. I wasn't going to leave my job as a banker full-time.

The company couldn't afford to compensate me as CEO. The company also didn't need me as a full-time CEO. It was one store and it was going to be two stores within six months. It didn't warrant a chief executive. In fact, I think I had enough self-awareness to appreciate that me full-time is probably not going to benefit this business. I would probably push it too hard. I might be too ambitious.

The company couldn't afford to compensate me as CEO. The company also didn't need me as a full-time CEO. It was one store and it was going to be two stores within six months. It didn't warrant a chief executive. In fact, I think I had enough self-awareness to appreciate that me full-time is probably not going to benefit this business. I would probably push it too hard. I might be too ambitious.