HOW TO SET UP A CAFÉ: A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE

Opening a café is a fantastic business idea because who doesn’t love a good cup of coffee? Coffee is the gateway to great conversation and share bonds. To start a café means to serve the customer with an opportunity to brighten their days. Opening a café sounds lovely until you realize how much work is involved with the process. Read this article to find out steps on how to make your dream business come alive.

1. Research: The first step to starting any successful venture is to study the market well. Find out how the café business is operated, what are the profit margin is like, how much the staffs are paid; all these things are necessary information that is going to prove beneficial.

• Before you employ professional people to do the research work, try to do it on your own.
• Visit cafés on weekends, or after work regularly and taste different coffee samples. While you are at the café, check out the service and the menu. You might also find unique décor ideas while you are at the restaurants.
• Ask the manager of the place, casually, if you have a particular query about the production or maintenance of the establishment.

2. Business Plan: Now that you know about the particulars of the business, it is time to make a concrete business plan. Those who do not have a working knowledge of finance and money management will most definitely need the help of a professional financial advisor to chalk out the plan. To have a better grasp of the finances, take the assistance of budgeting software. This software and mobile application oversee the monitory transactions and help maintain a tight budget.

• Decide the vision of your café; is it modern or harkens back to another era? Select the design and layout of the café.
• Place: where do you want to build your café? Is it a friendly neighbourhood? Will you be able to afford to open a café at your preferred location?
• Monetary Transactions: Are you going to buy the place or take the lease out for the time being? How much tax are you going to pay?
• Local businesses: Your store must complement the local already existing businesses. If there are other cafés nearby, try to come up with offers and plans to stay ahead of the competition.

3. Create a Perfect Menu: People come in for the morning coffee, but they stay in for the delicious food. Serve finger food and snacks that are one of a kind. Keeping the young demographic in mind, add vegan options for the coffee as well as the snacks. There might not be many cafés serving vegan products to the ever-growing customer base. So, adding the vegan option might give you that edge. While creating a menu, make sure to think of the retail pricing and profit margin.
4. Hire the Right People: A business is as good as its employees. Do not rush into hiring people for the café. Take time to select the right people who have experience and drive to work hard for the new establishment.
5. Have a Grand Opening: Opening your café should be an event. Use advert to get a good-word going before opening the café. There are plenty of ways to promote a café business.

• Make an inviting website that tells the readers all about your café
• Use the social media platform to engage young hip customers.
• Offer discounts on special days such as Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve.

Many have the perfect plan, and then they never work on it. If you have an idea and want to design your destiny, don’t wait up; start taking action now.