While there are some wonderful employers in the coffee industry there are definitely employers that you should NOT work for. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we'll share some details on who you should avoid and what the indicators are that expose red flags that warn you about what's to come if you choose to work for them.
Read MoreAsk any business owners in the coffee industry and they'll all tell you the same thing, "The hardest part of running my business is managing people". There are ways to make the team culture more harmonious before you hire your team and it all starts with your hiring strategy. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we'll go through just a few of the few game-changing tips we share with consulting clients who are putting together new teams.
Read MoreThe coffee industry is all about creating spaces where people can come together and connect over coffee in beautiful welcoming spaces. As business owners struggle to sustain customer needs in a boom period that coincides with labor shortages, automation is proving to be an attractive alternative to the increased number of challenges 2021 has presented. As these options become more and more enticing for business owners, who will win out as the most necessary asset to cafes and roasteries - automation or staff?
Read MoreWhen interviewing for a barista position, there's a question from candidates that's coming up more than ever - "What career growth opportunities are available for this role?" Previously, the standard answers were something like "barista trainer" or cafe manager. In 2021 that's changed and with Gen Z entering the workforce at the time of a labor shortage, if you're not able to adequately answer this question and demonstrate that you can back it up, you're not likely to find the team you need. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we explore what the new career paths are for Baristas and why this is awesome for baristas and employers.
Read MoreThroughout 2020 and 2021, staff shortages have become a more urgent problem for businesses in the coffee industry because of reasons created in past decades. We (as an industry) have kicked the can down the road for far too long without taking seriously the consequences of not addressing the blaring issues that needed to be addressed and those issues are now having a greater impact than anticipated. However, if you're a business that's prepared to embrace the challenges this moment offers, and really examine what our labor force around the world is really looking for, you can put together a dream team of employees where you all conspire to each others success.
Read MoreMore than you might think, the answers to why your business isn't thriving are hidden in the numbers you're not tracking. Many business owners fail to do regular stocktakes as a part of their inventory management strategy. Monthly stocktakes will show you so much more than how many take away cups you have in stock or how many bags of green coffee you have left. The insight you get from monthly stocktakes can be a game-changer for your profitability. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we'll explore why.
Read MoreEven though business in general for the coffee industry is better than ever, cafes around the world are caught between their desire to remain the friendly local community hub and the increasing pressures of inflation that are driving down profitability and making it harder and harder to stay in business. Business owners want to keep their prices reasonable but the pressure is mounting and sooner or later, they're going to have to give in. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we talk about why we think you should significantly increase your prices without delay and how to assess if this strategy is a right fit for you now!
Read MoreBusiness for cafes and coffee roasters alike is going great as we surge towards the end of 2021. Cafes seem to be full and roasters seem to be selling more coffee than ever. At MAP IT FORWARD, we're more worried than ever that despite your business doing awesome (which we're super happy about), there may be trouble ahead. Check out this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD to find out why and how you can get ahead of the curve so that coffee shortages are don't become an obstacle to your success.
Read MoreAs the C-Market reaches an almost 10-year high and the supply of Arabica becomes more and more stressed, could robusta be the solution to your supply issues? In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we'll explore why or why not you might consider this an option.
Read MoreIn the past 52 weeks, we have seen the price of coffee increase by 102%, that's an (almost 10 year) high of $2.39 per pound on the ICE Exchange (commonly known as the c-market in our industry) in New York. The last time it was this high was in 2012 (think about that for a second!!) and with the current supply chain and logical challenges we're experiencing, the laws of supply and demand economics suggest that we have no idea where this bull run will stop. So what are the ramifications for small businesses and professionals in the coffee industry worldwide, and how is this going to affect the way we do business for the foreseeable future?
Read MoreHaving a great culture and good supply chain practices are fantastic but how do you know if they're making your business more profitable or crippling your business's financial health? You would do this by understanding your profit and loss statement (also called an income statement) and it's just one set of numbers that you need to understand in order to know how you're doing. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we'll take a look at a variety of "numbers" you should be gaining clarity on if you're in (or looking to start) a business in the coffee industry.
