testimonials
Read below to see what paying clients say about the benefits of working with MAP IT FORWARD to grow their careers and businesses.
“Lee Safar, Founder of Map It Forward, collaborated with us for three transformative months, and her expertise had a profound impact on our company. Lee's deep understanding of the coffee market and her ability to analyze trends provided us with invaluable insights and strategic direction. She meticulously reviewed our coffee market strategies, helping us identify significant growth opportunities and areas for improvement.
Lee's guidance led us to adopt a more focused business strategy, which has been instrumental in achieving our goals. We highly recommend Lee Safar to any company looking to gain a competitive edge in the coffee industry. Her knowledge, experience, and collaborative spirit make her an outstanding advisor.”
I recently experienced Lee Safar's coffee [business development and planning] workshop, and it was nothing short of transformative. The depth and breadth of valuable information presented were simply astounding. This wasn't just a flood of facts; it was a treasure trove of practical knowledge, complete with actionable steps and clear guidance on how to apply what we learned. Beyond the educational value, the workshop sparked a deep sense of inspiration and motivation within me. If you're seeking to enrich your understanding and skills in the world of coffee, I wholeheartedly recommend Lee Safar's courses. They're not just informative, they're a catalyst for real growth and enthusiasm in the field.
I would like to take a moment to express how valuable my association with Map It Forward and Lee, in particular, has been. Over the past 6 months, their consultancy has provided me with strategic insights, tailored advice, and an actionable roadmap for my venture, Adulis.com.
Lee's depth of knowledge in the coffee industry, combined with her unwavering commitment to her client's success, sets her apart. I've been deeply impressed with her dedication, passion, and ability to navigate the complexities of the market. She indeed conspires for her client's success.
“A person who I consider a beacon in my life caught on to a plan that I had brewing. Even though I come from a strong coffee and hospitality background they suggested that I seek out a business coach. Much to the contempt of my strong will, deep down I knew they were right.
I spoke briefly with your everyday business advisor and it was clear to me they knew very little about my chosen field and that the fit just wasn't right. Then my memory cast me back to a coffee industry podcast I had listened to many months prior; ‘MAP IT FORWARD’ was up on my YouTube during my lunch break every day that week and from there, I knew that Lee was the right person to guide me…”
“Pacific Coffee Research, as a female-owned coffee education business, went through quite a transformation with Lee. Lee amplified the parts of our business worth elevating and helped to fill the holes where needed.
Under her guidance, she engrained the long-term vision of PCR by connecting our leadership team through stronger, assertive communication. Lee has helped us channel our voice and transmit to the world that PCR is doing business in a fundamentally sustainable way.
Lee is extremely effective, caring, and a quick thinker adapting to the developments in the process with absolute ease, which makes money spent twice as valuable.“
“Having Lee Safar, at Map It Forward, as a business coach and mentor has truly brought a whole new perspective to how we approach the day-to-day operations of our family coffee farm. We knew there was a piece that was holding us back in the exponential growth we knew our farm had the potential of experiencing but couldn’t put our finger on it.
"Another great workshop by MIF. Time and money well spent. Highly recommend to coffee entrepreneurs that are 'stuck' with their ideas or unsure about the next step/s to get their project moving forward and PROFITABLE"
“Working with Lee has completely changed my approach to marketing. Having never worked in coffee before, I had no idea how the industry worked from the inside, and had no idea how to go about approaching coffee shops and roasters to stock my products.
Going through the process of customer acquisition planning with Lee helped immensely, but
As an entrepreneur, especially a female entrepreneur in a fairly new industry in my region, people around me kept telling me that I will face obstacles and hardships over and over again without really telling me what they were. At some points, told me I would fail.
I really dedicated my time to understand what these challenges might be in order to avoid them but little did I know that each experience is different and there surely isn’t a manual that can prepare you for embarking on a new venture.
I attended Lee's Coffee Consultant Mastermind Group in Spring 2021. From the beginning, Lee was personable, encouraging, honest, and insightful. She made sure to get to know each attendee individually, thus making the group experience feel personalized. I truly felt like I had an instructor who knew me, my coffee career, and where I wanted to go.
