How to Open a Coffee Shop (And Scale it to 19 Locations!) Pt. 1

Dreaming about opening a coffee shop and being your own boss? That’s life for Wes Herman, founder and CEO of Woods Coffee. Starting from one coffee shop in 2002, Woods Coffee now has 19 locations across the Pacific Northwest.
Watch Part 2: • How to Open a Coffee S...
If you’re looking for practical advice on starting a coffee shop, owning a coffee shop, and navigating the coffee business, you’ve come to the right place. In this interview, we talk to Wes about founding Woods Coffee and learn how he used his plan to grow both his company and his profits.
This interview isn’t just helpful for people wondering how to open a coffee shop, either. The coffee shop business plan Wes used can be put to great use in any industry-and you don’t have to take our word for it.
A life-long entrepreneur, Wes has won numerous awards, including the Bellingham Chamber of Commerce’s CEO of the Year and Business Pulse Magazine’s Business Person of the Year.
Already a business owner? Our two-part interview with Wes Herman is full of genius strategies for growing and scaling your company. You’ll learn valuable takeaways about profit margins, customer engagement, and all the details that make a business successful.
Don’t forget to like this video and subscribe to our channel to stay updated on all our helpful content! We hope you’ll tell us in the comments if you’ve gained new insight into how to start a coffee shop.
To learn more about Woods Coffee or to get their latest merchandise visit: woodscoffee.com/.
For additional information and resources on opening a coffee shop, visit our blog: www.upflip.com/blog/opening-a...
Watch another one of our videos on starting a coffee shop business: • $100K Invested to Star...
#openingacoffeeshop #coffeeshopbusiness #startingacoffeeshop
Timecodes:
0:00 Intro
2:30 Meeting Wes
3:56 Working Capital
5:07 The Roastery Workspace
6:32 Initial Budget and Start Up Financing
8:39 Developing The Menu
10:41 Expense Percentages
11:55 Business Plan
13:59 Coffee Business Tips and Tricks
15:29 Payroll and Salary
16:54 Roasting Beans and Coffee
18:47 Turning A Profit
22:01 Outro

[@UpFlip]

Make sure to watch Part 2: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mpPFgYWsp7qdj6s

[@yurybadanin5035]

Successful ? - Empty coffee shop. no people

[@kyliemc6773]

@@yurybadanin5035 😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@kyliemc6773]

Ppppppp

[@Ali-xc8iu]

What I like about this channel is that you are interviewing real entrepreneurs. People who worked really hard to get where they are and yet their story is not a one in billion case. The majority of ppl find Elon Musk likes as inspiration which are quite rare cases whereas the entrepreneurs you discuss here are much closer to an experience that most of us might eventually have and that's really powerful!

[@UpFlip]

Thanks a lot for the kind words 🙏

[@luckylondon8291]

Anyone interested let me know … let’s do it together….

[@rockon8174]

All entrepreneurs work hard! 80 hour work weeks. You think Elon Musk coasted his way through? Zuckerberg? Jobs? Disney? No! They all work hard AND smart!

[@haziqhadifjunaidi3268]

how does this channel doesnt have 1M subs? the content is high quality, clear, and inspiring

[@prettysimplemusic]

The algorithm is tricky

[@cccc7006]

I used to listen to entrepreneur podcasts but being a visual person, i prefer this medium. This channel is awesome, I'm binge watching it!

[@UpFlip]

We're glad to be here for you! If you ever go back to podcasts again, we're actually releasing one later this month! :)

[@CaptainPlanet007]

Kudos to this man for thriving in an industry where a zillion coffee shops are everywhere!! 👏🏼

[@UpFlip]

Very true Captain.

[@Bonbon-C]

I want a coffee shop, a bakery, a barbecue/smoke house joint, and a brewery! Those are my business goals! I'll get back to this comment once I have accomplished all of the aforementioned. =)

[@UpFlip]

Good luck!

[@smubarak100]

Me too I hope to open. But I need business plan

[@Iceman-xe7jo]

@@smubarak100 Buisness plans are easy. The capital is what you need. If you have that your in.

