So how do I begin writing this? For a while now I have been convinced that I wanted to create a community, but a community of what? About what? After getting inspired by my close friend I decided on a community of leaders. However, I didn’t want to create a community of just one kind of leader. I was convinced to create a community of those who wanted to share, who were open to new ideas, and ultimately wanted to have a conversation.

But a conversation about what? Leadership? Yes, leadership! And yes, I realize that there are so many different types of leadership. We are taught and told that leadership comes in so many different forms. Personally, I think this is the beauty of leadership. However, while we are constantly told about the different types, I feel like many times, the story of how people view leadership isn’t told – or is more formalized to the point where it is no longer a personal story.

So I wanted to think of how we could make this a thing? How could we take this idea of personalized viewpoints of leadership and put that together into a space that viewed it and understood it? I started to think about the places that I usually had long conversations about what it means to be a leader and where they seemed the most natural/casual. I also started to think about what environment I wanted to create for the people I was interviewing.

When I lived in the Bay Area I remembered going to cafes and sitting there drinking my coffee, and feeling this hum through the air. Each cafe had its own vibe and feeling, much similar to how each leader has their own tone and approach. I also remember listening to those around me, of so many different backgrounds, talking about so many different things and ways of life. It was almost like being involved in different cultures all at once, particularly as I went from place to place (such as going from Downtown Berkeley to the Financial District in San Francisco).

So this is where I realized that cafes are a hub of untapped potential. That these casual conversations sometimes produced the most incredible ideas and approaches to leadership and life that I could hear. As is I came upon the idea of forming Cafe Leadership in parallel to this idea. I’m excited to see where this journey into leadership will take me. From listening and interviewing those younger and older I hope to help others see different concepts, styles, and ideals of leadership and also the stories that spawn these types of leadership both in the present and the future.

Till next time,

Billy