It's Christmas. At least in a few hours it will be Christmas. I'm slowing down a bit, my homework is done for 2011, all I have to do is sit back and look back. 2010. What a year! I feel like I turned into a Tasmanian devil to bring to fruition everything I wanted to do. The list of accomplishments is quite long, I will spare you the details. So much action! I replay in my head the good moves, the bad, the faces of the key players, the disappointments, but above all the actions taken on a daily basis by the members of my team which allowed us to get closer to our mission. And that's what I'm most proud of. In 2010, Brûlerie du Quai moved closer to its mission. And in my opinion, it is during a period like the holiday season that our mission is best expressed. Obviously, our job is to make coffee. However, as a being at heart, I would have difficulty getting up in the morning if there was not a greater, more human notion behind it. Creating meaning in my world is more meaningful to me. Coffee is the excuse to get there. A pretext which fascinates me, which excites me but which I consider to be the perfect medium to achieve my ends. Through our cafes, we want to facilitate real and sincere contacts. The world is moving fast. Between Twitter and a load of laundry, it's difficult to stop time in order to invest in our friendships, in our families. “Come on, let’s have a coffee.” » Our job is to make this famous pretext the best possible, there is no question of me investing in my friendships and being forced to drink a remedy against love. The coffee has to be the best! Life is too short to drink bad coffee! In addition, with the opening of our BDQs in Paspébiac, New-Richmond and Campbellton, we are allowing thousands of people to meet in a place that should encourage meetings. A place of passage, a demilitarized zone, the famous “third place”. This implies that our baristas are present, dynamic, professional but that they feel the importance of being discreet on occasion. Quite a mandate. In 2010 we became better and that's what makes me the most proud. In the last two weeks, I have visited the four Brûlerie du Quai and I can tell you that they are crowded with people talking to each other. It's extraordinary! In the era of web 2.0, we will not transform homo-sapiens, who to be happy need true and sincere contact. Sometimes, in difficult times (and in business this is common) I need to hold on to something bigger than budgets, accounts, invoices. And when I lose my “mojo”, I go to a BDQ, chat with employees, customers, friends and drink a good coffee. And it is by observing around me that I tell myself that, modestly, our work contributes to bringing a little happiness and love into our world. And this thought gives me wings.
It is thanks to you, employees, customers, friends, thanks to your trust, which through the Brûlerie du Quai allows me to strive towards my ideal.
Thank you for improving the world with me.
Happy Holidays
Danny Marquis
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