Guest Bio:

Ed Buison is an Area Representative of BIGGBY® COFFEE in Oakland County, Michigan. He’s a B.S. graduate in Computer Science and a Master’s recipient in Business Administration from Wayne State University, with a decade of experience in computer programming. Together with his wife, Eileen, Ed has two other businesses—Avalon Care, LLC and CuCenTech—and the pair now have their third and fourth BIGGBY® COFFEE branches in development. Ed’s love languages are words of affirmation and physical touch.

 

Key Points From This Episode:

• [01:26] Laura and Mike’s current thoughts and feelings about AI in business.
• [09:43] Welcoming Ed Buison as he explains who he is and what he does.
• [11:15] How he found BIGGBY®, and why he decided to join the community.
• [16:16] Why he and his wife Eileen chose entrepreneurship in a time of financial unrest.
• [18:41] The pros and cons of going into business with your spouse.
• [20:37] How Ed went from shy to confident, and why he prioritizes caring for his staff.
• [26:30] Ed and Eileen’s protocol for cultivating their unique and inspirational office culture.
• [33:47] Why their colleagues handed them the BIGGBY® COFFEE Purpose Award for 2024.
• [35:26] Bringing experts to the office and other ways Ed helps his staff succeed.
• [38:51] A closer look at how he develops leaders at work.
• [43:06] Ed details his primary love language.
• [46:31] Why office personality tests are an important work-in-progress for Ed and his team.
• [47:55] Using Megan as a case study for how Ed and Eileen support and reward their staff.
• [50:40] Ed’s biggest goals and how he hopes to achieve them.
• [54:38] Key takeaways from today’s conversation.

Quotes:

“What really drew us [into BIGGBY®] was the idea of supporting your community, because we do believe that as a business, you are – obligated or you have to give back to the community because those are your customers; they’re the ones supporting you.” — Ed Buison [0:14:20]

“[As] you do things more and more, you get more comfortable, and then maybe you even start to enjoy it.” — Ed Buison [0:24:47]

“I always believe that the people within an organization are a reflection of the culture of the organization, which is truly established and nurtured by the owner; by the leader.” — @MikeJMcfall [0:26:33]

“We hate to lose good [staff members] but we’re so happy that we’ve been a part of this connection to get them to the next step.” — Ed Buison [0:30:10]

“We don’t do it for the recognition but it is nice when you’re recognized.” — Ed Buison [0:44:48]

RESOURCES:

 

• [04:12] ‘How To Lead Through AI Anxiety: Strategies For The Modern Workplace’
• [16:16] Eileen Buison on LinkedIn
• [16:16] Avalon Care, LLC
• [16:16] CuCenTech
• [27:39] The 5 Love Languages
• [42:51] The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace
• [50:50] The Moonshot Guidebook
• [55:56] PNC Bank

FOLLOW:

Follow Ed Buison:

• LinkedIn

FOLLOW:

Follow Laura Eich:

• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Instagram
   

Follow Mike McFall:

• Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• X
• Instagram
   

Follow BIGGBY® COFFEE & LifeLabTM:

• Website
• Facebook
• X
• Instagram
• LinkedIn
• About LifeLabTM
  
   

ABOUT LOVE IN LEADERSHIP:

At the Life You Love LaboratoryTM and BIGGBY® COFFEE, we’re out to prove that financial success and healthy workplace culture aren’t two separate goals. BIGGBY® COFFEE's own cultural transformation is proof that not only is it possible to have a successful company where people aren’t miserable at work, but that the happier your people are, the more your business will grow. Each week, join host Laura Eich, Chief Purpose Officer at BIGGBY® COFFEE, and her co-host and BIGGBY® COFFEE co-CEO Mike McFall as they’re joined by guests from around the world to learn how they are fostering a culture of love and growth in the world’s most innovative and people-centric companies. Get inspired. Get real. Get ready to transform workplace culture in America with us. This is the Love in Leadership podcast.

Learn more at: loveinleadershippodcast.com

 

ABOUT THE HOSTS:

Mike McFall began his journey with BIGGBY® COFFEE as a minimum-wage barista at the original store in East Lansing in 1996. Over the span of 23 years, alongside business partner Bob Fish, he has helped create one of the great specialty coffee brands in America. Today Mike is co-CEO with Bob, and BIGGBY® COFFEE has over 250 stores open throughout the Midwest that sell tens of thousands of cups of coffee each day. But more importantly to Mike and BIGGBY® COFFEE, the company is a profoundly people-first organization.

Mike is also the author of Grind, a book which focuses on early-stage businesses and how to establish positive cash flow.

Laura Eich is BIGGBY® COFFEE’s Chief People Officer, having worked in a variety of roles at BIGGBY® COFFEE for the last 11+ years. She helped launch BOOST, the department at BIGGBY® COFFEE which ultimately became LifeLabTM — BIGGBY® COFFEE’s in-house culture cultivation team designed to help people be the best versions of themselves and help companies support them along the way. In her role, Laura helps people build lives that they love through the process of building profitable businesses and robust, growth-filled careers.