PIQUET'S PRINCIPLES
By John Piquet
John Piquet is a
roaster, barista,
and siphon brewing
specialist at caffe
d'bolla in Salt
Lake City, which
he co-owns and
operates with
his beautiful
wife Yiching.
An Introduction
H
i, my name is John Piquet, and I make coffee.
I roast. I brew. I taste. Sometimes I pull shots of
espresso, and other times I make coffee by the cup on a coffee
chemistry contraption known as the siphon. I am quietly
hidden in the vast coffee metropolis known as "Salt Lake City."
Yes, that Salt Lake City. After nine years as an owner-operator,
I would like to share what I have learned and give you a
realistic perspective on what it takes to be successful as a small
coffee shop owner in today's market.
Allow me to begin by sharing my philosophy with you so
you can have an understanding of what to expect in future
articles. This way, we can share a common journey.
There are two things I know. You would think I have learned
more than two things over the years, but the truth is that
concepts are simple, but it's putting them into practice that
separates the bean from the chaff.
The first thing is: quality matters. Everything must manifest
the concept of quality, with the coffee as the soul of your
operation.
The second thing I would say is, "Have principles, and stick
to them." The moment you change your principles in order to
make a sale or appease a customer is the moment you have no
principles. It is the ability to clearly articulate your principles,
to be honest with your customers, and take pride in what you
do that will show your character, reveal your integrity, and
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set you apart. Your quality will define what you do, and your
principles will define who you are.
And if there was a third point, it would be to remember
that no matter how good you think you are, or how many
accolades others give you, you can always improve. It is your
continuous engagement in the process of dynamic innovation
that will allow you to strengthen and improve the skills you
already have.
It's not always about learning something new. Sometimes
the greatest improvement in product or service quality comes
from perfecting the basics. The stronger your foundation, the
less you will falter.
I believe that whatever mindset you have from the moment
you begin planning your coffee business will permeate
everything that you do. Uncertainty should never be part of
your psychic vocabulary at any stage of your business.
Don't know something? Ask. Learn. Think. Experiment.
Always make decisions from a position of strength. If you
begin to make decisions from a position of fear or weakness,
the cracks will eventually show. Whether you wear a confident
smile and speak with authority does not matter; you cannot
hide from the genesis of your decisions.
There you have it. There's nothing more to learn. Everything
else is just details. Funny thing though, it's the details that
matter. So let's explore them together. SCR