Or, “Why you need a Mentor”
When we opened our retail coffee shop in 2004, we had no idea what we were doing. We were missionaries for goodness sake. I could land a Cessna 185 into a 1200 foot muddy airstirp all day long. Trish could haggle with Ecuadorian butchers for fresh meat, pasteurize milk from the cow and arrange accommodations for a visiting work team of twenty five US supporters.
But run a retail business? After all we had been out of the business world since 1990 and out of the US serving with MAF since 1994. However having moved back into the US culture in 2002, with kids approaching college age and the higher cost of living here, a second income was needed.
We had been recruited by MAF management to move back to the US in 2002 to continue working with MAF in a role as a Recruiting Manager for the East Coast. Even though we did receive a housing allowance, the second income wasn’t a desire it was a definite need. It was in 2003 we met someone from our training-for missionary days who was in the coffee business. In fact he was now roasting for his own shop and had been for 10 years at that time.
He asked, “Is there a coffee shop in your town?” Well believe it or not, living right next to a major university (Auburn University) we checked and there were no coffee shops. Yes, there were a few hybrid retail food places that had an espresso machine, but no stand alone coffee shop.
He then said, “I just bought out a coffee shop in Charlotte that went out of business; all new equipment and furniture, everything you need. I can sell it to you for a very do-able price and walk you through the process of starting up a coffee shop and provide you with coffee. I’ll mentor you”.
Well to make a long story short, we had been praying earnestly for direction and this Christian businessman seemed to be His answer.
Over the next several years we found a location, built it out, grew it, and eventually got into roasting ourselves.
However over the next ten years we watched as at least 10 other people opened coffee shops in our town. And this is extremely important to note: They all failed with 2 years.
However the whole while, our shop grew and made a profit every year…every year, even through the 2008-09 financial crisis.
Why did they all fail to succeed?
It’s been said about failing, “People don’t plan to fail, they just fail to plan.” That is so true to a point: People make out business plans, design knockout layouts, buy the best equipment…but still fail. Why?
No, the reason most coffee shops fail (and most retail for that matter) is lack of a mentor relationship.
You see we had a mentor. He had succeeded at something we knew little about. We were putty in his hands. The Bible has a lot to say about willingness to be shaped and moulded by Him for His purpose and that really applies to our relationship with those who come along side to help and teach us on our earthly path. (see Isaiah 64:8)
Every time we ran into a situation, a question, we just didn’t have peace about pulling the trigger on, we’d call him. Most of the time he had an answer from his own experience or at the least counsel us on the pro’s and con’s of the situation at hand.
Then over time we graduated from being the student to the master and our business grew and prospered.
So getting back to the “Why did they fail?”, as a new shop opened, we would approach them about using our own custom roasted coffees. But on the visits we usually picked up on things in their shops that were different to what we had been told worked and succeeded.
- They would have no retail shelves of coffee-related products (walk into any Starbucks® to see what I mean)
- They brewed and served coffee in Waffle House style glass coffee pots*
- If they had any baked goods they were marginal, mass produced, big box variety products
- They offered too many other non-complementary food items
- Worst…their coffee just wasn’t good. In fact one shop owner we discovered bought his coffee at Sam’s!
There were other things but these were the main issues. We would gently try to approach these issues and even say we would like to help. But everytime, everytime we were rebuffed.
It’s been said “Someone has to know they need help before you can help them”. That was what we saw over and over. And it always led to failure. We really wanted to help but we figured they saw as the competition, the enemy, and maybe that was it. We’ll never know for certain.
The bottom line is: We know what works. Do it and you will succeed.
If you are looking to open a coffee shop in your church, in the community (like these people we work with), or even if you are struggling after opening we’d love to come help. Our On-site Consulting Services may just be the ticket!
I Thes 2:8 says how we approach mentoring you (here from the Message)
Even though we had some standing as Christ’s apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. We weren’t aloof with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.
Contact Trish or I today to find out more
Sandy
