The opportunity to venture out on his own and build a family-friendly business was all the incentive this busy health care professional needed to get started
For some people, entrepreneurism runs deep. Like with Minaj Patel, a new Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise owner in Pooler, Georgia, a bustling community near Savannah. Even though he’s been a busy and successful pharmacist for 10 years, he looks back fondly on the several years he and his family owned and operated a sandwich franchise — and he says he has been eager to have another business that’s entirely his own. When he and his wife, Mona, discovered Just Love, he knew they’d found their next opportunity.
What has led you back to owning and operating a business?
We enjoyed owning the restaurant but needed to sell it when I was in pharmacy school and had to move to Florida to complete my pharmaceutical training. Once I received my license, we moved back to Georgia and started our family. Since then we have been busy with children, and I have been enjoying my career as a pharmacist. But now the children are about to be in school full-time, and so my wife was starting to look around for opportunities. With Just Love, I will be able to continue working as a pharmacist, while she and I will both own and operate the cafe.
What helped Just Love stand out among your options?
As we began to look at franchise opportunities, we saw a lot with very high operating costs. The investment needed for many brands was beyond our range, entirely too high. The Just Love initial investment, however, was a figure that we felt we could afford through our own savings and a loan. The money aside, we looked at the business itself and thought it was so nice. We came to Nashville and toured the Brentwood location, which is a wonderful combination of modern and traditional. It was the little things: You go to some major chains and get coffee in a paper cup. At Just Love, you get a cup and saucer. We liked the authentic feel and modern vibe.
How has the onboarding process been?
The corporate team has been a huge help. They have come in to meet with us and our real estate broker, making sure that we find just the right spot. We are talking at least once a week and emailing continually, and if I need anything I get a response very quickly. They are a great resource not just as we work on our real estate, but also as we secure loans and all the other tasks needed to get set up. Now our lease has been finalized, and we’re looking to open in October or November.
How do you think Just Love is going to go over in your community?
People are going to really enjoy it. Just Love Coffee Cafe is so different; there are a lot of coffee shops, sure, but at others you go and wait in line, or wait at the drive-through, give your order and just go away. Here you’ll order, and then we bring everything to your table. And the food is very exciting! We love that we can make anything, even omelets, on the waffle iron. Nobody around here has anything like that, and the fact that we can offer breakfast, lunch and dinner means we can do business all day long. This is a unique concept, and nobody else here has the menu and feel that Just Love does.
After the launch of two successful locations in Brentwood and Nashville, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of an exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.
Ready to open a Just Love Coffee franchise?
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