St. Pete is celebrated for its fabulous weather, beautiful vistas, world-class food scene, and thriving cultural atmosphere but its people make the city special. In appreciation, each month Green Bench Monthly shines a light on one of the many who make St. Pete unique.
This month, our attention is focused on Sean Kupper, who defies easy description. He is an entrepreneur, CrossFit devotee, bartender, snow-boarder, travel enthusiast, surfer, book lover, and licensed airplane pilot. The common denominator for these varied pursuits is his commitment to fully experience life. The day we met he was reading a book that explores a psychological state known as “flow,” during which a person experiences deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. As Kupper approaches his late 30s, achieving this combination of “contentment and restlessness” drives him to expand his experiences while striving to improve every day.
“The best things about me come from my grandmother”
Raised in the western suburbs of Philadelphia by his mother and grandmother, Kupper credits the two strong women with inspiring his love for learning and enduring drive for self-improvement. Recently celebrating her 90th birthday, his grandmother continues to serve as a strong role model. As he put it, “the best things about me come from my grandmother.” When Kupper found himself back home and feeling a bit directionless after a two-year stint at an all-male boarding school and two years at Montana State University, his grandmother provided the push he needed. Understanding her grandson’s need for direction and his desire to expand his horizons, she paid for his first flying lessons for his 28th birthday. He was immediately hooked.
The Freedom of Flying is Not Free
Soon after, his enthusiasm brought him to the sunny skies of Florida to continue his training. Eighteen months later, he graduated with his small-aircraft commercial license. A friend’s recommendation led him to the Tampa Bay area in the hope of finding a job in flying. Unfortunately, the 2008 economic crash had severely limited the demand for pilots, and qualifying flight hours and continued education are expensive. As a result, he didn’t give up flying but he did start bartending so he could eat AND pay for flight time. Since then he has been a successful and sought after bartender (and sometime general manager), recently moving from a long-time gig at The Burg Bar & Grill to Rococo Steak. Nearly 10 years after earning his license, he’s still not eliminating the possibility of a flying career, but he’s also exploring other opportunities.
What’s Next?
Kupper enjoys his job at Rococo. Another thing he loves about St. Petersburg is that he’s surrounded by “ambitious, inspired people.” He’s always embraced that vibe and is taking it in a new direction by launching his own small business: Nice Beard Man. Inspired by people’s positive reaction to his impressive facial hair, Nice Beard Man offers Kupper’s own blend of essential oils as well as beard balms and sandalwood grooming products. You can find him (and his impressive beard) at a number of local pop-up markets, including the Hideaway Holiday Market on Dec. 8. For updates, follow him on Instagram @nicebeardman1.
Exploring this opportunity is just one of the many things that drives Kupper. As he explained, he’s constantly “holding a mirror up” to his life as he endeavors to improve himself and be a positive contributor to his community. After getting to know him, I’m confident that he’ll succeed!
