Pick Up Coffee’s Jaime Gonzalez Fernandez tells Financial Adviser PH how failure became a tool—not a threat—in building one of the fastest-growing brands in the Philippines.
When Jaime Gonzalez Fernandez helped launch Pick Up Coffee in 2022, he didn’t pretend to have all the answers.
What he did have was a clear mission: deliver high-quality, affordable coffee to as many people as possible—fast. The idea took off, but success wasn’t linear. Behind the scenes were a string of experiments, missteps, and fast recoveries that defined his approach to entrepreneurship.
“We made mistakes early on—but we learned from them just as fast,” Fernandez shared in an interview with Financial Adviser PH. “That’s what helped us move forward without getting stuck.”
Why Speed Isn’t the Enemy of Quality
In startup culture, moving fast is often equated with being reckless. For Fernandez, the opposite is true—so long as speed is matched with awareness.
“You can move quickly and still be thoughtful,” he said. “It’s about knowing when something’s not working and correcting it before it becomes a bigger issue.”
Pick Up Coffee’s early days were filled with trial-and-error: pricing tweaks, menu changes, logistics pivots. But the team was obsessed with feedback loops. Fernandez emphasized the value of spotting small deviations early and acting immediately.
“Big problems usually start as small ones,” he said. “We stayed close to the ground so we could catch them before they got out of hand.”
Embracing Errors as a Leadership Tool
For Fernandez, failure is more than something to tolerate—it’s something to embrace and analyze.
“We’re human. We’ll mess up,” he told Financial Adviser PH. “The question is—did you learn from it, and will you make a better call next time?”
He encourages his team to speak up about issues, whether in staffing, store execution, or customer feedback. Transparency, he believes, is a key asset in growing the business.
This mindset also extends to product development. New offerings are tested live in-store, allowing real-time data and feedback to drive decisions. Some ideas flop—but the lessons stick.
The Power of Course Correction
One of the brand’s earliest financial lessons? Overestimating certain operational expenses. But instead of doubling down or covering up the mistake, Fernandez’s team made fast adjustments to inventory systems and store-level controls.
“We always pay close attention to the numbers,” he explained. “Even if you believe in your idea, you have to keep your eyes on the financial dashboard.”
This practical yet humble approach is what continues to earn Pick Up Coffee credibility—not just with customers, but with investors and new hires.
Advice to Founders: Don’t Fear the Pivot
Fernandez is quick to challenge the myth of the flawless founder.
“A lot of people think success is about being right all the time,” he said. “In reality, it’s about recognizing when you’re wrong—and adjusting with speed and clarity.”
For him, failure is simply a feedback mechanism. And the faster you use it, the faster you improve.
His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs? “Try hard, fail early, and take every mistake as data.”
A Learning Culture, Built Into the Brand
At Pick Up Coffee, failure isn’t punished—it’s studied. This philosophy is embedded into the company’s hiring, product testing, and operations. And as the brand expands across the country, Fernandez believes that mindset will be even more important.
“We’re not done learning,” he said. “Every stage of growth will bring new challenges—and that’s part of the fun.”
