Hello from Pacific Northwest

[Kreater]

Hello,

I will go by my nickname and I am an entrepreneur and owner of a small cafe of 3 years now.

I literally started my business with nothing. In fact I have a lot of debt to payoff, a school university loan and family business loan. I've never had much money in my life growing up. I've worked a lot of different types of jobs, from teacher assistant at a preschool, to welding, to data entry in a city, to working in a winery. I originally asked my brother to come along and help me start my business. Since that time, he has quit and left me with all the responsibilities and obligations.

It is very difficult. I work 70-80 hours a week, due to my second job working at a restaurant. I really have no energy from one day to the next. Over the few years of starting my business, my hair is thinning and graying. I have wrinkles on my face now. I am aging rapidly. I have not even made a profit or broke even yet on my business. I often doubt myself and consider quitting. I pay myself nothing, nothing. I hired a couple different employees over the previous year, working them part time, about 10 hours per week. I pay them about $10 an hour. They get paid before I do. I have not yet paid myself from my business revenue.

I cannot afford rent or privacy. Recently I've been thinking of buying a van or another vehicle to live in. So I will work 80 hours per week and go homeless, to start my business. Nobody really seems to notice or care about my hardships. I never complain to the public or let anybody really know what's going on with me. I always keep a front and tell people "I'm good". Truth is, I consider quitting everything from week to week. I constantly reevaluate what I'm doing and whether it will be worth it in the long run. I have a lot of opinions about small business and the economy now. I realize a lot.

I highly respect other small business owners and corporations now. I do not have as much respect for workers, employees, and "average" people who don't know where their paychecks and welfare comes from. It comes from other men like myself, who work hard, and get nothing in return. It comes from many small businesses who struggle, and never get their head above water. It comes from loss, from others that people never hear about nor care about. So yes, I have a newfound respect for these people and institutions. I adore business owners, entrepreneurs, bosses, corporations, employers, and all others who have struggled to get where they are.

I realize that success is always a gamble. You can work hard, but, that doesn't guarantee anything. Going homeless and working 80 hours per week, not paying yourself for 40 of that, doesn't mean anything. You may lose. You may work yourself to death. Nobody may care. And that's the reaffirming aspect of business and entrepreneurs. It's the freedom, taking matters into your own hands, and fully appreciating the fruit of labor. Employees and average joe and jane, don't know, don't care, and don't appreciate this. That's fine. Because that's also their choice, to live life from paycheck to paycheck, following orders from a boss.

To each his own.

I hope this doesn't seem like complaining to you, although it probably will. This is merely my introduction. My short time in business and ownership, so far, has been fruitless. I have not yet given up hope. In fact, I somewhat plan to die for my cause. Because I have nothing else in life. This is it, for me. This is all I really have. I don't really have friends or romantic relationships. My business is my only hope. And I own it. That's the positive. That's the magic. I own something. I own my own labor. I have that freedom, American freedom. I have that opportunity for which I am too grateful and thankful.

I do not plan to inspire new business owners and entrepreneurs. In fact, most new, small businesses, fail. Many people fail, give up, and quit. There are many reasons for this. I'm not necessarily going to encourage young people or other business owners.

I just wonder if this is the right place for me, and if anybody here can empathize or understand what I'm saying? I hope so.

--Kreater

[vangogh]

Welcome to the forum Kreater. Sorry to hear about the financial issues and the long weeks. You do have a lot to think about it seems like some kind of change is needed. I would think a cafe is something that needs you full time to really be successful. I couldn't imagine trying to run one while still holding a full time job. It doesn't sound like there's any savings though to drop the job and put in more time at the cafe. I'm guessing a part time job wouldn't cut it either, though maybe with the right job it could be possible. Is there any way you could devote less time to working for someone else and more for yourself? It's possible you just need to be at the cafe more to help it bring in more money.

I'm glad you're not letting the current situation deter you from wanting to continue, though one thought is maybe now isn't the right time for the cafe. What I mean is if there's way to save some money with the full time work so you can leave the full time job and spend that time at a different cafe, that might make things easier.You shouldn't have to give up a place to live to run a business.

Good to know you have a newfound respect for business owners. It's not easy getting one started and keeping it running. I wouldn't lose respect for employees though. There's nothing wrong with working for someone else. There's are lots of good hardworking employees that contribute much to a business' success.

Anyway, welcome again. We'll do our best to offer ideas and opinion and hopefully help in some way. Thanks for joining the community.

[Paul]

This may seem a cold response to your heartfelt post. But, the truth is almost every business person/entrepreneur has failed. I’ve failed plenty. But, the lesson that I learned was DO NOT BECOME EMOTIONALLY ATTCHED to the business, it will severely cloud your judgment.

The answer isn’t to quit and give up, the answer is to quit and try again.

Clearly, after three years, if the café isn’t making it then there is a reason for that. It may be something out of your control, location etc. If you can’t identify a way to fix it don’t just keep trucking hoping for some miracle. Move on. Unless something dramatic is about to happen like new movie theater next to your shop or rerouting of road traffic nothing is going to change.

There is a saying, “It is easier to birth a new baby, than to raise the dead”. It may be easier to do something else than to try to save the café.

[Kreater]

I started my business from nothing. So everything I get, no matter how small, is an improvement. I'm willing to put 10 or 100 years into my business, makes no real difference to me. No, I will not accept any "quit and give up" advice. That's not advice. That's not help. That's not support. That's just negativity and bad vibes that I've learned to ignore over the years. I will never accept another person's negativity.

I am old school, unlike many others who come from middle or upper class families. I come from the poor, lower class. Owning my business is it. That is the first success. And that success is worth holding onto and fighting for.

I'm on my way to profit, may take another 1-2 years. But I'm fine with that. I don't believe in magic and short-term gains. I know where every dollar comes and goes, from my till. I know every customer. I know every interaction. I know how businesses fail & succeed.

[David Hunter]

Welcome, Kreater!

Where's your café at? Do you have a customer base? What are you currently doing to drive customers into your café?

[Kreater]

My cafe is in a small town and along a highway. However I have steep competition, many cafes within the vicinity who dominate local business. So that causes me to depend on highway traffic and avoid encroaching upon local business. This Winter I plan to wave a sign on the side of the highway. The sign laws and regulations prevent putting signs up to advertise. Most of my business thus far has been acquired through word of mouth, occasional foot traffic, and occasional people finding me through google searches.

I don't have money to advertise, or really anything. I have $0.