Zev Siegl

Who is Zev Siegl?

Zev Siegl is an American entrepreneur. In 1971 he, and teacher Jerry Baldwin, and writer Gordon Bowker established Starbucks Coffee Company and opened the original store, in the Pike Place Market, in Seattle in the U.S. state of Washington.

Siegl, a former history teacher, was the only paid employee in the early days of the company. In 1980, after ten years as Vice President, he exited Starbucks, which by then had expanded to six Seattle-area stores and a substantial wholesale business.

Zev Siegl is also a founder of Quatermaine Coffee Roasters in Washington DC, Peerless Pie in Seattle and, more recently, BuckleUp which is now renamed Socialbeesstrategy.com.

From 2004 until mid-2012 he served as the Lead Advisor of the Small Business Development Center [SBDC] for Southwest King County. During those eight years he advised more than 500 entrepreneurs and owners of small business enterprises.

Siegl lives in Seattle, Washington, where he continues to be active in the world of small business as an independent consultant with a focus on funding strategies.