09: From Coffee Brand Success to Corporate Governance Mastery: Joshua Maidan on Scaling and Exiting Right
Joshua Maidan, Entrepreneur and Investor
This episode dives into the entrepreneurial journey of Joshua Maidan, who transitioned from private equity and real estate into brand-building and business operations. Sparked by seeing a booming boutique coffee culture in Brooklyn, Joshua leveraged his Colombian connections and real estate insight to co-found a premium coffee brand. His key innovation: shipping fresh, direct-from-farm beans via air, reducing supply chain lag from a year to just weeks. This allowed for exceptional flavor consistency and a premium brand experience.
Maidan immersed himself in operations, investing in ERP systems, a new processing plant, and tight quality control protocols. The New York flagship shop was a success, earning accolades for taste and design. However, foundational cracks began to show—not in operations, but in governance. The lack of a clear decision-making framework and misaligned founder visions led to growing tension.
What followed was a deep dive into corporate governance, including a third-party-led workshop and a revamped operating agreement. Ultimately, the clarity revealed irreconcilable strategic differences with his partner. Joshua exited the business through a fair, structured buyout based on an agreed third-party valuation. While the experience was emotionally and logistically taxing, it shaped his approach to future ventures.
Now, Maidan starts every company with robust governance—clear succession plans, decision rights, advisory boards, and dispute resolution mechanisms. He emphasizes that businesses of any size should operate with the discipline of a large corporation. His experience underscores that a lack of governance, not bad ideas, often derails growing businesses. For founder-CEOs, his message is clear: build with clarity, think ahead, and prepare to be replaced.
Key Takeaways
Corporate governance is vital from day one—misalignment can kill promising ventures.
A shared brand vision must be backed by aligned operating agreements.
Clear exit mechanisms save time, stress, and future litigation risk.
High design and product quality can’t overcome partner misalignment.
Early board involvement separates day-to-day operations from strategy.
Documented roles and responsibilities avoid equity vs. contribution conflicts.
External investors bring discipline—and force professional governance.
Strong operational systems and clarity make exits seamless and scalable.
Contact Information:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuamaidan
