Garage Coffee: The profitable way of cafes for entrepreneurs needs to be explored (VC334)

"My project is to produce an organic edible oil, which is made from the fruit of the southern peach tree. The superior peach fruit requires a 10-year growth period, so the output is also limited. Edible oil is environmentally friendly and suitable for pregnant women. "Zhou Yangzhi, the project leader of Lebei Yuezi Oil, introduced Shang Kewei ’s entrepreneurial project to him while drinking coffee. After listening to the introduction, Shang Kewei, a partner of Entrepreneurship DreamWorks, made some observations. For example, he suggested that Zhou Yangzhi take a high-end marketing route and sell Yuezi oil in a limited edition.

Meeting with collaborators in a coffee shop seems to be common, but the garage coffee and 3W coffee in Zhongguancun in Beijing are a bit different. They are specially created for grassroots entrepreneurs. The entrepreneurs not only reside here, but also Think of this as a window for cooperation with investors.

Provide office space and communication platform

Garage Coffee is located in the bustling downtown of Haidian Avenue, bypassing a small hotel, and going up to the second floor, a garage coffee plan is in sight. The small blackboard at the door reads the arrangement of the salon activities that night, and also states that you can enjoy a day's free office conditions by buying a cup of coffee for 15 yuan.

People who come to the "garage" for the first time usually order a cup of coffee first. Those who come often don't order coffee, and you can pour free lemonade by yourself with a cup. There is a recruitment wall on the left side of the entrance, which is full of various cooperative recruitment information.

This large platform of nearly 800 square meters has no partitions at all, and desks and chairs are neatly arranged. There is a small stage directly in front of the platform. It is used to regularly organize some entrepreneurial theme salons and training lectures. The author prepared 3 small meeting rooms and a larger meeting room. At more than 10 o'clock, more people came here to work, and a team member quickly arrived in the small meeting room for a meeting.

"In order to avoid a team occupying the meeting room for too long, we have set a rule of 10 yuan an hour, the price is not expensive, just a reminder price, but also hope that these resources can let more teams share." Garage Coffee founder Su Yu explained.

Unlike the "garage" shared office, the 3W coffee docking method is more inclined to provide a communication platform between entrepreneurs and investors. Every Thursday at 12 noon is the "investor afternoon tea" time. Liu Dengping is the CEO of B & Q.com, holding the "A3" label made of red cardboard in his hand, drinking tea while waiting for investors to meet him at the window next to the second floor.

Liu Dengping signed up for the "Investor Afternoon Tea" on the 3W coffee by means of a private message on Weibo a week ago. He said: "The purpose of my coming here is to communicate with investors, and I don't expect much Funding. It is mainly about finding connections and resources. "He believes that financing is not only financing but also a source of financing.

Investors need to talk about 6-8 projects per afternoon, but sometimes because of the large number of uninvited people, it will extend a lot of time. "We sorted the items that were screened later with A-type tags, and temporarily sorted with B-type tags." Ma Long, one of the shareholders of 3W Cafe, said, "The items that can be viewed are basically all TMT (telecommunications, media, technology ) Category. But the product form is incomplete or just a creative, pure marketing and projects with large investment capital in traditional industries will be eliminated. "

Where to find projects and inspiration

"Shared office and serving grassroots entrepreneurs are the first dreams of opening this cafe." Su Cui stated his business philosophy, and he chose this form of cafe because of its inclusiveness, which is convenient for investors and entrepreneurs. distance. As the owner of the coffee shop, communicating with the entrepreneurial team is Su Ra ’s daily job. When some project leaders ’ideas are unreliable, Su Rao with entrepreneurial experience and investment experience will persuade them kindly:" Brother , Change the project! "

Coming to the "garage" office is the purpose of most entrepreneurial teams, which can save the initial cost of entrepreneurship, but some people come here to find entrepreneurial inspiration and feel the entrepreneurial atmosphere. On the big platform of the "garage" sits an old gentleman whose surname is Yu. He is 66 years old and came from Xicheng District. Heard that garage coffee is for entrepreneurs, he came to step on a little bit for himself and his children. He and his children both have entrepreneurial intentions, but they feel that their ideas are not broad enough, and they want to find inspiration. "Mr. Yu said while looking at the book he took from the" garage "shelf.

There is a small library in the "garage" with bookshelves, tables and chairs. "The books here are donated by successful entrepreneurs in the Internet industry. As seniors, they know what knowledge is needed for entrepreneurship, and they will bring some books to put. , Everyone can read through and find inspiration. "Su Zhu said.

3W's "Investor Afternoon Tea" is an open platform that allows entrepreneurs and investors to exchange opinions and promote the development of projects. "Investors and projects are subject to our contact and selection. The investors invited are generally friends and celebrities that we have exchanged with. Sometimes our shareholders will also be investors, looking for some projects that suit them. "Ma Delong explained.

With the spread of word of mouth, many people in second-tier cities such as Yinchuan and Changsha will come to the 3W squat, and they will bring a variety of projects to find partners. Song Yongjun, the person in charge of 3W Coffee, said helplessly: "We can't drive them away, but sometimes we have to explain to them."

One of them was the person in charge of the overseas expansion project who came directly without an appointment during the "Investor Afternoon Tea" time. He said: "I didn't sign up. I came here temporarily, just to try my luck. It doesn't matter if I can cooperate. Just do it. "

Eight phases of "Investor Afternoon Tea" activities have been carried out, which have contributed to the successful financing of two projects. But this is just one of the activities of 3W. "We are doing salons almost every day. Our theme this month is e-commerce. In addition, many Internet companies are doing small media meetings and press conferences here." Song Yongjun explained, Because the venue is relatively small, people who come to the salon need to sign up via Weibo private letter, but there are still many uninvited people every time.

Ways to make money need to be explored

The communication between entrepreneurial teams in the "garage" is the most frequent thing, introducing each other's projects and products to each other, and angel investors are here to find suitable projects for themselves. Liu Zhitong, the project leader of "Seriously Love", said: "The" garage "is too open to communicate and praise here without having to listen, but every word about the product of the project must be remembered."

Liu Zhiyong is a typical "entrepreneurship control". He has failed many times and started business many times. He has been in the "garage" for more than 4 months. He is one of the "resident" projects here. "We all start businesses based on interest. Here are all early entrepreneurs who are prone to resonance and communicate like talking to their own brothers. "

Cheap coffee, meals and a lot of water and electricity expenditure make it difficult for the garage to maintain a break-even. The high cost of investment also keeps "3W" at a loss, but they say they will continue to operate.

Su Zhu said that 95% of them come with entrepreneurial intentions. He hopes to start a business with a public welfare mentality and operate with a business model. The profit-making methods are still being explored. "Now income and expenditure can basically be kept flat, but this does not count depreciation and my salary." Su Zhu said calmly, he is not eager to pursue the profitability of the cafe, but also hopes to find a suitable way to make the cafe profitable And can pay their own wages.

In "3W", per capita consumption is basically less than 100 yuan each time, coupled with the low turnover rate, Song Yongjun believes that it is difficult to make money in the short term, "but as an Internet communication platform," 3W "has its existing value and Necessity, it will give everyone a sense of belonging, and we have already started to prepare branches in Shenzhen and Shanghai. "