“Well, you can try to go direct to shops, but most buy from specialty distributors, so you’ll want to contact one of them. Then, expect to give every store a case of product. They call these free fills, so they can test the shelf appeal. Also be prepared to give them marketing money to promote your product.”
Rocky named a range of costs.
Jo chewed the inside of her lip, listening. She hadn’t known about these extra costs. “That’s going to add up in a hurry.”
Rocky nodded. “You need to be prepared for these upfront expenses, but we’ll get to that part.”
They reviewed Rocky’s calculations on the project cost and revenue that Jo had penciled out for him. He’d turned it into a spreadsheet that gave her a lot more clarity—and opened more questions.
She tapped her fingers on the table. “So I’m going to need more cash to get this side of the business going.”
“I’m afraid so. You could take out a working capital loan with a bank. Or bring in a partner?—”
“No, not that.” Jo liked taking charge of her business and her life. Her mother had taught her that. Unwittingly, of course.
Jo glanced at her notes. She’d overheard some customers talking about their business one day. People ignored servers, but Jo was always listening. She’d learned a lot that way.
“What do you know about crowdfunding?”
Rocky leaned forward. “Personally, not much, but I can do some research. Those campaigns are all about kickstarting projects with preorders, so it might work well for this.”
Jo didn’t know anything about it. “I’ve presold some coffee sets, and a lot more than I expected. People are also signing up on my website to be notified when the coffee comes in. It’s just that paying for it all upfront is costly.”
Rocky’s face brightened. “That’s a good sign of interest. I can help you make sure the pricing and packing are on point. You’ll need to build in an advertising budget, too.”
“I appreciate that.” Jo knew her diner's revenue and ad costs, but this project would be a little different.
“You have a catchy concept,” Rocky said thoughtfully. “Have you ever thought of opening other locations?”
“No way I could afford that,” she replied. “I’m more comfortable with my coffee idea. It should be faster, too.”
“What made you want to do this project?” Rocky asked, focusing on her with interest.
She took a moment to arrange her thoughts, not wanting to sound like a victim or a saint.
“Our parents haven’t really been there for Hugo and me,” she finally replied. “I’ve done okay, but Hugo is smart, and he deserves a chance to be whatever he wants. Universities are expensive, and I don’t want to see him overburdened with loans. So I’ve been thinking of other ways to bring in more money to help him. He’s earned it, too. He worked a lot of afternoons and weekends for burgers and fries when I first got the place and couldn’t afford much help. And he was only a kid.”
Rocky gave her a warm smile at that. “That’s admirable, and I understand. You really need the additional income.”
Averting her eyes, Jo cast her gaze toward the sea. “It’s not easy to talk about money, even with friends. I didn’t grow up like the Bay family. My mom had to manage two kids on her own. With my grandmother’s help, she managed to keep a roof over our heads, but she didn’t like to ask for anything, and there wasn’t much left over from what she made. When I was younger, I was often embarrassed about how we lived.”
With eyes full of empathy, Rocky touched her arm. “When my brothers and sisters were young, our father was just starting his construction business. We had our share of lean times with five little kids in a two-bedroom place. Mom and Dad slept on a fold-out couch in the living room for a little while. Even after Dad’s business got underway, my sister Poppy and I still went to university on scholarships, grants, and some loans. So I understand your situation. I want to help, Jo. It’s not only about padding my resume. I admire what you’re doing. I admire you.”
Rocky’s hand was warm on her arm, and she liked it, much to her surprise. This was a different side to him, one she’d never seen. He was usually so cheerful and upbeat, as if nothing ever fazed him. He seemed untouched by trouble. Yet he’d known struggle, too.
“Thanks,” she said. “I feel better that you know and understand. I don’t really talk about my life outside of the diner except with one or two friends.”
Mostly Junie, but even she didn’t know everything that had happened with Jo’s mother. And Blue. They’d shared their miserable stories. But now, Jo wanted to put all that behind her. She had created a good life for herself, and she wanted Hugo to have that chance, too.
Rocky stroked his chin in thought. “Given what you’ve said, we could look into a crowdfunding campaign.”
“I’m not asking for charity.”
“That’s not what I mean. One where you’d presell your coffee and other products or experiences to raise funds for production to kickstart the project.”
Jo sipped her green tea, now that it had cooled a little. “I’m not sure how that works, but I’d want the campaign to fund the production run and some of my planned marketing and advertising.”
“You might not make much of a profit, but you could probably cover costs to keep going. Have you thought about what you could offer?”
