More Than Coffee: A Barista’s Climb to the Top

Some people sip their morning coffee as a routine, never wondering about the invisible hands behind that habit. Yet behind those hands are lives shaped by loneliness, pride, resilience, and belief. The story of Oğuzhan Aslan is one of them.

He is 24 years old today, managing two coffee shops in Beylikdüzü, Istanbul. Most people don’t know his name, but they get their morning latte or evening espresso from the store he oversees. The name tag on his uniform isn’t just a formality; it’s a silent testament to a young man’s struggle against belittlement, misunderstandings, and sleepless nights.

Oğuzhan had no concrete plans after finishing high school. During the gap before university, he began working as a barista at Gloria Jean’s Coffees in 2019. While some saw it as a temporary job, he embraced it fully from day one. Behind the coffee machines, he wasn’t just preparing beverages—he was building his character, his discipline, and his sense of belonging.Before even a year had passed, he was promoted to shift supervisor in 2020. Starting on minimum wage, his rapid rise had nothing to do with luck or connections, and everything to do with his respect for the job. He treated the café as his own, saw every table as if it were his own dining table, and every customer as a personal guest. After working at the same company for two years, he left and spent a year in a different industry. But during that year, something always felt off—because he wasn’t where he felt he truly belonged. Then came a call. A new number, but a familiar voice. The new owners of Gloria Jean’s told him that former managers had spoken highly of him. The old team had said, “We’d love to work with someone like Oğuzhan again.”

This time, he was invited back with a better salary and a higher position—shift supervisor from the start. Stepping back into that space, he didn’t just resume a job; he picked up a dream he had once paused. Within just a year, he was promoted again—this time to store manager. Today, he manages two branches. He doesn’t just lead; he mentors his team, monitors customer satisfaction, handles everything from supply chains to table arrangements. His days blur into nights, but every moment of exhaustion is filled with meaning. But this success wasn’t built on titles and promotions alone. Oğuzhan had to contend with public misconceptions about coffee shops in Turkey. One of the things that surprised him most was how many customers treated the café like a convenience store.

One day, a man walked in and asked for cigarettes. Oğuzhan explained that this was a coffee chain and they didn’t sell tobacco products. The man became verbally aggressive and threatened to sue him for not selling cigarettes. On another occasion, someone walked in asking for fish. Assuming the man meant fish sandwiches, Oğuzhan began listing sandwich options. The man got angry: “Are you mocking me?” and tried to physically assault him.

“People don’t understand the self-service system. They sit at a table and wait for someone to take their order, then start yelling at the staff. It happens almost every day,” he says. “There are signs everywhere, but no one reads them.” Some people even get upset because no alcohol is served. The concept of a coffeehouse still doesn’t register with a large portion of society.

The stress at work hasn’t only come from customers. A few weeks ago, a street argument escalated when one of the people involved entered the café as a customer. Soon after, the opposing group came in and a fight broke out. Chairs and tables were thrown, and property was damaged. Oğuzhan was on leave that day, but had to come in to review the security footage. “That’s the hard part of this job. You have to be ready all the time. Even on your day off, you’re still the manager.” But this stress comes with a deep sense of satisfaction. His family, who once asked him why he was working in a café after earning a university degree, no longer questions him. Now, they proudly say, “Oğuzhan manages two stores.” His salary is more than satisfactory, and his confidence has grown with it. He says this job hasn’t just been a source of income—it’s given him an identity. “I love this job. This place is mine. I’m not just part of a brand—I represent it. Big stories are written in the small jobs that people often look down on. Mine is one of them,” he says.

Oğuzhan’s story tells us something essential: when you take ownership of your work, people begin to take ownership of you. A position that looks small from the outside can be the doorway to a much bigger life. Whether or not you walk through that door depends only on your intent. And sometimes, what overflows from a single cup of coffee is far more than just caffeine. These unusual experiences may surprise you—but they are real. They are happening inside the very coffee shops you pass by every day without a second thought. And the barista behind the counter of that café you walk past daily? He may one day be the stor manager.

Even when his own family couldn’t believe that someone could rise to the top from behind a coffee counter, Oğuzhan did. And today, he stands tall—not just with pride, but as a source of hope. His story reminds us all: you don’t need anyone else’s permission to believe in your own potential. All you need is the courage to begin.

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