As 7 Brew Coffee continues its remarkable growth trajectory, Chief Technology Officer Danyel Bischof-Forsyth joined Crunchtime’s Ops Summit 2024 to share insights into how the brand balances technology implementation, data analytics, and people development to fuel its expansion. Named Breakout Brand of the Year by QSR Magazine, 7 Brew's approach to growth offers valuable lessons for the industry.
Danyel Bischof-Forsyth joined 7 Brew Coffee as Chief Technology Officer at the beginning of 2024. Prior to 7 Brew, she was CTO at Tyson Foods. Before moving to Northwest Arkansas for Tyson, she spent 28 years in multiple technology roles at Hallmark Cards. She currently serves on the board of NETZRO and the executive advisory board for Netskope. She holds a bachelor's degree in computer science, an MBA, and a doctorate in organizational change and leadership.
Let’s dive into the key insights shared during the session.
Technology and Data at the Core
At 7 Brew, technology plays a pivotal role in driving growth, with one-third of the technology team's time dedicated to data and analytics work. Bischof-Forsyth explained, "Within my team, we track where we invest our time. Based on just the needs of our business partners, it's one-third on continuing to build out our data lake, continuing to put analytics on top of that, continuing to push out reports." Understanding sales patterns and growth drivers remains a top priority as the brand approaches $1 billion in sales.
Building Strong Teams During Rapid Growth
The transition from a startup to an established brand brings unique challenges in talent acquisition and development. 7 Brew focuses on hiring the right people while implementing systems and processes to support their growth. Bischof-Forsyth highlights the importance of helping employees understand career paths and maintaining culture during rapid expansion. She stated, "We don't do this without the people. They're the ones that make this happen…making sure that we're hiring the right people, making sure that we're putting the right systems and processes in place to help them grow and learn, making sure they understand career paths, making sure that our culture is one that continues to be maintained." The company's commitment to people development has been crucial in supporting its nearly double-digit annual growth.
Leadership Development and Mentorship
Under Bischof-Forsyth's leadership, 7 Brew is focused on developing talent through various initiatives. Her experience in establishing women in tech programs at previous companies has influenced 7 Brew's approach to leadership development. The focus remains on creating opportunities for growth while maintaining the company's culture during rapid expansion.
Key Takeaways
7 Brew's success story demonstrates the importance of balancing tech advancement with team development. Under Bischof-Forsyth's leadership, the company has created a framework that supports rapid growth while maintaining culture and talent. As the brand continues its impressive expansion, its approach to integrating technology, data, and people development is a model for growing restaurant brands.
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