Some might say travelling traders Jess and Andy have the best job in Australia. What’s that job, you ask They are part of the emerging trend of people ditching the 9-5 for an adventurous life of travelling, trading and running a business on the road.
We, (Jess, 32 and Andy, 36,) founded our micro business Round & Round Travelling Coffee in April, 2017. Originally hailing from the coffee mecca that is Melbourne’s inner northern suburb of Brunswick, we were always desperate to escape the rat race. We found peace in the bush and truly loved being able to slow down and recharge the batteries. Having a campervan all kitted out and ready to go at any minute gave us the freedom to make spontaneous decisions to roll out of the big smoke and into nature.
That unrestrained feeling soon wore off come Sunday afternoon, when we’d have to go back and prep for another mundane week of work, traffic and the same old routine. We just weren’t happy. We had a taste of freedom and it tasted good! We were hungry for it! We were better versions of ourselves out on the open road. We laughed more, loved more and were rich with time.
After driving to Adelaide one long weekend and tipping yet another cup of dreadful coffee into the gutter it came to us – that light bulb moment! Coffee! Everyone loves good coffee but seriously, how hard is it to find good coffee on the road? We found we weren’t alone. Friends, family and total strangers we’d asked all agreed. When leaving the city centres it’s really hard to source a good cuppa. Don’t get me wrong. There are some great little cafes out there in regional towns pumping out the goods, but in our experience it wasn’t easy to find such gems. So it began….
A big map of Australia was the first ever purchase for Round & Round. I needed to see this great big land in its entirety, not through a google map search. Where we wanted to go and at what time of year. I’d been fortunate to live and work in a lot of different towns around Australia: Port Douglas, Broome, Kununurra, Magnetic Island to name a few. I had a pretty good idea of the seasons and peak times to follow.
Andy, a graphic designer by trade, worked his magic: a name, a logo, a brand. He was in his element, truly playing to his strengths. We threw a few names out there, but none seemed to stick. He then drew inspiration from one of our favorite travelling songs. You know the one. “Round and Round, up and down, through the streets of your town”… it’s by Brissy band The Go-Betweens, and thanks to them, we had the perfect name for exactly what we wanted to do. Round & Round was born.
The first critical things we needed to secure was the emotional and financial support from family and test our dream with a network of friends we would essentially be leaving behind. With amazing support on both fronts we were ready to make a start. We spent 9 months of developing a good business plan, saving, getting advice, purchasing equipment, choosing the best suppliers, finding the perfect coffee chariot and building relationships with those wanting us to come and serve in Jan 2018 we were finally ready to trade.
We are now nine months on the road, and it’s clear- best decision we’ve ever made.
It’s not without its problems and stresses. People often say “Gees you’ve got a good life!” and “Aren’t you just living the dream?” my answer is Yes, but we work bloody hard to maintain this life for ourselves and just like any new business it has its ups and downs.
If you want to start a business and travel with it, I’d suggest doing something that plays to your strengths. I have been in the hospitality industry for my whole working life. I was used to talking to different people, used to fast paced, stressful environments. My event work around Australia enabled me to be adaptable, to think on my feet and have confidence in my decisions. This all helped with the planning and running of our first business. Find something you’re passionate about and love what you do and you’ll never work a day in your life. There has not been a day, heading into that coffee caravan, that I’ve dreaded. Every day is different. Every week we have a new backyard and a new set of customers to share our story with, and to hear their story, all over a great cup of coffee.
–Jess and Andy, Round and Round Coffee
For more tips on long-term travel, visit our website.
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