New Idea & Questions

[Eshields1014]

Hi everyone. So here is where I stand my boyfriend, I and our two friends want to start a business. We have come up with the idea of a coffee cart. We have the location picked out which is a business and trucking hwy, which is a busy area kinda like columbia. But here is the questions I have for you guys maybe you can help us out.

1. How much do these coffee carts make a year on average. I know that it varies but I am looking for a ball park.

2. I was wondering where what website or something that I could look at to learn a little bit more about the business.

Her dad is going to help us with start up cost, we already have the actual cart. So we aren't woried about that.

3. What are other things that we could offer in our cart? We were thinking but haven't put much thought into...
Italian soda
muffins
bagels
cookies
(pst maybe even dog treats!!!! it couldnt hurt to get my personal business out there hehe)

Please give me any tips, advice etc before i make a mistake. It sounds fun easy and all that but im afraid that it wont make the kinda money I am looking for between the four of us.

[robert]

Well first, there will always be mistakes made. Its just a matter turning them into something positive by learning from them. Second, anything easy won't be worth it; everything takes some work, especially when you are splitting it four ways.

Have any of you ever worked in that type of industry before? Things you will need to know are health code regulations, local permits to operate such business, also local statutes about running such a business on the property.

That should get you started for a while.

[Eshields1014]

Originally Posted by robert

Well first, there will always be mistakes made. Its just a matter turning them into something positive by learning from them. Second, anything easy won't be worth it; everything takes some work, especially when you are splitting it four ways.

Have any of you ever worked in that type of industry before? Things you will need to know are health code regulations, local permits to operate such business, also local statutes about running such a business on the property.

That should get you started for a while.

Yeah the girls who owns the shop had done it for a year before...I am not worried about ther permits and stuff what im worried about is weather this will make money. i want a place online to look to see how much a year these places make or a month or something i dont want to go into something if its not going to make any money.....etc....

[robert]

As with any business, there are some that make money and some that lose money. Only 10% of businesses succeed. If those were really successful, then more people would do it. Its more up to the individuals to make it successful. Do you four have the characteristics, knowledge, and determination to make it succeed?

From what I have heard, most of those coffee carts make barely enough to pay the bills and pay for employees, thats why most of them have family members work in them. One of my aunts ran a very successful one, which she actually sold; but the circumstances were right for her to be successful and she had the tools to do it.