Commissioners Taking on a Name

Marketing or Just a Bad Choice?

Cuppy’s (the name) throughout the blogosphere is the talk of many aficionados of coffee. Pundits abound the name Cuppy’s has been referred to as childish and kid like to a great marketing strategy to get everyone talking. Even the logo has come under considerable conversation by the bloggers. So the question begs to be asked: What’s in a Name?

Millions of business around the globe take into account the public’s view and/or reception of a supposed name for that company. How will the name reflect the services or product of any given company? Choosing a name can ultimately lead to the success and/or demise of a company along with a few other factors. But when that name is objectionable can the courts and city fathers decide the fate of a company's name?

The question comes to mind from this article about a commissioner wanting to take on a coffee company for the use of its name.

You can read the story in its entirety by clicking on this link.

Cuppy's Coffee on Keeping Your Baristas

Another coffee house is opening down the block and you’re concerned about the impact that will have on your sales. This is not the time to worry. In fact you should welcome the competition. Americans love having a choice, but also love quality products, quality service and a quality experience. You offer all the above so the competition will be of no long lasting consequence. However you may want to shore up your quality service for good measure. If you recognize that you’ve invested many hours, not to mention money, in training your baristas that offer quality service, you should make every effort to keep your baristas grounded and loyal to you.
A well trained barista is very hard to come by, so your employees look more and more promising to your competition and they may try to recruit them. To avoid the migration of your baristas to the competition, a few simple techniques and people skills may be able to keep your investment rock solid loyal to you.
Take an active approach in connecting with your employees. Here are a couple of key points to be aware of:
· Your team members are people first, employees second
· Start each day off by connecting in a non-work way. Keep it casual. How are you doing? A lot of employees appreciate your interest. How is the team doing? Ask them for their input about the store. You will also gain valuable knowledge about other employees and operations that you may not have been aware of.
· How can I help? Offer to help. When you’re not afraid to get down and dirty, neither will your employees.
· Let them know you want them there and value them as a person. Acknowledgement of this magnitude will build loyalty and dedicated employees

Employees don’t quit jobs, they quit bosses. The secret to keeping good employees is simple, “Treat your baristas as people first and employees second” Jeni Habas, Director of Human Resources at Cuppy’s states.
In the end, keeping the good ones comes down to connecting with your employees on a regular basis. The great news is that this doesn’t cost a dime to keep your baristas continuing to give you and your customers that great quality service.

Cuppy's Coffee/Java Jo'z Spirit Emerges

In 2006 Cuppy’s Coffee was formed and is hoping to capitalize on the thirst of specialty coffee drinkers. Dodging potholes and obstacles along the way Cuppy’s Coffee has won awards for its franchise. Building drive-ups, cafes, and kiosk Cuppy’s approved vendor, Elite Manufacturing is dotting the landscapes with coffee stores across America. Elite Manufacturing works closely with Medina Enterprises and Cuppy’s Coffee to facilitate the entire coffee concept experience.

To some people the confusion with Cuppy’s Coffee and another licensing company is understandable. Assuming the leases, equipment and communications equipment from this licensing company was a complex transaction. Wanting to provide a stable work environment and relying on the knowledge of employees Cuppy’s Coffee also offered position to the staff. Licensees of Java Jo’z in this transaction have no financial or legal association with Cuppy’s Coffee, Elite, or Medina. The distinction between the two companies wasn’t clear by some who had relations with Java Jo’z that was defined in the transaction.

Doug Hibbing, president of Cuppy’s can see why the confusion exists. “We had the same location and phone numbers and a similar logo and this is why they think we are the same

Morg Morgan and Medina Enterprises Poised to Go to the Next Level

Medina Management and CEO Robert Morgan are making a bold move into the franchising community. Working with other franchises like Planet Wings, San Gelato Cafe, IDME and others, Robert 'Morg' Morgan plans to take these companies to the next level. The success of the Cuppy's Coffee business format has laid the ground work for these companies to succeed in their push for national exposure.

Other companies like YUM Foods have successfully incorporated several companies under their umbrella. Medina Management is poised to do the same for the companies listed above and many more.

I look for Medina Management to break onto the investor's radar sometime in 2008.

Cuppy's Coffee on the Move

Starbucks may be closing stores and cutting back on new store openings, but Cuppy's Coffee looks to me to be making a move. If you've been keeping up, Cuppy's Coffee stores are opening at a fast pace around the country. So far I've noticed these locations:

• Mechanicsburg PA
• Oceanside CA
• Temple TX
• Edinburg TX
• Longmont CO
• Kennesaw GA
• Tucson AZ

And that is all within the last 2 months. Do the math, that's 3.5 stores a month. At this pace look for Cuppy's Coffee to come onto the radar of many an entrepreneur and investor looking to secure their futures.