Taking Calculated Risks for Better Business
By Shanna Germain
In the coffee industry—and in other industries as well—we hear about the successful risk-takers and innovators all the time. They’re the ones that make the news, the ones that get interviewed in the New York Times and in the best food magazines, and the ones that everyone looks up to and hopes to emulate.
Being a risk-taker is not easy task, especially in a tough economy. Just like in the Hollywood movie industry, everyone wants to go with the formula that has already proven to rake in the big bucks. Which is why there are so many bad, rehashed Hollywood movies. And why there are so many roasteries and coffee shops sprouting up that seem to be lukewarm carbon copies of Starbucks.
However, Starbucks was—and continues to be—an innovator and risk-taker in its own right, just like most companies that start small and make it big. So, how does a small company, a start-up company or even a company who just wants to go bigger and better learn to leave the Hollywood blockbuster mindset and move toward becoming the coffee version of an independent film? To read the rest of this article, subscribe to The Chronicle or become a member today! If you’re already a Chronicle subscriber or member, please login.
