611: What Colin Harmon Knows About Growing Coffee Shops!

As hard as starting a coffee shop can be, growing that shop is where the real work begins. The industry is riff with examples of cafes and roasteries that have suffered and even failed as a resulting how they approach growth. The industry also has many whose businesses have grown well but we can only admire their work as outsiders to the work that was done to get there.

Enter Colin Harmon. Just like he did with his first book "What I know About Running Coffee Shops", Colin once again give us a look behind the curtain in his new book, "What I Know About Growing Coffee Shops!

Colin Harmon is a 4x Irish Barista champion and founder of the iconic cafe and roastery 3fE in Dublin, Ireland.

Under Colin's leadership 3fE has grown to 8 cafes, a massive roasting and wholesale program, and stands as an example of a what a thriving quality focused specialty coffee business looks like.

Today we get to welcome Colin back to the show 9 years after his first appearance in 2017 shortly after the release of his first book to open up the ages of his new book and share with us his hard earned lessons and perspectives on growing a coffee shop!

We Discuss:

• Colin's reflection on the eight-year process to write his latest book and the importance of allowing ideas to mature
• Balancing hands-on work with business growth, including fixing toilets and managing staff
• The concept of a "stay here plan" to sustain long-term engagement in the coffee industry
• The realities behind scaling coffee shops and the pitfalls of growth for ego versus long-term purpose
• How to evaluate and choose opportunities like spin-offs, markets, consulting, and events prudently
• The impact of perception, staff development, and consistency across multiple locations
• Practical frameworks for evaluating new sites and scaling while staying true to core values
• The significance of transparent communication within teams and the importance of self-awareness
• Insights into wholesale relationships, maintaining quality, and marketing without overextending
• Colin's advice on avoiding burnout, overgrowth, and the importance of focusing on what works

Links:

https://www.scottrao.com/

https://eightouncecoffee.com

@colinharmon

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Related Episodes:

• 022 : Founder Friday w/ Colin Harmon of 3fe Coffee, Dublin Ireland & Author of the new book, "What I know About Running Coffee Shops"
• 608: The Best Behaviors for Building Resilient Cafe and Roastery w/ Tracy Allen of Brewed Behavior Consulting
• 283 : 5 Bad Reasons to Open a Coffee Shop
• 242 : A Conversation with James Hoffmann
• SHIFT BREAK: Are You Growing With Your Business?
• SHIFT BREAK! When Changing Things, Pay Attention to the Heart of the Business
• The Power of "No"