coffee business strategies

We regularly read suggestions and hear comments from potential and existing clients that they are considering taking a job at a local coffee shop for “experience” before starting their own business. Before you do this, we suggest that you consider the following:

Working at an existing coffee shop can be a valuable experience, but not always in the manner that you intend. I do agree that retail business experience and product knowledge are valuable for a new business owner; however, most small business owners setting out to improve on the status quo may not find what they need to know about beverage preparation from the “average” chain shop or mom & pop shop in their town.

Retail chains have developed processes and recipes specific to their big business model; most mom & pop shops do not have the first clue of what they are doing (or why). If we were discussing food rather than coffee, this would be the equivalent of a chef learning his
or her trade from either McDonald’s or the greasy spoon on the corner: neither is a solid foundation of culinary knowledge on which to base a new concept. Learning solely from the operations of others over the course of a few weeks or months will limit your potential
to being nothing more than a poor facsimile of the original.

There are some rare outstanding examples across the USA that can be good role models; but in speaking with the founders of these businesses, I have not come across any that took their knowledge from a prior work environment - that is, except for the intent to perform their jobs differently.