When Halden Coffee had 14 people, everyone heard the plan from Sam, its managing director. By the time it had 48, most people heard it second-hand. In Headwater, the plan is written down in one place, and everyone works from the same copy.
By 2029, Halden is the coffee people ask for by name across the North.
- Win wholesale34%
- Grow subscriptions35%
- Brilliant cafés52%
- Roast at scale28%
At 14 people, Sam ran wholesale and the cafés himself, as well as the company. As Halden hired, nobody was sure which of those jobs were still his.
The ownership chart shows every seat in the company and what it’s responsible for. A seat that hasn’t been filled yet is shown as vacant, with the person who holds it until someone is hired. Move through Halden’s growth, then put Nadia, who joined on Monday, in her seat.
- Café accounts
- Trade pricing
- The trade reps
New starters at Halden used to spend their first month working out what mattered. Now each one sets a climb with their manager in their first week.
Joe joined Wholesale as a trade rep. His climb supports Maya’s, so every milestone he ticks counts towards hers. The next Monday he checked in for the first time, and an hour later his status and his first issue were on the screen in the Wholesale huddle.
The first time a new starter opens Headwater, My Flow shows an intro to each part of the page.
Done when 20 tastings are held in Leeds cafés, and each café has been followed up within a week.
- Book five tastings for OctoberFriday
- Tasting at Bean ThereWednesday
- Tasting at Kiln CaféThursday
- 2 more, through to December
When Halden was small, everyone heard every decision. As it grew, people kept asking questions that had already been answered, because they weren’t there when the answer was agreed.
When a team solves an issue, it can record the outcome as a decision. Standing rules make up the rulebook, and each one shows the issue it came from, where it was decided, and who was there. A newer rule can replace an older one, and a rule can have a date to review it by.
A growing company can set Headwater up in one quarter while it keeps hiring. The leadership team goes first, then each team, then everyone, because a climb can only support one that has already been set.
People who join during the quarter set their first climb in their first week, so they’re part of the weekly rhythm straight away.
Write the vision and pillars
The leadership team holds the annual planning session. They write Halden’s vision and choose four pillars, each with a “done when” line.
- Vision and pillars
- Initiatives
- Ownership chart
- Company climbs
- Team climbs
- Everyone’s climbs
- Weekly check-ins
- Huddles
- Rulebook
- 1:1s
- Next quarter’s climbs
Book a demo and we’ll show you how Headwater would run your week, from the vision down to Monday morning.