Sol's Coffee Tokyo: A Serendipitous Encounter

On a quiet Tuesday in October, just two days before SCAJ2024, I found myself wandering the streets of Tokyo with some free time. By chance, I stumbled upon SOL's Coffee Roastery, a small café with an inviting yet unassuming presence. As I ordered my go-to Ethiopian pour-over, the atmosphere of the café and its simplicity immediately struck me.

During my visit, I met their barista and baker, Mazzer and Yuto, and soon discovered they were preparing to showcase a unique, in-house designed manual espresso maker at SCAJ. The espresso machine, sleek and entirely different from anything I'd seen, sparked a conversation that led to a potential partnership between my business, Hyperbatch, and SOL's Coffee.

Looking back, the entire encounter felt like an unexpected stroke of serendipity—a chance meeting that has since opened doors to exciting business opportunities. Sometimes, it's these spontaneous moments that make the biggest impact, and this one was no exception.

Boosting Your Success: How to Increase Your Luck Surface in the Coffee Industry

Hard work is essential in the coffee industry, but I’ve learned that communication plays just as big a role in creating opportunities. By actively sharing your journey - whether it’s roasting beans late into the night or finding that perfect balance for your espresso blend - you increase the chances of getting noticed. I’ve seen this firsthand: whether it’s striking up conversations with café owners or posting behind-the-scenes shots of my roastery, the more I talk about my work, the more luck seems to come my way.

For roasters or vendors, the key lies in building relationships and staying visible. From engaging customers online to forming partnerships with local cafés, these efforts all add up. The more people know about your work, the better chance you have of unlocking unexpected opportunities.

Unlocking Your Niche: How to Stand Out in Any Industry Using Simple Math

The formula for finding a niche is not new—it’s simple math, but often overlooked. The value of this article lies in how you apply this logic to take real action and find where you fit best in your industry.

Take the example of a professional MMA fighter in the top 20%. While impressive, this might not guarantee a six-figure income, unless you’re in the top 1% of UFC fighters. But what if, along with your fighting skills, you’re also among the top 20% of the population in public speaking? This combination immediately narrows the pool of competitors, and if you add in good looks (another top 20%), you’re now among the top 0.8% - a rare breed who could easily transition to a career as a sports commentator or TV anchor.

The secret? You don’t need to be the best at one thing - you just need to be pretty good at a few things. By finding the overlap of these strengths, you can carve out a niche where you become invaluable.

Sol's Coffee Tokyo: A Serendipitous Encounter

On a quiet Tuesday in October, just two days before SCAJ2024, I found myself wandering the streets of Tokyo with some free time. By chance, I stumbled upon SOL's Coffee Roastery, a small café with an inviting yet unassuming presence. As I ordered my go-to Ethiopian pour-over, the atmosphere of the café and its simplicity immediately struck me.

During my visit, I met their barista and baker, Mazzer and Yuto, and soon discovered they were preparing to showcase a unique, in-house designed manual espresso maker at SCAJ. The espresso machine, sleek and entirely different from anything I'd seen, sparked a conversation that led to a potential partnership between my business, Hyperbatch, and SOL's Coffee.

Looking back, the entire encounter felt like an unexpected stroke of serendipity—a chance meeting that has since opened doors to exciting business opportunities. Sometimes, it's these spontaneous moments that make the biggest impact, and this one was no exception.

Boosting Your Success: How to Increase Your Luck Surface in the Coffee Industry

Hard work is essential in the coffee industry, but I’ve learned that communication plays just as big a role in creating opportunities. By actively sharing your journey - whether it’s roasting beans late into the night or finding that perfect balance for your espresso blend - you increase the chances of getting noticed. I’ve seen this firsthand: whether it’s striking up conversations with café owners or posting behind-the-scenes shots of my roastery, the more I talk about my work, the more luck seems to come my way.

For roasters or vendors, the key lies in building relationships and staying visible. From engaging customers online to forming partnerships with local cafés, these efforts all add up. The more people know about your work, the better chance you have of unlocking unexpected opportunities.

Unlocking Your Niche: How to Stand Out in Any Industry Using Simple Math

The formula for finding a niche is not new—it’s simple math, but often overlooked. The value of this article lies in how you apply this logic to take real action and find where you fit best in your industry.

Take the example of a professional MMA fighter in the top 20%. While impressive, this might not guarantee a six-figure income, unless you’re in the top 1% of UFC fighters. But what if, along with your fighting skills, you’re also among the top 20% of the population in public speaking? This combination immediately narrows the pool of competitors, and if you add in good looks (another top 20%), you’re now among the top 0.8% - a rare breed who could easily transition to a career as a sports commentator or TV anchor.

The secret? You don’t need to be the best at one thing - you just need to be pretty good at a few things. By finding the overlap of these strengths, you can carve out a niche where you become invaluable.