There is a growing interest when it comes to specialty coffee. That means there is a great opportunity to start a coffee shop or some other business that is related coffee. This does not mean that success in this kind of business would be guaranteed thing though.
Just like with starting other types of commercial ventures, there are numerous factors involved with establishing a coffee shop which will have an effect on how it will turn out.
 |
| source: Pixabay |
Raqtan.com is an end to end solution provider to the food and beverage industry in the GCC. It is not only a food service equipment supply company but also a service and solution provider to the foodservice market which works with its partners and helps them achieve their goals by providing them with professional solutions.
In the next few minutes, you will learn five secrets when it comes to starting a successful café or coffee shop.
- A Solid Business Plan
One of the most serious steps that you need to take when opening a coffee shop or any other kind of business for that matter is to create a solid business plan. Without a business plan, you will not be sure about your goals and how you can achieve those.
- Your business plan should state these:
- What your business is
- How your business can be profitable
- Define who your customers are
- Explore your competitors
- What your plans for growth are
- Strategies for solving problems
Your business plan should be written in the long-form. That means your plan should be very detailed, but you don’t have to start that way. You can start by writing a single-page pitch. The short-form can help you to clear your ideas and help you understand what your priorities should be.
2. Pick the Right Location
You’re building a brick-and-mortar business, and that means location is going to be very important. You want a location that is accessible, a place where people already gather. It’s important to keep in mind that finding the right spot is not going to be easy. You won’t find that location overnight.
Spend time in checking out places and identifying which one would be ideal for you.
3. Come Up with a Good Floor Plan
A good floor plan is going to be very crucial for your coffee shop business and that’s one of the things that you need to think about. Some of the things that you must consider include:
- Space where customers can form a line
- Space where the materials needed by your employees can be kept
- Seating area where people can be comfortable
It’s going to take some time you create a good floor plan, just as it would take some time to find the right location. When creating a floor plan, you need to walk yourself through scenarios which you can think of.
Create an initial floor plan by sketching on paper. Once you have done that, you can use the free online tools for creating floor plans.
4. Get an Accountant
One of the common mistakes made by many of those who are building a business is handling their books on their own. They think that since they are just starting, handling the books shouldn’t be that difficult.
That may work with others but usually, it’s better if you have an expert handling the numbers for you. That will also free you to do some other important aspects of your business.
Think of your accountant as a small business consultant. He or she would be giving you insights which can help you to make better decisions.
5. Save Money for Your Own Expenses
When you start your coffee shop, your time will be consumed by the running of the business. Keep in mind that a new business may not be profitable for the first few months, that is if you’re lucky.
You need to have some money set aside for your own expenses during the period when you are waiting for your coffee shop to start bringing in money.
So, on top of the money, you will be saving for the shop itself, you must compute what your personal expenses will be during the period when you expect your shop to become profitable and have that on hand before you start.
These are just some of the top tips that you can follow when you are starting a coffee shop. Now, following these ideas will not guarantee that your business will be a success. Nothing can guarantee that, but it will increase your chances, which is as good as it gets.
About the Author: Betty Dennis works as a content writer at Raqtan.com. Raqtan is an end to end solution provider to the food and beverage industry in the GCC. It is not only a food service equipment supply company but also a service and solution provider to the foodservice market which works with its partners and helps them achieve their goals by providing them with professional solutions.