Coffee Talk With Miami Heat Star Jimmy Butler

Jimmy Butler needed a good cup of coffee in the Disney World complex, but it couldn’t be just any old type. The Miami Heat guard needed quality French press with the best Cuban beans. Once you’ve tasted it, it’s hard to go back to the regular stuff. But it was nowhere to be found.

The coffee problem affected many NBA players who had given up their free time, family life and had isolated themselves in a bubble so that the season could continue. 

Butler saw a massive void in the market and knew he was not alone in his coffee cravings. Like all great leaders, he first recognized the need for his services, then he orchestrated a simple plan to address it and produce coffee. He understood his target demographic — NBA players and coaches — was deep-pocketed and set fairly-strict guidelines to help navigate any potential problems. He was not willing to establish any credit for the customers and needed the players to abide by his no I.O.U. mandate. No matter how wealthy a player might be, the urge to get something free never dissipates, so Butler needed to get ahead of it.

His most significant concept, though, was to set one uniform price of $20 for all three sizes. Butler understood that having three size cups meant a more significant capital investment. His time was valuable, and he didn’t want to spend his mornings making three sizes from the French Press. So, he simply cut down the options. 

Butler’s Big Face Coffee endeavor is a peek inside leadership and entrepreneurship. Everything on his sign is what great leaders do:

1. Formulate a plan — Big Face Coffee

2. Clearly explain the plan to all — The Flavors of the Day

3. Earn their trust — No I.O.U., No Credit, Cash Only-No Exceptions

4. Work on the process — One Size Fits All. Know Your Audience.

No matter your business, we can all draw inspiration from Butler. Find the market void and evaluate these four steps.

The only difference is we don’t then need to score 28 points in a playoff game.

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