EP 1594 Part 4 of 5 | The Benefits of Running a Lean Coffee Business (Jan-Cort Hoban)
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Episode Description
This is episode 4 of a 5-part series with Jan-Cort Hoban, founder of Mr. Hoban’s Coffee Roastery in Germany. In this series of The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by Map It Forward, we’re discussing the myth of being big in the coffee business and why leaner businesses may be better equipped for the future of coffee.
In this episode, Lee and Jan-Cort explore the benefits of running a leaner coffee business and why downsizing may become a necessary strategy for many operators as economic pressure increases globally.
The conversation examines the emotional and financial pressure that comes with maintaining large café chains, investor expectations, staffing complexity, and debt obligations—and whether many businesses are actually making less money despite becoming bigger.
Jan-Cort explains why lean businesses are often more agile, more connected to their customers, and more capable of adapting to volatility in coffee prices, geopolitical instability, and changing consumer behavior.
Lee and Jan-Cort also discuss ego in business ownership, the fear many operators have around downsizing, and why stepping back from aggressive expansion may actually help owners reconnect with the reason they entered coffee in the first place.
This episode is an honest conversation about simplifying business before the market forces you to.
Connect with Jan-Cort Hoban and Mr. Hoban’s Coffee Roastery here: