Riffs

You've heard it before and you'll hear about it again. But asking for help in business can be one of the hardest things to do. Even admitting you need help takes unimaginable courage, strength and business intelligence - an experience for some that is nothing short of truly humbling. For those not operating in the sphere of business this can be just as difficult - as you may well know - in a personal capacity... As we start the funding stage of the Riffs Cinematic Universe [Film 1 - Mesozoic era based (script approved)] and begin casting for Riffs The Musical, as well as preparing for our next space launch (destination Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)), it's fair to say the team has a lot of metaphorical plates spinning faster than Jupiter's moons - relatively speaking And so. Confession time... We Need Help Are you up for it...? Rockstar Barista +1 year experience  Chaos Curators  Coffeemaxxing Apply within (/email [email protected] for more info)

Today marks approximately the half way point through the Gregorian calendar year. A milestone that I have made a rigorous business habit of observing, to take stock of where things are and think forward to what we can achieve in the other 0.5 of the GCY Whilst we can celebrate the People Possession takeover that won critical acclaim amongst those in the know. [A special thanks to Val for his hallmark coffee magic and skate tricks [CC Kawa.Coffee]] We have, I regret to inform, fallen short in every single one of core intergalactic expansion goals... So far, failing to get a single barista into space, melting several AeroPress, Inc. brewers in the process. And we remain at an impasse with the council over planning to convert Normand Park into UK's premier space shuttle and ship launch site You might be wondering what strategies we can implement to ensure that the next 6 Gregorian months will not be a total disaster - KPIs wise... Our first step to success is an innovative orange loaf cake (Tuesdays & Thursdays only) that should go someway to remedying the whole situation

According to statisticians calling anything a 'drop' creates a sense of urgency, immediacy and scarcity that will galvanise your followers/patrons/devotees to act. And act fast. Don't believe me, here is a convincing example; the drop shot [tennis] - player must rush to net to resolve emergency situation, acting instinctively. If you can apply this theory to your [insert relevant] drop then a similar sort of response should probably be elicited... Time to test the hypothesis... Let me present a LinkedIn exclusive; Riffs X People Possession Menu drop When? This Friday [15/05/2026] @ Riffs HQ 8am onwards Who? People Possession (Paris based roastery) & the usual Riffs crew Why? A moment For Mature Young Adults to have fun Block out your diaries. Come And Get It

No doubt your feed has been full of Marathon related content, whether it be a co-worker trying to subtly negotiate a pay rise with an impressive sub 2 hr time, or the CEO using the event to wax lyrical about the benefits of setting achievable goals and then working hard to smash through them - a dig at the work force to work harder and achieve more It got me thinking... For those in the service industries the (hospitality) marathon is a weekly event, typically occurring Friday through Sunday, but as the summer reaches its temperature apex this can stretch to a full 7 days In an attempt to celebrate the efforts of millions who go above and beyond, I donned some trainers and took to the streets of London to take part in the Riffs Annual - and by coincidence inaugural - Hospitality Marathon [2026] Stopping off at some of the capitals hospo landmarks to bask in their kindness - shout out to Lodestar the vanguard of generosity of spirit, warmth and coffee more generally What did I learn on my 42.195 km journey? Resilience - demonstrated keenly by my ability to still be able to generate a visual social media post despite only taking a handful of dreadful photos. The sky is not the limit

Having watched, somewhat keenly, the progress of the Artemis II mission, two things became apparent and somewhat crystalised in my mind... I) Time, and timing is important. Errors to the margin of a microsecond can bring about deep trouble in deep space II) The journey might have been made somewhat more pleasant by a superior coffee set up... Even just simply the stocking of a couple of Panama Geishas or something from Diego Bermudez's back catalogue [consider this me throwing my hat in the ring for an advisory role on the next mission] To help propel humanity further towards the new frontier the crew at Riffs will be opening an hour earlier on Sunday (8am Earth Time) to allow humankind more time to; think, focus and deliver on our intergalactic potential See you at 8 am Sunday astronauts

Whilst misbehaving in a cafe in the heart of London's financial district a barista mentioned in passing how they activated their brand in the area... For confidentiality I will not disclose the; who, when and how - but the conversation got me thinking... The savy amongst you will know brand activations are as old as time itself. Think Roman soldiers and High lace gladiatorial style sandals, Victorian chimney sweeps and petty crimes, and more recently Charlie XCX and the colour green A matter of weeks ago we conducted our own brand activation to industry and galaxy wide acclaim, and it's about time I shared some key insights Over the coming weeks in a series of posts I shall set out from personal experience, and a fairly comprehensive understanding of world history, how brand activations can benefit your brand and provide insights that could transform one brilliant day - days, or week - into a lifetime of success Stay tuned for more. On a separate note please no voice or video calls in store and general laptop use is strongly discouraged on the weekends

Today I took a train from Birmingham to London. I could have sat idly and watched the - on occasion - picturesque countryside roll past at breakneck speed. Instead I optimised my time; making business calls, taking business decisions and writing pithy comments on Instagram posts [business account of course] in an attempt to gain traction in the online world In the time taken to roll in to Euston I had not only ensured the company had a stronger stake in the digital world, I also invented our soon to be award winning summer mezze drink special... The Iced Saturday Night Takeaway 3 Peaks Challenge; - Iced Pour Over - Cold Brew [Iced] - Iced Coconut Flat White All drinks prepared using 'Saturday Night Fever' a beautiful advanced natural coffee grown by Jhonatan Gasca & Alejandra Munoz in Huila Colombia roasted by the wizards at Intermission. Whilst Stocks Last. Takeaway only. So what did I learn from the train journey? Enjoy the ride.

I am happy to share that after several rounds of tough negotiations, conducted in both formal and informal settings [think suits at a business table one day, golf course the next], we managed to come to a lucrative agreement with NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration to launch the exclusive early access drop of our Temporary Night Solutions menu on LinkedIn... hours before it is revealed to regular non-business minded civilians. Thanks titans for your earth shattering support

Today I asked a client and renowned serial investor and inventor what they were most excited about for the coming business week [w/c 02.03.2026] I expected to hear about the personal advances they were making in utilising GLP-1 therapies in neurodegenerative diseases, or their latest investment in a carbon capture company in Wyoming... What they actually said stopped me in my tracks... Shutting their laptop early Friday afternoon, making the necessary outfit changes and then gathering together with friends and likeminded business leaders / titans of industry at Riffs HQ for the inaugural - and soon to be award winning - Temporary Night Solutions Doors from 6pm

At a recent meeting of ICA (Intergalactic Coffee Association) members I was asked if serving coffee and perhaps even cocktails at night had ever been trailed here on earth.... If I am honest I was nervous and caught off guard by a commissioner from Sombrero Galaxy (M104) who often appears distant and quiet. I replied with the bravado that is only possible by someone who is severely misinformed; 'Never, never, never. However the team here are at Riffs are embarking on the impossible odyssey of making a temporary night operation a reality.' I left the meeting head held high and to a rapturous applause from most members of the federation. Temporary Night Solutions 6th March Riffs HQ - London, Earth Agenda and formal invite to follow