A Culture You Can Be Proud Of
This article was originally published in Barista Magazine DEC/JAN Volume 20 Issue 5
Creating a vibrant team culture in a cafe is no small feat, it takes time, effort, and a long-term commitment. Yet, when done well, it can transform your cafe into more than just a place to get coffee. It becomes a space where both your team and your customers feel welcome, supported, and inspired.
I had the opportunity to chat with Mark Canlis soon after acquiring my own business. Mark is one of the owners of Canlis, a renowned restaurant in Seattle that has been family owned and operated for over 70 years, and a hospitality industry icon. I asked him what his #1 piece of advice was for a new business owner. What he shared was that you can’t make people follow you, you have to invite them to join you. Share with your team what you want to create, the type of business you want to be, and ask them to help you get there, allowing them to shape the path. It’s much easier to build a positive work culture when everyone is on the same team, working towards the same goals.
Building a strong culture requires constant nurturing, communication, collaboration, and transparency. I am going to offer some practical steps for cafe owners looking to create the kind of workplace they’ve always dreamed of, one that employees love and customers can’t get enough of.
A Clear Mission
A strong mission statement is essential for guiding the culture of your café. It sets the tone for the business and clearly communicates the values that you, as a café owner, stand for. More than just words on a wall, a mission statement is a powerful tool for aligning your team and helping them feel connected to the café’s purpose.
When writing a mission statement, think about the core principles you want your business to embody. Ask yourself:
What makes your cafe unique?
How do you want customers and employees to feel when they walk through your doors?
What long-term impact do you want to make in the community or the coffee industry?
A good mission statement should be clear, concise, and inspiring. It should reflect not only your goals but also the experience you want to create for both staff and customers.
Communication: The Foundation of Team Culture
Effective communication is the bedrock of a thriving cafe team. In a fast-paced environment café owners and managers must foster an open line of communication across all roles.
Consider scheduling regular team meetings where everyone, from baristas to kitchen staff, has the opportunity to share their thoughts. These meetings shouldn’t just be about tasks; they can be used to discuss broader issues, challenges, and ideas for improvement. More informal communication tools, such as group chats or digital platforms, can also keep the team connected in real time, offering a space to ask questions or provide updates throughout the day.
From the very start, when a new person joins your team, communication lays the foundation. Onboarding, training, job descriptions, operating procedures and so much. Make it easy on your team to show up and do great work every day by clearly communicating what great work looks like in your business. It takes time but building these tools help to operationalize your leadership into every part of the business.
Transparency: Building Trust
Being transparent with your team helps build trust, which is essential in any work environment. When employees understand the bigger picture, they feel more invested in the cafe’s success.
Share important updates with your team, whether it’s about business performance, upcoming changes in the menu, or staffing decisions. Even when the news isn’t always positive, being open about the café’s challenges can help employees feel like they’re part of the solution, rather than just dealing with the effects.
No matter how hard you try, there will be missteps, and that’s part of the process. You won’t always get it right. I certainly haven’t. And that’s okay. When you stumble, don’t be afraid to acknowledge it and ask for feedback. Being vulnerable as a leader can actually strengthen your connection with your team. By acknowledging when things don’t go according to plan, you model the behavior you want to see in your team: accountability, resilience, and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Building a team culture is a continuous process, not something that happens overnight. You will make mistakes along the way, but those mistakes are part of the learning curve. The key is to keep working toward improvement and bring your team along for the journey. It’s not something you can, or should, do alone.
Collaboration: Ownership Mentality
A café runs best when its team is truly collaborative. This doesn’t just mean working side by side during busy shifts, but actively fostering an environment where each person feels valued for their unique contributions.
Encourage collaboration by letting your team participate in decisions. Whether it’s brainstorming ideas for a seasonal drink menu or solving operational challenges, involving your team helps build a sense of ownership. During the pandemic, I was the Director of Cafes for Stumptown Coffee Roasters. We transitioned the cafes into many different styles of service through that time, as so many of us did. Each time we made changes we gave the team the opportunity to poke holes in the ideas and offer alternative solutions. This process was a bit slower, and required some extra work, but the results were a team that felt heard and thus embraced the changes, which was more than worth the effort.
I recently saw a post online from one the owners of Cat and Cloud Jared Truby about a team led staff meeting. The ownership group had a small speaking portion but the rest was run by non-owner leadership. “The power in this idea of showing you trust your leadership team, AND the fact that the team usually has better relationships with those leaders can increase connectivity to all the meeting topics.” Says Jared, “Our team works with each other daily, they don't get as much time with ownership, there is always a power dynamic at play, and when what you share as owners is aligned with what your leadership team shares AND they share it first, we can get more engagement across the board. Everyone sees that everyone in leadership is on the same page and pursuing the same goals.” He goes on to reflect on the impact of this practice “...in the end, how many people get fed from sharing the load? Everyone who participates feels proud of themselves and feels more connected, that's valuable and exciting to think about. They had a memorable experience by creating a memorable experience for our team, and turns out, that might be a living mission.”
Culture is a Long Game
Café culture isn’t something you can set and forget. Like any relationship, it requires ongoing care. Create regular check-ins with staff to discuss not just their performance, but their overall well-being and satisfaction at work. Little touches like celebrating milestones or hosting casual team-building activities can go a long way. These small but consistent investments can help reduce burnout and create a more positive atmosphere in the cafe.The most successful cafe owners recognize that team morale is just as important as the quality of the coffee being served.
Jared offers this take on what company culture really is: “Culture is ultimately created and sustained by leadership, it lives and breathes based on what is repeated and focused on. What the leaders speak about and do, the teams take notice of and repeat. We can have culture by design and intention, or we can have it by default. Culture is what is lived and experienced day to day. We set our intentions by creating a mission and values, when the cultural focuses are clear, believed in and acted out every day, the things that do not align become the things that stick out.”
As you continue to grow and evolve as a leader, remember to stay committed to the process, celebrate small wins, and above all, keep your team at the heart of it all. Culture is never finished; it’s a living, breathing part of your business that needs constant care and attention. Building a cafe culture that lasts takes time, but it’s worth every ounce of effort. By prioritizing your team, you’ll not only create a better work environment but also elevate the overall experience for your customers.
