|
Introducing the World Tea Expo's New Business Boot Camp (NBBC) designed specifically for new tea room owners. This one-of-a-kind, two-day, intensive and hands-on program covers critical topics facing the tea room entrepreneur. The faculty is made up of top notch educators and experienced experts succesfully working in the tea industry today. Packed with education and networking opportunities, NBBC provides the training and knowledge you need to run a successful tea room- right from the start.
World Tea Expo's New Business Boot Camp includes:
|
16 Hours of small group education
Unique Networking Opportunities
Breakfast and Lunch both days
Social Events each evening
Free Exhibit Hall Pass for the World Tea Expo |
 |
Program Overview:
Tea 101, Jane Pettigrew
Creating Your Strategic Business Plan, Karen Durkin
Basic Legal for Tea Room Owners, Kristen Schneider, Esq.
Hiring & Training Your Staff, Elisabeth Knottingham
Procurement & Merchandising Strategies, Charles Cain
Marketing & Building Your Customer Base, Beth Johnston
Using Technology to Manage Your Tea Room, Ronald Eng
Reality Check, Bruce Richardson
Itinerary*:
| Wednesday May 28th |
|
|
|
Thursday May 29th |
|
| 7:00 am |
Attendee Check-In |
|
|
| 7:00 - 8:00 |
Continental Breakfast |
|
|
7:00 - 8:00 |
Continental Breakfast |
| 8:00 - 10:00 |
Education Session |
|
|
8:00 - 10:00 |
Education Session |
| 10:15 - 12:15 |
Education Session |
|
|
10:15 - 12:15 |
Education Session |
| 12:15 - 1:30 |
Lunch |
|
|
12:15 - 1:30 |
Lunch |
| 1:45 - 3:45 |
Education Session |
|
|
1:45 - 3:45 |
Education Session |
| 4:00 - 6:00 |
Education Session |
|
|
4:00 - 6:00 |
Education Session |
| 7:00 - 8:00 |
Networking Event |
|
|
6:15 - 7:00 |
Graduation Ceremony |
*Due to the class size limits, each attendee will be assigned to a group and the sessions will rotate. Following registration, each attendee will be supplied his/her itinerary.
Education Content Full Descriptions
Wednesday May 28th
Tea 101: Participants will learn about the tea plant and how its leaves and leaf buds are made into black, green, oolong, white, pu-erh and flavored teas. With a wide variety of photographs and short piece of film, the class will explain how the different types of teas are manufactured.
Instructor: Jane Pettigrew, International Tea Consultant and Writer
By the end of this session you will be able to:
|
1.
|
Recognize what a tea plant is.
|
|
2.
|
Identify how and where the tea plant grows.
|
|
3.
|
Recognize why all teas are different and have a unique character.
|
|
4.
|
Distinguish how black, green, oolongs, white, pu-erh and flavored teas are made.
|
|
5.
|
Identify where the different types are made.
|
Creating a Strategic Business Plan: Has something in you sparked the desire to work for yourself or do you have a passion for a product or service that you imagine others would share? Creating a strategic business plan can provide you with a roadmap to making this entrepreneurial dream come true!
Instructor: Karen Durkin, MBA, Principal, Houldsworth Russo & Co., P.C.
By the end of this session you will be able to:
|
1.
|
Write a Mission and Vision statement to guide your progress in setting up your business.
|
|
2.
|
Set Objectives and Strategies to identify and measure what you want to accomplish this year.
|
|
3.
|
Determine a budget to prepare for the financial needs of your business.
|
|
4.
|
Prepare a concise Action Plan to get started.
|
|
5.
|
Identify resources and support that you can utilize as you work toward success.
|
Basic Legal for Tea Room Owners: Tax I.D.s, resale certificates, local DBAs, inspections from the health department to the fire department, labeling requirements, employment laws, trademark and copyright, and the list goes on and on. Even the most knowledgeable tea professional realizes that starting and growing a tea business requires more than just knowing proper temperatures and steep times. This class provides the attendee with a step-by-step guide through the legal maze with detailed information on who to contact for State-specific information.
