Founder Friday: How a passion for adventure led this coffee brand to millions

The quality of our content has always been a step ahead of most in the industry, which I suppose in the early days gave the illusion that our brand was bigger and more premium than it actually was.

Shaun

Shaun Lynch, a former electrical draftsman with a rebellious spirit, found his true calling in the great outdoors.

His love for hunting and the desire to create a community-focused business led him to co-found Dog and Gun Coffee with his wife, Rachel. Together, they’ve built a thriving brand that combines their passion for adventure with a commitment to exceptional coffee.

Shaun never imagined brewing success. A move to New Zealand sparked his love for the outdoors and hunting, inspiring him to find a business opportunity in this niche. Spotting a gap in the market for quality coffee during outdoor adventures, Dog and Gun Coffee was born. Building a successful brand wasn’t a solo mission. Shaun’s wife, Rachel, initially had reservations due to her vegan lifestyle. However, seeing Shaun’s passion and the ethical hunting practices he embraced, she joined his mission.

Together, they’ve created a company that fosters a love for the outdoors—not just through their high-quality, convenient coffee but also by offering employees “adventure leave” and prioritizing a work-life balance.

Dynamic Business sat down with Shaun Lynch to discuss his entrepreneurial journey and the success of Dog and Gun Coffee.

Coffee with a cause

Shaun explained that Dog & Gun Coffee wasn’t born from a love of coffee but rather from a passion for the outdoors. “It wouldn’t have mattered too much what the product was, the intention was to always serve the outdoors community and inspire people to chase adventure. 

The idea for coffee came naturally during a hunting trip with friends. “The coffee became an obvious option though when I was out hunting with friends – they all loved coffee but struggled to make a tasty brew in the field, especially on longer backpacking trips where weight and space were at a premium. When people were trying to save a few grams by cutting their toothbrush in half but then went as far as bringing whole beans, a hand grinder and an Aeropress to make a good coffee in camp, the entrepreneur in me knew that something was there.”

He further elaborated that one of his employees from another business introduced him to the world of specialty coffee. “One of my employees in another of my businesses introduced me to the world of speciality coffee and a chance encounter while travelling in Japan showed me the single-serve coffee drip filters. The combination made a perfect solution for getting tasty coffee on outdoor adventures without the hassle of heavy gear.”

Content is king

We also give our team unique perks, like a compressed work week and additional paid “adventure” leave to chase their own adventures. This builds internal loyalty and a strong team culture.

Shaun explained that they spent a lot of time directly reaching out to customers to talk to them and build relationships. “We spent a lot of time directly reaching out to customers to talk to them and build relationships. We showed up as real, relatable people, not just some anonymous brand. Our customers enjoyed seeing our adventures via social media or talking to us about their own adventures and I think this had a huge impact in building that loyalty. Many of our early customers are still with us today. Shaun also mentioned that they invested heavily in media and marketing. “The quality of our content has always been a step ahead of most in the industry, which I suppose in the early days gave the illusion that our brand was bigger and more premium than it actually was.”

The founder emphasised that their community and culture are what set them apart. They focused their marketing to speak directly to people like them, creating a workplace that embodies freedom and adventure. “In terms of innovation, we’ve invested heavily into our media capabilities and then turned that expense into a revenue stream, by offering media production services to other companies. This helps cover the additional overhead required to have a quality team in-house for our own media use.

“We also give our team unique perks, like a compressed work week and additional paid “adventure” leave to chase their own adventures. This builds internal loyalty and a strong team culture.”

Overcoming challenges

“You’ll never have all the information you need to make the ‘right’ decision”

Shaun shared that the biggest challenge has been managing burnout. “The biggest challenge has been more personal – managing burnout. As the founder, you’re so invested in your vision that it can become all-consuming and often at the expense of other aspects of our lives like our relationships and our health. When those parts of your life are neglected, it eventually bleeds into your work.

“The lesson has been that it’s often necessary to work hard and for long hours but it’s actually so important to deliberately block time in your schedule for other things like gym, meal prep and time with family and friends. It’s important to find a balance that allows you to not just build a great business, but also a great life.”

Shaun emphasized the importance of thinking long-term while always acting with urgency. “Action beats everything,” he stated. “You’ll never have all the information you need to make the ‘right’ decision, but over-analysing and stalling will hurt you far more than just making a decision and dealing with the consequences.”

Reflecting on key lessons learned on his entrepreneurial journey, Shaun shared several insights:

Think long-term but always act with urgency.

Nobody will care about your business as much as you do. Go into it with expectations aligned accordingly. 

Good data gives clarity. It’s so vital to know your numbers.

Always be learning – reach out to mentors, attend courses, study business history. You never know what little insight might be the thing that unlocks your business.

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