Nicole Gillota-Brichacek is a barista and baker who’s been “riding the lion” of entrepreneurship since opening Gypsy Beans, a full service euro style bakery café 12 years ago. Listen to Ep35 as she describes how, as an inexperienced entrepreneur, she opened in a developing neighborhood on the westside of Cleveland, OH. Working with local development partners, Nicole has taken Gypsy Beans from a spark to a catalyst for community, where it’s arguably ground zero for the growing neighborhood.
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05:45s Jumpstart’s Startup Scaleup event for entrepreneurs
07:27s Gypsy Beans – a euro style, full service café
09:02s Being an early adopter of a neighborhood, becoming an anchor
10:55s Student study sessions, going with the neighborhood, not driving agendas
13:50s Talkies coffee shop, an all time favorite, where Nicole gained experience
17:10s Leaving Talkies and buying a bakery
19:00s Too fiercely independent to work for other people
20:04s Respecting your employees and working hard for their dreams
23:01s How not being present through life changes affected the shop and staff
29:14s Missing the community aspect of barista-ing while running the bakery
31:10s Having to prove yourself to a community
36:30s Having a vision of expanding to smaller styled stores but failing execution
41:30s Now having a family, Gypsy Beans on its own is very fulfilling
45:30s The role of technology in Nicole’s life and for Gypsy Beans
51:20s Plain register point of sale system and sales tracking
53:35s Starting Uber eats on the down low to understand the value
58:30s Experience in the wild as a pack chef
01:02:04s Finding reinvention through faith and listening
01:09:03s Gypsy Beans coffee and pastry the Nicole brought me! Awesomeness.
“In my barista life, there’s been this amazing phenomenon of seeing community grow.”
“I’ll work hard for your dreams, while you’re here, if you work hard for mine.”
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