Suite Talk: What leading five store openings in three months taught this GM about people, culture, and growth

Rapid growth can easily overshadow people priorities – but not for Adinda Yozari, General Manager, CHAGEE Indonesia. In this interview, she reflects on the leadership lessons she’s learned from balancing speed, culture, and care while leading rapid growth.

Opening five stores in three months is the kind of growth many may describe as exhilarating – and exhausting. For Adinda Yozari (pictured above), General Manager, CHAGEE Indonesia, it was both a commercial achievement and a leadership test: how do you expand at pace while keeping people engaged, culture consistent, and wellbeing intact?

Her approach has been resolutely people-first, as Priya Sunil finds out. From hiring for attitude over experience, to personally overseeing onboarding and recognition, she’s intentional about embedding culture into every new team from day one.

In this interview, Adinda shares the lessons that helped her steer rapid expansion without losing sight of what really drives growth – her people.

Q You’ve led the opening of five CHAGEE stores in just three months - an impressive pace! How have you balanced the pressure of rapid expansion with the need to build strong, cohesive teams on the ground?

It has been intense but really exciting. When you're expanding fast, it's easy to just focus on commercial goals and operations. But I always tell my team, great stores start with great people. For every new opening, we make sure to bring in experienced crew members from our existing stores to guide the new ones. That consistency really helps.

I make it a point to be present at every launch, from preparation through to opening day. Showing up matters because it reminds the team that we’re building this together.

Q Tell us about your approach to hiring from the ground up. What qualities do you prioritise when building a brand-new team, especially in a fast-paced retail F&B setting?

For store teams, I always look for energy and attitude first. Skills we can teach, but someone who’s friendly, dependable and genuinely wants to serve customers is harder to find. F&B can be tough and fast-paced, so during the interview, we will ask questions like, 'How do you handle stress?' or 'What do you do when a customer is rude?' just to understand their mindset.

When it comes to corporate hires, of course their credentials play a part, but mindset still matters most. I look for people who are hands-on and don’t mind figuring things out as we go. We’re still in build mode here in Indonesia, so we need team members who are comfortable wearing multiple hats.

Q How involved are you personally in CHAGEE Indonesia’s talent strategy? What aspects of talent management do you believe leaders like yourself should never fully delegate, and how closely do you work with your HR lead on driving this?

I’m very involved, especially since we’re still in a fast-growing stage. I work closely with our HR lead on everything from recruitment planning to training, to how we structure roles in new stores.

There are a few things I don’t think any GM should fully delegate. One is hiring for key positions, especially for office roles. I still like to do final interviews for senior corporate roles. Culture fit is everything, and at this stage, this is still something I'd like to personally oversee.

And also, recognition.

Whether it’s a shoutout in the team group chat or a small thank-you during a store visit, I always try to make it personal. People remember those gestures, and they go a long way in building trust.

Q Employee culture often takes time to develop - yet you're creating it in real-time, store by store. What steps have you taken to instil a consistent, positive culture across your growing workforce?

It starts with onboarding. Every new hire gets the same introduction to who we are, what we believe in, and how we treat customers and each other. That shared understanding helps create consistency even across different store teams.

It’s critical to be intentional from day one. One of the most important steps we’ve taken is recognising that first impressions shape long-term culture. The first immersion – what a new partner sees, feels, and hears in their first week – sets the tone for everything that follows. That’s why we’ve built a structured onboarding experience that goes beyond basic training.

We also have little traditions. For example, after every new store launch, we end the day with what we call a "Victory Moment". It’s our way of celebrating the hard work, thanking our store partners, and recognising the people who make each launch possible. It helps us start strong and stay connected as a team.

Q What are some challenges you've faced in aligning commercial goals with employee wellbeing or development, and how have you overcome them?

One big challenge was managing long hours during peak periods. It’s easy to push teams hard when we need the sales, but it’s not sustainable. We started building in more micro-breaks and created a relief team of part-timers to rotate in when needed.

We also started checking in more regularly with store managers and employees to catch signs of burnout early. We can’t hit our goals if our people are running on empty, so we’ve learned to balance performance with care.

One thing I try to make very clear is that I’m always open to feedback. I regularly tell the team — whether they’re a store partner or at the corporate level — if you see something that can be improved, or if you have ideas for how we can build a stronger culture, come talk to me. Send me a message. I want people to feel like they have a voice, and that it’s okay to speak up.

That kind of openness helps build trust, and it also makes sure we’re growing in the right direction as a team.

Q CHAGEE is a lifestyle brand as much as a tea brand. How do you ensure that your employees feel connected to the brand’s identity and values in their daily work?

We try to make sure the team actually feels part of the brand, not just working for it. Our team has access to an in-office Tea Bar so everyone can enjoy their favourite CHAGEE drinks every day. We’ve also created employee-only merch like shirts and tote bags that people are really proud to wear.

Our store teams get to try new drinks before they launch, and sometimes we feature them in local content or campaigns. It’s fun and it helps people feel included.

More than anything, we keep the culture warm and down-to-earth. Whether you’re in a store or at HQ, it should feel like you’re part of something we’re building together.

Q Looking ahead, what’s your vision for CHAGEE Indonesia’s people strategy as the brand continues to grow? Any specific leadership or HR initiatives on the horizon?

We want to build more leaders from within. We currently have a development program for store partners who want to move into store management, focusing on real-world leadership skills, not just operations.

We're also working on a reward and recognition system that’s more structured, so people feel their effort is seen and appreciated. The goal is to build a brand where people want to stay and grow.

Q Let's end on a fun note! If CHAGEE were to launch a limited-edition tea inspired by your leadership style, what would it be called - and what would it taste like? 🙂

I’d call it Sweet Thunder. This limited-edition, Adinda-inspired drink would likely be a black tea with dried longan and a hint of citrus peel.

No milk, just straight up tea. It starts off smooth and comforting, and then comes a little surprise at the end. Something bold that sticks with you.

The drink intends to bring a little warmth, a little kick, and a lot of character! That’s how I try to lead too. Calm and steady upfront, but with a clear push to get things done.

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