Chris Tortu, 27

 

Many of our Wunderkinds are entrepreneurs, but few lay claim to running two successful businesses simultaneously. Chris Tortu’s first business, Dobbs Ferry Karate, was born from passion: He’d been a student for 20 years when he took the reins from his father after graduating from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia with a degree in business marketing. Since assuming control in 2009, Tortu has more than tripled the size of the operation to roughly 80 families by offering a summer camp and specialty classes targeting a wider age group. Meanwhile, his coffee-roasting business, Double Barrel Roasters, was more of an accident: He hated coffee but grew to love it during his first post-grad job working for a family friend in the coffee commodity/trading business. Double Barrel launched in 2011 with two partners, and today it provides coffee and its ancillary products (filters, equipment, etc.) to more than 75 clients.

Wunderfacts:

- Advertisement -

• Tortu thought launching Double Barrel Roasters would be easy. Not so: “Starting the company was literally the hardest thing I have ever done. I thought I was just going to go out and sell coffee. Not so much. We started with no money and a tiny roaster in my partner’s basement. Now we have a warehouse, trucks, packaging, workers, and more than 75 clients that rely on us everyday. We went from just selling coffee to now selling teas, paper products, equipment leasing/service/repair, and private labeling coffee for clients.”

• What’s the key to his success? Says Tortu: “I cannot sit still. I also really like determining my own destiny. I never liked the idea that I’d sit behind a desk making a set salary.”

• Double Barrel clients include Westchester Broadway Theatre in Elmsford, Gaucho Grill in White Plains, Topps Bakery in Bronxville, and Candlelight Inn in Scarsdale.

 

Our Women in Business Awards event is November 21!

Our Best of Business event is October 30!

Our CEOs & Business Leaders Golf Outing is August 5!

Our Best of Westchester Party is July 24!

Our Westchester Home Design Awards event is June 26!

Our Wine & Food Festival returns June 4-9!

Our Wunderkinds event takes place on May 23!

Our Best of Business Ballot is open through May 15!

Our Healthcare Heroes Awards event takes place on May 9!

Our Westchester Home Builders Awards take place on April 4!

Our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Forum is March 14!

Unveiled: A Boutique Bridal Brunch is February 25!

Holiday flash sale ... subscribe and save 50%

Limited time offer. New subscribers only.