The Larsen Group

Circles of Change:  Conversations with Dr. Zara Larsen

 on Change Leadership and Career Fulfillment

February 15, 2009

   “Circles of Change, Caféjo Style”

Anchoring Points:  

1. Twenty years ago when I was just out of college someone brought a market idea to my father and me to design and develop a bottled water coffee brewer for office application. Aquabrew was launched from our garage.

2. Being “young and dumb”, I spoke with local water delivery companies and went in without any preconceived ideas, looking to all the experts to get the answers. You don’t know what you don’t know, so it doesn’t hold you back from going forward.

3. We 100% manufacture in the US to be able keep our hands on the quality of our 45 different products.  As a small company we could not justify going offshore, and thus invested in plastics, steel, electronics capability to become more integrated, expanding our expertise.

4. I can manufacture anything except sales.  Leveraging our brewing technology in other applications led us to a partnership with China Mist Iced Tea to net the sales to help grow the company.  Today office system distributors carry our products and we partner with Cuisinart.

5. I saw the office and hotel coffee industry changing from a pot to wanting a customized cup at a time – Every cup as individual as you are – our tag line. The Caféjo Café was designed for offices and hotels by taking existing technologies from coffee, hot chocolate and cappuccino brewers to result in a “barista in a box” with over 100 beverage combinations.

6.  All I knew to do was develop a machine, but when asking “where are the single cup coffee pods going to come from?” realized we HAD to develop this, too. First as a packager using specialized equipment from Italy, then spotting the opportunity to roast 23 types of coffee and 13 teas to complete the full puzzle. We sell a brewer; we take orders on coffee for sustainable growth.

7.  I’ve always been “Idea Friday”, and luckily I have people around me who reel me in and ask the practical “how to” questions.  I really want to keep this fun and continue to be innovative, because if I stop this process, I just know my life will slow down. The older I get I might be getting wiser, but I’m getting dumber.  Listen to everyone, believe in yourself and your directions, but listen.