Frankly Speaking: Five things I’d do differently if I was starting my small business now, with what I’ve learnt

Have you ever wished for a time machine?

Nine months into our set-up process for Two Franks, I’ve been thinking about our journey so far. It’s dragged out. A lot more than we expected. 

At the beginning, we were raring to go, with aspirations of opening our doors within three months. Enthusiasm was rife. Now, questions about our progress come in a worried tone. 

If I think about this all too much it makes my head hurt.

While I can’t go back now, I’ve found there are a few valuable lessons I’ve learnt along the way. Don’t make the same mistakes we have — get your business off to a flying start. 

1. Finalise your floorplans

One of the most surprising speed humps we’ve had was access to a draughtsperson for our plans to submit to the council. 

We didn’t foresee that not only would it be difficult to find someone with availability, but their lead time would be so delayed. This meant extending our application deadline and having to repay $1360.80 (ouch) to submit a second time.

My tip? Have a rough idea of your floorplan when you settle on a location and get all your measurements down as soon as possible. You can actually ask the real estate agent and landlord if you can have access to do this even before the property is handed over. Then, start reaching out to draughting services as soon as you get the keys. 

By streamlining your floorplans, you’ll be ready sooner to apply to council for your planning permit.

2. Budget for rent during fit-out

With our goals of opening within three months, we hadn’t factored such long delays into our budget. The months have rolled on and the money has rolled out of our account to our landlord. Money that we wanted to invest into our fit-out is now gone without any income coming in. 

So, what should you do instead? It’s worth considering how much you estimate your fit-out budget to be, then adding the cost of six months’ rent on top as a buffer. If you find that the permits are flying through, reinvest that money into the fit-out and set-up costs where you can. 

3. Stay on top of your council contact

Like many industries, there’s a real skill shortage in local councils at the moment. Some teams are running on skeleton crews, which means email chains are slow, process times are at a glacial pace, and everything drags out far more than it should.

For us, we waited 28 days to receive our initial paperwork. At some points, days and weeks have gone by while we’ve waited for a response. 

Don’t let time pass you by. Be proactive. Reach out, make sure you get your contact on the phone every so often and try to develop a rapport. Understand that they too are under the pump, so be gentle, but make sure you’re kept at the front of their mind. 

4. Speak to your neighbours

Never underestimate the value of personal relationships to the success of your new business. For us, we have managed to speak to most of Two Franks’ neighbours, many of whom are supportive, excited and accommodating. 

However, there are some we just haven’t crossed paths with yet and we now find ourselves in a situation where there may be neighbourly issues ahead. 

My advice? Reach out as soon as possible – whether that’s door knocking or a note in their letterbox. Introduce yourself, explain your intentions and aim to be as accommodating as you can be.

Of course, you’re not always going to have great neighbours, and that’s okay too. But as long as you are kind, careful and courteous, you’ll have done your best to do right by them and have a better shot at getting their support. 

5. Seek out a town planner

Once I started speaking about the cafe opening, it was amazing how many current and former local council workers came out of the woodwork. 

Their guidance and understanding of council processes and protocol have been so invaluable as our plans pick up speed, to the point that I wish I had spoken to them right at the beginning of our journey.

So put the feelers out – is there anyone within your network with connections to a council? It doesn’t have to be the council your business is located in, as most within major cities have similar processes and guidelines for setting up a new business. 

Anyone with connections to town planning will be able to decipher red tape and guide you in the right direction, so their help is worth seeking out. 

This week marks a momentous occasion for Two Franks: the nerve-wracking council decision on our permit application. If approved, it’s full steam ahead. While it’s taken a while to get to this point, it’s thrilling to feel like things are finally moving. 

And, with the beauty of hindsight, at least now I know what to do should we ever open a second venue. In the meantime, I’ll be looking for that time machine.

Chryssie Swarbrick is a writer, small-business-juggler and mum of two. She is currently documenting her adventures in opening a cafe, Two Franks, opposite her childhood home.