Conversations with Coffee Shops & Bakeries: What We Learned

Over the past few weeks, I connected with over 25 coffee shop and bakery professionals to explore the challenges and solutions they navigate every day. These conversations ranged from quick chats to deeper discussions, offering a glimpse into common pain points and creative approaches in the industry. Drawing on my five years at Square working with small businesses, I was able to identify recurring themes and specific tools that businesses have found helpful. The insights shared below combine these themes and tools, and I hope you’ll find them useful as you navigate your own business.

Key Themes

1. Staffing

Hiring Challenges: Several businesses mentioned difficulty finding employees. One owner reported success using CulinaryAgents.com. Another noted positive experiences with SmartRecruiter.com and Indeed.com.
Scheduling Frustrations: Businesses using WhenIWork.com often described fewer frustrations compared to those using alternatives.

2. Payroll

Software Experiences:
- A few smaller businesses expressed positive feedback about Gusto for payroll management. Drawing from my own experience running a cookie business, I also found Gusto worked well for my needs.
- One business shared that Square Payroll posed challenges, particularly with tax filing and customer support.
- For businesses with approximately eight or more locations, larger enterprise systems like UKG were more commonly used.

3. Inventory Management

Tracking Profitability:
- One business highlighted RecipeCostCalculator.net as a useful tool for understanding profitability on a per-item basis.
- Another business evaluated MarginEdge.com but chose not to proceed due to limitations in entering historical data.
Managing Inventory Across Stores:
- Many multi-location businesses relied on spreadsheets but noted challenges with tracking change history and justifications for adjustments.
- A few businesses also mentioned struggles with overselling inventory on online platforms.

4. Training

Tracking Training Progress:
- Businesses reported challenges with ensuring that training was specific to each station and that schedules aligned with employees' skill levels.
- Some expressed interest in video-based training solutions, while others reported success with printed training packets kept at each station.

We'd Love to Hear Your Thoughts

I'm continuing to explore these challenges as part of my work developing software solutions for coffee shops and bakeries. If you've faced similar challenges—or found creative ways to solve them—I'd love to hear from you. Your insights could help others in the community tackle similar issues, and I'm eager to share what we learn together to foster collaboration and improvement across the industry. My goal is to build tools that make running your business easier.

Stay Connected

If you find these insights helpful and want to stay in the loop as I continue exploring solutions for coffee shops and bakeries, feel free to join my mailing list. I'd love to keep sharing what I learn and hear your thoughts along the way.

Important Note

The insights shared in this blog are based on informal conversations, my memory, and anecdotal feedback. They do not represent comprehensive research or professional advice. Individual results with the tools and platforms mentioned may vary, and businesses are encouraged to conduct their own evaluations before implementing any solution.

I have not received any compensation, referral fees, or affiliate commissions for mentioning specific tools or services in this blog. Future posts or recommendations may include affiliate links or partnerships, but this post is free from such affiliations.

No confidential information was shared during these conversations. This content is provided for informational purposes only and "as is," without any warranties, express or implied.