Lindsay Hogg

Name:

Lindsay Hogg

Business:

Café Lucca

Web site:

Years in business:

Number of businesses:

1

I had always thought about setting up my own business until one day someone I knew told me that they wanted to sell their café. I thought why not, I was fed up of watching the world go buy, and knew that if I didn’t give it a shot now then I nether would. I finally took the plunge and a left a steady job of four years.

I turned the café into an Italian coffee shop that serves authentic Italian coffees and lunches to the Hartlepool population.

Although the business has only been going for three weeks I have loved every bit of it and I’m learning all the time. I won’t lie, everything has been a challenge. I have nether worked in the catering industry let alone ran my own business so it was a completely new experience. I took an intensive course prior to the opening and met up with the council to gain advice on how to go about recruiting staff.

I’ve had next to no social life since it started, but it hasn’t been an issue. I’ve been so absorbed by the business, I’m constantly thinking of new ideas and new ways to improve. I’ve really enjoyed it but it still hasn’t sunk in yet that I’m my own boss.

The main success I’ve enjoyed so far is simply getting the business off the ground and making a real go of it. We’ve already enjoyed more customers than the previous owners achieved. I’ve felt that this business is mine and I’ve really engrained my way of doing things into the way its run. We’ve already started to think of new ways of making ourselves different. We’ve recently introduced a book swapping scheme open to the customers.

I have been supported fantastically by my family. They often come to the café for a meal and have really got behind me. My mum especially has been a real rock. She often works at the restaurant unpaid and has given me so much encouragement. Business Link have also been great, they’ve offered us a grant for advertising.

I have high aspirations for my business. We want to extend into the delivery market and we’re currently looking to employ delivery staff. We are also applying for an alcohol license. Eventually one day I want to open another shop and really grow the business.

I think the secret behind being a good entrepreneur is having that get up and go attitude. You have to be really motivated and enthusiastic about your business idea. You have to realise that to make the business a success it is done to one person…you. You need to give yourself that opportunity and belief that it can be a success.

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