For most small up and coming business owners, the chance to team up with a nationwide chain would be a dream come true. Sam Pearson is not one of these people. Pearson, owner of the independent business Vegan Sandwich Co, declined an offer to work with one of the biggest coffee shop chains in Ireland, Insomnia. The coffee chain has 150 shops, and partnerships with Spar, Eurospar, Eason, Fresh, Meadows & Byrne, An Post, Heatons, Debenhams and Penneys. They also operate in the UK as well as Ireland. Yet, Pearson turned it all down. A deal could have been transformative…