Darren Schultz shares his journey from leaving school in Bundaberg and unexpectedly starting a hairdressing apprenticeship, to working in hospitality overseas, running his own salon, and eventually discovering the coffee industry through Brisbane’s Park Road cafe scene. 

In episode 163 of the Franchise Everything Podcast, host Glenn speaks with Darren Schultz, co-founder of Stellarossa, at Stellarossa Coffee Headquarters in Brisbane. 

His early career shaped his customer service skills, resilience, and ability to connect with people, which later became essential in building franchise businesses.

The episode also explores how Darren launched Expresso Mobile Coffee, one of Australia’s early mobile coffee van franchise concepts, before going on to co-found Stellarossa in 2009. 

Darren explains the lessons learned from franchising, the importance of proving a business model before expanding, and how Stellarossa has grown into a recognised cafe franchise brand with around 25 locations, drive-through concepts, and international expansion plans including India and Sri Lanka.

0:00 - Welcome and guest introduction Darren Schultz co-founder of Stellarossa 

0:56 - Why understanding the leaders behind franchise brands matters 

2:40 - Trying a pre-vocational course and discovering what was out there 

5:11 - The interview with the ex-Stefan salon team and the telephone role play 

8:01 - Finding his groove and earning $51 a week as an apprentice 

9:00 - Working in a men's fashion store and being rescued back into hairdressing

10:28 - Working in a bar cafe in Covent Garden and falling into hospitality 

11:55 - Teaching water skiing and getting a job by chance in Greece 

14:51 - Heading back to London a second time and landing a management role 

17:48 - Coming home to Australia and a stint back in Bundaberg 

19:42 - Reconnecting with Sam Canino and moving to Brisbane for hairdressing 

22:08 - What hairdressing taught him about understanding franchise buyers today 

23:06 - Running his own salon for 12 to 13 years and doing very well 

27:27 - Park Road Milton as the epicentre of Brisbane coffee in the late 90s 

30:43 - Pitching the concept to a head chef and launching Expresso Mobile Coffee 

31:40 - Why mobile coffee had never been done in Australia before 

34:32 - The challenge of getting coffee right in all climates from a mobile van 

37:31 - Meeting lawyer Derek Sutherland and making the franchise agreements 

39:26 - Buying out his business partner in 2007 and running Expresso with his wife 

40:25 - Jonathan Payne coming on board as Expresso business partner 

42:16 - The deal Darren made with Jonathan before taking him on as a partner 

44:41 - Phil DiBella stepping back from the cafe concept due to wholesale client pressure 

45:40 - Finding the name Stellarossa in an architectural magazine at the dentist 

46:38 - Phil Cronin coming on as co-founder and how a 45 year friendship became a business 

49:00 - Where Stellarossa is today with 25 stores and international expansion 

51:26 - Drive-through Stellarossa stores and what is next for the brand 

52:18 - Wrapping up and why knowing the leaders behind franchise brands matters

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