1)     Location:  If you don’t have an excellent one, sell and GET ONE!  No other decision will affect your business as strongly.  Once you know how to run your business, you must seek to maximize the potential volume of your location.

2)     Product Quality & Consistency:  The same excellent drink every time by any staff member that works the bar.  “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.”

3)     Customer Service:  This is a relationship-oriented business.  Many believe that customer service is the second most important success factor.  The essence of customer service is meeting needs. 

4)     Excellent Coffee & Equipment:  Yes, this is different than product quality!  Many espresso bars make a “perfect” drink, but the taste is bad because of an inferior blend and or roast of coffee.  Buy high-quality, FRESH beans.

5)     Ambiance (develop a concept):  Do something to your bar/cart/drive-thru to make it special.  Customers enjoy a quality, original, clean and comfortable environment that makes them feel welcome.

6)     Financial Management:  It’s not enough to get your sales up to $1,000 per day.  You have to learn how to keep the profits through careful financial management.

7)     “Name” Awareness & Reputation:  Word of mouth is your best advertisement.  Nothing else even comes close!  Keep your current customers coming back, and get out of your shop/cart/ drive-thru and go meet people and invite them to come visit you.  

8)     Employee Training & Mentoring:  Model your values.  Teach your employees about coffee, customer service, sales, personal grooming, financial responsibility, and respect for self and others.

9)     Coffee Knowledge:  Cup coffee as often as possible; cup with your roaster, cup with your employees, and cup with your customers!  Your enthusiasm for the product will translate into a greater respect for the product, a great knowledge of coffee, and SALES!

10)   Work Hard & Smart:  Never stop selling!  Don’t go into “cruise” mode, don’t relax.  You never have it made, you never have enough.  Never be satisfied with your sales.  Try to grow the business every single day.  At the end of the day, ask yourself, “What have I done today to increase the value of my business?”