Starting a food business during a pandemic…
So here we are, knee deep in a pandemic and confused doesn’t even begin to explain the general feeling in the industry….I would add angry, scared, rebellious, defiant and unsure to the list too. I am fully aware that there are those who feel that opening a new restaurant during a pandemic is MADNESS,. I however, disagree….emphatically!
It is true that these are tough times and the loss of life is scary to say the least, but for those of us that are thankfully alive and well and interested in starting a business, this may be one of the best times to do so. I speak here in general terms about the food industry, but I think many of the points are applicable to most industries.
There are many empty properties on the market and consequently, landlords are keen not to have their property sitting empty for long periods of time. This means that there are a lot of opportunities to secure great deals which include, lower than usual rents or extended rent free periods. The level of these will depend on the area you are looking at, but it is well worth the effort to approach any property, even those out of your budget (within reason) and make an offer.
As far as budgets go, I would implore you to set one and stick to it like glue. Do not get romantic about your business and start buying things that you do not need. I was told by my first boss, that you must only buy the things that you need at the beginning and to just stick to the essentials, and this advice has served me well until this day. I tend to spend my budget on the main equipment I use regularly, for me this includes my oven, dishwasher, display fridge and essential decor. What I mean by this is the walls, ceiling, electrics etc. Things like furniture, I either look for good quality used or I go for the shabby chic look, with a mix of sturdy but different designs. Remember to also include a contingency in your budget for rainy days and at the start, when customers may be thin on the ground.
Depending on your situation, you may be running the business on your own or with someone else, whichever one of these applies to you, the one thing everyone involved will need to have is self awareness. This means knowing what everyone is good at and not good at. Then decide if all the skills needed are within the team, if there are skills that the team does not possess, you can either hire externally or learn the skill yourself and do this until you can afford to hire or buy in. You may find, as I did, that you actually enjoy the skill you are learning and going forward, you continue to take on that role permanently, if you are good at it (there’s that self awareness I spoke of earlier).
When writing your menu (or purchasing product), you have to decide what kind of place you are and the ethos or the question your business is answering. What are your skills best suited to? What can you produce with the equipment you have? Look at the area you are operating in and look at what the current offering is and see if there is a gap your business can fill or is there an offering you feel you can do better. Once you have decided on your menu or product, be sure to practice making your offering, especially if you have new equipment, as every oven, cooker for instance, all behave differently, so get to know them like a new friend.
Social media is now here to stay and if you are not present AND engaging your audience, then you are missing out on a great opportunity to link up with potential customers. As I write this (October 2020)), LinkedIn is getting a lot of attention, as the organic reach is giving great results and so should definitely be part of your marketing mix. TIK TOK is another platform that is in the ascendancy and the right type of content can really do well on the platform organically. Good examples of this are cookery demos of some of your dishes, tips and hacks etc. as well as Instagram and Facebook of course. This level of engagement won’t last forever, so you need to get creating NOW! Please don’t get too hung up on perfecting your posts, simply document your journey…new equipment arrives, take a picture, video the unpacking. Bought new glasses? Why did you choose that design? Serve poached eggs? Then do a short video on how you do this. People want to know your story and love a sneak peak behind the scenes.
A soft launch is a great way to test out your offering as well as to see how you and your team cope with a busy service. It’s one thing to have a plan on paper and another to see it in action. From experience, I can tell you that not everything will go to plan, so its a great opportunity to see your plan in action.
This is by no means a comprehensive guide to opening a new business, I’ve simply tried to address the questions that I have been getting asked the most lately. If you have any insights or questions you would like answered, please feel free to send me an email and if I can help, I will.
Finally, Its hard work starting any business, but it is also very rewarding and I wouldn’t trade it in for anything else, but it can also be lonely at times and the level of responsibility is great, so before you start, be sure to bear this in mind and have a support network around you. There are many groups online for business owners, chefs, entrepreneurs etc. so there is no need to feel like you are on an island, reach out to the community with any queries and bring your experiences to the table, as there is always someone else going through the same thing who may benefit from your advice and vice versa.
Good Luck