EP 964 | Part 4 of 5 | What Café Owners Must Prioritise to Survive 2026 - Carol Salloum

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Episode Description

This is Part 4 of a five-part series with Carol Salloum, cofounder of 3Tomatoes and Almond Bar in Sydney, Australia. In Surviving 2025 and 2026 as a Café Owner, we examine how hospitality businesses endure volatility and uncertainty.

In this episode, we focus on what business owners must prioritise moving into 2026. Carol reflects on surviving the GFC, Sydney’s lockout laws, and COVID, and explains why the ability to pivot is fundamental to longevity.

We explore why raising prices endlessly is not sustainable, why retaining customer volume and loyalty can matter more than chasing higher margins, and why owner presence is critical. Carol shares how leading by example, building strong systems, and maintaining genuine connection with customers creates resilience in times of crisis.

The conversation also challenges hype-driven business models and highlights why values-driven hospitality remains the most durable strategy in volatile environments.

Connect with Carol Salloum and 3Tomatoes here:
https://www.instagram.com/3tomatoesau/
https://www.3tomatoescafe.com/