Retail Coffee Business                         
                                          "Real World" Consulting and Training

 

If you are planning to:

then you are in the right place!                                                                                                                                                            "San Francisco Examiner". 1983                                                                                                       

The Coffee Business is not a game of chance. The more you understand and know about it before you start spending your money, the better your prospects will be. Please go to our home page if you have not seen it:  "Espresso Business Success" home site.   

Don't make the same mistakes that hundreds of people make when they jump into this business without fully understanding it!

How my Consulting Service may benefit you. Let my clients tell you:

"Alex, we had a record day of $2,000! We did the sales from 9am to 630pm. We were rockin! Everything continues to pick up as time passes. Thanks again for your help. Our employees still talk about you. Our second location opens May 13 in Memphis as High Point Coffee. 

Thanks again."

Thomas ....
Uptown Coffee

                                                        ****

"I would just like to thank you for your help and information you gave us . We get nothing but compliments from our customers at how well our drinks taste . You really saved us a lot of time , money , and hardship. Although we have only been open for a couple of weeks we are getting a very good response."

Again Thanks
James & Andrea Thompson
Mocha Express
Greenwood, SC
                                                       *****

Alex,

We had a $1,300 day on Saturday. We never could have done it without you. And only six weeks after opening! Thanks so much!

Sincerely,
April and Steve Fritzen
The Coffee Hound
Bloomington, Il
                                                     ******

Dear Alex:

There are no words to express our deep gratitude for your services. You made a tremendous difference in our lives! Here is a letter for anyone that needs your services:

"I will highly recommend Alex Fisenko to anyone seeking advice on the espresso business. I called him - knowing absolutely nothing about the business, beverage preparation, equipment, etc..... and within four months we opened a coffee house in a small mid-western college town which was successful from the first day.

Alex has such a grasp of successful marketing strategies, as well as knowledge regarding the equipment and supplies needed to open a business. He was available anytime I needed advice and I sensed a real concern for his client's welfare."

Pastor and Dottie Branson
The Gathering Coffee House     
Provided on request
                                                    *******

CONSULTING PROGRAMS:

$5000-$8000 Turn-Key on Location or scroll down

$795-$1750-$2500 (couple) - Coffee Business and Barista School

$695  Basic Consulting or scroll down

$399.50  Mini Basic - scroll down


This is the Program that I recommend to start:

$239.50-$339.50 "Espresso Business Success Program" Book & DVD

You can upgrade to next level Programs after purchase by paying only the difference

 

  

1. Turn-Key on Location Consulting and Training

  • Consult with you on the suitability of your prospective location to evaluate it's potential before you lease it and commit yourself. The location of your shop will be your single most important step. Once you sign the lease it will be too late. By the time you finish the remodeling and the rest, you will put into it anywhere from $60,000-$300,000. It would be financially and emotionally disastrous if after all that money and time invested you realize that you made a mistake in choosing the location. If the location does not make any business sense, I will tell you so. If it is appropriate, I will do my best to help you to succeed.
     

  • Design the working part of your shop for speed and efficiency of operation. A wrong design will slow down the service, tire your employees needlessly and upset your customers. This will include the configuration of the counters, the placement of all equipment, plumbing and electric needs , as well as everything necessary to comply with your local health department. I do not get involved in the visual aspects of the shop design and leave that part to you and/or your architect. Ongoing consultation with your contractor.
     

  • Advice you on all the equipment that you will need to operate your shop. This alone may save you thousands of dollars and eliminate all the confusion that may arise by talking to many espresso equipment and other sales people. Find the best source in your area.
     

  • Provide you with a complete and detailed list of all supplies that you will need to start your business. This will include coffee, syrups, cups, napkins etc. etc. I do not sell any equipment or products, but will advice you on suppliers in your part of the country that will do the best job for you. This will save you a lot of time that you can better invest in thinking about the decor of your shop or in hiring employees.
     

