Daniel Isaac Group GM of The Coffee Emporium
On re-engineering vision, respect and expanding brand footprint.
QSR Media: What makes you excited about your position?
Daniel Isaac: The opportunity to re-engineer the vision and the strategic direction of the company to drive it to higher levels.
The Coffee Emporium already has a strong footprint. We are very excited that the brand has now gone global to the MENA Region (Middle East and North Africa) hence we opened our first international Coffee House in Abu Dhabi on the 28th March 2015 and 4 more to follow in the region, and soon to Asia, Europe and the America’s. I am building a strong management team with the recent appointment of Fernando Pimentel as Global Marketing Manager and Brad Flinn as Head of Operations.
The diversity of the role with the opportunity to create positive change through leadership and culture in key areas of business, such as sales, marketing, finance, supply chain, operations, training, business development and human resources.
The strength of our brand is built on absolute quality in the following aspects:
· Design of our new look and feel to create a vibrant coffee house ambience
· Consistency of our premium beverages and whole beans.
· Freshness of our new food menu lines which has recently been rolled out across all coffee houses to drive sales and satisfy our guests throughout the day’s business.
· Enhancing the guests experience.
QSR Media: What goals are you focused on?
Isaac: 1. Building collaborative relationships with franchise partners which is based on clear and well understood strategic priorities, characterised by open two way communication and respect.
2. Developing a strong and focused franchise support team and franchise partners committed to best practice systems, tools for benchmarking our brand and guest experience.
3. Driving double digit top line sales and profitable growth at coffee house level.
4. To build strong brand awareness from a local and global perspective.
QSR Media: What long-term changes are you planning ?
Isaac: During the next several months, The Coffee Emporium will focus on franchise recruitment and growth opportunities throughout Australia; for example, we are looking to expanding our brand footprint to greater Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Adelaide and Perth.
We are currently in talks with potential Master Franchise Partners for Malaysia, China, Singapore and Hong Kong. Global expansion is what we are planning on. Exciting times ahead!
QSR Media: What are your key business philosophies?
Isaac: 1. Inspire trust and confidence with all stakeholders.
2. Clarify the aims, goal, objectives and purpose by creating a clear and compelling vision.
3. Align systems by building capacity and capability to consistently achieve business goals and The Coffee Emporiums’ vision.
4. Unleash talent – Team development! I strongly believe in team work as another key business philosophy. Leaders cannot achieve superior business results without the support and dedication of a great team. Believe in your team and do not accept mediocrity!
QSR Media: What previous positions prepared you for this one and how?
Isaac: I have come from an accomplished accounting background and have worked within the franchise business sector for over 15 years including managing my own franchise business.
I have grown up with a mindset of adding value through ongoing improvement in whatever area I work in. I have been fortunate that in my previous roles I have worked in cross functional teams which has enhanced my knowledge in business to know what works and what doesn’t.
In my previous roles I developed the skill to inspire at all levels to bring about cultural change and accountability in an organisation.
Drawing on my experiences, I have successfully lead and managed medium and large teams to achieve outstanding business results.
Being focused, continually developing and implementing business strategy to achieve company targets that are aligned to organisational vision, goals, objectives and business outcomes has certainly added value to me professionally and prepared me to lead The Coffee Emporium as Group General Manager.
