An entrepreneur with keen business acumen, Edward Dovner learned the value of hard work as a young man growing up on a farm just south of Boston, Massachusetts. Rising early each morning to complete chores instilled in him the drive to succeed in business. A self-starter, Edward Dovner attended the local community college after high school before realizing his ambition lay elsewhere. Moving south to begin his professional career, he started work at The Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida. After three years at the hotel developing his interpersonal and communication skills, he accepted the opportunity to go into sales. At age 21, Edward Dovner became the leading rookie on the sales team for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and, for the next few years, established himself as an award-winning leader in the industry.
Instilled with an entrepreneurial spirit, Eddie Dovner branched out at age 24, developing a snack business, distributing products to various companies. He eventually sold the successful business and began tracking commodities in the Wall Street Journal to find a recession-proof investment opportunity. This action led him to venture into the gourmet coffee roasting industry, and he opened Northeast Gourmet Coffee. One of the first of its type in New England, the company roasted, packed, and distributed its products throughout the region. Eddie Dovner grew the start-up to a multi-million dollar business before selling it.