Co-founder of Mugg and Bean Mike Maree has the sole purpose of empowering others through his 35 years of experience as an entrepreneur.
The Meyersdal resident is a family-oriented father of three and an established entrepreneur who has positively impacted the lives of budding entrepreneurs.
His life’s endeavours are a true reflection of hard work and perseverance.
Maree considers his life a living testimony after being declared cancer-free a few years after the death of Mugg and Bean founding partner Ben Filmalter.
To date, Maree owns a Mugg and Bean store based in Krugersdorp and two business mentorship programmes aimed at uplifting small entrepreneurs.
In 2012, he invested in two authentic Mexican restaurants based in the United States. During the hard 2020 lockdown, he opened a third one.
He said the brand name Mugg and Bean was inspired by its founder’s first names Mike and the late Ben Filmalter.
The 68-year-old business mentor has recently written a book titled Bean There, published on June 2. According to Maree, the book is an interesting delve into a business mind, delivering original photos and offering real-life lessons on how to develop a brand.
The newly established author is adamant that his book will be well received by Mugg and Bean regulars, aspiring entrepreneurs and book lovers.
Venturing into business
Initially, he studied chemical engineering, but his longing for the food industry took over. Maree’s passion landed him at Witwatersrand Hotel School where he attained a diploma in hotel management.
“After graduating, my first boss was Ben Filmalter and I worked with him for a year. I then went on to work for some corporates and developed a good foundation for the systems approach to business. In 1996, Filmalter developed the Mugg and Bean concept and I approached him about it,” he said.
According to Maree, Filmalter first planned on opening 10 to 15 stores, but after joining hands and succeeding with their vision, they grew from strength to strength.
“We then founded Mugg and Bean franchise and Mugg and Bean international. They used to describe us as the ‘perfect balance between art and commerce’. Filmalter was in the art of providing people with the great experience while I knew how to grow a business,” he said.
Maree also assured that the Mugg and Bean brand has since grown because they have managed to stand out from their competitors over the years.
‘Bean There’
His first-ever published book takes readers through a great story behind how Mugg and Bean was nurtured into the brand it is today.
“The reason I got to write the book was the daunting prospect of loads of idle time I had on my hands at the announcement of the first lockdown. I never dreamt that I would want to write a book, let alone a book about my business. If my work can influence just one eager budding entrepreneur, then the time spent on it was not wasted,” said Maree.
In planning his book, he said he wanted to create something out of the ordinary.
“My reader can flip through a chapter and enjoy its content and images and then pop it down for another free moment of enjoyment over a cup of coffee. All the chapters are special to me because they give one a glimpse of the authenticity of all the people that were involved with us in our journey,” he said.
According to Maree, his story is for every regular Mugg and Bean patron who will recall memories in the touchpoints of their own experiences.
“If you string all the chapters together and read between the lines, it provides an excellent guideline for anyone brave enough to create a great and sustainable brand. This stuff you won’t find in a textbook,” he said.
Although the book will be sold in book stores, Maree will be hosting several book signings in local Mugg and Bean stores where the books will be sold.
The book costs R299. To order, email him at mareehome@mweb.co.za
