One comment that we have heard regularly from those luminaries of the coffee industry that have been at the top of their profession for 20+ years is that there is always something new to learn about coffee. We suggest that if you run out of new ideas or are unable to otherwise some way to improve yourself or your business that it may be best to move on to something new. This is a suggestion that we not only recommend for our clients, but a pledge that we fully intend to honor ourselves.
Consider the Japanese principles of Kaizen, a philosophy of management dedicated to continuous improvement, which is largely credited with the success of Japan’s competitive position in the world market. Kaizen, coming from the words “renew the heart and make it good,” means improvement – improvement not only in the bottom line financial health of a company, but also the small improvements in home life, social life and working life. Alone, these gains may seem small and insignificant, but over time total up to big gains in your performance, personal satisfaction and quality of life. It’s the little things that are necessary to add up to big things.
Not surprisingly, it is those companies that are most actively involved in performance improving events, organizations and seminars that not only have the best tasting beverages, but also have the most dramatic financial successes.
It is not solely a coffee shop’s participation in organizations like the Specialty Coffee Association of America, Ultimate Barista Challenge, the Barista Guild and others that makes a company successful; rather, we believe it is the type of company that actively pursues its own improvement that sees these associations as opportunities for company and employee betterment – the companies that seek these opportunities are the ones we find to be most successful in business.
Make the quest for continuous small improvements in knowledge and performance part of your company culture rather than focusing solely on your profit and loss statement. Not only will you find your business to be a more enjoyable and rewarding adventure, but also will be more likely to find the financial success that you seek – in that environment, everyone wins.
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Andrew Hetzel is the Founder of Cafemakers, a specialty coffee business consultancy and training firm based in Kamuela, Hawaii. Cafemakers helps restaurants, coffee shops and hotels in North America and worldwide to improve their profitability and customer satisfaction by serving better quality coffee. To contact Cafemakers, send email to info@cafemakers.com or call +1 (808) 443-0290.