Mike Jamison’s Unexpected Path Into Convenience Services
It started with a problem no one else stopped to fix.
Before launching NewAge Refreshments, Mike Jamison wasn’t looking to enter the convenience services industry. He was simply paying attention. In an office building he frequented, a vending machine sat stocked with expired products, clearly neglected. Most people walked past it. Jamison didn’t. “I remember thinking, I can do better than this,” Jamison said.
He bought a machine and then sat on it for a year — listening, connecting with operators on LinkedIn, asking questions, and absorbing as much as he could about the business. When he did feel ready to launch, he did so with a clear point of view: Service and communication are everything.
Providing Service, Not Just Placement
Today, he is Owner of NewAge Refreshments, a full-service refreshment provider, offering pantry programs, office coffee service (OCS), vending, custom micro-markets, and water solutions. The company focuses on commercial real estate, serving entire buildings rather than individual offices. The aim isn’t volume for volume’s sake. It’s about creating value for property owners, leasing companies, and the people who work in those spaces every day.
New developments are beginning to reflect that thinking, with refreshment services built into the design. Existing properties, however, often lag behind. Jamison has seen buildings invest heavily in visual amenities while overlooking something tenants use every day.
“You’ll see beautiful marble floors, gyms, and fancy statues,” he said. “But no coffee or market on-site.” In practice, he’s found that convenient access to snacks and drinks often matters far more to tenants than many of the features buildings invest in first.
When it is missing, tenants notice. When it works, they rarely think about it at all.
That is the point.
The Difference Between Delivery and Staying Involved
Jamison believes that thoughtful, consistent service — not just showing up to drop off product — is what makes a real difference for clients. That belief shows up most clearly in how he defines pantry services.
“A lot of companies talk about pantry service when what they really mean is delivery,” Jamison said. “The client orders, they drop it off, and that’s it. That’s not pantry service. That’s a delivery service.”
For Jamison and NewAge, pantry service means ongoing involvement. That might look like daily restocks so spaces feel ready first thing in the morning, or investing in fixtures that present products with intention. The work is hands-on by design. The details matter, and for Jamison, that level of responsibility separates a service relationship from a transaction.
After all, he has seen how quickly convenience services unravel when accountability and attention to detail falter.
The Cost He Did Not Fully Expect
That level of involvement comes with a reality many operators learn the hard way: This is an expensive business. Nearly every new location requires meaningful up-front investment, often putting operators in the hold before they see a return.
“Opening a new market, and even some pantry programs, requires floating a significant amount of cash,” he said. “That pressure makes rapid growth difficult, especially early on.”
While NewAge is now approaching a point where that strain has eased somewhat, the lesson remains. “The only way through it is to get through it.” Growth means riding out the highs and lows.
Jamison recalls how each new location tested his early decision-making. Early mistakes came from placing equipment simply because an opportunity was offered. Now, if there’s even a sliver of doubt that a location isn’t the right fit, he walks away. The numbers have to work.
That realism extends to how he talks about success. Revenue milestones did not bring the relief he expected. Hitting $250,000 did not do it. Neither did $500,000. Even at $1 million, stability was relative.
“What I’m saying is, if you think you’re going to jump into this and be successful in a couple of years, you have some wild expectations,” he says. Building a durable operation takes time, and often more time than new operators anticipate.
What NAMA Changed for Him
Jamison credits industry involvement with helping him navigate those years. Getting involved with NAMA became an accelerant, not because of visibility, but because of access. The industry support surprised him the most.
I genuinely wouldn’t be where I am today without the people I’ve met through NAMA and the committees. I’m working directly with some of the greatest minds this industry as ever seen, and that access has been invaluable.
Mike Jamison
He currently serves on the NAMA Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) Steering Committee and the NAMA Trade Show Advisory Committee, where those connections continue to influence how he approaches growth and decision-making.
The Next Chapter for Jamison
For Jamison, the most meaningful part of building his business has been the people, both the team he works with every day and the clients who trust them with a seemingly small yet essential part of their operations.
“One client shared that implementing NewAge’s pantry program freed up significant time for their location managers, allowing them to focus more on signing new members. Their numbers reflect that shift, and that’s really cool to see,” said Jamison.
That kind of impact may resonate because it reflects the kind of value Jamison set out to deliver from the start. Refreshment services rarely draw attention when they are done well. Their impact shows up in how smoothly a workplace runs and how little time clients spend thinking about them.
The business has become more complex, but the mindset has stayed largely the same as it was when Jamison first bought that unused machine. He still prefers to learn before acting, to stay close to the work, and to focus on the problems that are actually in front of him.
Stay Informed. Stay Ahead.
NAMA members get more than representation—they get resources. This article originally appeared in NAMA’s member-only magazine InTouch.