The following is a diary entry from our time in Dubai.
This month, Common embarked on a new adventure – our first international coffee event at the World of Coffee in Dubai. It was an incredible opportunity, one we were extremely grateful for. I’m also lucky to have the support of my parents in Common, something I’ve come to appreciate more and more over time. Before Dubai, Mark (Dad) spent ten days in the UK, allowing for some much-needed strategic planning and trade show prep – something we both value deeply.
Dubai was the first stop on what would become a seven-week journey, taking me from the Middle East to Melbourne, New Zealand, and California before returning to the UK. Stepping away from Common for such an extended period comes with its own internal struggles. The business is in an exciting phase, and I have full confidence in our highly capable team back home. But still, that voice in my head starts asking – is this the right time to step away? Should I be gone this long? What impact will this have on our momentum?
The trip was primarily about work – expanding our opportunities, exploring new markets – but it was also about something just as important: time with family and friends. Living on the other side of the world from them means these visits are rare. And yet, even with that knowledge, I still found myself questioning whether it was the right decision to be away from the business.
Then, in the first days of the Dubai trip, I was hit with a virus that completely knocked me out. Not exactly ideal timing. I felt unprepared for the event and fell behind on an already growing workload. Suddenly, I didn’t have a choice – I had to take time to recover.
These two moments – choosing to take time away and being forced to stop – had the same result. My mind filled with questions: Am I achieving enough? Is the business on track? Am I performing at my best? Like many, I am my own biggest critic.
When building something – whether it’s a business, a vision, or the life you dream of – there’s a constant push and pull. When do you apply force? When do you rest? When do you trust that things will fall into place? Sometimes, the signs are obvious. Sometimes, they’re subtle – just a gut feeling.
But if I’ve learned anything, it’s this: I need to be at my best – mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually – to absorb everything happening around me and make the right decisions for myself and the business. And sometimes, that means taking time. Time to rest. Time to reflect. Time to be with the people who matter most.
Originally, my travel plans had me missing my dad’s birthday in New Zealand by four days. I was also skipping a close friend’s 40th birthday in Adelaide because of one short, seemingly insignificant domestic flight. Then, just before Christmas, I received the devastating news that a close school friend had passed away in a freak accident.
Hearing this stopped me in my tracks. The stress I had been carrying – about timing, workload, and momentum – suddenly felt insignificant. My thoughts focused on my friends family, his partner, kids and our wider community of friends. What mattered was clear. This trip wasn’t just about work, but I had been making decisions as if it was. I was cutting time short with the people I love to rush back for work, as if that was the only thing that should dictate my choices.
For many, this realisation might seem obvious. But sometimes, the most obvious things elude us when we’re caught up in excitement, stress, and ambition. I’ve found that writing my thoughts down, saying them out loud, and allowing time for reflection helps me make decisions that feel right – not just for the business, but for me.
This isn’t to say that hard work, momentum, and ambition aren’t important. They absolutely are. But we each have our own values – the things we hold closest – and if we don’t make decisions that align with them, we can lose sight of what truly matters.
For me, that means taking time – to recover, to be with family and friends, to stay aligned with my purpose – while continuing to build Common into something I believe in. When I focus on this balance, I gain clarity, motivation, and the ability to show up as the best version of myself. And when that happens, I’ve noticed something remarkable: work stops feeling like a struggle I have to force myself through and starts to feel like an effortless, almost playful, dance.
Common Love,
Jase
