Owlverick’s Coffee, based in Orange County, has seen rapid growth, selling out of numerous grocery stories, restaurants, and local cafes and inking a partnership with the Anaheim Ducks.
The company’s COO, musician-turned entrepreneur Lillard Anthony Wong MBA ’17, may not have the typical background for the co-founder of a successful coffee company. Yet, since graduating from USC Marshall’s Full-Time MBA (FTMBA) program, Wong and his wife Amy Tang, the CEO, have grown Owlverick’s into what it is today.
Prior to enrolling at Marshall, Wong worked in operations for a medical kit manufacturer while pursuing his dreams of being a musician and composer. Hoping to merge his creativity with his management background, Wong joined the FTMBA program with his sights set on Hollywood. He soon decided, however, the entertainment industry wasn’t for him. What might’ve been a setback for others, Wong viewed as an opportunity. He believed there was no better place than Marshall to plan his next steps.
“I wanted to move my career into something else, and I knew I had to be surrounded by the best people to figure out what that career change was going to be,” Wong reflected. “I wanted to do it with the foundational expertise that comes with an MBA program as well regarded as the Marshall Program. Now I can make decisions that are not just instinctual, they’re grounded in precision, and they're grounded in analytics.”
His wife Amy first hatched the idea for Owlverick’s Coffee in 2016 when, using her grandfather’s authentic Vietnamese coffee recipes, she started to brew and sell her own roast. Just as she supported his music career, Wong supported Tang every step of the way. He lended his experience in operations management, as well as knowledge gained through MBA coursework in finance, marketing, and business strategy.
Finally, Wong had found a venture that combined his creativity and newfound business acumen. As he completed his MBA degree, he simultaneously applied his learnings to the “mom and pop” business. Together, the pair developed a brand, established a customer base, and scaled their product.
From farmers markets to coffee expositions to the grocery store, Owlverick’s grew into what it is today — stocking shelves in Whole Foods, Gelson’s, Mother’s Markets, restaurants, and cafés across Orange County. The company also collaborates with major brands, such as the Anaheim Ducks.
In the past eight years, Wong’s perspective has shifted from that of a passionate, first-time co-founder to a seasoned chief operations officer. Luckily, his Marshall education prepared him for his leadership role.
