I'll get right to the point. My Brother/Sister in-law want to open a coffee shop. He's a business guy, she's a decorator and I'm made from coffee. They're trying to fill a void in an up and coming area where the best coffee is Dunkin and probably a Charbucks. They have approached me to run it as the GM. He currently works for a bank writing loans for new businesses.

Currently I wait tables at a relatively high end restaurant and earn a comfortable $55k a year. They asked me what it would take for me to be a part of it. I don't think it's feasible for them to match my current earnings, but I think I could do both as they're looking at operating hours around 6am-3pm near a popular commuter train. They want to serve a hearty grab n go business and also have around (my guess) 15-20 seats. They want to eventually expand to some light baked goods as well.

There are two things I know. Coffee and customer service/food service. (Ok, three things)

They are currently in the very early stages of writing a business plan. Without getting into any specifics, because nobody has them yet, how much am I worth? Is it worth it for me? Is it worth it for them to hire me? My answer was "Of course I'm interested!", but I'm not an entrepreneur. I don't want to leave my current job and security. I do, however, want to be part of this project. Advice? Thoughts?

Think you have the answer already...
Why not offer to be their consultant and advise them on the topics you know best, and also help hire and train/manage/supervise the right staff.

Unless you clone yourself, you really can't do both jobs. Managing a coffee shop, even if it doesn't have late afternoon or evening hours, is a full-time job +.

Hm you have the opportunity to get paid to get yourself a practical business management degree in the school of life. Or you can keep being someone else's replaceable sales guy. Don't mistake easy money in the short term for being a good long term investment of your time and energy.

It could definitely be worth it.

I would want a share in the business for all the hard work it will involve in getting it up and running

Do you want to make a career on coffee?

If so then do it, you won't have a better opportunity than this. It will also help if you don't get discouraged easily or if you have the will to push forward in the face of self doubt. That last part will be key to your success.

If it works out you have your dream job.

If it doesn't work out, you will have general manage experience which you can use a a stepping stone to propel your career.

JerDGold wrote:Currently I wait tables at a relatively high end restaurant and earn a comfortable $55k a year.

Sorry for little OT, but you mean you work as a waiter? Is it normal in USA to earn $55K for a waiter job?

Sounds like a lot of money here in Spain!!!

I would advise doing it if it had a salary you can live on, a partnership in the business and an agreement on how you would leave the business if things didn't work out or conversely if it worked out very well.

Do you know what a 'Shotgun' clause is?

Marcelnl wrote:Think you have the answer already...
Why not offer to be their consultant and advise them on the topics you know best, and also help hire and train/manage/supervise the right staff.

I considered this, and really like it. It's a way for me to have my cake and eat it too. But in the end I'm losing the opportunity to REALLY be a part of something that emotionally I want to be a part of forever.

happycat wrote:Hm you have the opportunity to get paid to get yourself a practical business management degree in the school of life. Or you can keep being someone else's replaceable sales guy. Don't mistake easy money in the short term for being a good long term investment of your time and energy.

This cuts right to it. I'm NOT an entrepreneur and would be nervous leaving the comfort of "sales" gig which has served me well for years to venture into the unknown.

dominico wrote:Do you want to make a career on coffee?

If so then do it, you won't have a better opportunity than this. It will also help if you don't get discouraged easily or if you have the will to push forward in the face of self doubt. That last part will be key to your success.

If it works out you have your dream job.

If it doesn't work out, you will have general manage experience which you can use a a stepping stone to propel your career.

I do want to make a career of coffee. It would be amazing. I'm just not convinced there is such a thing. I mean, obviously there are many who have. I guess I just can't see that far down the road. How profitable can a 20 seat coffee shop be? I don't have that answer.

BaristaBoy E61 wrote:I would advise doing it if it had a salary you can live on, a partnership in the business and an agreement on how you would leave the business if things didn't work out or conversely if it worked out very well.

Do you know what a 'Shotgun' clause is?

No, what is a shotgun clause? ELI5.

Viernes wrote:Sorry for little OT, but you mean you work as a waiter? Is it normal in USA to earn $55K for a waiter job?

Sounds like a lot of money here in Spain!!!

It's a nice place. Furthermore, I think gratuity/service compensation works a little differently here in the states than in Spain.

P.S. Where's that bomb romesco at?