Online social media tools have indeed expanded the ways we can use to reach out to our customers. Even before we open, we are able to communicate our journey and our vision for the café.  If you are reading this right now, you will probably understand some of the trials and tribulations we have gone through.

This communication channel will continue to broadcast our messages when we are open. For instance, we can share certain promotions like half-price hot chocolate on Kay’s birthday (that is her favourite drink now) or when we bring in a certain batch of great coffee from Kenya. I think it is important not only for big corporations to reach out to customers, but also small businesses like us. In fact, it is even more critical as our margin for error is small.

Nevertheless, even with the wider net we can cast through social media tools, Red Bulb is still inherently a neighbourhood café in a growing town. We like our place to be a part of the community: where we can share stories of joy and sorrow, experience the highs and lows of the daily grind, or simply to offer a smiling face to acquaintances. While we will never be as slick as the big corporate chains, we will always offer a great cup of coffee in a comfortable setting. This ultimately will be what defines us.

Our first promotional banner

I have to use a single word to describe 2009, it would have to be transitional. And what a transition it has been to go from a full-time paying job to a pretty uncertain world of trying to start a cafe. These are the things I have learned/experienced/thought:

10 things  about the coffee

1. Real coffee people are extremely passionate about their coffee
2. The coffee industry is really small – everyone knows everyone
3. best espresso that i tasted last year – Intelligentsia and 49th parallel
4. There are many helpful people in the coffee business  and I am blessed to know some of them
5. Areas outside of Toronto do not have a decent(or at least I have not found it) option for coffee and i am not talking about Starbucks
6. We have some really good roasters in Canada and they are not always the bigger ones.
7. I can never be a ‘rockstar’  barista but I can definitely make great coffee
8. Good coffee requires many things but it takes just one wrong step to screw things up.
9. You don’t make great money in coffee and it takes passion to succeed.
10. Vacuum(siphon) coffee maker produces really clean tasting coffee – glad I bought it for my wife’s birthday

5 frustrating things

1. Stouffville landlords
2. Canadian dollar – it is going up too much
3. People going back on their word
4. No money
5. Some things are out of my hands

10 things to be thankful for

1. My wife – without her support, this transition is not possible
2. Kay – she brings things into perspective; what are the important things in life
3. Relatively good health – no gout for a while now; but definitely need to exercise more
4. Family – parents  and siblings have been really supportive;
5. Friends – especially those who believe in my passion
6. A great real estate agent – Tammi has been there for the journey and it is quite a ride so far.
7. Starbucks co-baristas & regular customers – keeps the dream alive and continue to make ‘making coffee’ fun
8. Coffee – this is a great beverage, duh!!
9. Free time – past few months has been great in terms of spending time with the family; watching Kay grow up day by day has been greatly satisfying.
10. Popeye chicken on Tuesday – this is a great pick-me-up.

5 things to look forward to in 2010

1. This should be the year Red Bulb becomes reality or close to reality
2. Mastering Latte Art
3. Challenges of making a profit
4. Kay continuous growth
5. World recovery and peace!

That”s all folks for my first entry in 2010.

p/s: Thanks to David and Roxanna for making a contribution to the Red Bulb Movement – Sching and I are grateful for your support!

After almost a week of figuring out Wordpress and also other elements of blogging, i am FINALLY  writing my first official post. It has been almost 5 years since i did any form of programming.  Last time I did anything remotely close was when i was still with MUU; in a sense, it is symbolic as I am once again heading the path of self-employment again. More of this in my later posts.

Anyway the world of web programming and design have changed drastically. I personally find that it is so much more user friendly now and thanks to the friendly web community out there, there are many ready widgets and guides to incorporate into the blog theme seen above.  I can still feel some sense of achievement(like when i was young@22) when i get some codes working but it is getting harder now. Drop me a note if you like to set up your own blog and would like some pointers on getting started.

Of course the blog would only be presentable with the assistance of my dear wifey. Thank goodness for her creativity and also her support in my decision to head into Red Bulb Cafe- the road is challenging ahead but hey, with a little(ok, a lot) of hard work, support from friends and family, I am looking forward to the tasks ahead.

For the techies: this blog is created using Wordpress, using mostly php.

p/s: I also consider the following themes:

i thought of using this

also looked at this.. plus a few more - you get the picture)