There is good news for budding entrepreneurs in Pittsburgh: for the past 10 years, the Midwestern city has been trending upwards in terms of growth. For Italians in Pittsburgh who are looking to invest in new business ventures, like opening the family-owned restaurant you’ve always dreamed about, this positive trend presents many exciting opportunities. In the technology sector alone, over $687 million dollars invested in Pittsburgh in 2017 by more than 250 venture capitalists from all over the world.
With a growing economy, there is no better time for Italians to capitalize on your positive qualities, like managing a family-owned restaurant or other culinary venture. All across America, Italian family traditions endure, with many famous restaurants serving the best Italian food for miles in nearly every state. Since there is no time like the present, now may be the perfect time in Pittsburgh to found an Italian food startup that can take advantage of the thriving economy and present growth opportunities in the city.
Seeking Out Investments and Funding
The first step in starting any new business is to seek out a way to fund the venture. Luckily, the Italian community in Pittsburgh is tight knit, making it easier to ask people in your own personal network of family and friends if they would be willing to invest in your restaurant. If not, there is always the option of finding a preferred credit card that is specifically for business owners, making the payment process more streamlined.
While it is possible to open a restaurant for $13,000 in total, you will want to make sure that you have or have raised enough money for at least one full quarter. The first six months are oftentimes the hardest, and you may have to seek out financial assistance from other investors in the Italian community or greater Pittsburgh area. When making any purchase in the beginning months of your operation, you should always ask yourself whether a purchase would improve your customer’s experience. If you answer is no, you should limit these types of purchases while in the beginning stages of bootstrapping.
The Foundation of Any Venture: Testing
In addition to counting on your family members and friends in the Italian community for investments, you can use them as your first test customers, as well. Italians know good food, and they will be the first people to tell you if your restaurant’s offerings are not up to par. The foundation of any successful venture is always devoting plenty of time and energy to testing, as this will tell you what customers really want.
Before you even set your menu, you should develop a range of recipes and try out these dishes on friends and family members. After tweaking the dish enough times, you will end up with a masterpiece that you can add to your regular menu, along with other traditional dishes or a chef’s special. Besides testing out the menu, you can also test out different marketing strategies, branding, and event planning to bring people into your restaurant.
After seeking out investments and doing plenty of testing, you can boostrap the Italian restaurant that you’ve always imagined opening and become the owner of your own small business venture in Pittsburgh.