A Coffee Franchise by the Numbers

Franchises often make expensive partnerships though many people find them far less expensive than building a brand new business venture. There are still plenty of expenses that go into building a franchise that are often overlooked until too late. Before you even consider buying into a coffee franchise you need to sit back and take stock of your overall financial situation. Business is risky, even going the lower risk route of purchasing a franchise there is no small degree of risk involved that you will lose your investment and perhaps any collateral you had invested in your business venture.

How much cash do you have available to invest in your coffee franchise? Most franchises will require a personal commitment of finances even if you can arrange for a good portion of the costs through financing. The reason for this is that most people are going to work twice as hard when their own money is on the line to make the business a success. It is a sound business move on their behalf and one of the reasons that they are able to become franchises and maintain a solid reputation for quality goods and services.

What is your net worth? There are quite a few bigger named franchises that require you to have a certain amount of net worth before they will even discuss an investment opportunity with you. There are various reasons for this and each company has its own reasons. The bottom line is that you should expect to be asked for your total net worth and prepared to divulge that information when applying for franchise partnerships.

What are you willing to use as collateral in order to secure any business loans you may need? This is an important question to ask yourself. It is best; if at all possible, not to risk your personal home or your family's security (IRAs and 401Ks) to secure the funds needed to buy into a franchise business. That isn't always possible however and extreme caution is urged when doing so. It is best to go into this with your eyes opened to the risk rather than wearing rose colored glasses. You run the risk of losing whatever you use to secure the funds for your business. Are you willing to accept that risk? Is your family?

What money are you going to live on while building your business? It takes a little time to build a steady profit that will provide a sustainable income. Do you have enough money set aside to pull you through the lean months while you are building your business or do you have some other methods of earning income during that important time for your business?

Finances are surprisingly the most overlooked aspect of building a business such as a coffee franchise and one of the most important and necessary for doing so. You need to plan to support your family while you are building your business in addition to having the money that will be needed to start your business in the first place. It takes money to run a business and this is more true in the first few years of your business than at any other time.

Pop Culture and the Coffee Franchise

Coffee is more than a drink these days it is a cultural phenomenon that seems to have taken the world by storm. While we aren't quite sure it exactly how it began or when it got so big, one thing is for certain: coffee is a drink that is definitely here to stay. If you are interested in beginning a business of your own, you might want to cash in on this big business (in excess of 5 billion United States Dollars per year) and the popular culture it represents.

For whatever reason the idea of a coffee franchise has grown, expanded, and evolved over the last two decades making it one of the most sought after franchise types available on the market today. Why is it so popular? The possibility of high profit for a low investment is one reason though certainly not the only reason. Investors tend to go with a product they believe in and since many Americans begin their day with a cup of coffee and drink another cup or two at some point during the day coffee promises some degree of demand on behalf of consumers.

For those planning to go into business that have done their homework it is understandable that a business like this, that has constant demand, is certainly appealing. The reason it is appealing is because all markets revolve around a system we know as supply and demand. There is typically a certain amount of demand for a product that has a limited amount of supply. The shortage of supply sets the price and the fills the demand (to some degree).

With the coffee franchise there is obviously enough demand to warrant fairly hefty prices on the cups of coffee that are served. This means that the market is not yet saturated beyond the capacity to entertain a few more contenders in most location (though some are arguably pretty well saturated with coffee franchises you'll have to decide for yourself whether the area you are considering can handle an additional coffee franchise store).

Higher profit potential for hard work and effort is appealing to those considering opening a franchise store of any sort. Coffee often offers this allure. As far as pop culture goes, you will find coffee kiosks, vending machines, and cafes almost anywhere these days. Even hospitals are beginning to offer gourmet coffee centers for visitors. In other words coffee is becoming more and more a way of life in the United States than yet another example of popular culture.

The joys of a great cup of gourmet coffee are no longer reserved for the rich and famous. In addition to that, we are seeing a much younger generation experiencing the thrill of the caffeine and chocolate buzz that is often the result of a perfect cup of coffee. The popularity of coffee is fueling growth in an industry that shows no signs of slowing down, much less stopping. Are you ready to take your coffee franchise on that ride?

