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Free Course

How to Start a Coffee Shop: The Complete Guide

The most comprehensive free course for aspiring coffee shop owners. 12 lessons covering every major decision — from your concept and business plan to opening week and beyond.

🎯 Beginner 90 minutes 📖 12 lessons 👥 2,400+ enrolled

What you'll learn

Write a fundable coffee shop business plan
Calculate your startup costs accurately
Find and evaluate the right location
Negotiate your commercial lease
Build your equipment list and avoid costly mistakes
Hire and train your first team
Set up loyalty and payments from day one
Market your shop before and after opening

Course Curriculum

1
Is a coffee shop right for you? (Honest self-assessment)
8 min
2
Concept & brand: finding your niche in a crowded market
7 min
3
Writing your business plan (and getting it funded)
10 min
4
Finding & evaluating locations: what to look for
8 min
5
Negotiating your lease: the clauses that protect you
7 min
6
Equipment: what you actually need (and what to skip)
8 min
7
Sourcing coffee & building supplier relationships
7 min
8
Hiring your first team: baristas, shift leads, managers
7 min
9
Setting up your POS & payment processing
6 min
10
Building your loyalty program from day one
7 min
11
Marketing before you open: building buzz
8 min
12
Opening week: what to expect and how to survive it
7 min

About This Course

Opening a coffee shop is one of the most exciting — and most challenging — things you can do in small business. The average coffee shop startup costs between $80,000 and $300,000. Most fail within the first five years. But the ones that get it right build something deeply meaningful: a place where community happens.

This course was built for aspiring owners who want to get it right from the start. We cover every major decision you'll face before opening day, with real numbers, real tradeoffs, and the kind of honest advice you'd get from a friend who's been through it.

What makes this different from other guides?

Most "how to open a coffee shop" content is written by marketers, not operators. We work with 665+ independent coffee shops every day. We've seen what separates the shops that thrive from the ones that close. This course reflects that real-world knowledge — not theory.

Who is this course for?

This course is for anyone seriously considering opening an independent coffee shop — whether that's a full-service cafe, a drive-thru, a kiosk, or a roastery with a tasting room. If you're further along, check out our Business Plan Masterclass or Profit & Pricing course.

Free $97
✓ Free for all joe community members
Start Course Free →
  • ✓ 12 lessons, 90 minutes
  • ✓ Downloadable resources
  • ✓ Business plan template
  • ✓ Startup cost calculator
  • ✓ Access to owner community
  • ✓ No credit card required