Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Philip Meech, Founder of Caffe Lusso Coffee Roasters, located in Redmond, WA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Caffe Lusso Coffee Roasters was launched in the year 2000 to bring elegant and luxurious, freshly roasted coffee to the greater Seattle region. Today our clients span across the United States, from boutique coffee bars to high-end restaurants and caterers, tech offices, bistros, hospitality venues, and homes. The common denominator among them all? Discerning palates with high expectations.
Tell us about yourself
I drink coffee today because I drank coffee with my grandfather on our family farms in Northern Colorado in my youth. Those early seeds of taking the time for coffee together began weaving the tapestry of what would become my lifelong pursuit of nurturing craft coffee and enjoying the space it holds for having a meaningful conversation.
I went to college with aspirations of becoming an orthopedic surgeon, but the coffee just wouldn't let go, and I began studying the art of roasting while in undergrad, ultimately switching majors from medicine to business and developing a startup roastery in my dad's garage a week after graduation.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I would have to say that through all the ups and downs over 22 years, we have never once gone cheap on our ingredients or tried to drive a hard bargain with our growers. We pay them what they ask. The result of this has been a tremendous sense of pride in what they produce and being financially rewarded for it.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The old saying "it's lonely at the top" is generally true. You can't make everybody happy, and no matter what you do, there'll be stacks of people who think you should be doing it differently than how you are.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Know yourself. Know your mission, vision, and values. This keeps you from getting derailed and blown around by whatever next wind comes through.
- Pay close attention to quality control, regardless of your product or service. You can get anybody to buy something once, but if you're going to stick around, it's because people buy again and again and word of mouth is still king of the hill when it comes to marketing. Do whatever you have to do to underpromise and overdeliver, and always remember that you're in business to take care of the needs of others.
- Ignore the hype.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://caffelusso.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CaffeLussoCoffeeRoasters/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caffelusso/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/caffelusso
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/caffe-lusso-coffee-roasters/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-meech-38b71b6/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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