The 7 Steps to Success Consulting Program

Learn about the coffee shop industry and what it takes to run a successful coffee business then decide if coffee shop ownership is right for you! Our consultants will help you:

• Write a coffee shop business plan using our proprietary template.
• Calculate startup costs, operating expenses, and projected cash flow with our interactive proforma tool.
• Evaluate potential locations using proven criteria.
• Determine the capital investment needed to open your dream coffee shop.
• Learn about our complete equipment package and product mix proven to deliver quality, consistency, and profitability for your unique business model.
• Schedule an in-person visit to our Innovation Lab and roasting facility in Columbus, Ohio, where you’ll meet our consulting team, tour our entire operation, taste the delicious products you will be serving, and see the equipment you’ll have in your coffee shop.

By the end of Phase I, together we will be able to decide if you’re ready to become a coffee shop owner. If the answer is yes, our consultants will guide you through the design/consulting phase.

Now that you have your location, business plan and other essentials, the fun begins! Work with our 7 Steps consultants to create a unique coffee shop that attracts new customers and keeps them coming back. We’ll help you craft a unique coffee shop that attracts new customers and keeps them coming back. Our team will help you determine your operations layout, what equipment to buy, and where to put everything so that you can prepare drinks as efficiently as humanly possible. Our design services include:

• Designing your coffee bar using our proven workflow efficiency model.
• Analyzing traffic flow and configuring your drive-thru, if applicable
• Offering advice and analysis on the type, quality, and quantity of all espresso machines, brewing equipment, and blenders so that you choose the best equipment for your coffee shop.
• Supplying expertise and guidance on equipment installation, custom programming, troubleshooting and preventive maintenance.
• Providing lists for obtaining back-of-house equipment, small wares and supplies.
• Creating a plan for locating utilities and storage.
• Sourcing of your beginning inventory, including custom-branded hot coffee sleeves.

By the end of Phase 2, your physical location will be stocked and ready for you to learn how to open and run your coffee shop.

From purchasing the right equipment to hiring and training baristas, we’ll help you set up your coffee business for success. Over the following weeks, our consultants will answer all your questions about day-to-day coffee shop operations. You’ll learn how to:

• Create your mission, vision, values, and goals statements.
• Develop a brand that reflects your vision and appeals to target customers.
• Hire and train your baristas and other associates.
• Use strategic labor management to schedule coverage.
• Format your menu, including pricing structure and layout.
• Use grassroots marketing strategies to get people in the door and keep them coming back.
• Manage your facilities, including building security and health code compliance.
• Manage general business operations like payroll, accounting and human resources.

Phase 3 concludes with five days of hands-on, in-depth training for you and your staff at your coffee shop. A 7 Steps trainer will travel to your store to help you:

• Master barista techniques, implement our workflow efficiency model, and use our recipe formula system for making quality coffee drinks consistently and profitably.
• Program your point-of-sale, order display screens, and drive-thru technology.
• Make delicious coffee, tea, and espresso-based drinks using our proprietary recipe book of drinks loved by coffee drinkers across the U.S.
• Open and close your shop efficiently.
• Learn principles of providing an exceptional customer experience.
• Understand how to organize, manage, and order your inventory.
• Establish preventative maintenance procedures and schedules to maximize your investment.

On the final day, your trainer will stay on-site to supervise the soft opening of your coffee shop! You will receive daily operational checklists, a comprehensive training manual, and helpful shortcuts to ensure consistency.

After your soft opening, you’ll schedule a Grand Opening event to introduce your coffee shop to your community. Your 7 Steps Customer Growth Rep will work with you to be operationally prepared and create an event promotional plan to get the word out. As your Grand Opening approaches, we will join you again for three days of onsite support to ensure a successful event. You’ll also receive a post-event assessment to help you keep improving.

After your shop opens, your 7 Steps team will keep working with you to grow your business. We’ll be back for a Grand Opening and keep working with you to resolve any challenges. As you embark on your coffee business journey, you’ll find our team by your side, offering our honest guidance and plenty of moral support. After your shop opens, your 7 Steps team will keep working with you to grow your business. We’re passionate about helping you reach your goals while maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a business owner. Our ongoing consulting and support services include:

• Helping you build your own Coffee Shop Playbook.
• Competitive pricing strategy and cost-of-goods-sold control to ensure profitability.
• Continuing staff development.
• Marketing strategies and social media planning.
• Helping you understand your numbers so you can make informed business decisions.
• Relevant training programs – onsite at your coffee shop and at the Crimson Cup Innovation Lab, our SCA-certified premier training campus.
• FREE professionally- printed monthly promotional materials, highlighting new products and drink recipe innovations.

We’ve been through this with hundreds of other coffee shop owners. We understand the opportunities and challenges you’ll encounter every day, at every stage of your ownership journey … so let’s do this together!