...is the first who INTRODUCED FLAVORED COFFEES to the world as she reinvented the language of coffee.

Gloria Jean is one of the first women in North America to break the glass ceiling "with her fearless and creative thinking.
She continues to provide inspiration to business people worldwide.

Highlights

• Founder of Gloria Jean's Coffee

• Public Speaker

• Leader in the specialty coffee industry




• Introduced consumers to flavored coffees and specialty coffees

• Half and half, decaf and regular coffee called Lite Coffee

• Ice coffees and her home made recipe of Ice Cappuccino

• Sample packets, which were called quarter pounders

• Introduced the color green to the food industry, when only gold and red were thought to be the only successful colors.
   

• Gloria Jean sits on the Board of Directors for Bright Star Health Care

• Gloria Jean is an author of two books, Journey of Prayer and Journey of Gloria Jean

• Gloria Jean volunteered as a mentor writer for Empowerment House Magazine




• Gloria Jean is a Free agent

• Topics include: Women in business, How to start your business, How to walk away after you sell it. She has addressed church groups, cancer groups and designers on how to create a unique packaging.

Awards and Recognitions (To only name a few)

• "Illinois Entrepreneur of the Year" - Inc. Magazine 

• "Best Managed Franchises" - Success Magazine

• "#1 Best Gourmet Coffee Franchiser" - Entrepreneur Magazine  

• Featured in the book “Pathways to Success” by Michael D. Ames

• Featured in the book “220 Best Franchises to Buy: The Essential Sourcebook for Evaluating the Best" by The Philip Lief Group

Biography

Growing up poor in Chicago was tough, which made Gloria Jean stronger, harder working, determined and accomplished woman that she is today.

As a young adult, she embraced marriage, had two sons, Tom and John, held five part-time jobs to care for her family, and was named "Jaycee Wife of the Year" for her philanthropic efforts. Gloria Jean rose in a time when women were not typically in positions of power, authority and responsibility. She was and is fearless and very creative. She always thinks outside the box.

At age 30, Gloria Jean went to beauty school to become trained as a hairdresser which she hoped would enable her to support her family. After completing the training, she then applied and was hired as an employee at a local beauty shop. Within one year, she bought that very same shop and literally became an entrepreneur overnight. Shortly thereafter, she became a huge success in that industry.

In 1979, Coffee Bean was born in the quaint historic village of Long Grove, Illinois. The shop was the trendsetter for gourmet coffee in America. Gloria had a sixth-sense about consumer tastes and introduced flavored coffee beans to the store’s inventory. Vanilla almond was her first flavored coffee, which launched the Coffee Bean and Gloria Jean to the front of the gourmet coffee craze. Within less then 2 years (1981) Gloria Jeans were in malls around America by 1986 Gloria Jean Gourmet Coffee was trademarked and the world of franchise began and there was no stopping her.

Gloria Jean's Leads the Specialty Coffee Stampede
– New York Times, 8/11/1991

Among Gloria Jean's many innovations was creating the sample pack, quarter pounders and GJ Chiller (iced cappuccino drink) and bringing the color green into the coffee industry. Gloria Jean stores moved into the mall, she changed the look of the store front to appear as a independent store, which was another road of change she introduced to the malls. With franchising in 1986, Gloria Jean was able to end the work load of two full time businesses which enabled her to sell her Hair Salon.
She was soon honored by magazines and organizations for her business-sense and trendsetting. With more than 275 stores in major, upscale malls around the country and expansion into Mexico, Gloria Jean’s was the most honored and recognized gourmet coffee company in America.

In 1993, Gloria Jean sold Gloria Jean’s Gourmet Coffees to move onto new and exciting philanthropic and entrepreneurial endeavors such as becoming a well-known feature speaker for companies, organizations, business groups and women's groups.

In 1999, Gloria Jean was diagnosed with cancer and began inspiring women all over the world with cancer.