First of all I want to commend the coffee shop for being able to sell a $15 cup of coffee. Before you start whining about how that cup of coffee is 3 gallons of gas in Los Angeles, let me just say save your Anti-entrepreneurism for someone who cares.

There some coffee shops selling $15 cups of coffee called Panama Esmeralda Especial Reserve. I  believe in entrepreneurs and I love the ones that beat the odds. They found the formula for success. They found a way to stand out, they offer a luxury item and found the audience for this item. The people who drink this do not mind paying $100 for a half a pound of this rare coffee. If coffee is your passion this is a great way to indulge and splurge and even entertain your friends.

Marketing, Marketing, Marketing!

This is what it’s about people. Finding the people to serve and giving them exactly what they want. They want an exclusive coffee experience. These coffee shops serve it up. It doesn’t cost too much when it’ something you want. What’s the lesson here?

•       Be different in more ways than just the low price leader, not everyone wants to shop at Wal-Mart    
• Brag about it, get some publicity on your business going, tell some people!
• ·         Find your real audience, do not worry about the people who cannot afford what you have, find the real fans, they can always afford it.
• ·         Give the value the FANS are looking for, forget about your critics.
• Besides last time I checked, you can’t drive your car on coffee, so who cares how many gallons of gas that cup of coffee equals?

What’s your take on this? Is the $15 cup of coffee genius or insanity?

Leave your comment below !

Are we still doing dress down Fridays?

A few years back, I went into the  bank on Friday and it was clearly dress down day. The people in the bank were in tennis shoes, baggy jeans, too tight tees and my teller actually had on a wife beater with red skull and cross bones. The guy sitting at the loan desk had on a suit but the rest of them look like they just came in from a picnic.

I don’t bank at that bank, thats a story for another day, however I wonder what this is doing to their brand. What are they trying to say with the dress down Friday? Why do they have it? If you are dealing with my money, I want you to look like you deal with money. I think it is not good brand management. Since you have one day a week where you are relaxed, are you relaxed about my money too?