[@smubarak100]

@@Iceman-xe7jo as am a pastry. I will need more than coffe too but i need to have more details

[@HIT029]

@@Iceman-xe7jo as someone who just started a business. i can say getting the capital is easy. the main thing is learning is business. if you dont know the business then you will just burn through your capital without making any money

[@sergbelo]

I find Wood's to be so much better than Starbucks. The only thing you guys are missing is dragon fruit refresher!

[@UpFlip]

Definitely!

[@ADHD55]

20yrs ago you could start a business with just 20k now it's half a million , it's crazy how times changed .. thank you up flip for your quality videos it's certainly inspiring even if things are 1000x more difficult today .. future entrepreneurs just have to be more effective and innovative 👍👍

[@UpFlip]

You're welcome, maybe we'll do more segments on starting businesses on a lower budget!

[@ivandunaevsky8471]

u can start with 20 k today,,, he said, that now , hes coffe shop cost 500k.

[@shiftlessinseattle]

"They make tips so it bridges the gap between what minimum wage is and what employees want." Almost got there. It actually bridges the gap between minimum wage and what employees NEED to live, thrive, and, sometimes, survive in the areas where your businesses succeed. Capitalism is tricky. It's VERY good for those who make "enough" to "lots", but it's real bad for those who barely or don't make enough.

[@VideoKeat]

love your videos! thank you for sharing such interesting people and business plans with us.

[@lyndastarwriter8507]

Biz plan on one sheet of paper....have it ready before you start the biz....a gem that's in all of the casual / formal biz text books. He makes it sound easy...cuz it is....

[@AprilleReed]

I really enjoyed this video. Starting a coffee shop doesn't seem so unobtainable now. Thanks for sharing.

[@UpFlip]

Glad to hear that!

[@thetalkshop]

This is sooo inspirational. I love his business model and his approach to marketing. I think geographical marketing is very expensive and hard to pull off and very excited to see that he was able to do that

[@UpFlip]

For sure! Wes definitely knows what he's doing.

[@MK-um8fp]

your dream goal is open a coffee shop, never give up planning until you achieve it. 💪🏾🙏🏽☕️

[@Sachinpaandey]

Thanks for your time and consideration on every 5% business millionaires 🎉

[@anamericanentrepreneur]

As a CPA of 30 years, I see restaurants keeping their cost of goods sold at 20% (in Dallas). And yes, a business plan is something that you keep it simple.

[@UpFlip]

Thanks so much for watching! Great points!

[@tanyakohong7345]

My dream is coffee and book shop! Thank you for great info

[@UpFlip]

Sounds like the perfect idea! Check back for Part 2 for even more helpful tips :)

[@Michelle-lm6qp]

I'm thinking about invest in a coffee shop

[@garrett5214]

Really love seeing how people have been successful in their businesses here in the Pacific NW. Thanks for providing all the helpful info!

[@UpFlip]

Our pleasure Garrett. Thanks for watching. What type of business would you like to see on the channel next?

[@garrett5214]

@@UpFlip More media businesses would be cool to see (like video production businesses, voice actors, website design, etc...). I know we have a lot of that stuff here in the in the NW, so it would be cool to see how other people are successful in those types of businesses.

[@YourBFFMegan]

So inspiring! I needed to see this, especially right now. So many businesses are struggling during the pandemic, but it's still possible to build your own business and reach incredible heights.

[@UpFlip]

Definitely! It's hard to achieve something when you don't believe you can.

[@ivandunaevsky8471]

@@UpFlip thats the real power,,,, to bilieve that u can do it

[@LeoLandaverde]

Very high quality video! I have several friends who are in the coffee shop business who can benefit by hearing these tips.

[@UpFlip]

That's great to hear, be sure to share this with them!

[@AdrianaGirdler]

Great interview looking forward to part 2 next week! Cheers!

[@UpFlip]

Happy to hear that!

[@Zizzyyzz]

Another great video. Thanks!

