I’ve turned into a coffee drinker (if you consider hot skinny venti vanilla lattes coffee….). I never thought it would happen. But working remotely, bouncing from client to client, I find myself working out of coffee shops, mostly Starbucks, and drinking coffee.
And I’m not alone. The amount of people working remotely is higher than ever before. One major factor is the “gig economy”, defined as a labor market characterized by the prevalence of short-term contracts or freelance work as opposed to permanent jobs. Intuit predicts that by next year, 43% of the American workforce will be attributed to the gig economy.
The benefits of working out of coffee shops are high, including the noise helping be more creative, escaping day-to-day distractions being able to focus more, and the rub off effect of seeing others there working hard.
So now being a coffee aficionado and spending a lot of time at Starbucks, below are my top 8 learnings:
Store Layout
Just like types of drinks, there are a ton of different store layouts. Seems like every location is just a little different, which is a good thing. Explore to find which one you prefer best (large/small/narrow, etc.). Given the diversity, I like to rotate between different locations.
Use the App
The Starbucks app is fantastic. As a loyalty member, you get free drinks/food once you hit a certain threshold. It also helps speed up the ordering process. I haven’t attempted to use the pre-order functionality, preferring to order from a human.
Dress Warm
Even in the summer, plan to bring a sweatshirt. They kick up the air conditioner, which they say is due to helping prevent the employees from getting overheated. Be prepared.
Comfortable Seating
All about personal preference but most have several different options for what type of seat/table to work in. The key is finding one that you like as you’ll be there for awhile. Really nice are the tall bar seating along the window.
Power Up
Another key is finding a great location that is near power cords. Kind of amazing that more table locations don’t have accessibility to outlets.
Stretch
Make sure to walk around and stretch your legs. Don’t recommend longer than about four hours at one time.
No Conference Calls
Don’t be that person. If you need to take or make a call, go outside. Or go sit in your car. No one wants to hear your conference call.
People
You never know who you will run into. A lot of great people work there. Able to choose to converse with others or tune out with ear buds.
Yesterday at a local Starbucks while waiting for a client meeting to start, I looked up and someone was talking to me, saying “Yea, I’m homeless“. Not sure what to say to that, just uttered ok. Obviously down on her luck. Ended up getting a gift card that said “You’re Awesome” and then had an employee give it to her after as I left. Hopefully it helped make her day a little better.
So each day is different. Different environments. Different experiences. Enjoy!
Brian Phelps Consulting (BPC) 