A day of preparing for your safe, legal, profitable, sustainable food business

Join us for a fast-paced day of reality-based preparation for your food business. If you are dreaming about, planning or growing a restaurant, bakery, or catering operation this day is for you. These five sessions will help you evaluate the potential of your idea, get practical skills, tools and resources to leverage your passion and enthusiasm and set the table for something safe, legal and profitable so everyone can have fun!

Bladen Community College’s Small Business Center Phone: 910-879-5572

Session 1: Company’s Coming!

Success will depend on identifying and connecting with your customers, and how their needs should shape your work. It’s not enough to make the best anything. We’ll talk about why you’re doing what you want to do, and what it takes to build a strong business on that foundation.

Session 2: Strength in Numbers

Sometimes people avoid (or even fear) the math needed for food business. But revenue does not equal profit, and the fundamental tools are simpler (and more crucial) than you might think! You’ll get an overview of the math stuff you need to succeed in food business. We’ll dig into the basics of bookkeeping, accounting, sales projections, food costing and pricing, and learn how they impact your financial plan. You’ll gain confidence, insights and real information for profitability and sustainability.

Session 3: lunch and Food Costing Workout

Bring your lunch back, and we’ll do an informal, interactive food costing practice! Let’s break down our lunches and use what you’ve learned.

Session 4: From Plate Sale to Full Scale

In this confidential, collaborative session we’ll discuss your menu and what it means for operations. We’ll look at the risks and liabilities faced by home-based food producers, and the short- and long-term steps you can take to “go legit”, including food safety and sanitation, rules, regulations and what to consider in commercial spaces.

Session 5: Fitness for Entrepreneurship

What are the attributes, skills and experiences that make a strong food entrepreneur? How will you fill in the gaps? We’ll share a down-and-dirty assessment, and then pull together the learnings of the day into a strong foundation for your business plan.