  • Develop a menu that will make sense to your customers. The right kind of menu is your most important marketing tool, and it may determine to a large degree the success of your business. Unfortunately, it is neglected and misunderstood by most coffee shop operators. I have seen "horror" menus without any sense or purpose, some of them listing as many as sixty eight items! Such a menu will not only confuse your customers, but will make it impossible to train your employees in doing a fast and efficient job. This will be a hot, iced and "designer" espresso based drinks menu, as well as advise on pastries, etc.
     

  • Develop an "espresso friendly" marketing and pricing strategy so as to sell more espresso based drinks. Why? Because that's where the money is!!
     

  • On site training. Two days before you are ready to open, I will travel to your location, set up your shop ready for opening and remain with you for the next 2-6 days (depending on the location), training you and all your employees in all phases of the operation under actual serving conditions. This will include how to open, close, cash security and control, equipment maintenance, customers and employee relations, ordering supplies and cleaning your shop. One of the most important parts of this training will be on how to prepare superb espresso based drinks fast and efficiently, and how to "hook" your new customers to those drinks and make them want to come back for more!

  • After the shop is set up and ready to open, we will have an orientation meeting with the owner and employees in order to familiarize them with the "culture" of the coffee business. This step is very important as it will explain what we will try to accomplish, how different we will be from the competition, how to deal with the "non espresso educated" customers, and why it is so critical to focus on espresso.

This last step, on location "franchise like" training without the cost of a franchise, is one of the most important for your success, and you won't learn that from any equipment distributor, coffee roaster or any employee that you may have hired from your competition. Here you will learn what really makes this business "tick" and how to attract initial customers from your competition. The first days after opening you must create a good impression with you customers by providing fast and friendly service and superb tasting drinks. Only this will insure that they will come back for more!.

If you follow my principles you will sell mostly espresso based drinks and not regular coffee. This will put more money in your pocket! While the average independent coffee shops sell only 15-30% of espresso based drinks and the rest in brewed coffee, all my clients listed below manage to sell over 75% in espresso from their total sales. Who do you think makes more money, someone selling 300 cups of regular coffee a day at $1.25, or 300 cups of espresso based drinks at an average price of $2.45? The difference may be more than $50,000 a year extra in your pocket!

Your investment in this complete, "Turn-Key" plan will be from $5000-$7000 plus travel expenses (air, hotel), depending on the location, distance and number of employees to be trained. Please call me for exact quote and plan.

If you are investing $80,000-$150,000 to open your coffee business, how much would you pay to prevent mistakes that may cost you tens of thousands?

 If you were investing $100,000 to open a coffee business, how much would you pay to prevent the above mistakes?

This may be a more affordable alternative:

Coffee Shop Business School. Three Day Class will Teach "What to Do and How to Do it!

2. Basic Consulting Program

            Here is what I will do:

1. Evaluate by phone your prospective location.

  • Consult with you on the suitability of your prospective location to evaluate it's potential before you lease it and commit yourself. You would e-mail me some photos of the shop, with a general description of the area, the size of the shop, rent, what lease can you get, what other businesses  are next to you. The location of your shop will be your single most important step. Once you sign the lease it will be too late. By the time you finish the remodeling and the rest, you will put into it anywhere from $60,000-$300,000. It would be financially and emotionally disastrous if after all that money and time invested you realize that you made a mistake in choosing the location. If the location does not make any business sense, I will tell you so. If it is appropriate, I will do my best to help you to succeed. 

     

  • Design the working part of your shop for speed and efficiency of operation.  A wrong design will slow down the service, tire your employees needlessly and upset your customers. This will include the configuration of the counters,  the placement of all equipment, plumbing and electric needs , as well as everything necessary to comply with your local health department. I do not get involved in the visual aspects of the shop design and leave that part to you and/or your architect. Ongoing consultation with your contractor.

     

  • Advise you on all the equipment that you will need to operate your shop. This alone may save you thousands of dollars and eliminate all the confusion that may arise by talking to many espresso equipment and other sales people. Find the best source in your area.

