http://espresso101.com Welcome to Bellissimo’s Retailer Tips Newsletter. Every issue contains valuable information that will help you achieve success in the retail specialty coffee business how and stay ahead of your competitors in the increasingly challenging world of retail specialty coffee. en-us Mon, 21 Apr 2008 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/2045 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/2029 Reprinted from Barista MagazineIt was the winter of 1993 and I was 15 minutes late to work, opening shift at the small espresso cart I worked at part-time located in front of a large grocery store. It was cold out, but I was eager to start working. I loved that little cart. This was my first job as a barista and I often think back to my days slinging coffee at the carts and kiosks where I got my start in this industry with fondness.In the early 1990s in the Pacific Northwest there seemed to be... Fri, 11 Jan 2008 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1983 Barista Exchange is the number one networking website for working baristas, coffee enthusiasts, coffee roasters, farmers and coffee shop owners world wide. As a coffee enthusiast even, you can mingle and network with world barista champions, search for professional baristas in your area, read reviews on coffee equipment and home espresso machines, or chat with a coffee farmer in Guatemala about setting up a tour or vacation.Rub shoulders online with a wide variety of members including: Multiple... Fri, 16 Nov 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1980 A comprehensive business plan can help you secure a great location and acquire financing for your dream coffee or tea business. But as critical as these elements are to your success, the most important functions of your business plan are to help you clearly define what your business is, where you want it to go in the future and exactly how you plan to get it there. In addition, a good business plan is a document that you can refer to in later years to check your progress, make sure you are on track... Wed, 24 Oct 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1934 On the road to success in specialty coffee, you must look under every rock along the way. Few things you will uncover are more important than finding the right location and signing an advantageous lease.The Right LocationThe location you choose for your store should fit your concept and the customers you plan to attract. Before you sign a lease, you will need to have a crystal- clear understanding of your business and who will make up your customer base.The type of operation you choose to open... Thu, 27 Sep 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1926 Tue, 14 Aug 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1889 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1851 Thu, 17 May 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1832 For all of you shop owners and managers out there, it is important to understand the responsibilities of a barista and of finding great employees to work in your operation. Your employees will be making all of your beverages and food items. You must hire people who share the same passion for quality that you as an owner have, not only for your espresso and coffee beverages, but for every menu item you serve. Your staff also will be providing customer service. Having worked in the specialty coffee... Thu, 12 Apr 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1795 At Bellissimo, our consulting clients fall into one of four categories. The first consists of entrepreneurs in the early stages of planning a new coffee operation. We often work with these clients from the inception of their projects, and the consulting we do for them usually includes writing a business plan, projecting financials, designing the store, aiding in equipment purchases, developing the menu, and, finally, store opening and training.This is the type of client who understands that... Thu, 22 Mar 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1773 In the early years of retail specialty coffee, few independents developed savvy marketing programs or strategized about how to grab market share. The industry was still new and the biggest challenge retailers faced was how to educate the public about the difference between a mocha and a cappuccino.Competitive challenges, that were not problematic or did not exist at all a dozen years ago, loom for the specialty coffee retailer in most parts of the U.S today. These challenges are certainly not impossible... Sat, 10 Feb 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1747 I was recently surfing the web checking out the competition in coffee education and consulting. I wasn't surprised to see there were a number of individuals and companies now offering consulting services and opening coffee schools. Certainly, America is all about competition, and this industry is large enough to support multiple sources of information and assistance. After all, successful coffee businesses fuel the growth of our industry. Truthfully, what concerns me is not the fact that... Wed, 24 Jan 2007 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1732 So, you want to start a specialty coffee business�You�re going to spend an enormous amount of money and you�ll need to protect that investment by being as well-educated as possible about every aspect of the business. You will want to learn how to be the best barista in order to serve a high-quality product and you will want to get a business education specific to specialty coffee. You�ve decided that going to coffee school or hiring a consultant will help you to achieve... Sun, 15 Oct 2006 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1626 The American Barista & CoffeeSchool [ABC's] is the first and only professional school in the U.S. devoted to domestic and international specialty coffee business education and hands-on barista training. No other coffee school can match the scope of ABC's educational and retail success-building curriculum.In 2007, ABC's will expand its curriculum to include consumer classes and Coffee Excursions to countries of origin.Consumer ClassesThis new in-depth course for consumers to be held January... Thu, 17 Aug 2006 http://espresso101.com/newsletter/1593 First and foremost, you are in the coffee business. That's why marketing your fine coffee beans is an important part of marketing your entire business. You want to convince your customers that you serve the best beans available anywhere. If you�re not already selling coffee by the pound, would whole-bean sales work for you? Many specialty coffee businesses behave as if they have no control over what customers purchase, that they are operating at the whim of the marketplace and if people...