For National Author’s Day, Greg Ubert Shares the 7 Steps to Coffee Shop Success

For National Authors Day on November 1, Founder and President Greg Ubert, shared the passion and commitment that led him to write Seven Steps to Success: a Common-Sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee.

“I wrote this book because I found entrepreneurs needed a proven process for opening and running a coffeehouse in their local communities,” he said.

“I saw too many small business owners make critical errors in their businesses.”

The Book That Inspired Over 300 Independent Coffee Shops

Now in its second printing, the book has taught over 300 entrepreneurs in 30 states how to open a coffee shop in their local communities.

The 7 Steps story begins in 1991. A recent Harvard graduate, Greg discovered he couldn’t fall in love with computer software at his first job.

Meanwhile, he discovered a passion for coffee and saw a growing opportunity in the first wave of the specialty coffee movement.

So, he returned to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio and started a coffee roasting business with a tiny roaster in a one-room office. With little business experience – and none in the coffee industry – he learned coffee roasting from the grounds up.

Greg decided his mission would be to blend and roast a better cup of coffee. “I thought people could taste the difference,” he said. “And my customers did!”

A Proven System for Coffee Shop Success

When it came to making a profit, however, some of his customers struggled.

“As a small business owner, I truly dislike seeing small businesses fail, so I decided to help,” he said.

He studied coffee shop operations, developing a service platform called 7 Steps to Success. This proven roadmap teaches entrepreneurs with little or no coffee experience how to run a profitable coffee shop based on exceptional quality, service and other factors.

“The Seven Steps program offers a proven system for success in every area of the business: the store layout and design, the products, the equipment purchasing, the operations manuals, and the marketing materials,” he said.

“The book also includes a coffee shop business plan,” he added. “We don’t expect future business owners to be accountants, but we want them to know the numbers. That’s extremely important if you want to make a profit!”

Coffee Shop Startup Consultants Offer Support

From concept through opening day, 7 Steps coffee shop startup consultants walk new coffee shop owners through every step.

“As a coffee roaster, we want our customers to be really successful,” Greg said. “Our philosophy is that Crimson Cup succeeds only when our customers do.”

As each new shop nears completion, a 7 Steps Trainer arrives on site to show owners and staff how to prepare drinks and run the coffee shop. After several days of hands-on training in the new shop, the trainer stays on to ensure that opening day goes well.

Some Crimson Cup customers have opened several coffee shops through the 7 Steps program.

7 Steps Customer Opens Three Coffee Shops in Three Years

Coffee Jerks, a growing Oklahoma chain of local, independent coffee shops, opened its first location in November 2018.

Partners Kenny Wooldridge and Preston Moon and investor Chris Rutherford now own shops in Oklahoma City, Edmond and Yukon, Oklahoma.

“Crimson Cup has given us the confidence to grow knowing we have our coffee supplies consistent and taken care of,” Moon said. “They offer an excellent product, training support and access to continuing education.”

“We wouldn’t be in the position of growth or operate three locations without Crimson Cup in our corner.”

Greg said he’s happy with all the businesses that have opened unique, independent coffee shops by following his book and program.

“Our true joy at Crimson Cup comes from seeing independent business owners having fun while making sure their long, hard hours translate into profit,” he said.