Junto 1 Reflections
Last year around this time, I had a conversation with a client where they asked if I knew of any groups specifically for owners of roasteries? I sheepishly responded by saying, ‘I didn't’ know of any roastery owners groups but that I’d considered starting something like it for a few years.’ After that conversation, I put the thought of starting and running a cohort for roastery owners up on my mental shelf.
Each month that passed I couldn’t shake the idea of starting an owners cohort. Finally, late in the spring of 2024, I decided to float the idea out to 30 owners and I committed to myself that if I could find 10 owners that were interested, I’d build the program. Within 24 hours nearly every roaster I reached out to said it was something they would be interested in. So I put the work in to build what is now Junto.
If you’re lost as to what this strangely named cohort is, here's the gist–Junto is a 6 month long owners only cohort specifically for coffee roastery owners that mixes group and 1-1 coaching. Each month, there are learning opportunities that are connected to the books we read as a group, there are writing prompts and other other professional development learning elements.
Today, I’m reflecting after completing the first six month iteration of Junto and here’s what I learned:
Learning 1: Owners of coffee roasters are an audacious bunch.
I’ve always known this, so I suppose this is more of a reminder than anything. That being said, facilitating this group reminded me just how audacious owners of coffee roasters are. It’s no small thing to create something out of nothing and particularly in coffee where the upside is often minimal at best. Owners of roasteries are audacious in the best possible way. Without them, we’d all be relegated to sipping on whatever is in a Folgers can. Thank you founders of specialty coffee roasters. You make our mornings and lives much better.
Learning 2: Challenge, support and celebrating wins matters among worthy rivals.
I start every Junto by reminding each owner that the members of this group, while often in different markets, are not competition–they’re worthy rivals. Hearing one owner cause another owner to think differently about their unique challenges and in the very next breath hearing them encourage each other to go out and tackle whatever challenge they were facing, was thrilling. Seeing a group of people who would be considered ‘competition’ in another context being supportive, believing in and offering resources to each other, reminded me how powerful having someone in your corner is. When one member would report a victory, all the other owners would celebrate the win. We all need people in our corner but it seems to hit differently when they are worthy rivals.
Learning 3: Owners of roasteries aren’t a homogeneous group.
When I started this group, I figured that there would be a significant number of owners who would want to be involved in this group. Quickly, I realized that the kind of folks who participate in a cohort like Junto fit a specific mold. They are the folks who care about personal and professional growth. The folks who aren’t a good fit for this kind of a group are the folks who are happy with good enough and aren’t looking to grow as a leader.
Now to the outcomes:
There were owners who started new initiatives, one grew their wholesale program and another was able to move their business from losing money to break even and is on track to be well into profit by the time you’re reading this blog.
The key reflection and learning I’m taking away from this first group is, the results of Junto have little to do with me and everything to do with the initiative, the tenacity, and the grit it takes to deeply reflect on one’s role and work as an owner. It's easier to unconsciously take the next step and make the same decisions you made yesterday because they are easier. The point I’m getting at is that it’s easier to do the same thing over and over rather than zooming out to consider how you might do what you’ve always done differently and better. It is also more painful to be reflective about yourself and your work rather than plowing ahead because reflection forces you to look at–your reflection.