Read More"Ransomware is a type of malicious software (malware). When it gets into your device, it makes your computer or its files unusable. Cybercriminals use ransomware to deny you access to your files or devices. They then demand you pay them to get back your access." - Cyber.gov.au
Now imagine you can't access your POS data, your financial systems, your roast curves and roasting data, your green coffee forecasting spreadsheets, etc. Would that cripple your business? How much would you be prepared to pay hackers to get your data back?
Read More"You're a roaster and I'm a barista, let's open a cafe together and we'll roaster our own coffee to save money. We'll serve the best quality coffee and we'll show everyone how it's done". Sound familiar? This is the beginning of a business partnership that is almost certain to fail. If you don't do your due diligence about your new business partner where it counts, you WILL be in for a world of hurt. Check out this episode for reasons why and ways to avoid making the same mistakes most people make when going into business in the coffee industry for the first time.
Read MoreFinancial and economic literacy is difficult for pretty much everyone who isn't a part of the investing world. Unlike the coffee industry, the investing world has a much higher barrier to entry if you want to participate. When things go well for investors (stock market, property, etc.), they are the ones positively affected by those wins. When things go badly for large groups of investors, let's say when they create a "bubble" (i.e. the stock market right now) and that bubble bursts, the ramifications can be catastrophic for everyone. Because it's so hard to understand, most people don't invest the time into becoming economically literate. We are at the precipice of a global financial collapse and in this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD we'll explore some things you should know as the collapse edges closer.
Read More"Stop giving people free money and they'll come back to work?" is a sentiment that drove many people to believe that labor shortages would be done once government funding was cut. Government stimulus has ended in many countries and the labor shortages experienced in the hospitality industry only seem to be escalating. Why is this happening? What does this mean for our industry in the short to long term, and why will this be the reason that even successful coffee-focused businesses may fail? Check this episode for insight and share your thoughts in the comments.
Read MoreThe logistical issues coffee businesses of all sizes are experiencing in all areas of their businesses have caused chaos and mayhem in 2021. Shipping backlogs, increased freight prices, COVID outbreaks at manufacturing facilities and ports, staff strikes in manufacturing plants are all examples of the driving factors that are feeding this ongoing crisis which is driving inflation and doesn't look to be ending anytime soon.
Read MoreIn a recent MAP IT FORWARD coffee roaster's group coaching session, we took a question from a specialty coffee roaster asking what seemed like a peculiar question: "How do I compete with Nescafe?" The discussion that followed uncovered a number of interesting discoveries about Nestle's Nescafe new roasted coffee wholesale program being sold not to supermarkets, but to cafes! It begs the question, are the supply chain, logistical, and labor constraints we're living through, paving the way for further industry consolidation that sees powerful, cash-flushed brands like Nescafe (previously synonymous with instant coffee) make headway into the specialty coffee wholesale roasted coffee market?
Read MoreMAP IT FORWARD has been flagging inflation in every facet of the supply chains related to the coffee industry as a concern for our audience since April of this year (2021). For those who paid attention and prepared early, you're are likely to weather the storm ahead better than most because now, inflation is ramping up and hyperinflation is most likely in many countries around the world. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD we're revisiting what inflation is, why you should care about it, and how it's likely to affect your business!
Read MoreAt MAP IT FORWARD we have a deep belief that the next 12-24 months in the coffee industry (much like the last 12-24 months) are going to require businesses to adapt and innovate just to stay in business. The challenge to stay open is most likely going to be felt by business owners that are experiencing success just as much as those who aren't, but for different reasons. While some will struggle to secure revenue, others will struggle to secure workers. If you're growing quickly but can't secure your workforce, you may be forced to close despite your supposed success. Having multiple revenue streams may be the deciding factor as to whether you survive or not in the tumultuous times ahead.
Read MoreAn important element in planning for success in your coffee business is having precise clarity of who your customer is and who your customer isn't. Developing customer persona's is integral it Customer Acquisition Planning for a variety of reasons. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we deep dive into the importance of understanding why not all coffee customers are "the same".
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