Before Carl Ludwig, I had notes, pictures, and a spreadsheet full of guesses. It felt like progress. It wasn't. What moved us forward was one decision: putting a date and a number on paper. Most of you don't need more information. You need the next step, done. So here's your one action for this week (30 minutes, a coffee and a pen): ✅ 1. Write your target opening month. Not "someday." A month and a year. ✅ 2. Write the budget range you can realistically invest. Honest, not hopeful. ✅ 3. Write the ONE thing you'll finish before next Sunday. That's your contract with yourself. Take a closer look in the Classroom if you want the template 👉 A contract with myself Then comment: DONE + your city + your opening month. I read every one and I'll reply to you personally. Already open? Your one action: compare last month's coffee price per kg with what you paid a year ago. If the number surprises you, comment PROFIT. It's not easy, but we'll figure it out. Together. P.S. In January we're doing this properly, for 5 days together. More soon. ☕

Hi everyone! Juan encouraged me to share my initial business plan with the community. This is still very much a work in progress, but after concentrating almost entirely on perfecting my sourdough breads, I'm beginning to look at the bigger picture and what it would actually take to turn my hobby into a viable business. I have run my own business before, which I closed after 12 years, so I'm not completely new to entrepreneurship. However, the food and hospitality industry is an entirely different field for me, and I realize there's a lot I still need to learn. THE CONCEPT My original idea was to open a small artisan sourdough bakery. However, while developing my breads and calculating what I could realistically charge for a loaf, I started thinking about using those same breads to create sandwiches instead. That gradually evolved into the idea of a small bakery café offering freshly prepared sourdough sandwiches, a daily hot meal, homemade cakes and pastries, and good barista coffee. I'm envisioning a cozy café with approximately 20–30 seats, around 6–8 tables, and possibly a small reading corner. The business would offer both dine-in and takeaway service. I'm considering two neighboring towns in Bavaria, Germany. One is smaller and more convenient for me, while the other appears to have better weekday foot traffic. I've already started researching local competition and customer habits, but I haven't found suitable premises yet. BREAD AND SANDWICHES – MY MAIN SELLING POINT The foundation of my sandwich menu would be my own artisan sourdough breads, made using traditional fermentation methods. At the moment, I'm narrowing my selection down to three types: 1. A 100% rye sourdough. 2. A traditional German Bauernbrot (farmhouse bread) made with 70% rye and 30% wheat, which still needs some refinement. 3. My signature wheat sourdough, which I want to develop into a Mediterranean loaf with inclusions such as olives, sun-dried tomatoes, herbs, and cheese.