“Always take a risk once you know you can handle the consequences. It’s important to know the potential pitfalls but don’t spend too long thinking about it”
– Marc De Caul
There are a few things I miss about #LondonLife, like vibrant business hubs and spaces for innovation and creativity with fast broadband. People and social interactions inspire me, so working in a space where there is a constant flow of humankind stimulates idea generation.
I’ve finally reached the fulfilling phase of consulting and coffee shops have become my preferred spot for client consultations. My go-to in Grenada is Mocha Spoke, and I’ve probably had most if not all of my meetings at this location and. I’m so grateful to the team for being so accommodating and not turning the tables on me. This month saw the celebrations of International Men’s Day and National Entrepreneurship Day in the US, so in a show of appreciation, I’d like to shine some light on Marc De Caul owner of Mocha Spoke.
A sit down with Marc…
Kiki: So tell me Marc, how has your upbringing shaped you into the man you are today?
Marc: I come from a family of hardworking people, and that’s the only way of life I’ve ever known. My grandfather travelled from St. Vincent to Grenada and built Deco Industries, which offered services in textiles, wholesale, printing and gas stations. He is well into his eighties, and he is still working to grow and diversify the business. My parents, who are also business owners, are approaching retirement, and instead of thinking about hobbies they are working on the next big project. This level of ambition and grit has undoubtedly rubbed off on me.
Kiki: Right so the prospect of you owning your own business was inevitable!
Marc: Indeed! When I launched my business, Mocha Spoke it was a combination of business acumen and also my passion for cycling. The initial plan was for Mocha Spoke to provide services for the cycling community, such as parts, maintenance and bicycle tours around Grenada. It was a unique tour offering at the time, and the cafe element was to cover overheads and a spot for conversing over a coffee about bike adventures. The cafe became the most popular element, and over the last six year has evolved to multiple thriving outlets. It wasn’t in the initial plan, but I am excited about how it grows over the next six years and I hope that includes developing in a way that benefits our staff, our environment and promotes good values.
Kiki: What are the daily things that keep you excited about running a business as Mocha Spoke in Grenada?
Marc: The variety. Every day is so different and what keeps me on my toes is the challenge of changing and updating, finding new ways to make our processes more efficient so that we can provide a better product and service to our customers. After all, the customer is what it’s all about. That’s the other part I like, and we come across people from all walks of life and in a space like ours, we get to learn their stories. We love how social, open and comfortable people feel in our environment. You never know who you are going to meet at Mocha Spoke!
Kiki: No wonder I feel so comfortable at Mocha Spoke. I have all my meetings there. I always say coffee shops are the new workspaces. Are you seeing that culture grow in Grenada?
Marc: It is definitely on the rise, and we spotted the trend, which is why the design of all Mocha Spoke outlets keeps people in mind. Grenada is developing quickly, and we are all more exposed to what is going on internationally, so it has become more usual to have meetings outside an office and social gatherings more often out of the home. Our goal is to offer great food and excellent coffee, but we also want to create spaces that make people comfortable.
Kiki: So, I already know, but I want the people to hear it from you! Why should I have my coffee at a Mocha Spoke cafe?
Marc: Quality and consistency is our goal! A lot of thought has gone into each product we sell. We start with the best ingredients; the coffee we use is a Lavazza, regarded as one of the best coffee beans from Italy. We then invest in quality equipment and fine-tune processes to ensure we get the best out of those ingredients. The final touch is training our team to make sure the result is the same every time and to deliver consistently excellent service. We do all this and still make sure things are reasonably priced.
Kiki: I noticed you are a business that’s conscious about its carbon footprint. Tell me more?
Marc: I’ve always been passionate about improving things and making an impact. That’s how I feel about Grenada, our environment and this planet. It’s even more enhanced now I have children. I want to make sure this planet is clean and safe for them. As a business operating at a commercial level, the environmental impact multiplies if steps aren’t taken to reduce our carbon footprint. I firmly believe that as a business owner, I have a social responsibility to ensure I do what I can to minimize those negative impacts on the environment. At Mocha Spoke, we have never used styrofoam products, we encourage our customers to use our reusable cups, plates and cutlery, and where we use single-use items, we opt for products made from plants, not plastic. I hope that leading by example will encourage others to be mindful of the impact they have on the environment.
Kiki: On that note… what personal or professional advice would you give to others?
Marc: (Smiles) Always take a risk once you know you can handle the consequences. If it doesn’t work out, then focus on where you want to go and not on where you don’t want to go. It’s important to know the potential pitfalls but don’t spend too long thinking about it!
Getting to Know you… and everything about you….
Kiki: What can’t you live without on the Mocha Spoke menu? I have a sweet tooth so I’m going to say the Mocha Spoke Waffle. A chocolate chip waffle, with bananas, whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
Kiki: What’s in our online shopping basket right now? Probably bike parts!
Kiki: What’s the next thing on your bucket list? Always travel!
Let’s get connected…
Where can we find you on social media?
Instagram – @mochaspokegnd
Facebook – facebook.com/mochaspoke
