Episode #53
From Corporate Jobs to Oakwell Beer Spa | Jessica & Damien Zouaoui
They quit their corporate jobs, sold everything, and set off with two backpacks and one goal: find a business idea worth bringing home. A rainy day in Poland led Jessica and Damien Zouaoui to a beer spa—and eventually to building Oakwell Beer Spa in Colorado. In this episode of The Personal Side of Business, I sit down with Jessica and Damien to talk about turning an unexpected discovery into a business built around hospitality, private spa experiences, and a plan to grow through franchising. We explore the decisions behind the experience: private suites, a self-pour taproom, zero-gravity massage chairs, and a staffing model that draws from the hospitality industry. Jessica and Damien explain how listening to spa and restaurant owners helped them design around common operating challenges—and why creating systems from the beginning mattered just as much as finding the right idea. We also get into the personal side of building a company as a married couple: dividing responsibilities, raising young children, learning to delegate, and finding the patience to let both the team and the business grow. In this episode: - Leaving corporate careers and searching for an idea across 25 countries - Adapting a European beer spa concept for American guests - Making hospitality and privacy central to the customer experience - Designing operations around staffing, reservations, and inventory - Preparing to franchise and choosing the right partners - Working together as spouses and business owners - Letting go of perfectionism, delegating, and developing patience If you're starting a business, growing a service brand, or building something with your partner, this conversation offers an honest look at the choices behind an unconventional idea. CONNECT WITH OAKWELL Website and reservations: https://oakwell.com/ Franchise information: https://oakwellfranchise.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oakwellbeerspa/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OakwellBeerSpa TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@oakwellbeerspa LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oakwell-beer-spa YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@OakwellBeerSpa MORE FROM THE PERSONAL SIDE OF BUSINESS Website and more episodes: https://personalsideofbusiness.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PersonalSideofBusiness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/personalsideofbusiness/ Connect with Jet on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jet-bunditwong-50937a4/ Follow The Personal Side of Business for more conversations with the people behind the businesses. If this episode connects with you, share it with someone building something of their own.
