#180 - How an Australian Café Founder Is Scaling a U.S. Brand Without Losing Culture | Justin Giuffrida

In this episode of The Necessary Entrepreneur, host Mark Perkins sits down with Justin Giuffrida, founder and CEO of Citizens All Day, to explore what it really takes to scale a hospitality brand while staying true to culture, community, and purpose.

Justin shares his journey from Australia to the United States and how he built Citizens from a single New York City café into a multi-state, fast-growing lifestyle brand with ambitious national expansion plans. Along the way, he reveals the leadership challenges, capital decisions, and operational trade-offs that come with scaling a people-driven business in a competitive industry.

Mark and Justin dive into the concept of building a "community-first brand," the realities of entrepreneurship versus the romanticized version founders often imagine, and the mindset required to grow while still feeling like you have not arrived yet. Justin also discusses the importance of mentorship, the role of advisory boards in navigating growth, how optimism must be balanced with realism, and why embracing the entrepreneurial journey matters more than chasing a destination.

This conversation is packed with practical insights for entrepreneurs, founders, and leaders looking to grow businesses without losing their culture, their people, or themselves in the process.

If you are building a brand, scaling a company, or leading a team through growth, this episode delivers valuable lessons on leadership, resilience, and long-term vision. 📌 Connect With Us:Website: https://www.thenecessaryentrepreneur.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thenecessaryentrepreneur Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thenecessaryentrepreneur/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheNecessaryEntrepreneurPod X (Formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/MPerkinsTNE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tnepod/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tneclips Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6xhGUE1yzy2N0AemUOlJPx?si=d1c5c316af404f15 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/no/podcast/the-necessary-entrepreneur/id1547181167 📌 Find Out More About Justin Giuffrida & Citizens All Day:https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-giuffrida-02187769/ https://citizensallday.com/ https://www.instagram.com/citizen.allday https://wefunder.com/citizenscoffee https://www.linkedin.com/company/citizens-cafe-holdings/