The Coffee Boys' Step-by-step Guide to Setting Up and Managing Your Own Coffee Bar: How to Open a Coffee Bar That Actually Lasts and Makes Money (Coffee Boys Step By Step Guide) [Paperback]

As a coffee shop owner (previously struggling badly but not now) I confess to being a huge fan of these guys. I refer to their previous book as my "bible" and if anything this one is even more important.

The industry has needed this book for a long time. There are a number of books that cover this market but they are all, almost without exception, written by journos or people who have operated one (or maximum two) coffee shops or sandwich bars and suddenly feel that that qualifies them to be a guru. Most of these feature some dangerously bad advice, particularly in the area of finance.

But this book is very different. I've now seen these guys talk three times at various conferences and had the privilege of a 20 minutes chat with John last May in London. They REALLY, REALLY know what they're talking about because they seem to have owned or consulted with hundreds of coffee shops. This book really is the distillation of that advice.

The book starts with the key skills that an entrepreneur needs. I'll confess that I ignored this initially because it seemed to be a filler (and common sense). I just wanted to get to the meat. But when I went back to it later I discovered some real gems in there. I also discovered that I have a couple of gaps in these skills and I know that it affects my ability to run the business properly.

These skills are:

1. Pig headed determination
2. Taking total responsibility
3. Provide tons of value
4. Realism
5. Financial discipline
6. The ability to make tough decisions
7. Crystal clarity.

As I say they sound like common sense but the stories they use to illustrate these skills really resonated with me. My lack of crystal clarity with staff in particular is embarrassing.

The main portion of the book deals with their "Great formula". This is the seven part formula that they believe is essential for success in the industry. I'm not quite sure what they obsession with seven points is (Stephen Covey perhaps?) but here are the points.

1. Passion
2. Taste
3. Positioning
4. People
5. Marketing
6. Systems
7. Money

I've seen them deliver this live and it is actually a very compelling argument. You can look at your own business and see which part of the formula you're missing and then (using the little graphic they've created) trace across to see how it affects you. It's actually quite spookily accurate. I'd rather not admit the problems that it highlighted in my business but I am definitely working on them now. As ever with these guys they use lots of "true stories" to help illustrate their points and directly apply it to your business.

Criticisms? Well, the editing isn't great and arguably it's not really a start up guide. I'd actually argue that they've incorrectly titled it. It is probably more useful for existing operators than for new starts but maybe that's what they were after. I'd also argue that they restrict themselves too much to just the coffee shop industry. The principles (and some of their stories) extend way beyond coffee shops.

What it does present is great value though. You get access to a website where they go through each of the chapters in video format too. This was what forced me to go back and review the first section again. I don't think I would have bothered with this if I hadn't seen Johnnie ranting about it so passionately on video.

So all in all another great book. If you own a coffee shop or restaurant you'd be mad not to buy it. It's a vastly better written (and more entertaining) book than nearly all others which means that even though it's much longer than their first book it's a really easy read.

Highly recommended.

I only wish I had a copy of this book a few years back when I was involved in Business Management Consultancy. I visited in the region 700 organisations across a wide cross section of business types, and I can say hand on heart, I would have supplied a copy of "Setting up and Managing your own Coffee Bar" as a leaving present to the majority of these business's. The business principles of this book, explained in such a user friendly fashion, by two guys who have worked at the sharp end is (as far as I am concerned) brilliant. Passion, Product, People, Marketing, Systems and Money can be applied to all types of business, without going over the top in the books praise, I honestly think they should have it available in all British Schools, use it as a business learning tool to set up their own "School Coffee Shops" (obviously not a thing you would like to happen), they could take the Coffee part out, it would assist in teaching pupils the real world, rather than the ideal world.

If you are thinking of setting up your own Coffee Bar, then not to buy this book would be a commercial mistake. It has certainly taken the wool from my eyes and made me think long and hard if I am cut out for the the "Coffee Shop Business". I am not on commission from the authors or have any connection with them in any shape, way or form.The Coffee Boys' Step-by-step Guide to Setting Up and Managing Your Own Coffee Bar: How to Open a Coffee Bar That Actually Lasts and Makes Money (Coffee Boys Step By Step Guide)

I've just finished reading this book. I've worked in the food industry for nearly 20 years and I can say with confidence this is an essential read to anyone that has a food service business or looking to set up one.
It's about coffee shops, but there's loads of useful stuff in there about food catering and how to make it work better.
Practical, readable and funny - a refreshing change from all the other poorer versions of 'business help' books.