09 ASHLEY BYERS JORDAN WYBORN

SOME people spend their entire lives working towards the idea of being their own boss.

Ashley Byers and Jordan Wyborn haven’t had to wait that long.

In their early 20s, the pair of trailblazing young gents has already bought their first coffee shop and earned industry-wide recognition and credibility for their success.

They pooled their money saved over several years and bought Zarraffa’s at Northpoint Shopping Centre in early 2017 after years of determination, saving and sacrifice.

The milestone moment made them the youngest franchisees in Zarraffa’s history and an inspirational element of the national coffee chain which has more than 70 stores across Australia.

The store has since extended its trading hours and its staff and management are widely regarded as one of the friendliest cafes in Toowoomba – another feat given the competitiveness of the industry in the city.

And it was recognised by head office with the pair being awarded the Rookie of the Year award at the 2017 Zarraffa’s National Franchise Conference in November last year, open to businesses trading less than two years.

“These are two young guys making a go of owning and running a store, taking all that they have learned to build a business future for themselves,” Zarraffa’s Coffee managing director Kenton Campbell said at the awards night.

Mr Byers and Mr Wyborn have also supported a number of fundraisers under the café banner including the 2017 Toowoomba MS Swimathon and Relay for Life.