To be part of the Entrepreneurship and Life Currencies Mastermind group has been a great privilege. When I first enrolled I did not know what to expect. I had my ideas, however, what I received in return was much more than what I expected.
Navigating myself into uncharted territory was something that I had longed for but never understood how to do. With Lee captaining the ship, she has guided my fellow group members and me, on how to understand the map that has been given to us so that we could have the courage to do what was necessary to achieve all that we had set out to do, only to gain much more than originally planned.
What would Lee say? What would Lee do?"
These are the questions I regularly ask myself since I started working with Lee & MAP IT FORWARD (MIF).
Working with Lee & MIF has been invaluable for helping me to build my business. I had no idea how much I would learn - not only about myself but also the tools needed to position a business for success. As I continue to grow & learn, Lee provides experience, inspiration, motivation & direction. Lee's insight into starting a business, building a business, forecasting global trends and their impacts is incredible.
“My business partner and I started Perspective in June of 2020. We had no idea what we were doing but, we were two very good friends willing to figure it out. Lee’s ‘One on One’ coaching quickly allowed us to develop an understanding of the work needed to build our business. She has provided financial tools and resources to help us track revenues, expenses, and understand operating performance. In a very short period of time, my business partner and I ran into several dynamic issues. Lee’s business acumen and ability to
“If you’re looking for a 6-steps to success or something similar, you’re in the wrong place. This is a one-of-a-kind experience, creating a global connection, with like-minded amazing humans that support you and inspire you. This has not only benefited my business making decisions, but also the way I now approach my personal life. I have met some incredible entrepreneurs and visionaries, people that are committed to making a change. One of the best contributions to my learning journey so far.”
“I like being a part of the Coffee Roasters Mastermind Group with Anne because you always get answers, even when you don't have a question”
“The Roasting Mastermind group class is fantastic!! This group has been welcoming, easy to ask questions, share ideas and learn from each other’s experience. Anne and Lee have done an excellent job teaching in a way that has given me the tools to analyze my roasting in ways that I had not thought of before. The class being affordable is a big plus as well. I would definitely recommend!!👍
Thank you, Anne and Lee”
“Being part of a global mastermind group has been an incredible privilege that has allowed us to witness the growth and development of all the businesses and business owners involved.
So far our particular group has been a place for us to workshop ideas and then watch them flourish into real business outputs. For some group members, this has coincided with record profit months for their businesses, the birth of new brands/business teams, and life-changing personal decisions which we have shared together.”
“The Map It Forward team has created a safe space and community for new roasters and coffee businesswomen and men. We started our roastery in spring of 2020 with no real knowledge of what we were doing. With a global pandemic further keeping the World constrained, Lee’s knowledge and genuine concern for the success of small business owners, has catapulted our knowledge and understanding into the coffee industry years beyond our time.”
“Lee and the MAP IT FORWARD initiative has birthed something brilliant here, and I’m sincerely grateful to be a part of it. We know that when a multitude of selfless minds are connected beautiful things happen, old ideals are dismantled, difficult revelations are discovered, and most importantly everyone is challenging each other to become the best version of themselves. This happens to us every meeting.”
“MIF Mastermind group is a community of people who are in pursuit of excellence at every level of leadership and business. Each session is full of laughs, heartfelt stories, and everyone leaning into the spirit of going above and beyond what we thought possible. When we resources are limited, creativity is needed all the more, and we are in a global season of limitations, in which Lee has risen to the occasion and delivered a unique and pivotal opportunity for all of us to be part of in a crucial community of diverse thinkers, business people and action takers in the coffee industry”
“I began working with Lee Safar from Map It Forward when I was still navigating my direction in the specialty coffee business. Although I am an AST and a certified sensory judge by WCE, with deep knowledge of coffee, I struggled to apply it effectively in my business.
Over three months of consultation, Lee provided guidance that went beyond business strategy, helping me refine my values as a coffee expert and consultant. Her mentorship has been pivotal in turning my knowledge into actionable steps, shaping both my professional path and personal growth."