Judy Gregory - Newbies in the Cafe: Lessons from behind the counter

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Praise for Newbies in the Cafe

Congrats on a fantastic book!!

From the layout, the real stories with great insights, the quality of writing and finally the last chapter that brings it all together, it is perfect.

This book will certainly help many people understand what the industry is all about and provide some great insights and foresights.

I believe it should be a must for all to read BEFOFE they enter the world of cafe ownership so that they move into it with their eyes wide open.

Phillip Di Bella
Chairman, Di Bella Group of Companies

The journey into cafe ownership can be a dream come true or your worst nightmare. While no one can predict how their own journey will turn out, they can learn from the hindsight of others whove trodden the track.

Reading this book is like having brutally honest conversations with 11 cafe owners. Youll learn the secrets to their success, the reasons for their fast track to failure, the pitfalls they could have avoided, the surprises they encountered along the way, whether buying an existing cafe or opening one from scratch was the best option for them and so much more, right down to whether they were cut out to be a cafe owner or not.

Each story is so engaging; you feel youre on the journey already learning what working in a cafe is really like, empowered to make informed decisions about your own cafe.

In the last chapter, the author (one of the cafe owners featured) draws together what she and the 10 others have learnt in 20 pages of the best advice youre ever likely to get about running a cafe.

Christine Cottrell
Author of the BARISTA BIBLE and TRENDING CAFES Brisbane & Beyond

A textbook style masterpiece!!

In my 15-year cafe journey I have never found such complete and concise information all in one place.

Brutally honest and refreshingly real, the stories are captivating, sometimes tragic, yet filled with lessons for the next wave of cafe newbies.

Finally, a warts and all work to counter the fable thats sold as The Cafe Dream.

If youre contemplating a cafe then read it! (SEVERAL TIMES!!)

Simon OBrien
Cafe Coach, Kickstart Coffee Shop

One of the greatest factors that affects success in this industry is support.

This book not only provides this from examples of people in the industry today, but is extremely easy to digest, gives professional insight and guidance for the newcomer right through to the elite.

Joshua Clifton
Author of THE HOSPITALITY SURVIVAL GUIDE

First published in Australia in 2020 by Judy Gregory

Website: www.newbiesinthecafe.com.au

Email for correspondence:

Judy Gregory 2020

All rights reserved.

Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without prior written permission.

All enquiries should be directed to the author.

ISBN 9780648703815 (ebook)

Disclaimer

The author has made every effort to ensure the information in this book was correct at the time of publication.

Typesetting and cover design by Brisbane Self Publishing Service

Edited by PS Editing

Cover illustration

A line drawing of a La Marzocco Linea PB, pouring a 22 g, 30 second dose of Elixirs espresso blend at The Letter Lounge Cafe & Gifts in 2017. Imagine our endlessly cheerful and competent barista, Val, behind the machine, using the left wand (not her favourite) to texture the milk for a cappuccino and flat white. Illustration by Anne-Maree Jaggs.A catalogue record for this book is available from the National Library of Australia

For Anne-Maree who is always a willing participant in my dreams and big ideas.

Contents

Introduction

The idea for this book started to form in mid-2017, when I was out of my depth and unsure where to turn. I wondered then whether reading other peoples stories might help me understand my own.

In mid-2017, my partner Anne-Maree and I had been living our dream business for about 15 months. I felt stuck in a situation that I hadnt anticipated, with no idea how to escape. Anne-Maree was already tired of hearing me say: Im so sorry I got us into this. I had no idea it would be like this.

We were the proud owners of Northside Meetings with The Letter Lounge Cafe & Gifts. We had a cute word-themed cafe that sold home-style food. We had a little shop that sold literary and word-themed gifts. And we had a meetings venue with rooms for hire three smallish rooms and one large training room.

We could see that our business was growing. By August 2017 the month I turned 50 our takings reached almost 85 per cent of our break-even target. But 85 per cent still left us 15 per cent short, and that money had to come from somewhere.

I propped the shop up with my consulting. Somehow, I managed to write and edit documents for clients while working in the cafe, organising events, doing the roster, and paying the bills. Id spend my time hidden away in the shops little office, working on documents for clients until the cafe bell rang and Id run to the front to serve customers, plate a meal, or clear tables.

By mid-2017, Id stopped thinking ahead to our original goal which was to enjoy building the business for about 10 years and then sell it. I simply focused on how to survive each day. The only thing that kept me going was knowing that the shop would close for three weeks at Christmas, and that wed pre-paid for a two-week holiday at the beach. I got myself to sleep each night by imagining I was walking on the beach.

I was too stressed to make sensible decisions. But I figured that if our monthly losses were less than the cost of rent then it made sense to keep the shop open. Sometimes I imagined that I might run away. Often, I wondered what the next crisis would bring. But mostly I just worked without thinking.

Understanding the cafe dream

Throughout 2017, I used networking to build our business, and I tried to attend at least one networking function a week. If I found a networking opportunity that might introduce me to potential clients for our meetings venue, Id be there.

It was at networking events that I started to understand the cafe dream. It seemed that every time I entered a room of strangers, Id find people with a cafe story to tell. Many were cafe dreamers who seemed envious of our journey they seemed to think that a cafe would bring them the lifestyle they craved. Others had tried cafe ownership for a while, then moved on. Occasionally, I met someone who had experienced long-term cafe success. What I noticed was that everyone with cafe experience had something to share about what theyd learned.

After we closed The Letter Lounge in mid-2018, I started to pay more attention to the cafe stories I found on social media. I continued to participate in cafe owners groups and barista groups, and I noticed many cafe newbies asking for advice. Thats when I decided to put together a collection of stories about cafe newbies. I wanted to share real stories, real dreams, and real experiences.

I put out a call on social media seeking people who had started or bought a cafe following a career doing something else. I invited them to tell their stories and share things they know now that they wish theyd known before opening. More than 30 people responded to my call, and Ive collected 10 of their stories for this book.

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