     

  • Provide you with a complete and detailed list of all supplies that you will need to start your business. This will include coffee, syrups, cups, napkins etc. etc. I do not sell any equipment or products, but will advise you on suppliers in your part of the country that will do the best job for you. This will save you a lot of time that you can better invest in thinking about the decor of your shop or in hiring employees.

     

  • Develop a menu that will make sense to your customers. The right kind of menu is your most important marketing tool, and it may determine to a large degree the success of your business. Unfortunately, it is neglected and misunderstood by most coffee shop operators. I have seen "horror" menus without any sense or purpose, some of them listing as many as sixty eight items! Such a menu will  not only confuse your customers, but will make it impossible to train your employees in doing a fast and efficient job. This will be a hot, iced and "designer" espresso based drinks menu, as well as advise on pastries, etc.

     

  • Develop an "espresso friendly" marketing and pricing strategy so as to sell more espresso based drinks. Why? Because that's where the money is!!
     

  •  Provide you with my personal "Espresso Business Training" video tape

This over one hour long video shows exactly what I do when I arrive at a client's location for my
"Turn-Key" consulting. It covers the importance of an effective, "espresso focused" menu, together
with an explanation of how to market espresso based drinks, especially in areas where espresso is not widely known.

  • Laminated Recipe sheets showing how to do all the drinks on the menu.
     

  • The video will show how to make the hot and iced drinks properly.
     

  • Phone or e-mail consultation before, during and after the opening of your shop.
     

  • Included with this program is my book "Espresso Business Success Program"

Your investment in this Basic Consulting Program is only $699.50
 Includes Priority Mail

***************************************************************************

 "Mini-Basic Program" includes:

  • "Espresso Business Training" Video Tape

  • "Espresso Business Success Program" Book

  • Laminated Recipe sheets showing how to make all the drinks on the menu.

  • Personal over the phone/e-mail consultation 

Price of this Program: $399.50 Includes Priority Mail

For and additional $60 I will include the "Espresso 101" tape -for a total of $459.50
Includes Priority Mail
Note: Does not include the custom shop design/layout
      *************************************************************************

You may order by: 

1. Credit card -  order at any time
2. Phone  - Between 8 am - 8 pm Pacific time. Toll free 866-590 9423 for orders only.
3. Priority Mail Included- Please add $13.20 shipping charges if you want it by Express Mail
4. Add $29.00 for Express Mail shipping outside of USA

 You may pay by credit card by filling in the amount and completing the secure form. After you fill in the amount and click on "secure payment" please write in the Program that you want if it not the "Espresso Business Program".

 Amount

  ********************************************  
Please click on Pay Pall button if you wish to process the order through them:

By mail, please send your check or money order to:

Alex Fisenko & Assoc.
6107 SW Murray Blv. PMB 297
Beaverton, OR. 97008

Note: I will be happy to talk to you without any cost or obligation about any coffee related business matter. HOWEVER, BEFORE you call, please do your home-work. I do not want to start a conversation with you asking me: "What do you do?", or "What experience do you have". 

Before you call me about a drive-thru, PLEASE do your home-work that I suggest on my Drive-Thru site.

Alex Fisenko

Phone & Fax 503-590 9423  Pacific time 9 am-8 pm

Espresso Business Home Page

For more references and pictures of shops, please go here: References


 "Espresso Business Success" home  

 

©2006 Alex Fisenko & Associates – All Rights Reserved

 

 

 

Who are we?Contact Info

Coffee Shop Business Plan
References and Pictures of shops  

Coffee Drive-Thrus

"Coffee Business for Dummies"

Mistakes and How
to Prevent Them 

Buying an Existing Shop?

 Want to Improve your Espresso Sales?

 Roasters: How to Increase your Sales
How to Add Espresso to an Existing Business

 Food Management and Franchises: Increase Your Coffee Concept Sales!

Coffee Biz Q & A

How to Choose an Espresso Machine"

My Business Bio 

 Coffee Shop Business School. Three Day Class will Teach "What to Do and How to Do it!"

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