a coffee story

Not everyone can afford a luxury car, luxury holiday or a luxury meal but everyone can afford a luxury coffee.
I practised running with a good friend yesterday and we talked about ground coffee. It all started a few weeks ago I decided to make ground coffee drinks instead of instant ones in the office.

I was gulping down a cup of freshly ground coffee to kick off the morning on Christmas Eve while I was to finish reading Sahar and Bobby Hashemi's Anyone can do it: building Coffee Republic from our kitchen table: 57 real-life laws on entrepreneurship (Oxford : Capstone, 2002), which I also shared with Joyce, who is in her fledging handmade jewellery business.
The sister and brother team who built Coffee Republic generously tells their intriguing story of leaving their most sought-after professions (lawyer and ibanker) and swimming in the ocean of entrepreneurship, which is, Bobby says, the best business school in the real word, offers us thoughtful and instructive laws on entrepreneurship.

law 1 (above all): forget about the swashbuckling 'Richard Branson' type (you don't have to be a genius to be an entrepreneur)

law 2: entrepreneurship is not a personality trait (don't take it personal)

law 3: behaving like an entrepreneurship is a process anyone can learn (anyone can do it)

law 4: passion will activate your entrepreneurial qualities (24/7 jobs need real passion)

law 5: you don't need skills or expertise (all you need is to act)

law 6: anyone can do it - but does everyone want to? is entrepreneurship your sort of thing? (yes, anyone can do it)

law 7: warning: success is not all that easy to come by. the failure rate is 99% (let's face it)

law 8: so decide for yourself what to do. you have to make the decision and only you can do it (it's all on you)

law 9: you can't be a half-hearted entrepreneur (commitment!)

law 10: don't bother if you're just in it for the cash (don't chase after money. let money chase after you, their father said)

law 11: your idea doesn't need to be new, original or revolutionary (you have to be creative though)

law 12: remember that entrepreneurs are different from inventors (again, you don't have to be a genius to be a entrepreneur)

law 13: be your own first customer (buy yourself before selling to customers)

law 14: don't approach your idea with money in mind. money doesn't turn on your light bulb! (not the first thing at least)

law 15: make sure the business idea suits you (the business is an extension of you)

law 16: an idea not acted upon is worthless (act is the only action word here)

law 17: entrepreneurs do not procrastinate (act now!)

law 18: commitment is generated by working on your idea (again, act!)

law 19: market research is nothing more than a massive fact-finding mission (live it, sleep it, and breathe it)

law 20: follow the Zulu principle (anyone can become an expert about anything)

law 21: when it comes to market research, do it yourself (it's your business, not others')

law 22: inspiration is all around you (inspiration is as close to you as your iphone)

law 23: do not give the game away. be discreet (this is very important)

law 24: call as many people as you can bear to - there's safety in numbers (don't give up)

law 25: don't be selective. go to everything (possibility lies somewhere you never thought about)

law 26: become a regular of the competition (to learn from the competitors)

law 27: formal customer surveys are out! (it's worthwhile quoting what Henry Ford said: "If I had asked customers what they wanted they would have a faster horse.")

law 28: the 80:20 rule (be bold)

law 29: it's your recipe for success (that's is a business plan)

law 30: it's a structured brain dump, and brain dumps need structure (if you can't write it, you don't know it)

law 31: a business plan is your calling card. it gives you external credibility (much more than a name card)

law 32: raising money is the first critical sale you have to make (spend/raise before you earn)

law 33: strike a fine balance being conservative and ambitious (yin and yang)

law 34: write a plan you can beat (anyhow, write it)

law 35: 90% of start-ups are financed by the guts, creativity and faith of the founders (guts)

law 36: be prepared for rejection and disappointment (rejection is nothing to be ashamed of)

law 37: the success of your idea depends on the quality of your implementation (implementation is the key)

law 38: the quality of your implementation is what will set you apart from the competition (quality implementation)

law 39: you are still swimming against the tide (you'll need to grow a thick skin)

law 40: the resources won't be there so you have to fill the gap between what's out there and what you need (creativity counts)

law 41: credibility has to be earned. you have a 'liability of newness' (credibility doesn't grow on trees)

law 42: the devil is in the detail (there is no such thing as a minor detail)

law 43: the bootstrapping rule. 2+2=5 (doing and knowing come hand in hand)

law 44: you can do anything, no matter how monumental, if you break it down into the small, manageable chunks (piece by piece)

law 45: success happens when preparation meets opportunity (the twins of success)

law 46: there is a lot to be said for the naivety of entrepreneurs. the importance of being clueless (like swimming in the ocean)

law 47: don't expect customers to flock in. success is not an entitlement (good things take time)

law 48: it won't be easy at the beginning. you need stickability (never give up)

law 49: keep focused (don't be defeated by "I told you so")

law 50: it's a marathon not a sprint! look after yourself (it's meant to be tough)

law 51: there is no plateau - you either go up or down (evolves or die)

law 52: a warning - monitor your speed. growth can kill (lots of recent cases)

law 53: you will need to adapt and tweak your original concept (the need to change)

law 54: bootstrapping is not a long term strategy. time to upgrade your resources (be prepared to change)

law 55: go with smart money. angels bring in experience as well as money (investors might join at some point)

law 56: don't just accept the first cheque you are offered - bringing in an investor is like inviting someone to live in your home (be very discreet)

law 57: don't get too many small investors on board (be focused)

the key was: for better or worse, they acted. their best advice is: start working immediately

At some point or other, I was deeply touched by the monumental passages about how they managed to turn their ideas into a business, the moment they secured the first loan and the triumphing email, the first day of opening and excitement, the bottle neck of the first few months, the persistence test, the media coverage, and even their departure from the business...

It's more than a book of self-help business book; it's a book of brilliant and touching story of successful business.