Jayme Scott, co-founder of Black Tap Coffee, is no stranger to forging his own path. He left the handshake world of lobbying and politicking in D.C. for the independence of small business ownership. When we caught up with him he was measuring espresso behind the counter of his Beaufain Street shop.
“You have to have consistency. Temperature, humidity, all these different conditions affect espresso.”
To maintain consistency, he has to be adapt, dialing up and down his state-of-the-art espresso machine throughout the day, and allowing this flexibility to follow him through to the evening.
Jayme is a hands-on business owner, and when there are gaps in staffing he’s not afraid to step up and get his hands dirty. That means his evening routine has to adjust as well, whether it begins at 5 p.m. or 1 p.m. And as a small business owner his work usually follows him home, first to his desk where he pours over the books and begins his wind down with music, and then outside where he flips through industry magazines while the tranquility of his backyard helps quiet his mind after a day spent serving customers.
“Even though it’s really light in the shop, you still miss being outside.”
A few hours of blended personal and business time and slowly Jayme begins to let work recede. He takes a shower to strip away the day’s grime and emerges ready for his evening to begin—a few much deserved drinks with friends.
