Phillip Di Bella, founder of Brisbane-based Di Bella Coffee, has spent much of his working life in the hospitality industry, and knows the ins and outs of the business. We spoke about Philip Di Bella about his past experience in the industry, his advice for those starting out, and what he hopes for the future.
Phillip Di Bella was, in a way, primed for success in the hospitality industry. Growing up in an Italian household, he was around food, drink, and good people all his life. At 14, he started as a dishwasher in his brother’s pizza shop. At 18, he started working in a café while attending university, and taught himself how to cook classic Italian dishes such as pasta and pizza.
For Di Bella, knowing what he was getting into was one of the keys to his success, and the biggest piece of advice he had to share. Working for somebody else in the industry helped him learn what running a café was all about. He spent nine years in a café that brewed their own coffee, and learned the ups and downs of the business – but especially, he learned what they did wrong.
Di Bella gave us three tips on folks who are interested in starting up their own café or restaurant – though these principles can apply to anyone who wants to start his own business. First of all, have a clear vision. “Understand where you are right now, understand where you’ve come from,” he says. “But know where you’re going.” A clear vision, he explains, helps you keep thinking about the future and focused on your goals.
Secondly, resilience is important. Bad days will happen just as often, if not more often, as good days. The storm will hit at the least opportune moment, and the ability to bounce back from them is tantamount to success. Specialty shops have been making a comeback, so knowing your specialty is important – whether it be breakfast or dinner, Chinese or pizza, master it and own your specialty.
Finally, branding is extremely important is business. Brand, as Di Bella defines it, is an emotional connection that people have with a business.
A turning point for Di Bella’s business was when his company said that they were not just a bag of beans. In addition to being a coffee supplier, Di Bella Coffee developed a full-scale service project, doing everything from complete order fulfilment service to stock rotation, equipment maintenance, and staff training. So when people think of the Di Bella Coffee brand, they think not only of great coffee, but of the services and support they provide.
One thing that the world needs more of, Di Bella believes, is more understanding. Another way that Di Bella puts it is emotional intelligence. In a way, Di Bella says, the level of emotional intelligence present in a society reflects the level of humanity – and especially, creativity and imagination – within it. In the hospitality industry, understanding is especially important, to provide excellent customer service.
Among the traits he attributes to his success are good time management skills and maintaining a clear vision for his business. Di Bella views these traits as intertwined, as planning ahead will ensure that he makes the best use of his time. To maintain his vision, he writes notes to himself – primarily using the Notes app on his mobile – as reminders to keep his goals clear.
Another part of success is keeping up with the times. Before, it was just fine for a business to just supply a bag of beans. Now, suppliers need to do more to stand out from the competition, acting as part of a support network for owners in the very fast-paced and volatile café and restaurant industries. Customer service is a huge part of this, according to Di Bella. “The best time to deliver customer service is when something goes wrong.” And when it does, look for the opportunity to fix it with efficiency.
A huge component of a successful business, Di Bella says, is a good leader. “If you see a bad worker, look at the leader.” A CEO is only as good as his workers, and part of being a good leader is maintaining the mindset and vision of the company.
Di Bella relishes competition, confident that his product is the best. He’s fine with customers choosing competitors’ coffee, saying, “You don’t know good if you haven’t experienced bad.” He loves finding people, in a room of a hundred, who don’t drink Di Bella, and converting them to the brand. “Give them a reason to choose you every time.” This confidence, as well as all the knowledge and skills he’s acquired along the way, keep Phillip Di Bella on top.
Philip Di Bella’s Ten Takeaways
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Know what you’re getting into. Work for another café or restaurant for a while, and make note of what is done well and what is done badly.
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Read the book Fish by Stephen Lundin – the principles behind Fish, which focus on enjoying your work and making a customer’s day, are number one in Philip Di Bella’s eyes. Available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Fish-Proven-Morale-Improve-Results/dp/0786866020
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Follow Di Bella’s three key pieces of advice: have a clear vision for your business, maintain resiliency in the face of difficulties, and talk about your brand.
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Another book, Entrepreneurial Intelligence, by Allen Bonsall, is available at iTunes, Amazon, and DiBellaCoffee.com, for anyone who wants to start their own business. The book encapsulates many of Di Bella’s philosophies around business. http://dibellacoffee.com/Shop/Blog/Entrepreneurial-Intelligence
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Competition is a healthy thing – as long as you’ve got confidence in your business, you’ll be on top.
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Knowing your speciality is important. Learn what you do best and commit to it.
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Good communication and customer service are essential to success in the hospitality industry. Listen and respond positively to your customers.
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Figure out how your business can fit best into the community in which it is located. Community engagement and compatibility can make or break an establishment.
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Di Bella practices good time management, as well as keeps track of his career goals, to stay on track and make the best use of his time.
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Read The Go-Giver by Bob Burg, which looks at the idea of selflessness versus selfishness. Available on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/The-Go-Giver-Little-Powerful-Business/dp/159184200X
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If you see bad workers, look to the leader.
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To get an idea of what your finances are supposed to be like, look up the Australian Taxation Office (https://www.ato.gov.au/). For advice and networking, get in touch with the Restaurant and Catering Industry Association (http://rca.asn.au/rca/).
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Good emotional intelligence is important for success in the hospitality industry and humanity.
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