How Three Small Independent Coffee Shops Started Their Businesses

This article is part of a series on people who have made successful careers for themselves without having a college degree.Rachel Nieves was 19 and working part time at Armani when she met someone who said her personality would do well in the car business.At first, she had no idea what that meant.Ms.

Nieves had started attending Fordham University in 2008 on a full scholarship, but her new job as a call center representative for an auto business soon earned her $120,000 a year.She realized that her major — first math, then psychology — was unlikely to quickly get her an equivalent salary, so she dropped out of school.She stayed in the auto business for about a decade, eventually making $200,000 in a year.

When the Covid-19 pandemic arrived in 2020, Ms.Nieves began to question her career.“Money’s important for us to survive, but it’s no longer worth missing life for,” Ms.

Nieves, now 34, said.“Starting a coffee shop was a risk I wanted.

I’m grateful for my past, but wanted something more fulfilling.”Starting a food business can be immensely difficult because the high cost of rent, food and labor often results in slim profit margins.But coffee businesses are easier to start because coffee can sell at high-profit margins and operate in smaller spaces.

In addition, coffee shops can make themselves known for their specialty drinks and use their menu as a marketing tool.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe....