Midwest Barista School

One of the greatest values that a consultant like Mr. Groot offers is his experience in creating and developing concepts. His successes, and even more his failures, all bring a wealth of value to a project. We can help you develop the correct concept for your market, understand your local demographics, determine a correct menu mix and put together a general idea of layout, all critical factors that must be determined before a store can be built.

Pre-opening Financial Evaluation

No one should start a coffee business without knowing what it will cost and if it has a reasonable chance of being successful. To not do so would be like planning a flight across the Atlantic ocean without knowing if your airplane is up for the trip or if you will have sufficient fuel.

The pre-opening financial begins with an extensive questionnaire for you to fill out followed by a one hour phone consultation. These two steps are for us to gain a clear understanding of your concept, market and financial situation before beginning on your personalized financial projections. We've done over 350 financial evaluations over the years and the information you'll receive comes from our ongoing investigation into each project we've done and taking notes from the contractors, installation people and owners about each project, their budgetary targets and actual costs.

Financial projections include estimated costs for starting your business (+ or - 5%), and then a look at what realistic sales and operational expenses might be.

Financials include the following:

• Menu items proposed
• Foodservice & coffee equipment needed (w/ estimated costs)
• Furnishing needed (w/ estimated costs)
• General contractor's administrative fee & general carpentry expense
• Electrical construction expense (estimated)
• Plumbing construction expense (estimated)
• Flooring expense (estimated)
• Cabinetry expense (estimated)
• Misc expenses (alarm, POS, web equipment, safe, uniforms, deposits & pre payments, etc.)
• Outside services expense (attorney, accountant, consultant, architect, etc.)
• Estimated employee labor expense (w/ suggested employee schedule)
• Per customer sales assumptions (based upon your menu & market)
• Estimated average customer transactions (monthly months 1 - 12; annually for year 2 & 3)
• Operating expense estimates (for all expense categories)
• Projected income statements (months 1 - 12; composite for year 2 & 3)
• Estimated cash reserve needed
• Information summary

Because many people have projections created before they secure a location (smart! - because you understand what you will need in terms of location dynamics and lease factor) their projections may need to be adjusted to fit the variables of the location they sign a lease for. Purchasers of financial projections are entitled to one, free, complete revision to their financial projections at no additional cost.

If you will need bank financing to start up your business, these are the financials you will need!

Business Plan Development (including R.F.P.s)

A formal written business plan will be essential to convey your business vision, and establish your personal professionalism, with property managers, lenders, potential investors, and bureaucracies. An impressive business plan will be a valuable tool for enticing property managers to want your business, and will also help you explain your proposed business when dealing with government entities. When this business plan is combined with the financial information in "Service 1," it completes the package that lenders and investors will expect to see.

The business plan includes information about the type of business you intend to create. This will include what you will be offering, who your customers will be, and why they will select you over your competitors. It will specify your business goals and philosophy (your mission statement), the type of employees you will hire, the "state of the industry", and your professional background. The business plan (without financial information from Service 1) is typically 12 to 20 pages, and incorporates stylish design and high quality graphics.

To the reader, the content of the plan will help reinforce any verbal points you have made about your proposed business during meetings, and answer other questions, that perhaps, weren’t even discussed. Beyond the information contained within, the actual physical appearance of your business plan can have an impact on the decision makers. You’ll only have one chance to make a good first impression! A concise, clean, "knock-out" business plan will project a professional image. (Remember, if your business plan doesn’t look professional, then why would anyone believe that anything else you do, will be done professionally?)

Creating your business plan begins with sending you a detailed questionnaire via E-mail, in which you can describe your business vision, and provide information about your unique market. We will then schedule a 1-hour phone conversation to go over the questionnaire to gain a better understanding of your proposed future business.

A first draft of the business plan will be sent to you via E-mail for approval and edits. Plan development service includes one set of major edits, and one set of minor edits, at no additional charge. (finished plan will be sent as PDF via E-mail, plan can be printed out and bound by most local printing/copy shops; if hard copies are required, add cost of printing, binding, postage and a $50. handling fee to this service)

Design and Layout

The proper layout of a coffee business can make the difference between success and failure. Architects, designers and restaurant people may have lots of experience, but the question is, do they have coffee quality house design experience? If your designer fails to create an efficient layout, the flaws will show up when you are busy, and cost you money.

