Full Name: Ant Duckworth
Current Role: Founder & CEO
Current Organisation: Dear Coco Coffee
Last Role at PwC: Events & Sponsorship Leader
Time at PwC: 2008 - 2014
What’s your fondest memory from your time at PwC?
PwC was my first corporate role. Seeing such care and personalisation done at scale was amazing to me, right from day one. I was so positively impacted by the humility of the Partner that spoke at my Induction Day, I handwrote him a note of thanks. He called me the next day to echo the positive impact. He said he proudly taped the note to his fridge at home so he could show his kids to be reminded of why he does what he does.
What’s the one career achievement you’re most proud of and why?
Having the courage to leave a well-established, senior corporate career behind at the age of 47 and jump on the entrepreneurial ledge. At my age, many people chase the stability of a known career and a regular paycheck. I wanted to show my three daughters that no matter how old you are, if you're brave enough you can chase your dreams. I'm so glad I did, it's been 18 months as full-time Founder & CEO of Dear Coco and the reality has lived up to the dream. I'm very fortunate to have Sam Chandler, my business partner on the journey with me. Sam's a former public company CEO, so I get the coaching and advice I miss from my corporate days, within my own business.
What’s been your biggest career challenge and how have you overcome it?
During the pandemic I was Director of International Experiential Marketing at American Express, based in London. No channel of marketing got turned off quicker than mine. My team was re-deployed within the organisation and my budget re-allocated. Steve Squeri (CEO, Amex) made the commitment of no COVID-related layoffs until 1 January 2021. But what happens when that comes? So I built Dear Coco Coffee as a side-hustle to not only give me purpose, but create my own opportunity if I got laid off. I didn't, phew!
What sparked your decision to start a coffee truck franchise?
Building a beautiful little coffee truck on the beach somewhere was my retirement dream - likely in Australia or Europe in 25 years time. I wanted to be an old weathered surfer serving other surfers their morning coffees, with me surfing around the business. The pandemic shut down my entire marketing channel, I wasn't expelling my natural daily creativity. So I pulled my coffee truck dream forward by 25 years. I asked my wife for her blessing to empty our life savings account of £40,000 to build a dream that existed only in my head. I promised her I'd build the best coffee truck in the world, and in 2025 that's the regard we're held. It's so humbling how far we've come.
How do you interact with the local community, and what impact do you strive to achieve?
Whether its at our No.1 Truck along Strand-on-the-Green, or one of our other 3 venues, we want Dear Coco to be the epicentre of the community. The power of good coffee, served by a world-class barista in a beautiful location, is immense. It's quite literally the best part of many people's day, and we love owning that moment. Wherever we are, we like to support community initiatives, give back, pay it forward, and nurture emerging local talent when no one else will give them their coffee start. We want to leave a mark on the community and be a positive force they can count on.
What challenges did you face at the beginning of founding Dear Coco and what helped you get through those?
I started Dear Coco as a side hustle to an International Marketing Director career. I led teams across EMEA, APAC & LACC, reporting to the US. My diary was utter chaos at the best of times. I asked Amex if I could work a compressed week (full time hours over 4 days), so I had Fridays, Saturdays & Sundays to be my own barista and pay off the truck. I worked 100 hour weeks for 9 months, not a single day off, juggling corporate career, small business and family life. I've never needed to be so determined and resilient in my life, it was beyond too much, it was out of control. But I was obsessed with building my dream, and my family supported me without fail. On those freezing, rainy mornings I'd repeat this in my head "Ant, you don't have to do this, you get to do this". That kept me going. This emotional journey inspired me to write my own book about all the challenges along the way. If you’d like to dive deeper into my story, check it out here.
Over the next five years, where do you see Dear Coco going, and how do you plan on progressing the company?
Sam & I want Dear Coco to be the world's next great coffee company. We have a medium-term goal of being Europe's fastest growing coffee company by the end of 2026. We already have options to expand in other international regions and markets, so its about taking our time, building things the right way and staying true to our origin story. Dear Coco is a love letter to my youngest daughter, Coco (9). We're about family and doing things with care. We'll grow in this spirit.
What’s the most valuable lesson you learnt during your career at PwC and how has that helped you get to where you are today?
In 2010, there was an internal opportunity to lead a PwC programme in China for 6 months. I went through the interview process and wasn't successful, even though I felt like I was well-qualified for the role. When I asked for feedback on why I wasn't successful I was told "Ant, you just didn't want it as much as the others". That stuck with me. Everything I've done since, I want it more than anyone. I never leave any doubt that I'll do whatever it takes to achieve my goals and be successful. Commitment, work ethic and iron will determination are fundamentals I live by.
If you could invite three people to a dinner party, dead or alive, who would they be and why?
Kelly Slater, I'm a diehard surfer and he's the GOAT
Eddie Vedder, I love Pearl Jam. Eddie's friends with Kelly so it would be a cool vibe
Emma, my wife of 20 years. I'd want to share the experience with her... and get coffee ice cream in a cone on the walk home
