For National Author's Day on November 1, Crimson Cup's Greg Ubert Celebrates the 300 Independent Coffee Shops that Opened Using his 7 Steps to Success Book
In 2003, Crimson Cup Founder and President Greg Ubert published the first edition of Seven Steps to Success: a Common-Sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee. Now in its second printing, the book has inspired over 300 business owners and managers to create thriving independent coffee shops in their local communities.
COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- For National Authors Day on November 1, Greg Ubert, founder and president of award-winning coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, is sharing the passion and commitment that led him to write Steps to Success: a Common-Sense Guide to Succeed in Specialty Coffee.
"I wrote this book because I found entrepreneurs needed a proven process for opening and running a coffeehouse in their local communities," Ubert said. "I saw too many small business owners make critical errors in their businesses."
Now in its second printing, the book has inspired over 300 entrepreneurs to open independent coffee shops in their local communities.
The 7 Steps story began in 1991. A recent Harvard graduate, Ubert found he couldn't fall in love with computer software at his first job.
Meanwhile, he discovered a passion for coffee and saw a growing opportunity in the first wave of the specialty coffee movement.
So, he returned to his hometown of Columbus, Ohio and started a coffee roasting business with a tiny roaster in a one-room office. With little business experience – and none in the coffee industry – he learned coffee roasting from the grounds up.
Ubert decided his mission would be to blend and roast a better cup of coffee. "I thought people could taste the difference," he said. "And my customers did!"
When it came to making a profit, however, some of his coffeehouse customers struggled.
"As a small business owner, I truly dislike seeing small businesses fail, so I decided to help," he said.
He studied coffee shop operations, developing a service platform called 7 Steps to Success. This proven roadmap teaches entrepreneurs with little or no coffee experience how to run a profitable coffee shop based on exceptional quality, service and other factors.
"The Seven Steps program offers a proven system for success in every area of the business: the store layout and design, the products, the equipment purchasing, the operations manuals, and the marketing materials," Ubert said.
"The book also includes a coffee shop business plan," he added. "We don't expect future business owners to be accountants, but we want them to know the numbers. That's extremely important if you want to make a profit!"
From concept through opening day, 7 Steps coffee shop startup consultants walk new coffee shop owners through every step.
"As a coffee roaster, we want our coffee shop customers to be really successful," Ubert said. "Our philosophy is that Crimson Cup succeeds only when our customers do."
As each new shop nears completion, a 7 Steps Trainer arrives on site to show owners and staff how to prepare drinks and run the coffee shop. After several days of hands-on training in the new shop, the trainer stays on to ensure that opening day goes well.
Some Crimson Cup customers have opened several coffee shops through the 7 Steps program.
Coffee Jerks, a growing Oklahoma chain of local, independent coffee shops, opened its first location in November 2018. Partners Kenny Wooldridge and Preston Moon and investor Chris Rutherford now own shops in Oklahoma City, Edmond and Yukon, Oklahoma.
"Crimson Cup has given us the confidence to grow knowing we have our coffee supplies consistent and taken care of," Moon said. "They offer an excellent product, training support and access to continuing education."
"We wouldn't be in the position of growth or operate three locations without Crimson Cup in our corner."
Ubert said he's happy with all the businesses that have opened unique, independent coffee shops by following his book and program.
"Our true joy at Crimson Cup comes from seeing independent business owners having fun while making sure their long, hard hours translate into profit," he said.
About Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea
Columbus, Ohio coffee roaster Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea is celebrating 30 years of Coffee + Community. Since May 1991, Crimson Cup has roasted sustainably sourced craft coffee for consumers and wholesale coffee customers. It is a 2020 Good Food Award winner, 2019 Golden Bear Champion for Small Franchise/Chain Roaster and Roast magazine's 2016 Macro Roaster of the Year.
Through its 7 Steps to Success coffee franchise alternative program, the company teaches entrepreneurs to run independent coffee houses in their local communities. By developing a coffee shop business plan, entrepreneurs gain insight into how much it costs to open a coffee shop.
Crimson Cup also supports life-enriching projects through its Friend2Farmer™ initiatives, promoting the education, health, sustainability and economic growth of small-plot coffee farmers and their communities.
Crimson Cup coffee is available through over 350 independent coffee houses, grocers, college and universities, restaurants and food service operations across 30 states, Guam and Bangladesh. The company also operates several Crimson Cup Coffee Houses and a new Crimson retail flagship store. To learn more, visit crimsoncup.com, or follow the company on Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contact
Cheryl Claypoole, Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea, 614-361-5023, [email protected]
SOURCE Crimson Cup Coffee & Tea

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