HEADING INTO THE BIG LEAGUES!
Today was our event at the glow lounge, and it was much slower than usual events. But that was okay. It didn’t feel right or respectful to be blasting social media with advertising for the event, so we just did a few instagram stories and let the hours come and go. I also decided that if I was going to even post the few ads that I did, I would use the platforms for what is happening in our city. We posted that 20% of profits would be going to support the rebuilding of our city, but with the amount of people that just donated rather than buying coffee, I decided to donate 70%. I also want to address, that if you are reading this, I do not want you to be thinking, “wow, she is amazing." Those are a lot of the comments I heard through out the day, and while I appreciate the love and support, I did not do something big here. I felt convicted, the Lord provided the funds, and I did what was my job as a Christ follower, living out the truth of the gospel and giving back to my community.
Tomorrow, on the other hand, I expect to be quite busy. Tomorrow is the first day of the Wayzata Farmer’s Market, and if you can’t tell from my previous words, I am nervous! The Farmers market feels legit. It feels like the big leagues. But, we will be raising money again and I know that God has a good day in store for the Prickly Pear Coffee Bar!
THIS WEEK…
This week, I have two back to back events - for the first time! As I prepare, I have started to stress out, forgetting that I forgot to restock on cups and order the other supplies I needed… Great! Definitely another learning experience. Also, as a business with a heart and focus for market place ministry, we have decided that 10% of all profits at our events this week, will be donated to “We Love Lake Street.” In light of recent events in our city, we felt that rebuilding this iconic street after nights of violence, is our job as citizens.
Our first farmers market event is on Thursday, and we are hosting a reopening pop-up shop at The Glow Lounge!
WHAT I’VE LEARNED FROM EVENTS…
With two events now under my belt, I can say that each time I learn more and more about what works, what doesn’t, and how I want to run my business. Everything from improving our efficiency to learning how to accommodate for credit cards, each event has revealed a strength and a weakness. I have learned that the traffic patterns that people come in are very similar. For example, whether the event starts at 9 AM or 10 AM, people do not show up for the first hour! My theory is that it’s like the mindset of going to a party and “not wanting to be the first one there”. But, eventually we do get busy, and I have a line of cups waiting for drinks to be made! That being said, I have learned that I normally do have a line waiting, because I am not as fast as Starbucks! With just me as the barista, and only having one machine, I take my time to handcraft each drink. As I am continuing to schedule events for the future, I am learning how I can make the tweaks to grow my business and master efficiency!
INTRODUCTION
Who I Am:
My name is Annika Van Nest, and I have a passion for Jesus and coffee. So, like the entrepreneurship that I am, I turned it into more than just a passion! I am excited to share that with you and bring you through my learning experience of what it looks like to start a business.
The Driving Question:
What does it look like to start a business incorporating ministry?
Project Objectives:
Reflecting upon the entrepreneurial process
Find ways to grow the business
Be prepared well for future events