How to Soft Launch your Coffee Shop – 05/07/2025

JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more:⁠ ⁠https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep141Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Opening a cafe soon? The first few days can make or break your first year in business. In this episode, we unpack the power of the soft launch: what it is, how to do it right, and why it can save your shop from early bad reviews and operational chaos. We walk through how we launched both of our cafes, how many people to hire, why Google reviews are critical, and how to prep your team for day one. We also dive into real marketing strategies (including influencer nights and newsletter tactics), how to leverage soft launches to stress test systems, and the little things that help turn new guests into regulars. Whether you’re weeks away from opening or just dreaming up your space, this one’s packed with actionable gems.*If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale*Buy Valor Coffee: ⁠⁠https://valor.coffee/shop⁠⁠Watch on Youtube: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16⁠⁠Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at [email protected] to set up an account!Want to send us coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to [email protected]'re partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Mahlkonig, Anfim and Eureka products!Shop Clive products here: ⁠⁠https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr⁠⁠Want to get your business in front of more people? We partnered with Local Eyes Growth to grow our business through SEO and the results have been incredible. Local Eyes is offering a FREE backlink ($300 value) to Valor Coffee Podcast listeners who partner through our exclusive link. Visit ⁠⁠https://localeyesgrowth.com/valor⁠⁠ to get the ball rolling!Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: ⁠⁠http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod⁠⁠Follow Valor on Instagram: ⁠⁠http://instagram.com/valor.coffee⁠⁠Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: ⁠⁠https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook⁠⁠Follow Riley:  ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook⁠⁠Follow Ross: ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/rosswalters⁠⁠Follow Ethan's Parody Account:  ⁠⁠https://instagram.com/ethanrivers77700:00 - INTROOOOOOOOO02:16 - Start03:56 - Today We Have A Topic08:45 - Soft Launching Our Cafes13:47 - Big tip #117:26 - Big Tip #220:09 - Big Tip #321:05 - Big Tip #422:33 - Big Tip #525:32 - A question AND a HOT take27:46 - A note about marketing/ads31:24 - Bonus Tip! (this one's free)