Hi Spam -
I am really excited about this next coming year and a little afterwards. One of the things that I am wanting to do is get a business started .. but that leaves me scratching my head. What, what is that business? As you know we are thinking about Colorado and in fact I am quite committed as I've already greased the wheels at work for the transition.
When we get out there it will be a big change for us especially since we (already remote) will be even more so. No ocean! No ocean! No ocean! (It's okay, I guess, to cry, cry for me my dear spamily.)
Anyhow, the problem I face is that I have so many ideas that I want to get going but do not have the foggiest about which is the *right* idea. I am sure that God will help me in the process but I am asking for your prayers and ideas for a business and other goodies:
Idea Farm:
- coffee - roasting. (I will somehow manage roasting into anything I do!)
- coffee - espresso house, retail. Something like Linea's or Peet's
- ditto - but with more of a tea/organic flare.
- ditto - but with a beer or liquor license - coffee by day, irish coffee by night!
- a micro-brewery (Sure, my passion is coffee, but my other passion is creating things)
- making a new infused coffee drink (a la Starbucks liquor or Kalhua)
- a pub
- a hardware store
- a deli like Gus' in SLO-town.
Well, that's a short list. I kinda want to have a small coffee (like really small) in order to support my coffee habit. I think the micro-brewery has the best potential upside which kinda makes me the most excited. But the others are all on the old consideration list - I'm trying to figure out what will work best, what Colorado needs most, and what I can handle to build out in a three-year period and really see grow over the next few years.
Do you have any other ideas? You know me. Maybe "a brownie house" (I think I would get too fat and rather diabetic!) or a bread house!! (Yummm!). But mostly we need your prayers. Some ideas are doable with the amount of money we'll have after the move (if Jesus is willing that we get a good deal on selling our house), and others will require some stretching and in areas that I am less confident in. Right now, and for the next few months, I'm knocking on doors and asking a lot of questions. Knock, kock.
Discuss.
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7 comments:
Hey B-
Reading about how excited you are makes me really excited for you! I don't really have any insight to offer you, but I know that whatever you choose will prosper. You definitely have the passion & commitment for it! We'll be praying for you guys as you make these tough, but fun decisions. =)
Hey, brother. Coupla things:
I'd like to hear more about why this is on your heart and mind. Are you doing it to create a really successful business, or are you doing it to do something you love where the level of financial success is less important? If you can get a clear foundation for why you're approaching this adventure I suspect you'll be able to crystalize your vision more and hone in on what's going to make you happiest.
Do you remember the last time you were out here and I mentioned a local coffee roaster? Amy and I had stopped by the Mariposa Coffee Company a few months back and talked with the owner. He told me back then if you ever wanted to talk about the business, he'd welcome the conversation. Maybe we should get in touch with him and you could come down and get some pointers from him. He's been roasting and distributing for years and does a lot of mail order business. I believe he's pretty successful but he works really, really hard. I'm sure he has some good insights into the coffee industry, even if all of his experience isn't directly related to what you want to do.
Hay man, here's my two pence:
I have been thinking kinda along the same lines as Shauggy-bear: figuring out what your goal is in your business will definitely help you hone your idea as to how to get there... but that aside, you may want to think of what you are going for in stages.
Where you want to be (ideally) and what it will take to get you there. Maybe start a coffee house and do teas and night-drinks with something basic to eat (roast your own too if you can get the space); but get a building so that you can later expand to include a bigger menu (commercial kitchen needed for baking) and a pub. This puts less financial strain out there in the beginning, but is does require more work in the sense of having to change things and redefine your self to the community later- so this fully depends on what you are up to start.
Also, how much space do you need- do you want to accommodate having live music jams, hosting home-church sorts of things, do you want the layout more
formal or more like a living room?
Personally, I think that organic coffees and teas are the best way to go. If you go that route (maybe even doing local/organic produce for food, organic dairy in coffee drinks, etc.) There are many ecologically/personal health concerned people that would become your clientele for that reason alone (especially in CO?). It seems that, as a nation, there is a growing awareness/concern about issues like that (questioning global sustainability from traditional farming and health effects from processed foods), so I don't think that it would hurt at all to be that kind of business.
So bub, whatcha thinkin now?
hey Bren-
I listened to this prophetic word of Graham Cooke's that Brooke and Darin sent me a few weeks back. Anyway, I bring it up 'cause it might be pertinent. Cooke said that God is imparting to His people, and He wants us to plant our stakes in the ground that He has for us. How to ascertain that is to listen with your heart, not with your head. Just sit in His presence and receive the blessing and peace in your heart as to what He has for you.
Personally, I've always thought an after-dinner style dessert coffee house would be awsome. Maybe combined with a small fair trade gift inventory for sale.
We pray for you always.
Love, mumsie
So- I have another idea:
You know how people all over make beer out of different things? Like we know it with hops, wheat, rye, etc.... In central Amrica they once made one with amaranth, in olde northern Europe (Portugal?) they made one with the fruit of the Strawberry Tree (Arbutus unedo), in Romainia its Plum Moonshine, in Japan, Rice.... so bascally, my idea is that you could make a brew pub/coffehouse, but also have available samples of crazy ales (wines too maybe if they are really special- like Biodynamic) and such from all over the world.
Throw that in your crock pot and cook it!
I hope things are going well and that your coffe convention was fun!
Yeay!
Lately I have been inspired by Irish Soda bread.
It all began one night when I made some soup and biscuits just didn't sound right...
With the small round bun that ensued began a love affair. I have been making them biweekly (at least!) and experimenting greatly.
At first there was the cyanne cheese soda bread, then the dessert loaf with maple syrup swirl on top, chocolate chips and cacao nibs... then I made a spice bun and an Irish Soda Limpa bread for Gami! (it had orange peel, cardamon, ginger, cinnomon, etc and lots of yum).
Anywho, I was just thinking how great it would be to have a store with all sorts of delicious soda breads, what a great thing to have at a coffee shop, or what have you. Hey, I know someone who might be looking for ideas!
So throw this in your idea bucket! Have fun in Colyo!
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