MAP 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!

At 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.

An 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".

A common theme that came up in our recent event The Global Coffee Townhall was the question "Whose responsibility is it to educate coffee consumers about what's happening with the coffee supply chain?". This question was asked by people across the supply chain at the townhalls and, truth be told, there was no satisfactory answer to the discussion.

At a time of so much turmoil in the value chain, it seems more important than ever to have clarity on this matter. So, who do you think is responsible for educating the consumer?

So you've been in coffee for some time and, like so many in the industry, you've decided to be a part of The Great Resignation and leave your coffee job. It may be time to start considering the option of becoming a Solo Entrepreneur. In this episode of The Daily Coffee Pro by MAP IT FORWARD, we're exploring why you should absolutely consider this as an option and how you can use your coffee skills and knowledge to go about doing it!

When governments started giving out stimulus checks at the beginning of the pandemic, labour shortages were being experienced across the hospitality sector. Because these stimulus payments were often more than the wages paid to low-income workers, the general consensus was (as portrayed in the media), that once stimulus payments were taken away, the workforces in hospitality and other affected industries would return. This has not been the case and we are experiencing a phenomenon that's being dubbed "The Great Resignation", where people choose not to return to jobs and professions that don't meet a wider list of priorities in their lives.

Often when we think of a business plan we think of charts and tables and numbers etc. that are used to secure capital with banks and/or investors to start the business. Once they've served their initial purpose, they're often never revised or revisited….

It's our 500th Episode and to celebrate we'd like to talk about our recent success at The Inaugural Global Coffee Townhall that took place in October 2021 with over 600 virtual attendees live over 4 events in 4 different languages (English, Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese). Let's explore the common themes that ran similar throughout all the discussion and what was unique amongst them!

Special shoutout to the brands that made The Global Coffee Townhall possible: @lospirineoscoffee @cofinet and @baratza

We're well into the 4th quarter of 2021 and now is the time to start thinking about your planning for 2022. If you've never intentionally put together a Customer Acquisition Plan for your coffee-focused business (cafe, roastery, podcast, green bean business, brewing equipment, consulting, etc.), you may be surprised by just how much of a game-changer it can be for your business.