Mastering the perfect cup of coffee
by Rodney Magazinovic
The
hustle and bustle of Hong Kong is a long way from the wide open spaces
and laid-back atmosphere of Adelaide, but it’s a difference Novelle Lee
knows well. Born in Hong Kong, she first came to Adelaide to study
business in 1998 and loved it so much that she was quick to return and
complete an MBA that paved the way to starting her own business in the
heart of her adopted city.
That business is Café Eleven 68 on Grenfell Street in the city. Opening 18 months ago, it employs five people and specialises in coffee and snacks as well as lunchtime meals with an Asian flavour.
Lee says that Adelaide was recommended as a great place to study. She attributes her decision to enrol at UniSA over other SA tertiary institutions to UniSA’s broader program offerings, excellent facilities and range of support services for international students.
“My lecturers were all very supportive. They took time out to help me when I first started as my English wasn’t very good.”
Lee returned to Hong Kong after completing her degree in business and administration management, but it wasn’t long before she decided to tackle a masters of business administration (MBA), a decision she says wasn’t hard to make, based on her previous stint at UniSA.
“I had a very good experience studying at UniSA and that’s why I chose to come back and study another degree,” she said.
According to Lee, the good atmosphere both on and off campus coupled with being based in the city gave her a great feel for Adelaide and inspired her to start up a business when she graduated. Her parents own a restaurant in Hong Kong, so she already had extensive knowledge of the food industry.
“Adelaide is a very suitable place to start up a small business. Compared with other states, it’s cheaper and there is no shortage of labour here,” Lee said.
Lee believes that the lessons learnt in her studies have been put to good use in her business venture.
“The knowledge I gained from the MBA has been very useful in the day-to-day running of the business. When I started, I wrote a business plan and set short-term and long-term goals and worked out what contingency plans would be introduced if those goals weren’t met, just as we learnt in the MBA,” she said.
“Starting a café in Adelaide was always going to be a challenge because of the abundance of coffee-related franchises that lead to a competitive market, coupled with the fact that people don’t associate good coffee with Chinese people. The first few months were hard. Now we have established a good reputation and the coffee trade has improved. People seem more interested in the coffee than the person who makes it.”
If you’re passing by and feel like a snack, the specialty at Café Eleven 68 is cold rolls. But make sure you get in early – Lee says there are rarely any left after the lunch time rush.