6.5 Staffing Plan
Philosophy
Hospitality is one of the defining characteristics of LAMBA.
The quality of the guest experience depends as much on the people running the café as it does on the coffee, food or music.
For this reason, recruitment prioritises personality, curiosity and reliability above previous hospitality experience alone.
Technical skills can be taught.
Genuine warmth, initiative and care for people are considerably harder to develop.
Initial Operating Team
The café is designed to operate with a deliberately small team.
Founder
The founder remains actively involved in the daily operation of the café.
Responsibilities include:
Coffee preparation
Music programming
Hospitality
Supplier relationships
Community partnerships
Cultural programming
Financial management
Marketing
Retail
Staff leadership
Overall creative direction
The founder also acts as the primary host, helping shape the atmosphere of the space through daily interaction with guests.
Barista & Operations Assistant
The first full-time employee represents one of the most important appointments within the business.
This role extends beyond coffee preparation and requires someone capable of supporting the wider operation of the café.
Responsibilities include:
Espresso preparation
Customer service
Food preparation
Opening and closing procedures
Stock management
Daily cleaning
Supporting events
Assisting with operational decision-making
The ideal candidate is curious, dependable, calm under pressure and genuinely interested in music, culture and hospitality.
This person should eventually be capable of operating the café confidently in the founder’s absence.
Kitchen & Service Support
During busier periods, an additional team member supports food preparation, dishwashing, table clearing and general front-of-house operations.
This role allows the founder and barista to remain focused on hospitality and coffee quality during peak trading.
Internships
LAMBA intends to provide opportunities for students and young creatives interested in music, hospitality, design and community programming.
Internships may include:
Event support
Photography
Social media
Music research
Retail
General café operations
These positions are intended primarily as educational opportunities rather than replacements for permanent staff.
Future Team Development
As the business matures, operational responsibilities should gradually become less dependent on the founder.
A long-term objective is the appointment of a General Manager capable of overseeing day-to-day operations while preserving the culture and values of LAMBA.
This transition is expected during the third year of operation or once the business demonstrates consistent financial stability.
The long-term ambition is to allow the founder to spend more time developing programming, partnerships and future projects while remaining actively involved in the café.
Recruitment Principles
Every employee represents the public face of LAMBA.
Recruitment therefore prioritises:
Kindness
Curiosity
Emotional intelligence
Problem-solving ability
Reliability
Strong communication skills
Passion for hospitality
Appreciation for music and culture
Desire to learn
The objective is not simply to build a team.
It is to build a culture.