Sahar Hashemi OBE: The Entrepreneur Who Re-Ignited Britain’s Start-Up Spirit

Sahar Hashemi OBE is one of the most influential entrepreneurs of modern Britain. Best known as the co-founder of Coffee Republic, she helped reshape British consumer culture and later became a leading voice on entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation. From law to coffee, from boardrooms to bestselling books, Sahar Hashemi’s journey is a story of courage, curiosity and cultural impact. Today, she is also the founder of Buy Women Built, a movement transforming how women-founded brands are recognised and supported across the UK.

Sahar Hashemi OBE: Early Life, Origin and Family Background

Sahar Hashemi Origin

Sahar Hashemi is British, with Iranian family origins. Her family moved from Iran to the United Kingdom during her childhood, an experience that shaped her resilience, independence and global outlook. Growing up in London, she was exposed early to different cultures, ideas and ways of thinking, which later influenced her entrepreneurial mindset.

Sahar Hashemi Parents

Her father, Mehdi Hashemi, worked as an oil-industry executive. His unexpected death in 1993 became a profound turning point in Sahar Hashemi’s life. She has spoken openly about how this loss made her reassess her career and question whether she was truly fulfilled. This moment ultimately pushed her towards entrepreneurship and the decision to leave a secure legal career.

Sahar Hashemi Age and Education

Sahar Hashemi was born in June 1967, making her 58 years old as of 2025. Her age and experience place her among a generation of entrepreneurs who bridged traditional corporate careers with the modern start-up world.

Education

She was educated at the City of London School for Girls, before studying Law (LLB Hons) at the University of Bristol. After qualifying as a solicitor, she began her professional life in the legal sector, working at Frere Cholmeley Solicitors. Later in her career, she completed Executive Education at Harvard Kennedy School, focusing on global leadership in partnership with the World Economic Forum.

From Law to Coffee: The Birth of Coffee Republic

A Defining Moment in New York

While working as a lawyer, Sahar visited New York and noticed something missing back home: vibrant, American-style coffee bars. That “ordinary moment”, as she describes it, sparked an extraordinary idea.

Founding Coffee Republic

In 1995, Sahar Hashemi and her brother Bobby Hashemi founded Coffee Republic, starting literally from their kitchen table. At the time, Britain was still largely a nation of tea drinkers. Coffee Republic changed that.

Key Achievements of Coffee Republic

• One of the first US-style coffee chains in the UK

• Expanded to over 100 outlets

• Played a major role in normalising café culture in Britain

• Floated on the stock market in the late 1990s

Sahar stepped down from the business in 2001, recognising that her strengths lay in creativity and innovation rather than large-scale corporate management.

Sahar Hashemi Author: Books That Inspired a Generation

Anyone Can Do It

Her first book, “Anyone Can Do It”, tells the story of building Coffee Republic from scratch. The book became one of the UK’s bestselling entrepreneurship titles, praised for its honesty, practical insights and encouragement to ordinary people with ideas.

Start Up Forever

Her second major book, “Start Up Forever”, was named Financial Times Business Book of the Month. It explores how large organisations can retain start-up energy, agility and customer focus as they grow. The book reflects Sahar Hashemi’s belief that the entrepreneurial mindset belongs to everyone, not just founders.

Beyond Coffee: Skinny Candy and Buy Women Built

Skinny Candy

In 2005, Sahar Hashemi founded Skinny Candy, a sugar-free confectionery brand that helped bring healthier sweets into the mainstream. The business was sold in 2007 to confectionery group Glisten plc, marking another successful exit.

Buy Women Built

Her most recent and arguably most impactful venture is Buy Women Built. Founded in 2021, it began as a simple insight: many consumers buy from women-founded brands without realising it.

Impact of Buy Women Built

• Over 2,000 women-founded consumer brands

• The UK’s first women-built supermarket aisle

• Partnerships with major retailers

• A visible national movement reshaping consumer behaviour

Buy Women Built reflects Sahar’s wider mission: changing systems, not just launching companies.

Public Roles, Boards and Leadership

She has held numerous influential roles beyond her own businesses:

Government and Policy

• Co-Chair of the UK Government Scale-Up Taskforce, shaping policy to support high-growth SMEs

Boards and Advisory Positions

• Non-Executive Director, ScaleUp Institute

• Advisory Board Member, Change Please Coffee

• Board Member, England & Wales Cricket Board (The Hundred)

• Former advisor to global organisations and social enterprises

These roles underline her influence in both business and public policy.

Sahar Hashemi Husband and Personal Life

Sahar Hashemi is married to James Faber, an art dealer. While she keeps her private life largely out of the spotlight, reputable media profiles have confirmed their marriage.

Lifestyle

She has lived in London, including Chelsea, and balances a demanding professional life with personal passions. She is known for her warmth, humour and ability to connect authentically with audiences worldwide.

Sahar Hashemi Net Worth

There is no officially published or verified figure for Sahar Hashemi’s net worth. While Coffee Republic and Skinny Candy were financially successful, she does not publicly discuss personal wealth.

What is clear is that her value lies not just in financial success, but in long-term cultural and economic impact through entrepreneurship, policy work and thought leadership.

Awards and Recognition

• Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) – awarded in 2012 for services to the UK economy and charity

• Young Global Leader, World Economic Forum

• Regularly listed among the UK’s most original business thinkers

Sahar Hashemi Philosophy and Beliefs

At the heart of Sahar Hashemi’s work is a clear philosophy:

• Start small

• Choose scrappiness over resources

• Stay curious and “clueless” enough to see things differently

• Always view the world outside-in through the customer’s eyes

Her personal motto, “Leap and the net will appear,” captures her approach to life and business in an uncertain world.

Quick Info

Conclusion

Sahar Hashemi OBE is far more than the co-founder of Coffee Republic. She is a cultural change-maker, a bestselling author, a policy influencer and a champion of women-built businesses. From her Iranian roots to her British success story, from law to coffee to global leadership, Sahar Hashemi’s journey proves that entrepreneurship is not about perfection, but about courage, curiosity and action.

Her story continues to inspire founders, leaders and organisations across the UK and beyond — reminding us all that anyone can do it.

FAQs

1. Who is Sahar Hashemi OBE?

Sahar Hashemi OBE is a British entrepreneur, author and global keynote speaker, best known as the co-founder of Coffee Republic and the founder of Buy Women Built.

2. What is Sahar Hashemi’s age?

Sahar Hashemi was born in June 1967, making her 58 years old as of 2025.

3. Is Sahar Hashemi from Iran?

She is British, but comes from an Iranian family background. Her family moved from Iran to the UK during her childhood.

4. Is Sahar Hashemi married?

Sahar Hashemi is married to James Faber, an art dealer. She keeps most details of her personal life private.

5. What is Sahar Hashemi’s net worth?

There is no publicly verified figure for Sahar Hashemi’s net worth. Her success is measured more through her businesses, books and influence on entrepreneurship rather than disclosed personal wealth.

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