Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Jordan Jed, owner of Longfellow's Coffee, located in Kinnelon & Mahwah, NJ, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Longfellow's Coffee started in 2004 as a 7' x 17' drive-thru kiosk in Kinnelon, NJ. Founded by Bruce Jed and his son Jordan, a culinary school graduate who worked as a chef for many years. It quickly became the go-to spot in the area for both your morning cup of coffee and your afternoon pick-me-up. Its success was rooted in a powerful commitment to make the customer experience exceptional by providing high-quality coffee and tea products with fast, convenient service. That promise to customers remains today.

Once that commitment was made, deciding what to provide and how to provide it was easy. The kiosk has no speaker box—it's quicker to go out and take orders from the customers in line. That way, an order for a cup of coffee doesn't get stuck behind one for three large lattes and a smoothie. The menu includes a wide variety of beverages and snacks, always served with convenient, fast, friendly service.

As the years passed, the menu grew to include fresh-baked pastries, breakfast and lunch items, the very popular all-natural Whole Fruit Smoothies, and many more beverages. Longfellow's Coffee is a popular destination in the Kinnelon area, serving more than 325 vehicles a day.
Sadly, Bruce passed away in 2016. But the popularity of Longfellow's Coffee in Kinnelon continued to grow. So in November 2018, Longfellow's Coffee expanded to Mahwah, NJ. This store is a walk-in location. You can grab-and-go or stay-and-hang. And while not a drive-thru, it has the space that allows us to prepare food, pastries, and beverages that can be purchased at both locations, thus enhancing the selection at our original drive-thru in Kinnelon.

At both stores, our variety of lattes, smoothies, cold brews, to name a few, is unlimited, driven by our culinary imaginations and our customers' requests. Jordan is a master at combining flavors for exciting, new beverage tastes. We understand not everyone wants the same thing. We embrace the individuality of each customer, so most items on our menu can be customized to suit a specific taste, diet, or allergy. The tried-and-true favorites are available all year, and new taste combinations are offered seasonally.

At the Mahwah store, customers enjoy an extended food menu along with our already large beverage selection. Local artists display their works, and comedians and musicians periodically perform. You can enjoy a cappuccino while watching The Froth comedy show or catching a local musician.

Longfellow's Coffee has always put the customer experience as its number one priority. Over the years and continuing today, we are always looking for ways to improve, listening to our customers, incorporating their feedback, and anticipating their needs.

Tell us about yourself

I started this business with visions of growing Longfellow's Coffee into a small chain of coffeehouses. Although this hasn't happened (yet), I do have two locations. I take pride in the products we prepare and the associates we employ. I love the vibe our stores have. I think I go to Longfellow's Coffee every day as the owner because, if I didn't own it, I would go as a customer.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I believe that one of my biggest accomplishments as a business owner is the staff. Hiring great people and identifying the outliers to promote and nurture into leaders has never been a simple task. Creating systems that allow our people to achieve their goals while the business grows is ongoing and very satisfying.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Owning a business reminds me of having a newborn baby. It can be 24 hours, seven days a week, with the feeling that it will never end. Being "always-on" is one of the biggest challenges.

I've gotten calls at 3 am that an employee is sick and needs coverage for an opening shift. Which is much better than when I check the cameras (which I do every single day) to make sure the opening people are in…, and they are not. I have to get into action immediately to get the store open.

Most of the time, when I'm not at the stores, I'm at my home office paying bills, marketing, updating our website, updating our menu, updating recipes…and the list goes on.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Truly understand that this is a business. You may love what you do, but if you are not making money, you don't have a business. Keep those costs under control. Do your own bookkeeping. If you can, take an accounting class.
  2. Your staff is extremely important. They are also your biggest expense. Hire people with passionate personalities who are willing to learn and do a better job each day. I tend to hire more on attitude and less on skill. You can't fix a negative employee, but you can help a good one grow.
  3. There is a lot that goes into opening and running a business, and it can be overwhelming. Don't try to do everything at once. Don't expect to know everything. Expect that you will make mistakes. Expect that others will make mistakes. But most of all, don't give up. Figure it out. And if that doesn't work, figure it out again.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://longfellows.coffee/
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/longfellowscafe
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/longfellowscoffeenj/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanjed/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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