“You have what you need if you know what you have.”
I’ve been in this coffee shop for a couple of months now and I love how the owner of Ashley’s Harvest Moon Bakery and Cafe turned this shop around. You know me, I love turnaround stories and leaders who are able to pivot their business, especially during the pandemic.
This coffee shop has been a favorite ever since I moved to Holly Springs, NC and so I was very excited to get to know the owner and interview her.
I hope you enjoy this conversation I had with Ashley Heister and how this really young woman made this business successful through great leadership.
More about Ashley and her cafe:
Ashley Hiester is a small business owner out of Holly Springs, North Carolina. As someone who grew up in NC, it’s amazing to see how much has changed for the better.
She has a few years of working in the restaurant industry and absolutely loved it. At a young age, she found cooking and baking to be a huge passion of hers.
She also loves engaging and interacting with people. The opportunity to acquire Harvest Moon in July 2020 allowed her to do both of her passions for a living.
Ashley’s Harvest Moon is a bakery-cafe and coffee shop with decadent food and amazing locally roasted coffee.
They pride themselves on excellent customer service and an atmosphere that makes you want to come back. If you’re in the Holly Springs area, I highly recommend that you check them out!
Find Ashley’s Online:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-hi…
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/harvestmoonb…
[0:00] Intro
[2:38] Who is Ashley and how things started for her
[3:56] How Ashley turned around the coffee shop quickly and how COVID played a role in the shop’s success
[6:53] Her insecurities as a young leader and business owner
[9:46] The challenges that come with leading already talented people and creating core values
[13:04] Their core values at play
[17:37] Handling new hires and surrounding yourself with the right people
[21:52] Ashley’s vision of Harvest Moon and the hardest part of the business in 2020
[24:51] Morning rituals to kickstart Ashley’s day
[28:26] Treat your staff like family
[30:33] Receiving customers’ feedback and missed opportunities
[33:19] How social media made a huge difference and receiving bad reviews
[37:27] Marketing vs. management
[40:02] Final thoughts: do it and take risks
[41:42] Outro
