Who is Frank O'Dea?
He is the co-founder of one of Canada's largest coffee chains - Second Cup. With over 350 locations across Canada, The Second Cup has been a huge success...and hugely profitable.
Born in 1945 in Montreal, things weren't always so rosy for Frank O'Dea. With a troubled childhood, he soon found himself in the dumps. He started drinking in his early teens and found himself homeless and panhandling on the streets of Toronto.
Can you just imagine what life would be like in his situation? Every day was a struggle for him and he never knew where his next meal would come from, if at all.
Then, at 25, something inside himself prompted change. He answered an ad in the newspaper, cleaned himself up, and got a job as a salesman. This was where his life did a complete turnaround and he started down a path of success.
Within a few short years, he and his business partner Tom Culligan opened up the first Second Cup and today it continues to be a success. Frank later sold his stake in the company and has become a Canadian icon.
Frank has since founded other companies and several charities and is frequently requested as a guest speaker at various motivational events. He was also awarded the Order of Canada and has recently authored his biography called "When All You Have Is Hope" (pictured at left).
Frank is your classic rags-to-riches story and is a real inspiration to all and really make you wonder - if he could do all the things he did in his circumstances, couldn't we do the same?
For more information about Frank O'Dea:
Frank O'dea's Biography at his website FrankOdea.com
Frank O'dea entry at Wikipedia
Frank O'dea's Interview at The Hour
Frank O'dea's Profile at EventsEdge
Frank O'dea's Order Of Canada at the Governor General's website
When All You Have Is Hope at Amazon.ca
The Second Cup entry at Wikipedia
The Second Cup website
