Barista Entrepreneur: How to Manage a Bar

A training that goes beyond the profession of barman, and that knows how to integrate other aspects, different but complementary, to give life to a 360-degree trained figure: it is the course Barista Entrepreneur , organized by Caffè Milani and started in its first edition Monday, June 10th .

The course is held by the barista, already winner of the Como stage of Espresso Italiano Champion, Matteo Colzani , who on this occasion explained the economic and management aspects that a manager in the Horeca sector must have in order to make their business perform. As Matteo himself explained, "the idea is to provide the technical skills of a barista, combined with business management notions, in order to always have an overview of the business's performance. I believe that nowadays it is essential to broaden one's horizons on these issues to ensure the success of the establishment: restaurant workers must be more aware of everything that is involved economic, managerial, and organizational world of your venue . In fact, sometimes you have the perception that things are going well, and then you realize you have a problem, or even just that you could have done better."

So, the topics covered range from purchases of raw materials , choice of suppliers , from from staff management to ways to improve turnover . At the end of the Barista Entrepreneur course, students will have developed the skills to analyze a business's budget, manage merchandise purchases, Organizing staff and structuring their schedules , identifying growth areas, and setting revenue goals. Theory and practice, economics and management, management, and management, combine to create a vision of the profession that also embraces broader issues, which are often real challenges in day-to-day work and therefore require a clear-headed and competent approach.

The idea for this highly specialized course was born with the dual objective of increasing professionalism and skills in the Ho.Re.Ca sector, especially in bars and restaurants, and at the same time supporting Caffè Milani's local clients on all fronts, not just strictly coffee.

Matteo Colzani himself explains how the role of the food & beverage manager Within a venue, over the years: "Until a few years ago, the 'manager'—as they were called—was a role held by the most established figures within a venue's staff, hired for their experience and gradually building their skills. Today, however, in more structured establishments, it's easy to find people with interesting educational backgrounds in various fields, who don't necessarily come from the hotel industry, but who have high-level management experience, who have received specific training in business management, or who have attended specific courses to prepare them for this role.

We're moving in a more international direction: abroad, especially in large cities, the roles of bar manager and head barista are widespread, and are essential to ensure the balance, sustainability, and profitability of establishments. In this regard, Italy needs to break away from the family-run business and structure itself more profitably in terms of cost management and labor sustainability.

This is why I believe that, today, a course of study is the foundation for successful work in the coffee shop and bar industry. For me, it's important to define barista work as a job that involves contact with an increasingly demanding, fast-paced public, where precision and attention to detail must remain constant despite the pace of work. This requires study and specific skills, even beyond professional training: you need to possess certain character traits, such as being alert, relaxed, and confident, capable of interacting with different customers and their different personalities and moods, and having a good memory and the ability to manage stress.

Working in a bar or coffee shop is as satisfying as it is tiring. I'd tell young people who dream of becoming bartenders to prepare to work hard, to work hard, and to get tired: there's always work to do. Also, prepare to learn, perhaps even more than at school. Every colleague is an open book: listen, learn, grow! That's why I believe trust, transparency, and good manners are the foundation for good teamwork.

"To date, we're very pleased with the feedback we've received and continue to receive regarding this new training course," says Elisabetta Milani. "We've received numerous registrations, both from young people looking to take over from their parents and from established professionals looking to challenge themselves and further improve."

TRAINING COURSES

Barista Entrepreneur it's one of the courses dedicated to the training of Caffè Milani and its academy, the Altascuola Coffee Training , in the 4 Italian locations of Lipomo, Milan, Sassari and Cagliari.

One of the cornerstones of Caffè Milani's corporate philosophy is training and promoting the quality of coffee in all its forms. After all, there's no good coffee without someone behind the cup who knows how to best enhance the beans. This is so important that since 2018, Altascuola Coffee Training has become a true IIAC Academy (International Institute of Coffee Tasters), even if its foundation dates back to the 1990s.

Train, update, learn new techniques or new methodologies, to offer an excellent product to ensure the consumer / customer a refined experience, with perfect taste.