Introducing… Field Notes

Written By Erica Escalante
cafe consultant blog

Hi! I’m Erica Escalante.
Welcome to my field notes.

If you’re reading this, you probably already know a little about me.

Maybe you’ve taken one of my classes, saw me speak at a conference, or found me on Instagram during one of my rants about register buttons (which I fully stand by).

Maybe you’re here because you’re a cafe owner trying to figure out how to make your cafe business grow, feel less heavy, and get more stable.

However you got here, I’m so glad you did.

Why I Started Field Notes

I’ve been in coffee for 17 years. I opened my first cafe at 21 and spent the next decade building multiple locations, a bakery, a commissary kitchen, and eventually getting into the workforce with various operations roles in the industry to finally shifting into consulting.

What I saw—over and over again—were good people running themselves into the ground, including myself. Not because they didn’t care. Not because they weren’t talented. But because running a business with structure and clarity is freaking hard, especially on your own.

I’ve worked with dozens of cafes now, and every single one has needed the same things:

  • Financial clarity

  • Operational systems

  • Leadership development and structure

  • Encouragement, support, and perspective

So this is me sharing everything I know. My field notes. The thoughts I jot down after a client session, the ideas that come during a cafe crawl, the lessons I’ve learned from years in this industry.

What You’ll Find Here

This blog isn’t surface-level stuff. It’s meant to help you lead well, make smart decisions, and feel less alone in this work. Some posts will be tactical. Some personal. All of it is meant to support you as a cafe owner or industry leader.

Topics I’ll be covering:

  • How I do business audits and what I’m looking for

  • Register setup, menu pricing, and lowering COGs

  • Building company culture and leading without burnout

  • Leadership stories and hard client conversations

  • Updates from the Reina Cafe Accelerator

  • Stories from my own life—how I met Tricia, what I’ve learned from friends in the industry, the things I wish I could tell my younger self

How You Can Support This

I’m putting this out there for free, but if something resonates or helps you, here’s how you can give back:

  • Share a post with a fellow cafe owner or manager

  • Sign up for my newsletter below (I’ll be writing again, I swear)

  • Hire me to audit your cafe or lead a workshop

  • Host a public class in your city

Let’s Get to It

Field Notes is here for the cafe owners who are building something special - and want support doing it. If this blog can help you feel more confident, more resourced, or even just more seen, then that’s everything.

Thanks for being here.


— Erica

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Erica Escalante