| For many entrepreneurs, starting a restaurant business | | | | spouse and your family if you are going to be spending |
| represents a great way to make a good living while | | | | so much time away from home. If you intend to work |
| doing something that they love. The restaurant | | | | with your spouse as partners in the business then you |
| business has a high failure rate though with many | | | | will have to be certain that your relationship is rock |
| people quickly realizing that there is more work | | | | solid and that it can handle the stress of working |
| involved than they originally anticipated and they find | | | | together. |
| that they are not really suited to the restaurant | | | | 5) Startup capital. You will need to have access to |
| business. Here are some things to consider before you | | | | sufficient funds not only to get your business up and |
| jump in to this industry and invest your time and capital | | | | running but also to support yourself in the early days of |
| into opening a restaurant. | | | | your restaurants life when revenue is still low. |
| 1) Qualifications and experience. While these are not | | | | 6) People skills. As a restaurant owner you will have to |
| absolutely necessary you will be drastically increasing | | | | be a good communicator and be able to relate well to |
| your chances of success if you have or can acquire a | | | | all kinds of people such as suppliers, city officials, |
| qualification from a culinary school or if you have some | | | | customers and staff. You should be a strong leader |
| other kind of food, beverage or hospitality industry | | | | capable of organizing a team. |
| experience or training | | | | 7) Hard work and organization. To get everything done |
| 2) Business management skills. If you don't have | | | | you must have good time management skills and be |
| reasonably good skills and knowledge in areas like | | | | organized. As you won't have a boss telling you what |
| bookkeeping, marketing and management there are | | | | to do you will also have to be self-motivated in order |
| numerous courses in small business administration that | | | | to get things done and to achieve your goals. |
| you could consider taking before you take the plunge | | | | 8) Calm and confident. Challenges will arise almost daily |
| with your own business. | | | | in the restaurant business in the form of one crisis or |
| 3) Creativity. To be a successful restaurant owner it | | | | another. As the leader you must keep calm, avoid |
| helps to have some creative talent. You will have to | | | | stressing out your employees and take control of the |
| come up with a marketable restaurant concept | | | | situation. |
| possibly with a theme, coordinate interior designers and | | | | Their are many things that you should consider about |
| have considerable input into menu development. | | | | yourself before you deciding to go ahead and start a |
| 4) Long working hours. Unless you focus on breakfast | | | | small restaurant. Some of these skills and attributes |
| and lunches only you will be likely be working long | | | | can be acquired along the way or before you start but |
| shifts late into the evening, possibly seven nights a | | | | all will play their part in determining your success. |
| week to start with. You will need the support of your | | | | |