In the 70’s and 80’s business was typically transacted in the boardrooms or over a business lunch and/or alcoholic beverage.at the bar. For a variety of reasons, business culture has changed, partly due to today’s views on drinking during working hours, drinking and driving laws, and business structure moving more to consultants and contractors.

Who would have thought that Starbucks, Timmy’s, Serious Coffee, and The Buzz would provide the office for so many entrepreneurs and consultants? Yet today a good percentage of business is transacted, articles written, and deals brokered over a cup of specialty java.

As I sit waiting for my business contact I am writing a blog, cognizant of the briefcases and laptops coming in the door. One of the tables is spread with papers, an agent expounding on the virtues of their particular insurance policy.  At the table next to me a young woman is being interviewed for a job.

One can argue that some of these things should not take place in a coffee shop but my memory goes back to when I was hired into the forest industry over a messy lunch at The Empress Hotel. I would  have been much more at ease if it was over a coffee!

Although the benefits of coffee have been argued to death, I am fairly certain that business lunches and meetings at the bar are far more detrimental than a cup of jo.