“Your morning latte isn’t just coffee — it’s the tip of a global empire disguised as a paper cup.”
You walk into Starbucks. You order a latte. Five minutes later, you’re sipping a warm cup of comfort.
Simple, right? Not really.
That coffee in your hand is the end product of one of the most complex systems on earth — a global network of farms, ships, contracts, finance, and branding that works seamlessly so you never think twice about it.
From Farm to Cup
Long before you taste that first sip, coffee beans are planted, grown, and harvested by farmers in Latin America, Africa, or Asia. They’re dried, sorted, and shipped across oceans. Starbucks then roasts those beans in specialized plants to ensure that a latte in Tokyo tastes the same as one in New York.
The milk and sugar? They come from entirely different supply chains — local dairy farms, industrial sugar refineries, flavour manufacturers. Even the paper cup and plastic lid are the result of factories, contracts, and quality controls.
The Invisible Control Points
Starbucks doesn’t just sell coffee. It owns the system:
- Long-term contracts with farmers to secure beans.
- Proprietary roasting formulas to guarantee taste.
- Prime real estate for its stores.
- A powerful loyalty app that keeps you coming back.
Every layer of this system is designed to make the process repeatable, scalable, and profitable.
Why It Matters
Most people see only the fruit — the latte. But the real power lies in the roots — the hidden system that brings it to you every single day without fail.
The lesson? If you want to build wealth or lasting impact, stop focusing only on the end product. Ask yourself:
👉 What system would I need to create so that my idea, product, or service keeps flowing — smoothly, reliably, invisibly?
Because behind every cup of coffee, every app on your phone, every tank of fuel in your car, there’s a system quietly at work.
And those who build and control systems are the ones who shape the future.
Journal Prompts: Spotting Systems in Your Life
- Think about something you use every single day (coffee, Wi-Fi, transport, water). What hidden steps and players make it possible for you to access it so effortlessly?
- Where in your own life or business are you focusing only on the “fruit” (the end result) instead of designing the “roots” (the system that makes it repeatable)?
- If you wanted your work or income to flow while you sleep, what system would you need to build or tap into?
- Whose systems are you already plugged into (banks, apps, stores, platforms)? How much control do they have over you versus how much do you have over them?
- Imagine you could create one small system today that pays you or serves others regularly. What would it look like?
Salima
Just me thinking out loud over here