Bootstrapping a Bold Drinks Brand: From Teaching in Jamaica to The Matcha Yard

Could you really build a drinks brand without funding?

This week’s guest is living proof that you can.

In this episode, Simon Kallu sits down with Monique Farquharson, CEO & Founder of The Matcha Yard, a bold drinks company blending authentic Japanese matcha with Jamaican spices.

Monique’s journey is anything but ordinary. From teaching in Jamaica, to studying matcha culture in Japan, to launching the UK’s first Jamaican-inspired matcha brand while working full-time at Accenture—her story is packed with lessons in resilience, courage, and creativity.

• How Monique went from classroom teaching to founding Jamaica’s first matcha distribution business
• Why she moved to Japan for two years to study matcha culture first-hand
• The leap of faith that brought her to the UK—and the scholarship that changed everything
• What it really takes to bootstrap a food & beverage brand without outside funding
• The sacrifices, setbacks, and lessons learned while juggling Accenture and entrepreneurship
• Why “work-life balance” is a myth, and how Monique embraces work-life integration

This candid, practical conversation dives deep into the realities of rejection, immigration hurdles, and building a startup from scratch in a new country.

• How to bootstrap without burning out
• Why authenticity and cultural respect matter in brand building
• The 3 keys to Monique’s success: listening, trusting herself, and knowing when to rest
• The mindset shift every entrepreneur needs to sustain momentum

If you’re an aspiring founder, foodpreneur, or simply love stories of grit and determination, this episode will inspire you to think bigger, start smaller, and keep pushing forward.

Monique Farquharson is the CEO & Founder of The Matcha Yard, a UK-based drinks brand fusing authentic Japanese matcha with Jamaican culture and flavours. From humble beginnings as a teacher in Jamaica, to studying in Japan, to building her business alongside a corporate career, Monique’s mission is to make matcha accessible while honouring the cultures that shaped it.

Simon Kallu is an entrepreneur, business advisor, and host of Founder Stories. As the founder of GrowFactor, Simon helps business owners scale smarter and design the life they want.

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