Posts in The Daily Coffee Pro
EP 537 [SWAPCAST] Customer Acquisition Planning In Action (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

This is the 5th of an eight-episode SWAPCAST between The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD hosted by Lee Safar and The MAP IT FORWARD Middle East Podcast hosted by Sara Alali.

In this episode of this SWAPCAST, Sara and Lee explore how they created and developed a Customer Acquisition Plan for the launch of Sara's new business, Luxury boutique cafe @THATCafe.co based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They discuss why having a clear understanding of who THAT's customers are, has made it easier to make most of the other decisions in the business.

THAT Boutique Cafe has been a MAP IT FORWARD Consulting Client for over 12 months

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EP 536 [SWAPCAST] Figuring Out The Culture in Your Cafe (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

This is the 4th of an eight-episode SWAPCAST between The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD hosted by Lee Safar and The MAP IT FORWARD Middle East Podcast hosted by Sara Alali.

In this episode of the SWAPCAST we explore the importance of defining culture in a business (which is more than just your work environment) no matter how small or large your team is. Sara gives us insight into how the culture of her cafe @THATcafe.com was been structured from the foundational company vision of "Celebrating People".

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EP 535 [SWAPCAST] Building the Values of a [World Class] Cafe (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

This is the 3rd of an eight-episode SWAPCAST between The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD hosted by Lee Safar and The MAP IT FORWARD Middle East Podcast hosted by Sara Alali.

In this episode of the SWAPCAST, Sara explains the process of translating each of the defined values that stem from "Celebrating People" for her boutique luxury cafe @THATCafe.co in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia into real-life actions that demonstrated to all stakeholders what the values of the company stood for.

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EP 534 [SWAPCAST] The Building Blocks to Creating a Cafe (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

This is the 2nd of an eight-episode SWAPCAST between The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD hosted by Lee Safar and The MAP IT FORWARD Middle East Podcast hosted by Sara Alali.

In this episode of the SWAPCAST, Sara goes into detail about the process required to establish the building blocks, i.e. the vision, mission, and values, of her business - boutique luxury cafe, @THATcafe.co, in Riyadh Saudi Arabia. Sara and Lee discuss how the foundational mission, “Celebrating People” became a guiding principle for making decisions about fit-out, supply chain, staffing, and more. They also discussed how this statement was challenged building out a cafe during a pandemic.

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EP 533 [SWAPCAST] Finding the Right Business Model for Your Cafe (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

This is the first of an eight-episode SWAPCAST between The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD hosted by Lee Safar and The MAP IT FORWARD Middle East Podcast hosted by Sara Alali.

Sara is getting ready to open her new luxurious cafe, THAT @thatcafe.co Cafe in the booming specialty coffee scene of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in early January 2022. Over these eight episodes, we’ll explore the journey Sara took deciding to build a world-class cafe right before the world went into lockdown at the beginning of 2020 and the challenges that come along with each decision as the economic fallout from the pandemic start to put a strain on the coffee value chain.

In this episode of the podcast, Sara and Lee discuss how Sara went from deciding to open a cafe in 2013 to finding the right business model that lead to finally building her cafe that will open in January 2022.

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EP 532 Upcoming Swapcast and Some Gratitude (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

We have a really exciting swapcast coming up with the host of our MAP IT FORWARD Middle East Podcast, Sara Alali. Sara is getting ready to open one of the most beautiful cafes in the world with a business model that has a demonstratable vision focused on "Celebrating People"! The cafe will be based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and in the eight episodes of this swapcast, you'll get an insight into the process that Sara went through to create this enchanting space and how she managed to put together a full team of employees at the time of major a labor shortage.

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EP 531 Thinking Strategically for Success in 2022 (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

Historically, the coffee industry has been an industry that follows trends and encourages hero-worshiping of barista champions, social media influencers, etc. Brands encourage this behaviour because it allows them easy access to you through sponsorship. Trends come and go and those who chase those trends are left reacting to business rather than being strategic about it. Creating a Customer Acquisition Plan and building strategic relationships with suppliers, staff, and consultants that can help you to breathe life into that plan is a way to be an outlier in an industry that's suffered for decades with razor-thin margins and bad business models trying to keep up with what's new. Building strategically means you'll build with confidence.

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EP 530 Time to Reassess Your Business Relationships (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

December and January are traditionally a time to reflect on the year that's passed and set intentions for the year ahead. What better time to audit the professional (and personal) relationships in your life and question how they've served you and you've served them. Are they still relevant? Do they need work? Is it time to invest in them to keep them growing or have you outgrown each other? In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we'll explore the delicacy of confronting these questions.

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EP 529 Joy Amongst 2022's Chaos (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

In preparation for another challenging year in 2022, we're entering the planning phase with our consulting clients and shifting the narrative to a different kind of success that we're all very much looking forward to. We may not be able to avoid the economic chaos 2022 is predicted to serve up to the global economy, but we can prepare our mindset to experience all the challenges we face with joy and with the grit necessary to achieve success and grow thoughtfully and significantly in the ways each of us chooses valuable.

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EP 528 We're All Exhausted and Ready for Change in 2022 (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

As we wrap up 2021 for our consulting clients and mastermind groups around the world, December gives us a chance to acknowledge the wonderful success our clients have achieved this year and the very real exhaustion that comes from all the grit and hard work needed to achieve that success.

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EP 526 Inflation Impacting Every Aspect of The Coffee Industry (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

There's no end in sight for the economic challenges being experienced by industries heavily dependant on logistics around the world, the coffee industry included. Every aspect of the supply chain is being stress tested and 2022 is showing no signs of letting up. Here are some things to consider as you use December to plan for your year in coffee in 2022.

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EP 525 Coffee Industry Culture is Shifting (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

After 2021 offered little to no respite from the challenges of 2020 for the coffee industry, a trend is forming around the world as consumers and industry alike question their relationship with coffee, cafes, the coffee supply and value chains, and how it impacts their lives. This is leading to cultural shifting eventuating in a change in consumer habits, labor shortages, and supply chain practices that are likely to reshape our industry's culture in 2022.

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EP 524 Don't Work For These People (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

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.

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EP 523 Interview Tips If You're Hiring (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

Ask 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.

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EP 522 Staff vs Automation - Who Will Win? (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

The 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?

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EP 521 The New Career Path for Baristas (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

When 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.

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EP 520 How to Hire Your Dream Team (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

Throughout 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.

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EP 519 Cafe and Roastery Inventory Management (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

More 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.

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EP 518 Hike Your Coffee Prices Now (The Daily Coffee Pro Podcast by MAP IT FORWARD)

Even 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!

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