What It Takes to Create Lasting Success in the Coffee Industry: Insights from Green Buyer Lucy Ward

Lucy Ward is a seasoned green coffee buyer and a vibrant personality in the coffee industry. With extensive experience both in the cupping lab and out in the field, her impressive credentials include being a Q Grader, past Cup of Excellence judge, and founder of the Australian Roasting Championships. Most importantly, she is a passionate professional who has played a crucial role in building St.Ali into the success it is today.

Throughout her journey—from working in coffee shops while studying art to her adventures in Brazil and navigating the challenges of the pandemic—Lucy’s multifaceted experience offers a wealth of wisdom for those looking to carve out a successful career in coffee. Here are the essential traits she embodies that can help anyone thrive in this exciting industry.

Find Your Passion and Never Stop Learning

First and foremost, a genuine passion for coffee is essential. As Lucy puts it, “I was fascinated by it from the get-go and I loved learning about it.” This enthusiasm is vital, whether you’re brewing the perfect cup or sourcing the right green coffee. The coffee industry is driven by its people, and Lucy’s love for her craft shines through.

I love the relationships with farmers and being able to tell their stories. I want to be the bridge between everyday drinkers and where the actual coffees are coming from.

Be Courageous and Seek Out Challenges

Next up is courage and the ability to embrace challenges head-on. There are so many opportunities to grow and evolve within this industry, as Lucy’s career proves. Even if you find a role that feels right for you, the coffee industry is ever-changing, so it’s crucial to keep learning and growing to ensure you stay competitive. Lucy’s journey reflects the importance of remaining curious and never stopping your education; she worked as a barista, cafe manager, event planner, green buyer and more. After the pandemic, Lucy evolved from solely being the green buyer at St.Ali to also managing operations, which presented a whole new challenge and required completely new skill sets.

“It took me a good 18 months to get into that and learn a whole new skill set,” she shares, discussing her transition to roastery operations. “I was always by myself, and suddenly I had to manage people!” she further explains. Her proactive approach to challenges allows her to grow continuously. In her words,

Even if I fail, at least I can say I tried.

Stick True to Your Guns

Another crucial trait is maintaining your integrity and sticking to your principles, especially as a business owner or someone in a crucial role in shaping the quality and identity of the company. With so many coffee companies out there, Lucy advises, “Always stick to your ethos.” Whether it’s about product quality or brand messaging, consistency is key to standing out in the coffee world.

Your customers will love you for the profile you choose. Therefore, it is crucial to keep checking your quality and staying true to what you do, which also means always asking why you decide on certain things. “Why am I choosing this? Is it for the right or the wrong reasons?” is what Lucy has always asked herself throughout her career, and with that, she has managed to stay on track and be successful.

Trust Your Gut & Embrace Mistakes

When it comes to decision-making, trusting your instincts is paramount, especially in green buying, where choices can significantly impact the business.  “There is a lot of pressure as a green buyer. You make a wrong decision and you risk eroding the margin or changing the quality standards, but that’s that. You just have to inform yourself and then trust your gut.” Lucy highlights how important it is to believe in your decisions while also being realistic about failing and continuing forward by saying,

If I make a mistake, I make a mistake. I do everything with the knowledge that I did the best I could.

Educating yourself constantly and talking to others helps refine your intuition, so you can confidently make the right decisions.

Organization is Key

Finally, organization is crucial in managing the complexities of green buying. Lucy studied curating in art school, which is also very visible on her well-maintained LinkedIn profile. She emphasizes that being structured is essential in her role. A well-organized approach allows for effective operational management, essential for success in the coffee industry.

You don’t have to organize and structure everything related to your business operations yourself! Smart software like Cropster Roast for roasters and Cropster Cafe for coffee chains significantly eases your work life with features like automated inventory tracking, automated task management setups, consistent quality control, and more.

Read more about Cropster Cafe HERE or about How to Set Up Your Small Coffee Business for Success in 2025!

Read more about Cropster Roast HERE.