[@kirrishluck]

This is the best advice i got from opening a coffee shop business. Thank you

[@UpFlip]

Wonderful to hear KRISH. We're so happy the information was helpful😀. Are you planning to open a coffee shop as well?

[@devinwelborn5211]

Thanks for the videos and knowledge. Priceless.

[@UpFlip]

Glad you like them!

[@woofdes1480]

It has been a dream of mine to open my own coffee shop! Thank you for sharing!

[@UpFlip]

Of course!

[@mangosorbet8183]

This is very educational and inspirational. Thank you for sharing

[@UpFlip]

Thank you for watching!

[@darylballard307]

Loved the video. I appears you were talking to a very wise business man there. Thanks so much for making these great videos.

[@UpFlip]

Yes, he's definitely a great business man. Glad you enjoy these videos!

[@YesToTech]

This is fantastic advice! So inspiring!! Thanks for sharing :)

[@UpFlip]

Of course! Wes had so much great things to share!

[@SunnyyScott]

So my dad is looking to open a cafe for us in a small town in Spain. Even though this is a much bigger business your questions were fantastic and relates to the coffee business overall, thanks for this!

[@UpFlip]

We’re really glad you liked the video! Thank you for the support 🙏

[@dreatellez9849]

This was some good content, very valuable, thank you

[@UpFlip]

So happy to hear that!

[@alexidarraga5788]

Valuable Info!! Thanks a lot !!

[@UpFlip]

We're glad you found value :) Are you starting a business?

[@somericesomechicken]

This is a really good channel. Congrats on putting it all together!

[@UpFlip]

We're glad you enjoyed it!

[@adimusicindia13]

Thank you for the info!!!! for real

[@andresbello0894]

I just found this channel ! Really good content thank you

[@UpFlip]

We're glad you found us! Thank you!

[@KINGDOMCOMEUNIVERSAL]

Thank you for this information! 💫💥

[@henrythompsonIII]

I so love this. 1000% love this.

[@UpFlip]

We're so happy to hear that Henry! 😀Are you new to the channel?

[@henrythompsonIII]

@@UpFlip Yes I am! I am truly enjoying your content! It’s so inspiring to me! Thanks for posting.

[@bradleyb9424]

Woods coffee is by far the best taste wise as well as their aesthetic appeal, everything about their brand and how their marketing and stores are designed look incredible.

[@UpFlip]

They have amazing coffee! Glad we can live where they are located!

[@YuliaTarbath]

Interesting interview. Thank you for sharing.

[@UpFlip]

Of course! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@jaxbom1]

So inspiring!! Thank you UpFlip team

[@UpFlip]

Our hearts are full, knowing we can touch lives with our videos! Hope you take these powerful lessons with you and apply them. Cheers to your success! 🔥

[@whitecedarteas3895]

With all of this knowledge, I'm feeling more prepared with every video. I'm taking notes and starting on a business plan, I'm hoping this will help with finding some funding to open our tea house in 2023. :)

[@voicesofvalueshow]

Would love to talk to you about your tea house and what your vision is for the future! Interested? Quick zoom chat?

[@alexanderosuna2574]

I own a coffee shop and we are 3 months into it. This is great content, thank you!

[@execution4215]

How’s it going ?

[@KittyCatBarnCat]

Good put together video as always 👍

[@UpFlip]

Thank you!

[@kimberlydurham1837]

This is a great episode - thanks!

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for watching and supporting, Kimberly!

[@elisabethtschritter6799]

Great video 👍🏻 keep them coming

[@UpFlip]

Thanks! Will do!

[@xavi593]

Thanks so much for this quality material! I'm in the first stage of creating my own business related to coffee. These give me great insight. If I ever become very successful at it, I will definitely be sending some thank you notes ha ha.

[@UpFlip]

Who knows, we might have you on the channel one day. Best of luck! 💪

[@ngochuong9999]

please do more coffee roastery ! I am a coffee roaster from Vietnam and love your channel! thank you very much!

