A few weeks ago, we sat down with Ryan Pruitt, the owner of a local restaurant and coffeehouse called The Frothy Monkey. Ryan had a lot of great stuff to share about the culture behind the Frothy Monkey brand and how it has been shaped by the community, but one of the most profound things he said was about competition.
Nashville has some great coffee shops. I mean, really great coffee shops. And they’re all owned by some wonderful people. So I was curious about what tactics Frothy Monkey had executed to stand out. Here’s what Ryan had to say:
“If you’re making a good product, people will come. You don’t have to worry about what others are doing.”
Read that one more time. It’s simple, but it’s profound.
As brands, we’re responsible for delivering the best possible product to our customers and clients. When we spend time, money, and energy figuring out how to undercut our competitors, it takes our focus away from the people that matter. The people that make it possible for us to continue doing things we love to do.
Jeff Goins spoke at a conference I attended this weekend and said another very profound and true thing: “People are attracted to others who are pursuing their passion.”
Notice he did not say, “People are attracted to the cheapest product or loudest ad campaign.”
The Frothy Monkey is passionate about food, coffee, and community. And honestly, that’s all that matters. It’s taken them from a hole in the wall to a packed house. From coffee, to lunch, to dinner, and beyond. They stand out by doing what works, and doing it well, and the community rewards that passion every single day.
And here’s the part you should get really excited about:
Ryan Pruitt will be the featured guest at our next Triple B (Beers, Bags, and Branding) on April 19. We’ll be honest and say we got a little behind on our once-a-month schedule, but we’re back on track now, we promise. Here are the details:
We’ll supply the beers (first round is on us) and bags… Ryan will share some insight about fostering the community of Frothy Monkey, and how the brand has evolved over the past few years…
And you? You can just show up, have a drink, and enjoy.
- When: Thursday, April 19, 4:30 – 6:30pm (Ryan will be speaking at 5:30)
- Where: The Courtyard of Corsair Taproom – 1200 Clinton Street #110 Nashville, TN 37203
- Why: Why not?
Are you in? RSVP via email to matt@proofbranding.com and let us know! Your email will enter you to win a $25.00 Frothy Monkey gift card on the day of the event.
Feel free to invite your friends, family, favorite coworkers, and everyone else you know, too. We’ll see you there!