We recently connected with Jo Glorioso and have shared our conversation below.

Jo, appreciate you joining us today. One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensure that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?

We have a loyalty system, kind of like a punch card, that allows our customers to volunteer to share their info. Some of our customers give us their birthday. When one of our extremely loyal cusomter’s burthday comes up we give them their favorite pastry, coffee, or lunch item for free. It is a surprise for them which always puts a smile on both our faces. Recently we made caramel cupcakes for a regulars 40th Birthday. We knew she LOVED caramel.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I have been in hospitality for over 20 years. I have been a prep cook, kitchen manager, chef, bartender….pretty much every position. I moved to St.Louis from Louisiana in 2005 and started serving at a restaurant. I worked my way to Front house manager there. With that small company, I moved to a cafe location to become a kitchen supervisor. In 2017, the owner wanted to step back and retire part time (now full time), so I had a great opportunity to become owner of the business that I worked so hard at the past decade. I absolutely love cooking. I was always in the kitchen helping my mom and grandmother cook. Being from Louisiana, I always have a place in my heart for Cajun food, Also being Italian, you know we love food.
I am so proud of myself and staff for keeping our heads about us during the past few years of the pandemic. We have survived and our cafe and catering company are striving now that people are coming back to work.

How’d you meet your business partner?

My business party was part owner of a cafe that I was working at. Throughout the years we built a fantastic relationship. He was getting close to retirement age and asked if I would be interested in owning part of the business. It took a bout a year and a half to become financially ready to take this on, but I did!!! It has been a hard but great journey.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Our social media audience, is still growing. We started with face book back in 2015 and when we cam back from the pandemic shut down, I jumped into Instagram. I personally am the one managing the social media accounts. I try to post everyday. If I can make our stories interactive I do. I try and stay connected with our followers.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.java-plus.com
• Instagram: @javaplusdowntown
• Facebook: Java Plus Cafe and Catering Company