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for your comment, we'll try our best to do this!

[@solmanJapan]

interesting idea regarding the 1 page business plan. Would have loved to have seen what that would have looked like.

[@Dempsey222]

This guy built a great company. But he clearly had a lot of startup money behind him. That was key to him having such success.

[@UpFlip]

Hi John! Do you think someone can be equally as successful without startup capital?

[@Dempsey222]

@@UpFlip no without the startup capital you will never get the business off the ground. That is why banks make so much money charging interest on loans to do so.

[@otcisasmita3917]

This guys is the best host compared to the other guys

[@imlkrsfn]

Agreed 100%. The host does an excellent job asking the right questions and listening.

[@123foxery]

Amazing journey with coffee

[@UpFlip]

Hi Trinh. It absolutely is! What was your favorite part of the interview?

[@rcnmasterplumber]

I Really Love Your You Tube Show, 2017 I Orded A 8x10 VNose Trailer For My Wife, But Due Because Tine And Money Wasnt On My Side I Decided To Put The Project On Rest Until I Can Come Up With Some Kind Of Idea And Start From Scratch, My Trailer Basically Has One Door On Driver Side with Concessional Service Window and All Plywood Surface. So That Tells You I Have A Whole project Ahead.....Your Video Really Inspires Me Not To Give Up,,, You Really Bring Hope To Me And My Wife....Thank

[@UpFlip]

So happy to hear that this video inspired you! You got this, we wish you success!

[@DrRichardMarques]

So great!! 👏

[@zahariaflorin365]

inspiration pure!

[@UpFlip]

We appreciate your feedback Zaharia. Is this the first video you've seen on the channel?

[@zahariaflorin365]

@@UpFlip no, but i like this style of bussiness.

[@josephbXIX]

freaking great content man!

[@UpFlip]

Thank you!

[@midnightwrit3ers]

This channel is awesome.

[@UpFlip]

Hey Nick! Thanks for watching! We appreciate you!

[@rawan5804]

Thank you for the videos

[@UpFlip]

Hi Rawan! Gad you like them. 😀Would you ever consider opening a coffee shop?

[@darioarioli3290]

Inspiring 🎉

[@farris450]

Love your channel

[@UpFlip]

So happy to hear that!

[@sutats]

Keep up the good work.

[@UpFlip]

Thanks, will do!

[@user-wu3iw3hf2r]

Very cool. Wish Wes shared more of his numbers, but I get that's probably quite complex at his level

[@GRACIAMAKEOVERS]

This is my favourite channel on KZbin

[@UpFlip]

You Rock Don't Drop the Mic.😀👍💪💖We really appreciate that and we think your great too. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to leave such a great comment. What has been your favorite video so far?

[@benzouihouceme8689]

Absolutely insane 👍🏽👍🏽👍🏽

[@UpFlip]

Very inspiring business story.

[@williamstyrlander616]

Awesome video!

[@UpFlip]

Thank you William.

[@NomiHomi]

thanks for this content

[@UpFlip]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@soidogcowboy3282]

Love this channel

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for watching and supporting our channel!

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for watching and supporting our channel!

[@JustinGannonRealtor]

Great job keep it up 👍

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for the visit

[@brentford2601]

great questions

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for watching Brent!

[@masondanerd2042]

That might be a good idea. Maybe I’ll start one someday and scale it up into a large business

[@PAPAKapeOfficial]

This is very inspiring. Wish to have one.

[@UpFlip]

What's stopping you? Take the first steps and see where it'll take you. Best of luck! 👊

[@PAPAKapeOfficial]

@@UpFlip I was working outside my country, and nobody will take care if I start business. And no idea how can I start.

[@garondeangelispearce3017]

Awesome!!

[@UpFlip]

Thanks!

[@MissSunshine8]

Great content🙏😄

[@UpFlip]

Thank you 🙌

[@ephremhailu4744]

Great business 👏 👌 👍

[@4gg218]

Awesome!

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for watching and supporting our channel! ☺️

[@trishanasimon8966]

great content

[@UpFlip]

Thank you!

