Specialty Coffee Retailer is a publication for owners, managers and employees of retail outlets that sell specialty coffee. Its scope includes best sales practices, supplies, business trends and anything else to assist the small coffee retailer.
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/58144
Jack'sJack'sBlend Jack Groot owns JP's Coffee in Holland, Mich. He also provides coffee business consulting and training through the Midwest Barista School (MBS). Check out Jack's new blog, "Jack Groot's blog — confessions of a coffee shop owner" at www.coffeegroot.com. Jack can be reached at jack@jpscoffee.com with "Jack's Blend" as the subject line, or at (866) 321-4MBS. I am currently enrolled at the New North Center for Innovation (www.newnorthcenter.org), taking part in a class called Innovation Methods Certifi cation. It is a one-year, one day a week class where we study the discipline of innovation. Yes, I used the word discipline to describe innovation (I pay attention in class). Anyway, I have learned a few things so far and want to share a few with you. First: soon aſt er starting the class I realized I haven't been on the receiving end of a classic learning environment in decades—wow, that's weird. Second, I've learned at my core I am the type of person who does, who tries, who risks and not by nature one who researches and completes case studies. Th ird, I've learned more about myself as a leader and how to better communicate with my team (win!) Fourth, I've found that I am the most popular and well-liked student in class (or might it be the fresh coff ee I bring each week?). Last week we learned something that lit the proverbial bulb in my head and made me excited to share it with you. Th e segment we explored a couple of weeks ago was titled "Framing." We discussed the contrast created by a subject having a background and middle-ground. As you can see in the inset picture, the triangle is foreground, but is highlighted and enhanced by the middle-ground and background that surrounds it. One can defi nitely put forward that the triangle would not be the same without the middle-ground and background—the combination creates an entirely diff erent picture: one that enhances the subject of the picture, the triangle. So how does that relate to coff ee? Over the last few years I have found myself at odds with some of the mindset and mentality in the coff ee industry. I hear and sense a mantra that puts a hyper-focus on coff ee without framing it with our raison d'être (reason for our existence): Some say it's "all about the coff ee" where it's really "all about the customer." 10 | March 2012 • www.specialty-coffee.com People are creating coff ee businesses, investing hundreds of thousands of dollars with the goal of what? Creating a million dollar cup of coff ee that no one drinks? Our goal is to be successful, right? And how are we successful? By selling our product at a profi t. I don't know about you, but I'm not doing this for my hubris, and though love of coff ee is central to my coff ee business, success comes from customers actually patronizing my store, not from great coff ee. So what is the background and middle-ground framing the foreground of coff ee? Background is the community and location in which the store exists. Middle-ground is the store environment and all it entails. Th ese frame the foreground, the centerpiece— that which we want people to eventually focus on. With an inappropriate or nonexistent middle- and background the picture is not the same. Without the support and strength proper framing brings, the centerpiece loses much of its relevance—it becomes undesirable and ineff ective in its ability to move us. I've said before, and I'll say again, success is not success unless it is successful. Obvious I know, but my defi nition of success includes such descriptors such as profi table, vibrant and long-lasting. Once something fails it is no longer (or may have never been) successful. And my passion is to create long-lasting success in my own life and business and encourage you to the same. No matter where you are in business, whether beginning or already in business, do not simply focus on coff ee. Look carefully at what frames it. Your picture will be complete when the centerpiece is framed by the appropriate middle- and background and people will come to admire your art…and purchase it. SCR