Coffee on Toynbee: A Masterclass in Setting up a Specialty Coffee Venue

Dani Reid started out in hospitality at the tender age of 15, learning the ropes at Barefoot cafe in Manly, Sydney. Fast forward to London, 2010, and she was part of the founding team during Allpress Espresso's move into the UK, helping the well-established kiwi roastery find its feet at the beginning of the specialty coffee movement here. From barista, to barista trainer, to sales, few people are as familiar with the intricacies of the UK coffee scene. It’s also during this time that she met Agnes Potter, who followed a similar path with Allpress to her current position as Managing Director of the UK. Lucky for the residents of E1, this was the start of both a friendship and, of Potter and Reid, coffee on Toynbee.

We grabbed a brew and sat down for a masterclass in how to build a specialty coffee business from the ground up.

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What inspired you to start Potter and Reid?

I worked at Allpress UK in sales for about four years and helping people open their dream spaces was amazing. The sales team act as full cafe consultants, so you help and guide these people starting their own space and I eventually thought, hey, I could do this myself.

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You've been a barista, trainer, sales/consultant, and now a cafe owner/operator. Tell us your most important ingredients for running a successful cafe: 

For me, really good people are key, because what (Ag and I) loved at Allpress was building a community of people. That's where I met my friends, and built my life in London. We wanted to do the same thing here. It makes coming to work  every day fun, and your team are the ones that build your business at the end of the day.

Amazing products prepared well are a given, and a well designed space. The atmosphere is key. It’s definitely not just what you serve and how you serve it, but how it makes people feel.

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You've seen the focus on data and cost analysis change a lot over your time in hospitality - has adopting Bustle had an impact on how you view this now?

Being an owner/operator means you need to be across the numbers and be aware of margins, costs etc, now more than ever. That's what gives you the confidence to make good, informed decisions for your business. Bustle has helped us make this info available to our team too, which helps them feel involved and responsible for their part in our success.

When you're a business owner, especially in the first years, you need the numbers to be as streamlined as possible because you're spending the bulk of your time on the floor. Your accountant, on the other hand, is not, so the communication between the two of you also needs to be seamless.

Once your reconciliation is slick, that's a game changer, and it’s incredible to see the tech side of hospitality is booming to meet these pain points. It can be overwhelming to find systems that work for you, but important to help keep things afloat and make your life easier - Apron is another  that has been a game changer for me. 

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What are the main things you would tell your former self about starting a cafe?

Start small - don't overstaff yourself. Start with a core group of trusted people and then go from there. Especially if you're still working on building that brand and community around your business.

Get some help designing your space - it's super valuable. Even though I'd worked in cafes and knew how to run a coffee area, there's heaps more to the atmosphere that you need to consider.

From there, wait until you have your space completely ready to flesh out your offering, the atmosphere will inform more about your offering than you may think.

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Favourite song to set up the cafe to?

Oh god there’s been so many. At the moment it’s Fotonovela.

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Favourite customer?

Scotty - a guy that I used to serve at Allpress. We always catch up about food and our weekends, it’s been lovely to keep in touch over the years.

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To Recap:

Setting up your own venue? Steal these takeaways - no need to learn the hard way (like the rest of us did).

‍People power your place
Hire legends, not just latte-makers. A strong, close-knit crew builds your community and your bottom line. Take the time to find local hospitality communities like Countertalk, who can help you nail your core team.

‍Vibe beats volume
Anyone can serve good coffee but how it feels when someone walks in? That’s the magic. Invest in atmosphere and thoughtful design. Excellent further reading on this topic from Filtr Magazine here. 

‍Know your numbers (but make it easy)
You don’t need an accounting degree - you need tools that speak your language. Bustle’s DIMM (Did I make Money?) tool helps you stay across P&L while you’re still pulling shots. Share the wins with your team using new features like goal setting in your dashboard - they’ll feel empowered to step up and share the celebration.

‍Start small, think smart
Don’t overstaff. Don’t overthink. Start with your trusted crew, then build as your rep grows. Bustle can help you ditch the spreadsheets and enter your timesheet entries and calculate your wage cost percentage, find out how here.

‍Tech is your secret weapon
Streamlined systems = more time on the floor and less time buried in spreadsheets. Bustle + Apron = chef’s kiss. 

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It was a treat hearing Dani’s take on what makes a great venue tick. If this lit a fire under your milk jug, give us a shout. We love helping good people build great cafes.

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