Running your business from a cafe...

[Dien Rice]

An entrepreneurial friend of mine pretty much runs his whole business from cafes...

I wouldn't have thought it was possible if I hadn't seen it myself!

There are plenty of things you can do by working in a cafe...

Some of these are inspired by my friend (things I've seen him do), and others are also things I've done myself...

Clearly, you can write in a cafe... You can do things such as

• Write emails to customers, business partners, freelancers, contract workers, employees, mentors, and so on...
• Write articles, forum posts, blog posts, newsletters, etc.
• Write advertising and promotional copy
• While it's not writing, if you have the ability, you can also work on graphics...

Furthermore, you can also have meetings in cafes...

• You can have meetings with potential clients, business partners, contract workers, freelancers, and potential employees... (I have had business meetings in cafes, usually with partners for potential projects, but I've seen my friend do all the rest...)
• You can also have phone meetings (or Skype meetings)... You just have to make sure that the cafe is not too noisy, so you can hear the other person. My friend uses an "ear piece" with his phone for this reason, so he can hear better when he is on the phone in a cafe.

You can also do strategy and planning work for your business, such as...

• You can analyze new business opportunities
• You can come up with new promotional strategies

In addition...

• You can do technical computer work (like register domain names, set up web hosting, create web pages, etc.)

And finally,

• You can relax and take a break over a coffee and cake!

Pretty much the only thing you can't do from a cafe is if you have to meet people at their place of business, or if you need to print out something, or scan in something using a scanner...

I've always done some of my work in cafes, but lately, I've been doing more and more work in various cafes. Mainly, it's because I like the atmosphere... And I've seen from my friend what's possible!

Best wishes,

Dien

[Dien Rice]

If you want to work in cafes, here are some tips...

If you are working with computer equipment, make sure you don't run out of power! Some ways to ensure that are...

• Choose a "laptop-friendly" cafe with a lot of power points
• or use a laptop which has a battery with a long life
• or use an iPad (or other tablet) with a Bluetooth keyboard, as these tablets tend to have very long battery lives.

(I've done all the above at different times...)

You'll also need WiFi internet access. Some of your options are...

• Go to a cafe with free WiFi
• or have your own USB plug-in WiFi modem
• or use the "WiFi hotspot" function on your Smartphone (iPhone or Android phone).

(Again, I've done all of the above...)

I've found that not all cafes are the same, if you want to do some work!

• In general, choose cafes where you see others working on laptops or iPads, as they are more likely to be "laptop-friendly" places...
• I've found larger cafes tend to be "friendlier." Smaller cafes, with fewer tables, are more likely to want to "rush" you out so they can fill the tables with new paying customers. However, larger cafes have plenty of space, so they're happy for you to sit there for a longer period of time.
• I like working in cafes where other people are there, rather than "empty" cafes, which feel much lonelier to me!
• The type of crowd matters. A crowd of chattering teenagers "feels" different than a crowd of businesspeople or a crowd of trendy adults.
• If you are having a meeting with other people in a cafe, make sure it is not too noisy, so you don't have to shout to hear each other speak!
• Always buy a drink (e.g. a coffee) at a minimum, and buy something else (another drink, or a snack or meal) if you feel like it...

Best wishes,

Dien
(Cafe capitalist!)

Great post Dien.
Another great thing about doing business in a cafe or coffee shop, sometimes you meet new people and you never know where they might lead you in your business.

Yup......when Starbucks opened 3 yrs ago....I think I was the first customer to have a LapTop on a Table.....in fact, even now in February it's 50 to 60 degrees in the afternoon and I've found that biz owners LIKE to visit me at my "Office-Table" in the afternoon between 2 to 4....where I buy them a Latte or CapoCHINO.....while trying to sell them on my latest Ad Project.

Works for me

Don Alm

watching cramer interview the ceo of salesforce...saying the only device he used to run the business is his phone ...
http://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=C...%7Ce%7Cpdv%7Cc

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by woof

Great post Dien.
Another great thing about doing business in a cafe or coffee shop, sometimes you meet new people and you never know where they might lead you in your business.

Thanks Woof!

You're right, too... That entrepreneurial friend of mine I mentioned, who does virtually all his work from cafes... Of course, I met him in a cafe!

(I've since learned a lot from him... I think he'd probably say he learned a lot from me, too, so it's been mutually beneficial... )

I'd like to make Sowpub more of a "virtual meeting place" than it is now... I'll have to figure out ways how to do that (I'm open to suggestions...)

Best wishes,

Dien

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by bobmcalister

watching cramer interview the ceo of salesforce...saying the only device he used to run the business is his phone ...

Thanks Bob,

Yeah, it amazes me how much you can do with just a phone (especially if you include Smartphones)...

I think it also depends on the kind of business you run. If you run the kind of business where you do everything yourself, sometimes it might be harder...

However, if you get a lot of stuff done via freelancers, contractors, employees, etc., then it "frees you up" - and you mainly just have to manage things, to make sure things are all going in the right direction... That just means, you have to communicate with your team, by email, online chatting, and by phone, usually.

Best wishes,

Dien

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by Don Alm

Yup......when Starbucks opened 3 yrs ago....I think I was the first customer to have a LapTop on a Table.....in fact, even now in February it's 50 to 60 degrees in the afternoon and I've found that biz owners LIKE to visit me at my "Office-Table" in the afternoon between 2 to 4....where I buy them a Latte or CapoCHINO.....while trying to sell them on my latest Ad Project.

Hi Don,

I agree... Having a "meeting" in a warm cafe, over some professionally made delicious beverages, often beats sitting in a cold stark "meeting room" with just a stale cup of water on hand...!

Best wishes,

Dien

[GordonJ]

Originally Posted by Dien Rice

Thanks Woof!

I'd like to make Sowpub more of a "virtual meeting place" than it is now... I'll have to figure out ways how to do that (I'm open to suggestions...)

Best wishes,

Dien

How about a special report on Cafe Businesses?

As for Sowpub being more of a "virtual meeting place", the way to do that is add subforums, like CyberSchmooze at Business Owners Cafe, add moderators, volunteers perhaps or free access to paid forums.

Don't get carried away like WF, or have dead forums but about half the number you see here:

http://www.businessownersideacafe.co...pics&forum=107

I'm sure you can find moderators for each subforum.

GJA

[Dien Rice]

Originally Posted by GordonJ

How about a special report on Cafe Businesses?

As for Sowpub being more of a "virtual meeting place", the way to do that is add subforums, like CyberSchmooze at Business Owners Cafe, add moderators, volunteers perhaps or free access to paid forums.

Don't get carried away like WF, or have dead forums but about half the number you see here:

http://www.businessownersideacafe.co...pics&forum=107

I'm sure you can find moderators for each subforum.

Thanks Gordon,

That's a great idea!

I've always been worried about those sub-forums becoming like "ghost towns" (as happens on some forums)... But it's worth a shot...

I'll post more about this soon...

Best wishes,

Dien