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Today’s idea is unique as this is something that has never been done before!
Imagine a duplex cafe where entrepreneurs in Malaysia all gather at with multiple different sections, each with their own purpose.
Another special feature of this cafe is membership access, where application is needed. The reason for application is we want to keep this cafe unique, where only entrepreneurs can access.
Entrepreneur Membership Application
To access this cafe, the entrepreneur need to fill in a form with the following details:
1: Name
2: Company name
3: Brief detail on their business
4: What they are good at
5: What they are looking for
6: Linkedin profile
Once you as the owner approved the membership application, the members will pay a certain amount per month (i.e RM5 to RM30) and get access to 3 things in this duplex entrepreneur’s cafe:
1: Networking Area – Ground Floor
2: Cafe and Coworking Style Working Area – 1st Floor
3: Consultation Room – 1st Floor
They will get access to the cafe either via app or thumbprint, as long as payment is made each month.
1: Networking Area (Ground Floor)
Entrepreneurs who come in can get free flow coffee/tea or water via machines. And perhaps a vending machine for light snacks. Everything is automated and the place will not have staff that serve.
Once they have gotten their drink, they can then meet other entrepreneurs in the cafe and network.
This is beneficial as entrepreneurs who pay for this type of membership already know the person they meet in this cafe is also an entrepreneur/business owner.
Unlimited possibilities can happen here as you may meet a fellow entrepreneur to collaborate or give business advice.
It’s always easier and more creative to see things from an outside perspective, this networking style with multiple entrepreneurs can potentially give you fresh idea to business challenges within your company or even work out a collaboration.
In the membership application, there are 2 fields for what they are good at, and what are they looking for. If you as the owner happen to see entrepreneur A has what entrepreneur B is looking for, you can act as the matchmaker to connect both of them.
Ground floor is purely for makan and networking, if the entrepreneur does not wish to network on that day, they may proceed to the 1st floor for productive work instead.
2: Cafe and Coworking Style Working Area (1st Floor)
This is the area where entrepreneurs can work, think of it like a coworking space where people from different companies sit together and work.
If you wish to have a different environment to execute on productive work, besides your office/home, this cafe is the place to go.
Imagine the energy of working with entrepreneurs left right centre, this energy is different compared to you working alone at home or in the office with your employees.
This concept by Codie Sanchez is thought-provoking:
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/eq3ze8izu_I
3: Consulting Room (1st Floor)
Moving onto the consulting room!
Imagine the networking area on Ground floor like the typical networking event you go to, while the working area on 1st floor is like the typical cafe/coworking hotdesk area, this consultation room idea is also inspired from elsewhere.
Usually when we face any problems with our health, we will either go to a GP clinic or hospital in serious cases. Imagine if the sickness is not cured each time, eventually the body won’t be able to take it.
The same situation can be applied to an entrepreneur when running a business. When you are faced with new challenges that you have not seen before, it has the potential to either make your business fail or get you to the next level.
What if there are experienced entrepreneurs that you can consult and “pick their brain”
Perhaps the problem can be solved, as they might have faced the same roadblock back then in their business.
This is where the consultation room idea comes in.
You as the owner of the cafe can work with experienced business owners in different fields and expertise, where they can come in like a “doctor” and interested entrepreneurs can make a booking and consult on hourly charges. Subsequent follow ups can be arranged as well, just like doctor follow ups.
The entrepreneurship journey is lonely, this idea of having the opportunity to speak with experienced entrepreneurs is like having a consultant, therapist, and mentor all in one.
How This Entrepreneur’s Cafe Can Make Money
Here comes the interesting part, how can you as the owner of the cafe make money and sustain the business?
Given that not everyone can access and visit the cafe, unlike a typical cafe.
1: Memberships – Operate like a SAAS
Think of your cafe like a SAAS model, where customers are billed automatically on a recurring basis via credit card, until they cancel, which they will then lose the access to visit the cafe.
To have longer stick rate, you can also consider to do 2 months free if they pay yearly.
However, it’s important to screen and make sure the people who signed up as member are entrepreneur/business owner (can be at any level, but they must own/co-own a business)
With this SAAS model in place, the cafe becomes interesting to a future buyer should you wish to sell in the future, as there will be predictable monthly recurring income.
2: Yearly Retreat
When we graduate primary/high school or even uni, there will be a trip where everyone in the same class/course in the same phase of life go together to have fun.
The same can be applied to entrepreneurship, organise a year end retreat each year to different places, where only members of the cafe can go.
It’s great to unwind with a nice retreat, and personally I often get my best ideas for my business while relaxing outside of the office. Business deals can also happen during this retreat as you spend more time among different entrepreneurs and go from stranger to friends.
Besides leisure activities during the retreat, you can also organise short sessions where speakers share their knowledge on a specific business topic. So we are combining both fun and business knowledge sharing.
If retreat is something that is too difficult to execute, you can have a 1-day entrepreneur conference instead.
3: Sponsorship
This is probably the easiest revenue generator.
You now have a targeted group of entrepreneurs contact in your database. Your data is highly specific instead of rojak!
Any business who is targeting entrepreneurs can look for you and request for an email blast.
For example, an accounting software that helps businesses save time and organise their books can sponsor your email newsletter instead of running the typical Google/Facebook ads.
Besides email, you can also start a podcast and interview your members about their business stories or weekly business tips from different members in the cafe.
Overtime, as the podcast gain listeners, this is another avenue for sponsorship.
4: Profit Sharing From Consulting Room
As the consultation is paid, you can arrange for a 80:20 profit sharing with the experienced entrepreneur that provides consultation.
Conclusion
This is probably the most unique or crazy business idea from me.
Definitely hard as hell to execute, but if you can do it, this is a business that is profitable and fulfilling as you bring entrepreneurs together and let the magic happen!
If you are looking for more inspiration, here are the other business ideas to consider.
