Balance Jan Issue 2018 - 23

A SLICE OF LIFE

t he manual

So you want to be a...

cafÉ owner
Become a part of London's thriving food and drink industry

U
career toolkit
TRAINING

Many open a café after working
in catering or hospitality,
but this isn't mandatory. Find
a course at hotcourses.com

COST

Finding premises, fitting it
out, legal matters, marketing,
staff... initial outlay will be from
£20,000, but see gov.uk to
check out Start Up Loans.

nless you've had your head buried in your yoga
mat, you'll have noticed that London's café culture
is flourishing. Around 70 million cups of coffee
are consumed daily in the UK, so it's no surprise that the
emergence of independent cafés providing innovative caffeine
fixes alongside healthy food options has risen dramatically.
These days, beetroot lattes, green tea waffles and avocado on
charcoal bread are in demand, with many wellness enthusiasts
trading in their day jobs to launch their dream ventures.
But behind the hip decor and superfood salads, the reality
is that owning a successful café business takes sheer hard
work and an all-or-nothing mentality.
To give yourself a head start, create a business plan and
devise a clear marketing strategy. Focus on what makes you
different and let that be your driving force. But don't neglect
the serious stuff. Avoiding tricky technical or legal issues (like
trademarks) will only leave you with extra costs later.
And beware, an Instagrammable aesthetic might get trade
through the door, but a high-quality offering and impeccable
service are the key to customer loyalty.
Hiring an experienced team will keep your processes tight,
but if you have limited resources, make sure you understand
your numbers or invest in some training. Going over budget
could kill your café before it even opens. Competition is rife,
but so is growth potential, so don't let market saturation stall
your progress. Find your niche, sell your story and make
sure you pay attention to detail.

TIMELINE

The more straightforward your
business model, the quicker
you will bring it to market but
there's a lot to slow things up
so add 20% to your timeline.

POINT OF VIEW

WORDS: LAURA HILL ILLUSTRATION: RAMI NIEMI

GOOD READ

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries
(£11.99, Portfolio Penguin).

CONSIDER THIS

Location, location, location
- footfall is key to success.

Lily Simpson, 32
Soho | Fitzrovia
and Battersea |
The Detox Kitchen
'It's a tough industry to
be in. It's staff heavy,
difficult to operate and
you're on call 24/7.
It's not for the faint
hearted, you need
the passion, the brains
and the grit to run a
food business - but
if you love it, like
I do, it's worth
every second.'

Jack Graham, 35
Mayfair and Chelsea |
Raw Press
'I started Raw Press
having worked for six
years as a financial
analyst. I didn't want to
be stuck in front of a
computer screen for
decades, and decided
it was the ideal time
to make a break
and try something
creative. I went from
number crunching
to juice crushing.'

FAQ

LAUREN ARMES
The founder of Welltodo,
Lauren helps people build
incredible businesses
and careers in the
wellness industry

Q.

I've got catering
experience and a new
concept, but I can't afford
to rent or buy a property.
What are my options?
A lot of innovative
concepts start out via
street food stalls, pop-ups
or within established
businesses, many of which
have in-store cafés.

A.

Q.

I know achieving
bottom-line profits will
take time. What else can I
do to generate revenue?
One way to boost profits
is upsell. Think about how
you can do this throughout
the customer journey, from
website to sale. But avoid
the hard sell; customer
experience is key.

A.

RESOURCES

Food.gov.uk covers everything
you'll need including a handy
checklist for starting up.

SUCCESS COACH

Adria Wu, 35
Fitzrovia and Kings
Cross | Maple & Co
'I love creating and
cooking in the kitchen,
but running the Maple
& Co eateries is so
much more than being
a chef. I'm HR manager,
accountant, marketing
rep, website designer,
health and safety
officer and sometimes
night cleaner. But, I'm
so fortunate to be able
to share my passion.'

BA LA N CE January 2018

Q.
A.

How can I stand out
from the competition?
Aside from having a
strong USP, an effective
marketing strategy will
boost exposure. Be
proactive: sample at events,
nail your online presence
and build your brand.

Visit welltodoglobal.com
for business and career
opportunities in wellness

23
http://www.welltodoglobal.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance Jan Issue 2018
