Daniel Schonknecht simply loves making coffee and creating designs. His passion led him to the founding of Specht Design. Let’s get to know Daniel in our EO Melbourne Member Focus Series.
Q: Can you give a brief background about you, your family and your business?
I'm a furniture maker by trade with a love of design, classic cars and coffee. I have two beautiful girls and I’m a happy husband to my wife, Adriana. We specialise in custom espresso machines and custom accessories for the coffee and catering industry.
Q: What inspired you to be an entrepreneur?
I guess I reached my goal in my last career and realised I was bored. I didn't like having my creativity dictated by others and I needed new challenges and a fresh start!
Q: What do you enjoy most about being an entrepreneur?
The freedom to create — to create a product I absolutely love and believe in. Also, it’s the freedom to be the leader of my staff that I never had.
Q: What are the biggest challenges you have faced as an entrepreneur?
Showing restraint in the fact that I can't do everything. I'm always so busy that I feel like I never have time to think of ways to grow the business and evolve.
Q: Why did you decide to join EO?
Simply put, I want to grow. I face many challenges as a creative type of person, trying to run a business. I hope to meet like-minded people to bounce off and grow with!
Q: Can you share a golden nugget that you learned from your experience or from another entrepreneur or mentor in the past?
For me, hiring a business automation consultant changed my business dramatically. Not really a golden nugget but a game-changer for me.