The Daily Grind
In an industry of high-visibility brand names, they don't have one. So how does this family's coffee company stay in business?
Take one post-grad challenging the theory of Father Knows Best paired with a sister who can sell anything to anyone. Throw that familial fire into a ring with the champs of not only the instant coffee domain but the grocery world, and what do you get? A ferocious battle from underdogs full of determination. They might not win the match--in fact, they accept that's nearly impossible. But they know how to survive. And until they're actually pinned, defeat will not be in their vocabulary.
Meet the team members of Ryan Coffee Co., the San Leandro, California, maker of Victorian House Concentrated Coffee: Greg Ryan Jr., 36, president and CEO; sister Heather Ryan-Dubé, 35, head of sales and marketing; and their father Greg Ryan Sr., 64, head of institutional sales and licensing. Sounds ultra-professional for your average family-owned business--but then again, typical family-owned ventures tend to steer clear of markets dominated by Kraft Foods Inc., Procter & Gamble and Nestlé, the largest food company in the world.
Continue reading this article - and everything on Entrepreneur!
Become a member to get unlimited access and support the voices you want to hear more from. Get full access to Entrepreneur for just $5.
Entrepreneur Editors' Picks
-
These Co-Founders Are Using 'Quiet Confidence' to Flip the Script on Cutthroat Startup Culture and Make Their Mark on a $46 Billion Industry
-
My 7-Year-Old Daughter Started Selling Eggs. Here's What She Taught Me About Running a Startup.
-
Why You Need to Become an Inclusive Leader (and How to Do It)
-
Career Transitions You Can Make in Your 40s and 50s
-
Billionaire Naveen Jain Is an Expert at Disrupting Fields He Has No Experience In. His Secret Sauce for Building Multi-Million Dollar Companies? 'You Have to Come as Naive.'
-
4 Principles to Develop Next-Level Leadership at Your Company
-
This Filipino American Founder Is Disrupting the Beverage Aisle by Introducing New Flavors to the Crowded Bubbly Water Market