Andrew Klein, an undergraduate at Brandeis University in 1980, seized an unexpected opportunity to train with West Ham United in London, leading to a memorable six-month stint as a soccer player. Returning to the U.S., he pursued law at Harvard, entering the corporate law world amidst a booming era of mergers and acquisitions. Disillusioned by the extravagant spending and inefficiencies he observed in corporate law and investment banking, Klein transitioned to entrepreneurship, inspired by a Belgian beer called witbier.
In 1980, while an undergraduate at Brandeis University, Andrew Klein and his friends met Les Thwates, an English soccer coach, in Boston. Impressed by their enthusiasm, Thwates invited them to train with West Ham United in London. Despite the team's coach, Ed Bailey, being unaware of Thwates and skeptical of American soccer skills, he allowed them to practice with the team for six months, unpaid. To support themselves, Klein and his friends worked as bartenders. After this adventure and a European tour, Klein returned to the U.S., entering Harvard Law School in 1983. His timing was perfect, as the corporate world was booming with mergers and acquisitions, making law graduates highly sought after. During law school, Klein interned at corporate law firms, gaining valuable experience. After graduating, he chose to clerk for Judge Irving R. Kaufman of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, a key commercial law court. However, Klein quickly found Kaufman difficult to work for and, along with two other clerks, initially resigned before being convinced to complete the year. This experience provided Klein with a solid legal foundation and honed his skills in concise writing and speaking.
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