Is it worth to use cafe consulting companies when opening new coffee shop?

[ganaga]

I am planning to open new coffee shop but I am also completely new to this business. After some research online I found out there are many consulting companies which offer their services to new businesses, starting form creating a business plan, ending up on staff training etc. Is it worth to hire such company or just do some research and do it on your own? Which way is better and cheaper?

 

[Alun_evans]

Hi Ganaga, welcome to coffeeforums. I think the key here is your opening words..."completely new to this business". I would say if you had spent some time working in a cafe before making a decision to move forward and start your own cafe- then there may be less urgency to have the specialty advice of a company with knowledge of the coffee business.

Not wanting to put you off (I am sure if you read through a number of posts here on this forum and others there will be ample counterbalance to teh perceived positives of opening a coffee business)- I think for sure you should perhaps try to spend some time working coffee retail before taking the plunge with your own hard earned $. I am not sure about others here, but I can say that I still work 100hrs plus every week. I am currently opening my 8th cafe, it doesnt get any easier work-load wise believe me! Also you need to be aware that if you take coffee retail seriously, and I am sure you will, the hours take a huge toll on family and personal life!

Anyway back to your question. When you look at the cost of hiring a company yes, for sure, consultants do look expensive. However they often have the experience and the know-how to ensure you steer away from problems beginners often encounter- poor location selection, inadequate training, supplier issues and most importantly developing and maintaining your brand.

IMHO I would say...yes, look more into using a consultant. Minimalising the risk of failure is really key to anyone in any business venture. Coffee is even more brutally competitive- 9/10 cafes fail in the first 2 years in the area I am...

Anyway- good luck and again, welcome

 

[Farmbrew]

Ensure you have clear deliverables in the consultant's agreement.Consultants can save you money and expand your market but make sure you canRealize a return on your investment of paying their rates.

 

[ganaga]

Thank you so much for your opinion