If you’re in the hospitality industry and dream of launching your own venture, something built on passion, purpose, and long-term sustainability, then James Hoffmann’s journey is your blueprint. From working as a croupier in a casino to becoming world barista champion and co-founder of Square Mile Coffee Roasters, James’s path offers a clear roadmap for turning passion into a thriving business without burning out.
Here’s how someone working in hospitality can follow that journey, step by step:
Start with curiosity, not perfection James didn’t even drink coffee when he took a job demonstrating coffee machines in a department store. What set him apart was his relentless curiosity. He began reading books about coffee, its history, its cultural impact, and that curiosity turned into a full-on obsession. It was never about a career move. It was about wanting to understand what he was doing, and doing it well.
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Your takeaway: whatever your current role: receptionist, f&b manager, spa therapist…immerse yourself in it. Study the business around you, understand your guests, follow trends, read obsessively. Don’t wait for someone to teach you. Start teaching yourself.
Step into the spotlight early Within a few years of his first job in coffee, James was not only competing but winning barista championships, eventually becoming world champion in 2007. Why? He didn’t wait until he was “ready.” he jumped in, learned on the job, and made himself visible.
For hospitality professionals, that might mean entering industry competitions, speaking at events, contributing to trade publications, or even starting a blog or tiktok account to share your expertise. Visibility opens doors. Don’t wait to be discovered: put yourself out there.
Don’t do it alone When James launched Square Mile, he did it with a business partner. They combined complementary skills and shared a mission: to elevate London’s coffee culture. Their success wasn’t just built on product; it was built on people.
If you’re thinking of launching your own hospitality concept, be it a boutique hotel, wellness brand, or f&b venture, find the right partners. Look for people who balance your skills and who believe in the same bigger picture.
Ditch the hustle myth James is candid about his biggest mistake: buying into hustle culture. He worked 110-hour weeks, burned out, and nearly quit coffee entirely. The lesson? Working yourself to the bone doesn’t make you a hero. It makes you miserable.
You don’t need to “earn your stripes” through burnout. Instead, plan to start with more capital so you can hire help, build a support system, and work sustainably. Protect your weekends. Separate work and life. In hospitality, burnout is already a risk; so don’t build a business model that guarantees it.
Build a business, not just a job James quickly realized that being great at coffee didn’t mean he knew how to run a business. He had to learn the “boring” stuff: systems, finances, hiring, operations…and that became the foundation for growth.
The same applies in hospitality. Being a top hotel manager or an incredible chef doesn’t mean you’re ready to launch your own brand. Focus on creating systems that work even when you’re not there. Otherwise, you’ll be stuck working in your business instead of on it.
Solve real problems. Square Mile didn’t grow just by selling better beans. They helped their customers succeed: training baristas, offering support, improving operations. they focused on solving real business problems, not just promoting their product.
in your case, that might mean improving your Hotel’s ADR, driving up ancillary revenue or boosting guest retention. The key isn’t just offering more, but making your offering make someone else’s life easier.
Know your why Behind everything James has built is a clear sense of purpose. It was never just about making money. It was about creating something meaningful: a community, a culture, a contribution.
You don’t have to chase legacy, but you do need a reason that goes beyond profit. If your only motivation is making more money, you’ll burn out fast. but if you’re building something that reflects who you are and what you care about, you’ll find the energy to keep going.
Bottom line If you’re working in hospitality and dream of starting your own business, you don’t need to follow a textbook startup plan. You need to do what James Hoffmann did:
Fall in love with the craft
Dive deep into learning
Solve problems that matter
Work sustainably
…And always build with purpose
You don’t have to be a world champion barista, but you do need to care, to think like an entrepreneur, and to commit to doing the work the smart way, not the self-destructive way. That’s how you build a business that’s profitable, impactful, and still fun after ten years.
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