5 Years, A Growing Family, and Lots of Coffee Later…

Category: Uncategorized

Shanna Novosel has been part of the BIGGBY® family for over 5 years now. Back in 2012, she left the world of politics to make her childhood dream of opening a coffee shop a reality, and she hasn’t looked back. Shanna has two BIGGBY® COFFEE shops open in Kentucky—one in Fort Mitchell (opened in 2013) and one in Florence (opened in 2017).

Shanna grew up in Michigan and has strong ties to her home state. When she was researching a franchise concept in the coffee industry, BIGGBY® was an easy choice for her. The shift from life as a lobbyist into small business ownership was a change, but nothing that Shanna couldn’t handle…with one hand tied behind her back. When asked about the most life-changing lesson she has learned as a small business owner, her answer was simple. “To not sweat the small stuff! It can be easy to get caught up in the minor details and I constantly remind myself to look at the bigger picture,” said Shanna. “That one minor issue that happened is really not that big of a deal; learn, grow from it and move on!”

This mentality has helped Shanna overcome many obstacles and has driven her to always, always keep reaching for more. Her fun and positive approach on life lends itself to owning a coffee shop, and it’s truly a perfect match for BIGGBY®. It also helped her earn customer nominations for the 2015 BIGGBY® COFFEE Store of the Year, which she ended up winning! She also earned an award in 2016 for Highest Growth, which was based off her store’s sales. She’s a businesswoman focused on profit but more importantly, she’s a people person who truly cares about others.

Shanna has been aggressively pursuing the growth of BIGGBY® in the Greater Cincinnati area and in February of 2018, she accepted the responsibility of becoming one of the first BIGGBY® COFFEE Area Representatives! Shanna has already signed 5 new BIGGBY® owner/operators in the Greater Cincinnati area and she’s still going strong.

We asked Shanna about her journey in finding new members of BIGGBY® Nation and if she had any advice for them. She wants them to remember one important thing that has proven beneficial for her—“To always put people first and to focus their shop around the community. I have made amazing life-long friends through my shops and I hope they do too. I have watched my customer’s children grow, couples fall in love and partnerships form,” she said. “Coffee shops are amazing places for people to gather and grow as individuals and together as a community. I hope they embrace that focus in their shops; amazing things can happen when your priority is people.”

Now, it’s time to meet one of our new BIGGBY® owner/operators—Amanda Ward! Amanda worked with Shanna to add her star to the BIGGBY® Nation flag in early April and she’s thrilled to be opening a BIGGBY® cafe in the Cold Springs, KY area. We asked Amanda to tell us what drew her to BIGGBY®, as there are plenty of franchise concepts to choose from, and her answer really speaks to why we’re different. “I have had an interest in owning a coffee-based business for years. Of course, I have grown to love BIGGBY® since Shanna opened five years ago in Ft. Mitchell, like so many people have. So when we began to explore the potential for becoming a franchisee with BIGGBY®, I found that the franchise concept was just what I was looking for,” said Amanda. “I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of a company that focuses on building relationships through a “welcoming, unintimidating, and fun environment.”

Amanda is looking forward to the flexibility that small business ownership allows and can’t wait to fold her own family into the BIGGBY® culture. “I have three young kids and being a small business owner will allow me to be a mom and also part of a great community! I enjoy meeting new people and this is a great way to do it.” Within the next 5 years, Amanda plans to open her second (and third!) BIGGBY® location and continue to make friends and share great coffee, all while becoming a staple in her community. “I hope that my store makes an impact on the people who visit it, leaving them with a positive and lasting impression of BIGGBY®. If someone is able to say they love BIGGBY®, and my store had anything to do with that, it’ll be the biggest win for me!”