Michael Harvey - Transcend Coffee

We caught up with ½ of the original partnership that created Café Haven to see what he is up to and to get his thoughts on the Café. Michael was a big part of us taking over the café and helped us so much with invaluable insight, you might spot him at Transcend Coffee in Ritchie almost any day of the week.

What drove you to start Café Haven and how do you feel about it now?
I spent the first part of my career in the UK within media, typically marketing positions. At the spritely age of 33, Café Haven was born after a year's travels with my now wife, Julie Harvey. We dreamed and schemed as we travelled the world. Our plan was naive and ill-thought-out. We didn’t have the skills or the experience - and it certainly showed in the early days of the café - but we had a vision and a passion.

How do I feel about it now? It's difficult to explain. When you run a business it feels like an unruly teenager: he doesn't always do what you want him to do and he lets you down, but all the while you can see potential. And just as teenage years are long, so is the life of a café - I look at Café Haven and remember the sweat, blood and tears we put into making that business a success - it was such hard work. The hardest I've ever worked. I am proud of what we achieved with Café Haven, and it's not ours any more, but I am proud it still lives on.

What do you love about living in the Edmonton area?
The people are down to Earth and so friendly. I've made so many great friends. I love the blue sky, the bike trails, the great food and drink scene. I love that Edmonton has a soul, and needs exploring to discover fully - not all of Edmonton's beauty is so blatant - you need to search for it.

Tell us why you support us?
Any small business requires commitment and determination. Cafés arguably even more so. Café Haven is a community hub and yet it operates in an environment where expectations are high and pricing low - I know very very few café owners who've made good money in this business. It's more of a lifestyle than a business. It's a sacrifice of sorts. Anyone that looks to take this on with the intention of doing it well has my respect because it's unbelievably difficult. Colin and Mamiko have the right mentality and that's a rare thing, trust me.

What would those close to you say about you and your business?
I recently asked my closest friends what stands out in their mind the most, when it comes to what Michael Harvey's purpose in life might be. One of them said, " God put you on earth to be chill but to face conflict head on in a really positive and productive way. " Another said I was akin to a shepherd; that the main thing on my mind is the welfare of others - to care for the flock. The ability to teach usually accompanies "shepherds" too. I think all this is true to my approach in life and business.

What is something funny about you or something that might surprise people?
I lived in South Africa for two years during the Apartheid. I swam in the Amazon with crocodiles as well as went Piranha fishing, and in the Galapagos, I went scuba diving and swam with hammerhead sharks. We almost named the café, The Flying Camel (thank the Lord we didn't).

You can find MIchael at Transcend or follow the company at:

www.transcendcoffee.ca
www.instagram.com/transcendcoffee/
www.facebook.com/transcendcoffee/