Читать книгу Start & Run a Coffee Bar - Tom Matzen - Страница 8

Take out a pen and a piece of paper, or sit yourself down in front of your computer as you read through the rest of Part I. Write down your thoughts and answers to the questions we raise. Taking action now will give you a good head start on your business plan and will help you formulate what exactly it is that you want to do and how you are going to do it. Take action now.

Your vision of your business lays the foundation for your business. Your vision is what will give you a sense of direction and give your life a sense of purpose as you build your business.

What is your vision for —

(a) Your day-to-day activities? What will you do on a daily basis? Do you see yourself serving customers? Do you see yourself networking with other business owners in your local area? Do you see yourself being a positive force in your community?

(b) Your lifestyle? Are you early to bed, early to rise? Do you see yourself working six days a week? Do you want annual holidays?

(c) Your time? How do you want to spend your time? Think of leisure, family, work, fitness, and private time for yourself.

(d) Your future? Do you plan to own your coffee bar long term or sell it down the road? What do you see yourself doing a year from now, five years from now, ten years from now?

While you may not address each of these issues specifically in your business plan (e.g., your banker may not be interested in what time you plan on getting up each morning), being clear on these issues now will help guide you as you build your business.

If your goal is to run the coffee bar as an absentee owner, hiring a good manager will be vital to the success of your business. If you plan to work the coffee bar yourself, hiring staff will be a higher priority. If you are a late riser, plan on hiring and training staff who can open the coffee bar. If you have high family priorities, keep in mind that you may need to spend a considerable amount of time in and on your business, especially in the early stages. And if you have a clear vision for your future, it will help you get where you want to go, whether that is lying on a beach in Hawaii or running a multiple location franchise.

Once you know where you want to be, you’ll need to start clarifying the vision you have for your coffee business. You will need to decide whether you want to start out with a franchise, buy an existing business, or start from scratch. Below we have listed some of the pros and cons of each.