[@jelloman13]

Great!

[@mccollins]

I love your videos

[@UpFlip]

Thanks Scott! We appreciate your support :)

[@akiraink4953]

Great content

[@UpFlip]

Thank you!

[@CarolMould]

I can almost smell the coffee beans!

[@UpFlip]

That's awesome!

[@michaelsteele9725]

Love the coffee shop videos. I want to own and run a coffee shop.

[@UpFlip]

We another one lined up for this month! Keep posted, it's going to be awesome.

[@balex556]

well one of the most effective ways to engage,and boost your sales is creating website and an app to brand your business and am an expert I can help you with this services

[@ronaldboodram6466]

Best channel on KZbin

[@UpFlip]

Thank you Ronald. We really appreciate that. Are you new to the channel?

[@ronaldboodram6466]

@@UpFlip yup

[@adclaudiu.s]

"Nuggets of information" exactly

[@fazhhh7203]

Yes that is my one of dream

[@UpFlip]

That's awesome! Keep working hard, anything is possible :)

[@djagad]

Nice video Big like from Jakarta Indonesia ❤️

[@UpFlip]

Thank you very much!

[@xXDivineSpineXx]

Good Stuff

[@UpFlip]

Glad you enjoyed it! Are you a coffee enthusiast?

[@lexbogie1]

Within the the next year my business will be on there too. I’m going to have the largest independent clothing brand in the world….

[@voicesofvalueshow]

Would love to hear more about it! Down for a quick chat? Love hearing the vision!

[@stacycreates22]

I saw your shop at the mall-good job! Now hopefully you pay the employees $15+ with benefits wish more companies would offer vegan breakfast/snack items.

[@UpFlip]

We appreciate you tuning in! Thank you! ☺️

[@horsesartists]

🔥🔥🔥

[@Alex-it2nn]

Video over all was good info. One thing I obversed was your guest speaker seemed annoyed/thrown off that you were promoting other videos in the middle of a conversation.

[@pennybarr]

thanks for sharing your knowledge

[@UpFlip]

Of course!

[@ThusRandomCommentator]

Please do someone who makes furniture and also has some furniture stores, I feel that dynamic would be very interesting

[@UpFlip]

We'll see what we can do! :)

[@CaptainPlanet007]

Liked. Comment.

[@UpFlip]

Thanks Captain!

[@okokookkkokooko]

I can see 1 million subscribers in a year.

[@UpFlip]

Hopefully !

[@amirsninira3236]

👌

[@challoy06141988]

how to start a coffee roaster for next episode please :)

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for the idea, we'll do our best!

[@tiffanytia0303]

his coffee shop resembles Starbucks more than I think any other independent shop I've seen. I'm guessing he used their model as a starting point?

[@alexandru1526]

Maybe One day

[@UpFlip]

You can do it! 💪

[@brianlevel7669]

I want to open a sandwich/coffee shop and eventually have it in a scale the size as well.

[@UpFlip]

You can do it!

[@voicesofvalueshow]

Taken action on this yet brother? Would love to hear what you’ve been up to! You got this!

[@BrendansReasons]

I don't believe his current day entry cost statement. I think he doesn't want to give all this info and then have anyone think they can do it.

[@UpFlip]

You would have to see the books or try it for yourself to truly find out.

[@DSCH1906]

Agreed. I personally know someone who opened a coffee shop with less than 100k 4 years ago that now does nearly half a million in annual revenue. This guy is a boomer gatekeeper that doesn’t want anyone trying to emulate him. If 23k 18 years ago were the equivalent of 500k today, our economy would be experiencing Weimar Republic-style hyperinflation. Complete nonsense.

[@BrendansReasons]

It's funny cause the channel has the opposite purpose. So I watch the videos and ignore stuff like that

[@CamiloCaldera]

👌🏼

[@UpFlip]

Thanks for watching.

[@8justintracy8]

❤

[@UpFlip]

We appreciate you tuning in! Thank you! ☺️