| Before deciding to open your own coffee shop, | | | | its service. With personal experience in a sales or |
| take an personal skill inventory to consider if you | | | | customer service role, you will find it much easier |
| cover these three bases before going into the | | | | to train your employees to serve customers in |
| business. | | | | the way you want them served, and to |
| Good Taste | | | | understand the type of strategic decisions your |
| When going into the coffee shop business, it is | | | | employees will have to make that impact |
| important to have good personal taste regarding | | | | customer service while they work the counter. |
| food and drinks. Without it, you will either make | | | | Financial Understanding |
| bad product decisions or rely heavily on others to | | | | If you lack understanding of the basic financials of |
| make product decisions for you. This is not the | | | | the business, you will be dependent on a partner |
| end of the world, but does require that you trust | | | | or employee who has it. At best, this can limit the |
| not only the ability of your partners or | | | | profits that you can see because of the need to |
| employees, but that they are putting your | | | | compensate this person for bringing this skill to |
| interests first. | | | | the table. At worst, it can lead to financial |
| If you know you are lacking in the area of taste, | | | | decisions which are not in your personal best |
| you can take a course in coffee appreciation or | | | | interest. |
| work on your own to learn the many different | | | | If you feel you are in this category, find the time |
| tastes of coffee, tea, and other beverages | | | | to take some beginning accounting classes, |
| available. Developing the ability to compare the | | | | including financial and cost accounting. Local |
| tastes of drinks made by your potential | | | | organizations and continuing education programs at |
| competitors will improve your chances of | | | | colleges may offer these. Learn how to at least |
| competing successfully once you open. | | | | read financial statements and how the basic cost |
| Customer Service Experience | | | | and revenue drivers of the coffee shop business |
| Having customer service skill is another key ability | | | | can mean the difference between profit and loss. |
| for a coffee shop owner. If you don't have this | | | | Know what you have to offer investors so that, |
| skill, you run the risk of building your coffee shop | | | | even if it is your financial wiz partner presenting |
| around its products, its decor, or a gimmick and | | | | the deal, you know what you are getting into. |
| forgetting that your business must live and die by | | | | |