Shashi Patel
Life Story
Shashi was born in a poor family of farmers in India, and being a victim of particularly difficult circumstances from a very young age meant that he had to grow up very quickly. This taught him how to fight through difficult situations and come out of the other side as a winner.
Shashi studied only up to GCSE level, and moved to England where his struggles continued for a period of time. He managed to rise through these struggles, initially opening a convenience store and subsequently moving into the world of franchise where he rapidly expanded to build a hugely successful national coffee brand.
Shashi's motivation came from his younger years, where he faced hunger, insults, sleepless nights and much more - this gave him the dedication, resilience and inspiration to achieve business success.
He decided long ago that following his retirement he would write a book to ensure his story was told so that others in similar situations could take inspiration, use their will power, and positive thinking to rise from the lowest positions, succeed against all odds and make a better life for themselves and others.
Now that Shashi has retired, the story of a Common Indian Man can be told...
Early Life
My early life in India involved living in very poor conditions alongside cows and buffalos. My family and I were treated with no respect. We had no money. We lived a less than basic life and since my father passed away, we had no one supporting us.
When I finally got the opportunity to move to England, these early struggles motivated me to ensure that my wife and daughters had a far better life than I had. I was determined to achieve what seemed then like an impossible goal.
Coffee Business
After initially working hard in our convenience store, I spotted an opportunity to achieve success and reach my goal through coffee business franchises. I capitalised on this opportunity, and with every successful step along the way I felt my motivation become stronger. Despite the significant challenges, my impossible goal started to feel closer. I expanded the business rapidly, drawing on support from my eldest daughter and son in law, created a national brand together and achieved huge success.
Happily Ever After
After selling the business I worked my life to build, the relief and satisfaction I felt was second to none. I used the motivation instilled in me from my early years to achieve what I set out to. I had given my family a far better start than I had and now it was time to spend quality time with them, especially my grandchildren, and pass on the wealth of experience that I'd picked up along the way.