New industry, new venture for us.... but we're excited!!

[CareyJo]

I've had a little bit of chit-chat with @Lovewell and @TheRealChipA about our upcoming venture and we're getting much closer now to making it a reality, so I finally decided that I should join this group and start learning some things.  So, I'm looking for input.  On all the things.  But, first.... here's what I know and what I need to learn.

1.  I've got some experience.  I was a shift leader in a pizza restaurant for more than 3 years.  I ran the inventory there and the inventory in our current business.

2.  I've got over 35 years experience being self-employed.

3.  I ran the food program for 8 daycare locations in Phoenix many years ago and know how to shop in bulk, price shop and create menus.

4.  I've taught classes on how to make 30 meals in a day and shop for it.

5.  I was a manager in Tupperware and sold for about 5 years, I'm super at storage and organizing.

6.  I run our current business.  I manage every aspect of it but I know there will be new things that I need to learn.

What I know I need to learn, here in Square, that I haven't yet researched:

1.  Having a second business after already having one here.... something about more than one profile???

2.  Getting our POS system and learning all of the tools that Square offers, that will help me run our new business.

3.  Learning which of those tools will be most beneficial to us and how to utilize them to our greatest advantage.

4.  Lastly, what I don't know that I need to know.  For those of you in this industry, if you were to start over today, with what you know, what would you have done differently?  

Tell me... All. The. Things.

[VanKalkerFarms]

Congrats on the new adventure.

1. Sign up with a new email, create a Gmail account for the new business.
2.  I am fond of the Square stands with iPads, as you aren't locked into Square-specific hardware, as the iPad can be useful if the stand is phased out, but you can't use the fancy Square register for anything else other than Square.
3. and 4. Our bakeries aren't on Square, so I can't really help there (the Franchise has a mandatory POS (that is a true piece of S#..) but I would love to use Square in there and save thousands and thousands.

[CareyJo]

Thanks for the info.  We're an Android family and I hate Apple, so I may not go the route of an iPad but will consider it.  At least for us, if we don't use one, it would be no biggie because we wouldn't use it for anything else, so being 100% Square would be okay.  Sucks that you can't use Square at the bakeries!  I'm seeing more and more Toast systems in stores now that I'm paying attention.  The shop we're purchasing has an older Toast system in it that they want to sell with the building.  I said I don't want it because I don't think I could sell it and I fully intend to use only Square!

[ryanwanner]

@CareyJo Good choice with leaving Toast alone. I'm using Toast at the pizza shop I'm managing, and I'm really not a fan. The UI on the tablets is cluttered and not really designed for touchscreens (the dining options and employee chooser buttons are right next to each other and I continually hit the wrong one). The back office has a metric ton of reports but it seems like each one wants to spawn a new connection to the servers and there is no UI consistency. It's like the dev teams thought of something new, built it independently, and jammed it into the server code. And I won't get started on their fee structure......

[CareyJo]

Good reasons to leave it alone...

[CinderBistro]

Like you, we're an Android family and use Android tablets for our KDS stations. However, we've also gone the route of using iPads with Square for Restaurants. I could be wrong but I believe it's just a matter of time before Square makes the POS available in Android. 

As for Toast, I've tried it (along with several other POS systems) and they couldn't pay me to switch. Seriously, even if the gave me their proprietary equipment, I wouldn't switch. 

Hope that helps.

[CareyJo]

Very much!  Thanks!!

[Lovewell]

So excited for you! 

[CareyJo]

Thank you!  We've made an offer on the building!!!!!! 😱

[Lovewell]

LET’S GOOOOO! 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[VanKalkerFarms]

It is just going to keep getting more real no.  Don't forget in all the stress and stuff to have some fun.

[Lovewell]

This has been a huge talk with my sister and I. We form the sake of our mental health and everyone around us let this business consume us. We have to continue to have fun! Have boundaries. 

[CareyJo]

Absolutely.  In our current line of work, it's a must to be serious.  This one will be much more fun to do, IF I can allow myself to not constantly focus on numbers and keeping everything in line!!

[CareyJo]

Thank you.  That's hard for me.  I'm the stress manager.  I carry 100000% of the weight of our businesses.  Not him.  I'm the one that manages all the numbers and the things, so it's hard for me to step back and have fun.  Our main business is very serious.  This one will be completely opposite - all about the fun.  And for @Lovewell's curiosity that I know is killing her, yes, I'm already planning next year's holiday decorations!!! 

[Lovewell]

*insert buddy the elf jumping

up and down*

[ChickenRacer]

Couple things from me, I just went thru this at the start of the year. So may work for you

- whatever web browser you use, create a seperate profile for each, that way you can have autofill on, passwords, and open both venues at the same time

- depending on your turnover, talk to Square about help with hardware and fee %'s

- manage your time (haha)

[CareyJo]

Thanks!!  I haven't even begun to look at costs for the POS yet!

[Minion]

I feel like i've seen you mention it this month but I can't remember where I saw it but what venture are you going into, Was it a coffee shop?

[CareyJo]

Yes, @Lovewell and I have had some comments going here and there.  Although in really getting into the nitty gritty, we're going to forgo the coffee portion and focus on our specialty soda and ice cream.  I don't want to divulge too much just yet, but I will be able to give everyone more detail soon!  I'm the level-headed one in this house and he's already off the charts excited.  I'm starting to climb up the excitement ladder, lol...

[DinaLRosenberg]

Congrats!!! 

That is so exciting! No advice but good luck 🙂

[CareyJo]

Thank you all the same!