Small businesses are a vital part of the American economy. In fact, 99.9% of all U.S. businesses are considered small businesses, according to Forbes. Small businesses also employ nearly half of American employees! If you’re a small business owner of any type of brick-and-mortar store—from salons to retailers to repair shops—it might be worth considering how a coffee shop can add revenue to your existing business. We call this type of business/coffee shop a hybrid model.
As Women’s History Month comes to a close, we’re celebrating by highlighting a few of our former students. These women in coffee impress us all year long! More women are starting businesses, opening coffee shops, and attending Texas Coffee School than ever before. We want to recognize these Texas Coffee School Coffeepreneurs® who serve excellent coffee to their communities!
These are just a handful of the countless women business owners who have come through our doors.
In the process of opening your coffee shop, you’ll face hundreds of business decisions. You may have already thought about some of the major decisions that will form your coffee shop’s identity: the location, the name, or the menu.
However, every experienced entrepreneur knows that decision-making can become much more granular. How do you choose a contractor? Who will supply your specialty coffee? What will your baristas wear? Which cups should you order?
Many of us have heard contractor and buildout horror stories told by people who started a small restaurant or coffee shop business. There are often unexpected setbacks, major unforeseen expenses, and long delays from not passing inspections the first time. But what if it doesn’t have to be this way? What if it’s possible to choose high quality contractors to build out your coffee shop?
We teach students in our 3-Day Coffee Business Master Class how to navigate a buildout smoothly and cost-effectively.
In some small towns, the only options for coffee might be a chain and a local gas station. But Kate Fenter dreamed of something better for her town of Emory, Texas. With a long background working at Starbucks corporate, Kate understood how to brew and sell coffee that people love. She launched KT’z Espresso Kafe with that experience and the guidance of two Texas Coffee School classes.
KT’z calls itself “uniquely different,” offering cleverly-named drinks on the menu and local,