Miss Morrison blog: ‘What a year we had!’

Our ambassador Cisca Colijn, owner of the coffee roastery Miss Morrison, likes to share her thoughts. This time, it’s about the past year and the world we live in today.

Last December wasn’t the same

2020: what a year we had! Normally in December, we’re too busy at Miss Morrison with all the preparations for the upcoming holidays. Developing new coffees, sales, Christmas decorations in the roastery; Doing everything to make sure we’re taking good care of our customers. And of course, we reflect on the past year. The highlights? And the lows? Not to forget my favorite question: what to do better next year. How to improve my business and myself?  

I normally love this busy time of the year. But to be honest, last December wasn’t the same. With the second lockdown in our country, the December month was, instead of the busiest, the quietest month of the year. I think we all agree, that 2020 was painful. The pandemic not only took lives worldwide but even killed more dreams and businesses than I could ever imagine. I saw friends losing their business, business customers go bankrupt and the world going insane because of fear, including myself. And maybe the worst feeling is, that it’s not over yet.   

The pandemic

I don’t know how you handled the pandemic, but when our country was in the first lockdown in March, I was in total panic and fear. And when I’m in that state of mind, I fight. For my business, for my family, but most of all, I fight against reality. So, I started fighting. I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t lose it all. My strategy of growth made place for a strategy to stabilize. Keeping everything the same as it was. I’m thankful that worked well because, at this point, we’re still a healthy business. But I realize that it took quite some offers to get there. I lost creativity, focus, energy, and most of all; I lost my love for roasting. Instead of looking for depth by doing what I love most, I stopped being curious about discovering new flavors and entering new worlds. 

Much more than a beverage

You see, coffee to me is so much more than a beverage. I don’t even like the word beverage, because it does so much injustice to the beautiful product of nature, we as roasters work with. Coffee for me is discovering the world.  

My journey begins with the purchase of a green bean. The smell when opening a new bag of fresh coffee is like heaven. And the rhythm of the beans and the development in our drums are magical! I feel connected to the countries of origin and make connections with the people who buy my fresh roasted coffee. Coffee to me means connection. In the past year, I was so busy fighting against the change the pandemic caused, that I totally forgot to make connections. 

Giesen ambassador

Last November I committed Giesen to become their brand ambassador.  At the beginning of this year, we successfully launched an online roasting course. The reactions and relief that came from roasters all over the world were overwhelming. I knew that sharing my knowledge of roasting was a path I had to take because it gave me so much joy! Meeting coffee roasters from all over the world who were passionate about coffee, gave me a great feeling of connection. But you probably already guessed it; the fight I entered last year totally made me forget that!   

I forgot that 2020 started quite successful and that the pain that I was in, wasn’t caused by the pandemic, but was caused because of my own battle! 

Sharing knowledge

I felt honored when Giesen asked me to join the team. At that moment I realized that I had to stop my own battle! Giesen believes in what I believe; that sharing knowledge is key to better the coffee industry. Sharing my knowledge about, not only roasting but also running a successful coffee roastery, creates an opportunity to help roasters all over the world to get the best out of themselves. Even by telling my personal process, I know that there’s a roaster somewhere in the world who recognize my story.   

What I’ve learned from 2020; fighting against reality isn’t the way. Coffee is. Being a roaster doesn’t only make me a better person, it gives me the possibility to evolve.   

Improving Miss Morrison and myself

Back to that question we ask ourselves every year: how am I going to improve my business and myself in 2021? As always, the answer is much simpler than the struggle. I want to start 2021 how I started 2020; full of energy, creativity, focus, and with new friends all over the world. It will be a year full of connection, so please feel welcome to join!   

Love Cisca   

PS: How did you manage during the pandemic, and how’s your business? Feel free to contact me at cisca@giesen.com and share your story with me. I’d love to connect!