83. Why You Need to Surround Yourself with Smart People

The Coffee Experts Club Podcast

In this episode:

In this episode, Ben and Aaron explore the vital role of surrounding yourself with skilled professionals to successfully scale a coffee shop business. They discuss the unique challenges faced by fiercely independent coffee shop owners who bootstrap their ventures, celebrating the resilience required while addressing the limitations of going it alone. From hiring a CPA for tax management to delegating operational tasks, Ben and Aaron share actionable strategies to free up mental space, enabling owners to focus on growth and innovation. Tune in for practical insights on building a team of experts, leveraging tools like the "Wheel of Professionals" and the "Delegate and Elevate" framework, and preparing for the complexities of expanding to multiple locations. Summary of Main Points:

• The Power of Resilience and Its Limits: Coffee shop owners are often fiercely independent and scrappy, bootstrapping their businesses with grit and determination. While this resilience is essential, it can become a hindrance when owners try to handle everything alone, limiting growth potential.
• The Need for Experts: Surrounding yourself with professionals, such as CPAs, bookkeepers, or operational managers, is crucial for scaling. These experts handle specialized tasks, like taxes or workflows, allowing owners to focus on strategic growth.
• Mental Real Estate and Delegation: Delegating tasks that don’t require an owner’s unique skills frees up mental and emotional energy. Tools like the "Delegate and Elevate" framework help identify what to offload, enabling owners to focus on high-impact areas.
• The Wheel of Professionals: Building a network of experts, or a "Wheel of Professionals," ensures all aspects of the business are covered, from accounting to HR, helping owners address pain points and scale effectively.
• Scaling Beyond One Location: To grow past one or two locations, owners must replicate themselves by hiring and training capable staff, creating systems, and investing in professionals to manage the increasing complexity of multiple shops.
• Practical First Steps: Identify the highest pain points (e.g., messy finances or time spent on bar), find affordable experts (local CPAs, interns, or consultants), and prioritize long-term growth over short-term cost savings.

Minute by Minute:

0:00 Introduction

2:58 Surrounding yourself with smart people

4:13 Smart person #1 the CPA

10:25 Your “wheel of professionals”

18:02 Delegate and elevate

19:49 You can’t be on bar every morning

20:57 Find somebody you can trust