Challenger Chats is back with a vengeance! Trust us when we say, this one is a cracker (or more like a spicy diavolo)… as we sit down with Bobby Hashemi, founder of Pizza Union, one of London’s most-loved pizza brands and co-founder of Coffee Republic, the brand that helped kickstart the UK’s coffee shop revolution in the ’90s.
From leaving Lehman Brothers to co-founding and subsequently floating Coffee Republic, then crossing over to private equity, Bobby has been there, done that, and has got the t-shirt. Now, twelve years into building Pizza Union, his philosophy has shifted – he’s convinced that slowness, not speed, is the real founder superpower.
Bobby shares his journey – the highs, the hard-won lessons, and why doing it in a more considered way the second time round means doing it better.
In this episode we explore:
– Bobby’s early career, from Lehman Brothers to Coffee Republic
– Taking a business public – and life in the spotlight that followed
– Crossing over to the other side of the table as a private equity investor working alongside veteran deal-maker Luke Johnson
– Returning to his entrepreneurial roots and building fast casual sensation Pizza Union
– How his definition of success has changed over 25 years as a founder, and why simplicity and site selection matter more than speed
– How no journey would be complete without some illicit contraband smuggling…
If you’re passionate about entrepreneurship, hospitality, or simply love a great founder story, then get your ear buds on and tune in!🎧
Stream via your favourite podcast app below, or click on the embedded player if you can’t wait to listen!
Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Pocket Casts
Amazon Music