At MBS we recently changed our service options. We only offer a Plan Review. This is an inexpensive way for clients to make sure their architect or designer has a coffee-friendly layout. Other than that we recommend the services of the premier design and layout company in the coffee industry.

Plan Review

This service is for those that already are working with a designer or architect and need someone with coffee experience to catch problems and create opportunities. We review your layout and look for problems with customer flow, employee flow, equipment placement, retail location, seating, menu placement or other critical factors. Items identified and changed in a plan will pay dividends for years to come.

Service includes:

• Initial conversation with client to understand new business concept.
• Review of floor plan via fax, email or snail mail.
• Report with all needed actions detailed.

Complete New Store Layout & Design

In an effort to offer clients the best in design and layout for the coffee industry, we recommend complete store projects to be handled by a company we have used ourselves and who have been in the coffee industry for years, Design & Layout Services. They are the premier design and layout company in the coffee industry, are respected by all and are great people to deal with. Tom Palm, the owner, has a friendly and talented team to take care of any job anywhere. To contact them go to their website or email them.

PS, we don't make a dime in referral fees or any other benefit from Design & Layout Services. We just feel they are the best and they will do right by you! Many of our students at MBS have used them and I only hear great things about the quality of the projects and the ease of dealing with their people.

Store Opening Assistance

You often only have one chance to win a person over to your business. If they are unimpressed when you open you may never see them again...even worse they'll tell 17 other people of their negative impression. This could start your business spiraling downward before it's even had a chance to succeed.

Let us help you get off to a great start. Passing inspections, hiring and training staff, dealing with vendors, cleaning, stocking and tying up a multitude of loose ends can often distract a new owner. With us there to train your staff you can be assured the first drinks coming from your bar will be quality. This takes the pressure off you, so when you open the doors the first impression people get is a positive one! We also can assist in programming equipment, programming POS system, finishing up last minute details and more.

Service includes:

• Phone or email consult in the weeks prior to Grand Opening.
• Consultant and trainer at your sight for 3-5 days.
• While at your location we will help establish a cost-effective marketing plan.
• Bar and customer service training for you and your staff.
• Help with onsite leadership before store opening and when the doors open.
• Aftercare follow-up.

Pre-Opening Training

Having consistently made espresso beverages is CRITICAL to the success of your coffee bar. Although quality is important, especially in this competitive market, consistency is no less important. Customers return to the coffee business that produces consistent, quality drinks.

When you choose us to help establish a training program, we will train you in a train-the-trainer method. This means we will give you the tools you and your management can use to effectively train new staff to your level of performance. Once your training program is in place, all future employees will get the same training and produce consistent, quality drinks.

Option #1 We come to your location

Service includes:

• Training you and your staff to make consistent, excellent espresso drinks.
• Educating you and your staff on the important aspects of being a barista.
• One to five day classes with one or two trainers is available, depending on size of staff.

Option #2 You come to our location (MBS class or Private Training)

Some advantages when you come to our location:

• Usually a cost savings over us coming to you.
• Training can be done well in advance of the last minute rush to get open.
• You will learn a lot from being in our busy store and seeing the results of a training program in action.
• Better focus being away from distractions.
• You get a broader education experience.

Menu Development and Drink Pricing

Having a well thought out and properly priced menu will make the difference between being profitable or not. Not only pricing items correctly, but putting the "correct" items on the menu. Customers order what they see, and unless you have examples of all of your drinks for customers to look at they will order what is on the menu board that appeals to them (and eventually what your employees suggest).

We'll help you create a menu unique to your store that will set you apart from the competition, take advantage of your location and connect with your community.

Service includes:

• Evaluation of current or proposed drink menu.
• Drink naming assistance.
• Recipes provided for all basic drink recipes.
• Menu costing and pricing recommendations.

Menu Board Creation

Menu boards are usually very expensive or done "on the cheap". Our menu board service will create custom menu boards that are reasonably priced. Once designed we will provide digital files to client or we can have them printed and shipped with frames for hanging. Pricing depends on size and number of menu boards, whether they are printed or not and whether frames are supplied.

Service includes:

• Custom design of boards including client provided graphics or logo.
• Original files provided to client in Illustrator or Photoshop for easy future changes and reprints.
• Client will be provided with standard sizing options. Custom sizing may be an additional charge.
• Clients will be allowed two reviews. Any changes after that may incur additional design costs.
• Clients will be required to sign off on final proofs before printing.