Name: Mike Melton
Age: 38
Title: Founder and Owner of JOJO Coffeehouse
Married/Single: Single
Kids: 1
City you live in: Chandler
A typical day in my life includes…
my day always starts with a cup of coffee. Then, I head to the restaurant early in the morning to get a feel for how operations are flowing. I touch base with my staff and greet customers. At the restaurant, I enjoy an Americano first thing in the morning, I’m addicted to our JOJO Coffeehouse blend. In the restaurant business every day varies, which I absolutely love. I take time to talk with employees and customers to gather feedback and look at how to improve the overall customer experience. A big part of my day is spent meeting with vendors and working on coordinating our line-up of musicians for the weekends. Spending time with my family every day is really important to me. I love going to the park with my son. I also enjoy playing basketball, going on a hike, and whenever I can, squeezing in a workout at the gym. To wind down at the end of the day, I like to spend time on my own music, playing and composing.
I was born…
in Salt Lake City, Utah.
My favorite thing about Arizona…
our beautiful blue skies. I love our sunshine, and our sunsets are stunning.
I’m listening to…
Gary Vaynerchuk. He has an interesting take on a lot of things, and a strong vision for where people are going in the future and why.
My family…
is everything to me. They have helped shape who I am.
If I could have dinner with anyone, it would be…
my grandma Melton. She was very inspirational to me growing up. She was full of love yet would always let you know an honest perspective of what she thinks. She was the matriarch of our family and someone that connected everybody.
One thing I cannot live without…
my Americano. I am addicted to coffee.
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
an NBA basketball player. Michael Jordan was my hero. I wore number 23 growing up and used to practice his moves on my hoop in the front yard.
I’m inspired by…
my son. He is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me. We are two peas in a pod, and I couldn’t imagine being closer to a son. I’m truly blessed.
The one person who motivates me is…
I have learned that for sustained success it is important to dig from within. I have found that if motivation comes from another individual it can be lost. I try to be purpose-driven in my goals, establish my ‘why’ and go make it a mission.
If I could change anything in the world, it would be…
to end world hunger. There is no reason this should be happening in the world today. We have the resources to put solutions in place to take care of this, and I want to help contribute to this mission in any way I can. JOJO Coffeehouse partners with Feed My Starving Children. As the business grows, I am looking at ways to make a bigger impact in this area.
The perfect day would be…
grilling and playing games and enjoying drinks with family and friends at my house. I love to entertain and spend time with those I care about.
My first job was…
I had a little lawn mowing business when I was 12. I had 5-7 lawns I would mow weekly. It was my first experience working and as an entrepreneur.
My favorite escape…
a weekend getaway on the beach in San Diego.
My life…
is beautiful. I have been blessed to do this life with such amazing people, and my experiences have been fulfilling.
I’m currently working on…
most recently, I have been working on adding more natural light to the restaurant, adding skylights to make over 80% of the light in JOJO’s natural. I have also been working on streamlining operations and improving the customer experience as we reopen to serve dine-in and takeout customers. We’ve been testing recipes and adding new dishes to our menu. That is always a lot of fun – especially the tasting. And I am always working on making new music. I’m a songwriter and love to sing and perform. These are the things that get me excited and get me going in the morning.
Always…
give everything you have and find the silver lining in all situations. It’s either a win or a learning opportunity.
Never…
never, give up on yourself. Believe you are worthy and work hard to achieve what you want in life.
Favorite Quote…
“Whether you think you can, or you cannot, you are right.” – Henry Ford.
I believe we manifest a lot of our thoughts into real life, so believing you can achieve and visualizing it is an important step before doing it.
Biggest Dream…
to have a big, happy, loving, and connected family.
My Pet Peeve(s)…
when someone is indifferent. I like people that live with passion at whatever they love and see them pursue it. We have such a gift to live our lives, and we should strive to live the life we desire.