Instructor: Kristen Schneider, Esq., President, Keria Teas, LLC
By the end of this session you will be able to:
|
1.
|
Determine the best business structure for each situation and file the proper documents to create this structure.
|
|
2.
|
Develop a strong business name and logo and apply for Federal and/or State trademark protection.
|
|
3.
|
Determine which taxes are due when, and to whom, and the easiest ways to handle tax liabilities.
|
|
4.
|
Identify which agencies a tea business typically needs permits from and how to obtain these permits.
|
|
5.
|
Determine how to avoid the most common legal pitfalls when dealing with employees, customers, and vendors.
|
Hiring and Training Your Staff: Staffing your teashop will be the most expensive single decision you’re likely to make. This seminar will give you the tools to understand how to hire, when and why to hire, as well as the skills to develop a training plan like the one used at one of the most successful teashops in America.
Instructor: Elisabeth Knottingham, Owner, The Teacup
By the end of this session you will be able to:
|
1.
|
Hire staff with confidence.
|
|
2.
|
Identify your staffing needs.
|
|
3.
|
Understand your staffing needs.
|
|
4.
|
Create and manage a training system.
|
|
5.
|
Increase sales with great staff support.
|
Thursday May 29th
Procurement and Merchandising Strategies: There are hundreds of books on tea, but have you ever seen one on how to buy or sell tea? Passion may get your business started but you’ll need something more to make your dreams profitable. Learn the strategies that separate the hobbyist from the capitalist and make your business model work!
Instructor: Charles Cain, Director of US Operations, TeaGschwender
By the end of this session you will be able to:
|
1.
|
Define steps on selecting vendors – What to expect, what to ask, and what to watch out for.
|
|
2.
|
Identify quality teas and accessories – and how to avoid getting cheated.
|
|
3.
|
Focus on building your collection – What products sell best and where can you make your profits?
|
|
4.
|
Develop pricing strategies – How much should you pay and how much can you charge for teas? Accessories? Food?
|
|
5.
|
Identify merchandising and packaging strategies that SELL.
|
Marketing & Building Your Customer Base: This interactive class will teach you to generate revenue and cultivate customers with cost effective marketing tools including newsletters, direct mail, special events and web promotions. Establish yourself as an expert learning how to secure speaking engagements, free media and web exposure. Leave with a resource list, ready to execute a marketing plan that is right for you.
Instructor: Beth Johnston, President, Teas Etc., Inc.
By the end of this session you will be able to:
|
1.
|
Create, manage and use a customer list to increase sales.
|
|
2.
|
Generate marketing ideas and opportunities.
|
|
3.
|
Use the media, the community a public speaking to create buzz and dollars.
|
|
4.
|
Write and use powerful copy to generate revenue.
|
|
5.
|
Create strategies to develop and execute a successful marketing plan.
|
Using Technology to Manage Your Tea Room: The point-of-sale system is a powerful resource for rapidly executing transactions, collecting sales data, managing inventory, and storing customer information. We will highlight key features of a point-of-sale system, including integration with accounting systems to improve financial performance.
Instructor: Ronald Eng, Owner, Infusions of Tea
By the end of this session you will be able to:
|
1.
|
Implement strategies to purchase and configure a POS system that is appropriate for your business.
|
|
2.
|
Actively monitor financial performance against expectations.
|
|
3.
|
Identify tools available to build your own promotional materials.
|
|
4.
|
Quickly generate a web presence to complement your retail store.
|
|
5.
|
Reduce theft and loss of critical information.
|
Reality Check: America is currently in the midst of its third renaissance of tea entrepreneurs in 230 years. We’ll look at how the business of tea has swept through our culture in the past and how modern cultural needs are driving the current tea awakening. A career as a tea business owner is more than a dream. It demands countless hours of hard labor, constant study, and a generous supply of capital. This class will help you decide if you’re ready to turn your tea lifestyle into a vocation.
Instructor: Bruce Richardson, Owner, Elmwood Fine Teas and Benjamin Press
By the end of this session you will be able to:
|
1.
|
Identify the factors that are influencing America’s thirst for tea.
|
|
2.
|
Define the style and location of your business.
|
|
3.
|
Incorporate your unique talents into the character of your tea business.
|
|
4.
|
Keep your business mentally healthy and economically viable.
|
|
5.
|
Decide if your love for tea is only a dream, or if you have the passion, talent and resources to succeed as a business owner.
|
Program Cost - $650.00
Classes are limited to 30 attendees each. You must register quickly to guarantee your space. Registration Now Open.
|
