TLDR

As Sightglass Coffee transitions leadership with the appointment of former Starbucks executive Sharon Healy as the new CEO, you consider what changes she can bring to the company. Founded in 2009 by the Morrison brothers with a vision to elevate specialty coffee, Sightglass has since expanded across San Francisco and Los Angeles. However, it now joins the ranks of Blue Bottle and Philz in moving beyond its original founders after accepting venture capital funding. With Healy's experience, Sightglass has an opportunity to grow further but risks losing its identity. But ultimately, Healy must balance innovation and expansion with preserving Sightglass' quality and culture. As her tenure begins, you ponder what direction she will take this San Francisco brand.

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Leadership Changes at Sightglass Coffee: New CEO Sharon Healy

Experience and Expertise

As the former head of Starbucks' Asia-Pacific division for nine years between 2008-2017, Ms. Healy served as National Account Executive for three of the Seattle-based coffee chain’s largest licensees. During that time, she gained valuable experience in scaling coffee operations and expanding into new markets. With this background, Ms. Healy has the expertise to propel Sightglass Coffee's growth to the next stage.

Product Innovation

To remain competitive, Sightglass must continue improving its offerings. As CEO, Ms. Healy should make launching a mobile app that integrates with Square a top priority. An app would provide a seamless ordering experience, enable subscription-based coffee plans, and expand their customer loyalty strategies. Sightglass could model the app after Starbucks' successful mobile platform, which has been crucial to that company's growth.

Branding and Marketing

While Sightglass has established itself as a leader in San Francisco's third-wave coffee movement, its brand recognition remains limited outside of the city. Ms. Healy should focus on enhancing Sightglass' brand through social media campaigns, partnerships, and by sponsoring or participating in events. She might also explore product placement and co-branding opportunities to increase visibility.

Explore how Niko Niko Boba rebranded itself after going independent from the Franchise model with Per Diem.

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What the New CEO Can Do to Take Sightglass to the Next Level

Focus on Growth Through New Products and Services

As an experienced executive from Starbucks, Ms. Healy likely has significant expertise in expanding into new products, services and business lines. She could look to build on Sightglass’ reputation for high-quality coffee by introducing additional menu items like bakery goods, pre-made sandwiches or bottled cold brew coffees. She may also consider new services such as coffee subscriptions, rotating weekly menus, delivery or catering to provide further growth opportunities.

Open Additional Locations Strategically

While Sightglass has expanded to three locations in San Francisco and one in Los Angeles, further growth could be achieved through opening new cafes in other major cities, especially those with a strong coffee culture. However, expansion should be done strategically by focusing on areas with a customer base that would appreciate Sightglass’ dedication to high-quality, ethically-sourced coffee. Slow, sustainable growth will allow the company to maintain its dedication to excellence as it scales.

Refine and Build on Company Culture

Sightglass was founded with the goal of “elevating what coffee is” through a meticulous dedication to quality and craft. As the new CEO should ensure this spirit of quality and craftsmanship continues to permeate company culture, even as Sightglass grows in size and geographical scope. At the same time, she needs to define the company's mission and values for long term success. By refining and building upon the existing company culture, Ms. Healy can lead Sightglass into an exciting new era of growth while staying true to its founding principles.

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Key Changes the New CEO Should Make:

Implementing a Mobile App Integrated with Square

As CEO, Ms. Healy should prioritize integrating a mobile app for Sightglass Coffee to provide customers with an elevated experience. Partnering with a white-label loyalty mobile ordering app like Per Diem that seamlessly integrates with Square would allow Sightglass to offer mobile ordering, payments, and customer profiles to mimic the convenience of Starbucks’ app. The app would increase customer retention and allow Sightglass to push promotions and subscriptions to boost revenue.

Offering Coffee Subscriptions

To generate recurring revenue and build customer loyalty, Ms. Healy should roll out a coffee subscription program. Customers could sign up to receive a weekly or monthly shipment of Sightglass Coffee's artisanal blends and single-origin coffees. As CEO of Starbucks, Ms. Healy gained experience with successful subscription models, and she could apply best practices to make Sightglass Coffee's program equally enticing.

Expanding the Customer Experience

With Ms. Healy’s background, she is well-positioned to enhance Sightglass Coffee’s customer experience to match Starbucks. This could include improving ambiance, adding more food options, offering referrals, and training staff to provide exceptional service. Ms. Healy should also consider expanding to more retail locations to increase brand visibility, especially outside of San Francisco. Her expertise in growing market share and scaling operations would allow Sightglass Coffee to spread its mission of elevating specialty coffee to a wider audience.

To ensure a smooth transition, Ms. Healy should meet with Sightglass Coffee's founders to understand their original vision and values. By building on the company's existing strengths while applying her own experience, Ms. Healy can usher in a new era of innovation and growth as CEO of Sightglass Coffee. With her leadership, Sightglass is poised to become a nationally recognized leader in specialty coffee.

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Final Thoughts

In summary, as the new CEO of Sightglass Coffee, you have an opportunity to build on the company's founding vision while propelling growth. The most critical change should be launching a mobile app integrated with Square to offer customers a Starbucks-like experience with features like mobile ordering and payment. With Per Diem's white-label solution, you can quickly roll out an app providing coffee subscriptions and other innovations to increase loyalty and recurring revenue. Further changes around marketing, sustainability, and employee culture will also be important areas to evaluate. By balancing tradition and innovation, you can honor Sightglass's origins while leading the company into an exciting future.

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