The Importance of Location for a Coffee Franchise

In the world of business, location is extremely important. Most of us have heard the saying "location, location, location". There is a reason it is a saying and it is important for everything from the perfect photograph and romantic settings as it is in the world of real estate and business success. Spend time scouting out locations that you feel would be great places to open a coffee franchise business and ask yourself the following questions.

Is this is a high traffic location? Most people are rather lazy by nature. You want to find a location that people will drive by often. In other words, you do not want to select a location for your coffee franchise that is low traffic-at least not if big business is your goal. If you found a location that you think is perfect for a coffee shop sit back sometime and see how much traffic drives by the area you are considering. If the rate of traffic is busy you will get a good bit of advertisement value from putting up a sign and having people pull in on impulse.

Can customers easily get into and out of your location? As a customer there are few things that I find more frustrating than a business that is located in an area that proves difficult for entry and exits. Most coffee franchise customers are going to be in a hurry and on the go. You want to make the process as seamless as possible and this means you want a location that allows quick access off the road and back onto the road. People are more likely to make you a daily or weekly stop if your business is convenient for them to enter and exit. Many coffee franchises are electing to have two drive thru windows for added convenience, this is something else you may want to consider for your location if possible.

Is it near entertainment? You might find yourself awed and amazed at the number of people who stop in for a cup of coffee and perhaps a sweet treat after a night at the movie, theater, or even a game of bowling. Many people find that a great cup of coffee is a nice way to end the day (especially if you have a nice variety of decaf on hand). Even those that may not have considered it before will find they are often tempted to make the stop after a movie-especially those on dates that aren't quite ready for them to end if they see the sign and the coffee franchise in question is located conveniently near the theater or other entertainment venue.

With these things in mind, make sure you choose your location carefully for the best possible effect. Location won't guarantee success but a great location is a good deal of insulation against failure. When planning your coffee franchise keep all the locations in mind, ask the questions mentioned above, and go with the location that really is the best location to attract business rather than the location that has a certain look. Aesthetics can always be changed later on; the location is pretty firm once selected.

5 Tips for Beginning a Successful Coffee Franchise

Chances are quite good that if you are beginning a coffee franchise that you have visions of successful endings and massive expansion swimming around in your dreams at night. These are good dreams to have but do not allow them to occupy your thoughts and dreams at the expense of the work at hand to grow your current coffee franchise business to the point of successful expansion and profit.

1) Study all aspects of the coffee franchise before deciding to buy. In fact, study the big picture for several different franchises before you decide to buy. What looks wonderful on the surface may look completely different upon deeper inspection. This is definitely true of businesses that you are considering as an investment. Do the numbers and pay attention to the type of support that you should expect from the franchise partner. In fact, it's a great idea to talk to others who own coffee cafes within the franchise to see how supportive the partner company really is when it comes down to it. You might be surprised and amazed by the companies that have a tendency to leave their store owners hanging and those that are very supportive of store owners and work to help make the success mutual. Go with the companies that not only meet your criteria but also work with you to help you achieve your goals.

2) Plan to work your business. This is important at least for a little while because you never know when you'll need to be able to work your business. Stuff happens in business and no matter how great you think your staff may be you never know when you will come across a staffing crisis. Be prepared to work your business if necessary in order to make it successful. In fact, working alongside your staff is a great way to build their confidence in you and make sure that everything is on

the up and up.

3) Put money into your business. It takes money to make money and if you are pulling all of the profit out of your business and not investing at least half (though preferably more than half) into growing and expanding your business you are doing yourself and your business a great disservice.

4) Appreciate your staff. A little appreciation goes a long way to instilling loyalty from your employees. Set goals, give awards (and praise), and build a team of staff. You will find that by doing these things you are creating a loyal staff and a great working atmosphere.

5) Serve your customers. Repeat business is the bread and butter of any retail or service industry establishment. It takes a lot of effort on someone's behalf to get the customers to walk in the door and very little effort (or a distinct lack of effort) to insure that they will never again walk through the doors of your business.

If you make these five tips a priority in your business you should have the success you are dreaming of.

