Meet one of the OG Joyriders! Paul Toscano is a Colgate/NYU grad, a gentle giant, and our brilliant COO.
Hometown?
East Setauket, New York
Alma Mater, Degree?
Colgate University, Psychology Major (Undergrad)
NYU Stern MBA, specializing in Finance and International Business (Graduate)
How did you get into coffee?
My very first job was as a barista at Starbucks, where I quickly formed a caffeine addiction. I also heavily relied on coffee years later to get through my MBA program… it basically got me through all those tests, papers and all-nighters!
What is your first memory of coffee?
I remember being perhaps 11 or 12 years old and wanting to try a coffee for the first time... I was with some close family friends, and they warned me that if I had a cup, it would stunt my growth. I had one anyway. Considering that I'm 6'9" now, I'm pretty sure I proved them wrong!
What do you do at Joyride?
Like everyone here, I'm sure that I'll be doing a little bit of everything. As COO, I'm looking to grow the business and spread the word about the "third wave" of coffee.
Favorite coffee of the year?
Intelligentsia's Ethiopian Yirgacheffe... it was the first coffee I tasted that really made me step back and say "wow, coffee can taste like THIS?" Other than that, Counter Culture's Espresso Toscano is the obligatory answer.
What do you order when you go to a bar?
I'll usually either get a Bourbon and Ginger Ale or a Guinness... once in a while I'll order a Tequila and Tonic.
Favorite Book/Movie/band?
Book: A Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) ... I challenge anyone to ASOIAF trivia!!
Movie: Back to the Future series... BTTF2 will always be my favorite.
Band: Virginia Coalition (Could pretty much listen to them on repeat, forever)
Paul can be reached directly at Paul@JoyrideCoffee.com
