How the O’Neill family started a successful coffee business

Friday, 31 August, 2018.

Kylie O’Neill had worked in business administration for 20 years when at the age of 47 she decided she needed a less stressful role that allowed more quality family time. 

Kylie is now a few months into owning and running her own small business, a mobile coffee truck, and she could not be happier with the decision.

"It has been fantastic; we love it!" Kylie said. "It’s still very new for us but business is picking up quickly. 

"I was working in a business administration job for years, and it was just getting a bit too stressful and I thought 'I need a change and something that’s a bit challenging'."

Kylie and her family haven’t looked back since launching O’Neill’s Mobile Coffee.

"It’s my husband David and I, but our kids get very involved as well," Kylie said. "My oldest son Jordan is at Uni and he comes with me on a Monday and he also runs our social media and marketing side of the business, and his partner Rhiannon also comes two days a week. My youngest girl, Charlie, helps and she is fantastic, so does my sister Charmaine and David is with me at events on the weekend – we’re so busy now I can’t do it on my own."

The daily coffee run starts in Cardiff and does the rounds of commercial and industrial areas through to Glendale before finishing at Wallsend Hospital. As well as coffee, Kylie and her team sell a few treats and cold drinks.  

"It’s just fun," she said, "I have some awesome customers and we have a good time."

With a mortgage and three children to support, Kylie didn’t enter into her own business lightly. She researched the market first and found a gap that her coffee business could fill. Then she needed to finance the new venture.

"We refinanced our home loan to Newcastle Permanent a couple of years ago and it was just so smooth and easy, and a good interest rate," Kylie said. "Then when I spoke to a Business Relationship Manager, Matthew Chantrey, about buying a business, he was very helpful and supportive. He even came to our home to discuss things and he still calls us regularly to check if we need any support."

Kylie said she and her husband had used a couple of different banks in the past but found the customer service at Newcastle Permanent far better.

"We have a good interest rate and all of our banking is online, so I can see exactly what’s coming in and going out each week," Kylie said. "Everything is easy."

With good business demand and financial support giving her confidence, Kylie said the family business was considering what was possible in future.

"We’d love a café; I could see us using an old caryard or lot with an industrial-style café there. We’d get a variety of food trucks parking there at different times as well to add a bit of excitement. And I’d look at turning the business into a franchise one day."

"I know that when the time comes to expand, I can sit down with Matthew and he’ll help us work out if it’s possible or not. We really respect his opinion and honesty." 

Contact a Newcastle Permanent Business Relationship Manager to ask how they can help your business: call 13 19 87 or email: businessbanking@newcastlepermanent.com.au