Finding a Coffee Franchise with Flair

There are many ways to add a bit of flair to most businesses. Unfortunately most franchise businesses frown on adding flair that isn't uniform. For this reason, if you want something a little more than a cup of coffee out of your coffee franchise (other than profits of course) you might want to make sure you plan for that in the beginning and seek coffee franchise opportunities that have a little bit more than just a cup of Joe to get your motor running.

Why would you want more than coffee in your coffee franchise?

This is actually a great question and the answer is quite simple. Not everyone likes to drink coffee. I know that many of you out there just fainted dead away but it's true. There are those among us who do not infuse coffee directly into the veins each and every morning to wake up. In addition there are those who go so far as to not liking coffee at all. It's a sad state in which to exist I know but there you have it. If your business offers more than a cup of coffee to your customers and clientele you are going to be able to capitalize on those who come along with friends but aren't as thrilled to be in a coffee shop. In fact, if you offer the right combinations and selections you just might find a loyal customer base that doesn't ever purchase coffee in your franchise store.

The good news is that there are many coffee franchises that offer a little bit more than coffee for franchise owners to serve. My personal favorite is one such business that offers fudge and coffee though this is certainly not the only calorific option available. There are plenty of businesses that combine a bakery with a coffee franchise or a café atmosphere with the coffee culture. Some newer businesses are also combining smoothies with their coffee options.

If you are like many of the people that inhabit the United States you are probably well aware that there are plenty of coffee drinkers out there. If you open a coffee franchise in an area that isn't already saturated with coffee franchises and provide excellent quality and service chances are that your business will do well whether your focus solely on coffee or offer those extras that you might find interesting on a personal level.

There really is no one right or wrong option to make when selecting your coffee franchise only the decision that is either right or wrong for you. Not everyone wants a business with a split focus and there is a good bit of argument in favor of a business that does one thing and does that one thing exceptionally well. It is up to you which of these will be appealing to you. If you grow quickly bored with the same thing variety may be the perfect spice of life however, if you are the type of person that enjoys the idea of perfecting one thing then you might be more inclined to stick with coffee and make your coffee franchise business the best on the block by far.

Resources and Help for your Franchise Business

Starting a franchise of a restaurant or store definitely has plenty of benefits associated with it, but there are those times throughout ownership of a franchise where you may need just a little bit of help to get. Whether you are dealing with financial responsibilities and commitments that are just too much to handle or you don't know where to start to improve your franchise as a whole, there are many different routes that you can take in order to definitely improve the situation!

The Company Headquarters

Did you know that many company headquarters offer their franchise restaurants ongoing support for their franchise opportunities? Indeed, if you have caught yourself in a snag or a bit of trouble then the company headquarters should be the first place that a franchise should turn to. Chances are that the headquarters will have the perfect solution, or they can at least point you in the direction of where to go in order to find the answer. Considering the fact that many store and company headquarters make franchise owners pay a heft royalty fee out of the profits they receive each year, though, ongoing support and training should be one of the concerns that is practically expected!

Other Franchise Owners

On the other hand if you don't want the company headquarters of the franchise you own to know about the trouble that's brewing in your own franchise store, there are other ways to receive the help that you need. Thinking about the many different franchises that are located throughout the United States alone, it is quite possible to receive some type of support from another franchise. For example, there are thousands of Dunkin' Donut franchises sprinkled across America so chances are that it would be pretty easy to speak with another franchise owner that also owns a Dunkin' Donuts. If franchise owners share information with each other, though, chances are that it would make the process of owning your franchise that much easier!

Internet Resources

Of course there are plenty of other resources that one has at their disposal as well and it's called "surfing the web" to find your answers. Granted, there is a lot of useless information scattered throughout the internet, but if a franchise owner is careful enough then chances are that he or she can find the exact piece of information he is looking for by doing a worldwide search of the internet. Practically any question that you have about owning your own franchise can be answered on the internet, but the trick is to knowing just what search terms to input in order to find the answer!

All in all, though, owning a franchise does take a lot of hard work and dedication and no one has ever said that owning a franchise is easy. But being prepared for the long road ahead by having all of your ducks in a row and resources in order chances are that you'll be able to receive great help and support in no time!