Career change

DWhite

Technically not old style but I trust people on here for good advise 🙂

I'm a restaurant manager having worked for many years for big chains and companies. I really want a change of direction and would love to do something like run a lovely tea shop with homemade bread and cakes or a bakery.
Trouble is I have zero idea where to start and obviously the risk financially is big as I'm saving to buy a house.

Anyone on here done similar? Any tips for where to start with it all? I want to take the jump to it as I'm not in love with my job anymore. But it's obviously quite scary to try to do!

JuneBow

You would start with finding the right location. This is key.
The markup on catering, especially things like coffee is massive, but you have to shift a lot of coffee to pay your rent.
So the biggest risk is all of the rent/rates/electricity if you cannot shift enough food.
If you want to do it more or less risk free, you can make cakes, pies, etc and sell them to restaurants. I know someone who does this and makes around £100k per year. (I have seen the accounts) They do employ a couple of people part time. They also do catering, and sell and deliver stuff to staff on trading estates. The key for them, is that they do not have to pay rent etc and only pay the staff when needed, so more or less risk free.
Obviously selling to cafes, restaurants etc you are not making as much as if you sold them in a caf! as they have to make a profit, but given the much lower overheads....

bexster1975

Hello

I haven't ever done anything like this. It sounds very exciting though. Could you start off as a " side hustle "? By that I mean could you test some recipes and sell them at local events/ through local cafes/shops etc? It depends if you've done this sort of thing before. It might give you an idea of what sells, at what sort of price and to what demographic. Also, do you have an idea where you might site something like this? I know exactly where I would in my heighbourhood, but the rents on units are so high, it's hard to see how I would be able to make something similar cost effective.

I wish you the best of luck and will follow your thread with interest.

Bexster

jackyann

I think Bexter's idea is a good one, if you can do it.

You must be up-to-date on Food Hygiene etc. already. I know that rules are simpler for small, local enterprises,and our local council runs short, inexpensive courses for 'cake makers' so that 'amateurs' can understand the rules as they apply to them.

Of course, what you can do in your spare time depends a lot on how much time you have, and at what times. A few people like you take stalls at our local Farmers' Markets (again, your local council will give you the rules). You could try the odd Saturday / Sunday and see how it goes.

I also wonder if you could afford to offer your services at a charity fund raising day, do a pop-up tea stall at you local church's feast day, or something similar. Of course you won't make any money, but can hand out your cards.
Warning: those of us used to charity fund-raising know the difference between someone like you, who would probably be offering your time & skill, but want expenses; and those like me, who make and donate cakes as a contribution. Be clear what you are doing.
In the same vein, you could consider making and donating a cake or basket of tea-time goodies as a raffle prize.

None of these get you far, but will put you in touch with people who do these things and give you ideas.

bexster1975

Based on jackyanns comments, maybe a McMillan coffee morning contribution with your business cards next to them. The WI can get you health and hygiene level 1 qualified if you make stuff at home to sell.

Bexster

DWhite

Thank you all.

Unfortunately as a restaurant manager my spare time is very limited, I work upwards of 50 hours a week, have a 9 year old and am doing a degree part time (I know, foolish!).
So that, along side my contract saying I'm not allowed any other work whilst working for my company means it's an all or nothing approach that I need.
Either way I should probably buy a house first as getting a mortgage when self employed would be hard work.
I'm thinking more that I could try something like markets etc and try to find someone who'd buy my products for their cafe, though I'm surrounded by big chain places in my current town!
Food hygiene isn't a problem, I'm qualified to level 3 and my restaurant has a 5* rating so I should be ok with what the council would expect from me.
The biggest leap of faith would be giving up work to do it, which as I would have just bought a house when it would happen would be a huge risk! This is why I'm giving it a lot of thought.
Short of finding a business partner I'm not sure what else to try?

jackyann

I'm hoping someone would come along with more advice for such a huge leap.

However, there can't be anything stopping you baking for a local charity, or doing a party for a friend, just to see what people like, how long it takes you, and as a mental exercise, working out what you would have charged.

Our pub has pop-up charity evenings when we locals cook, and I'm sure you can help with a school fundraiser without jeopardising your current work. Not very helpful, but these are situations where you might come across a business partner!

tallyhoh

Few pubs round here have someone in to do a bit of catering, they just charge for using the kitchen

trailingspouse

Planning, planning and more planning.

You will need a formal business plan anyway if you are going to be needing a business loan, so it isn't wasted time (and you can do it while continuing in your normal job).

But you should also do a slightly different type of business plan -

- work out how much money you need to live on
- work out how much profit you will need to make in order to produce that level of money (after taxes etc etc)
- work out how much turnover you will need in order to produce that level of profit
- work out how many coffees etc you will need to serve in order to produce that level of turnover
- work out if it is reasonable to expect to serve that many coffees

Good luck

DWhite

Some good advice here, thank you.
After talking to a few friends who have fast food trucks etc I've got a bit more of an idea.
An old ice cream van can be bought outright for anything from £12,000 - £65,000. I wouldn't want a full on food truck as I wouldn't be cooking burgers etc
I could kit it out with a coffee machine - I can make a reasonable coffee due to my current job so that's sorted.
Then sell cakes, breads, sandwiches, coffees and cold drinks.
Could do it as a 'round' or go to festivals, events or parks even. I could perhaps have some small tables and chairs with umbrellas and blankets to set by it to encourage people to have a seat.

I obviously have a lot to look into money wise but I'm quite an old styler in terms of spending like that so I could probably do a reasonable job of keeping costs down.

I'd need a business plan as trailingspouse says. Which I'll get working on. My hope would be that it would work well enough to add another van and another etc to cover more area and eventually either have a franchise or set up a permanent place and have others run the vans as the satellite part of the business.

Does that sound feasible? I worry that my ideas run away with me!

monnagran

It sounds absolutely wonderful. Pity you don't live on the IOW, I'd be donning my pinny, baking up a storm and helping you every inch of the way.
To make yourself stand out I think you must have a style in mind , even if it is just a signature colour. Vintage always goes down well but a bit difficult in a converted ice cream van. American Diner may be possible .

This is exciting! Good for you.