01 / RESOURCES
Opening your first
coffee shop
Practical help for first-time UK founders — based on what I learned actually opening one.
Start hereMARK GRAHAM / BUSINESS OWNER & CREATOR
I have ideas.
I try them.
I share
what happens.
Business owner, founder of KULT and serial starter of things. I share the decisions, mistakes, numbers and occasionally good ideas along the way.
BUSINESSES BUILT.IDEAS TESTED.LESSONS LEARNED.STILL FIGURING IT OUT.
A BIT OF CONTEXT
Well, that
escalated.
I opened my first coffee shop with no previous café ownership experience, spent considerably more than I expected, learned a ridiculous amount and somehow ended up with even more ideas afterwards.
This site is where I’m putting the useful bits.
A little more about me ↗CURRENTLY ON THE GO
Things I’m building.
Opening your first
02 / STORIESCOMING SOON
The Indie
Project
Independent business owners across Britain. What they’ve built. What it really takes.
Follow the project03 / THE REAL THING
KULT.
Where it started.
The coffee shop that started most of this. Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne.
Visit KULTCONSULTANCY
Practical experience.
A fresh perspective.
Support for independent businesses, community venues and people turning an idea into something real.
I’ve spent 12 years managing a community centre, founded Evolution Management Solutions and opened KULT in Gosforth. Alongside over 18 years’ marketing experience, that has given me a hands-on understanding of the decisions, people and day-to-day work behind a business.
My experience covers venue operations, school and community lettings, bookings, staffing, rotas, budgets, marketing and opening a business from scratch.
Enquire about consultancyTell me what you’re working on and where you need help. We’ll discuss the scope and a quote before any work begins.
Where I can help.
- Business & operations
- Review how things run, identify the practical sticking points and put clearer processes, responsibilities and priorities in place.
- Community venues & lettings
- Support with bookings, venue use, staffing and promotion, drawing on years of managing community facilities and school lettings.
- Coffee shops & new ventures
- Talk through your idea, setup plans and operational questions with someone who has been through the premises search, fit-out and opening process.
- Marketing & visibility
- A practical look at your messaging, social content and how you present your business, with focused support where you need it.
One-off reviews or ongoing support, agreed around your business. For dedicated coffee-shop resources and planning sessions, visit the Coffee Shop page.
OTHER SERVICES
Social Media
& Marketing.
A fresh perspective. Better content. Practical support.
With over 18 years’ experience in marketing, I regularly review, edit and put together social media content for clients — helping businesses communicate clearly and show up consistently.
- Social media reviews
- A clear look at your profiles and content, with practical suggestions on what to improve.
- Content planning & editing
- Help shaping ideas, refining copy and bringing posts together so they sound like your business.
- Ongoing marketing support
- Regular, hands-on help with your social content and marketing priorities, tailored to what you need.
One-off help or ongoing support. Tell me what you have in mind and we can discuss the right approach and a quote.
Let’s talk about
your business.
For consultancy or social media support, tell me a little about what you need.
NOT ANOTHER DAILY EMAIL
Occasionally useful.
Always from me.
Emails about business, projects and things I’m trying.