Meet Alexander Novack | entrepreneur & professor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexander Novack and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexander, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Before starting Syndicate coffee/kitchen/bakery, I was, for many years, a professor of philosophy. While rarified theory seems starkly removed from practice, it shouldn’t be. If it is, it’s a bad theory. The best theories are those that inform best practices. In my case, I was very interested in evolutionary game theory, especially with respect to the emergence of biological systems. I wondered why no one seemed to be applying these brilliant innovations, for they are hiding in plain sight all around us. Seeing an opportunity, I decided to try implementing the principles of evolutionary game theory to a small business crafting the goods I most enjoy (two birds, one stone, right?). According to our model, the coffee program, bakery program, and the culinary program each operate autonomously but with incentives and facility to develop a high degree of coordination with every one of the other programs. Moreover, the offerings of each program were highly variable at the start, but with our customers acting as the natural selection mechanism, the menus could evolve to fit the demand. Of course, as with any applied science, lots of trial and error was inevitable. Happily, Syndicate has become a powerhouse, and lines daily stretch out the door. The energy and vibrancy of our experiment are palpable to anyone coming in to the shop. It has been deeply satisfying to see the talents of our team on full display within a system that rewards everyone, especially our patrons. We are working on a second location that will scale up the game theoretic structure in a way not seen before. We are extremely excited about it!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
As I stated above, we are exceedingly unique in our business model, maybe the only one of its kind. We are theory in practice, as mediated through ambitious, creative, mindful, talented, and principled people. It was especially challenging for us to get going, as we unwittingly started just a few months before the onset of Covid in late 2019. Nevertheless, with the support of our loyal customers and encouraging community, our fragile and nascent operation was able to take root and ultimately flourish. It absolutely was not easy, and there were times when, staring into the abyss, I didn’t know if we’d survive. But, persistence and love carried us through. The lesson learnt was that, staying uncompromisingly true to the vision and knowing the vision is grounded in rationality, it only requires stamina to see it through. I hope our experiment demonstrates to the world what can happen when science meets art.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Many other businesses have inspired us and are great spots to visit for those unfamiliar. Our neighbor, Yui, is the best sushi shop in LA, with chef Katsu Hisanaga pushing passion and skill to the limit. Other fave spots:: Hömage, Commune Records, and Altadena Beverage & Market.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
SHOUTOUT TO: Elias Lucero, Angelo Esquibel, Paige Parantala, Blaine Trujillo, Erin Ritter, and all the incredible, hard-working, and talented people on the Syndicate team! All of our managers started at the bottom and proved their way to the top. We have such an amazing shop culture and success because of the beautiful and brilliant people who comprise us. Also, we have been partners with Unity Coffee since day one, and owners Adam Strauss and Tyler Elliott have cemented personal ties with the small family coffee farmers who grow the finest specialty coffees in the world, which Adam and Tyler then roast to yield the full spectrum flavor profile.

Website: https://syndicate.squarespace.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/syndicatecoffeebakery/

Image Credits
Steve Bruno, Jillian Verner