Overview
Starting a new business is daunting, even if you're confident that you've got a game-changing idea or unrivalled product on your hands. We're here to help — we teamed up with the business solution experts at Square to chat to three stalwarts of Sydney's hospo scene, and got their key points for starting a small business.
The Love Tilly Group know a thing or two about getting a business off the ground. Matthew Swieboda, Nathanial Hatwell and Scott McComas-Williams are behind some of Sydney's best restaurants and wine bars, including Love, Tilly Devine, Ragazzi, Fabbrica, Dear Saint Éloise and Palazzo Salato.
Bitter Phew has been pouring craft beers from Australia and around the globe at its Oxford Street digs for a decade. Founded by Aaron Edwards and Jay Pollard, the upstairs bar was recognised as Australia's Best Beer Venue by the Australia Liquor Industry Awards in 2023, and voted Australia's Top Beer Venue by Beer & Brewer Magazine in 2020 and 2017.
Helmed by Kenny Graham and Jake Smyth, The Mary's Group started with a burger shop in Newtown in 2013. Since then, the group has expanded to open five other eateries, two music venues (Liberty Hall and Mary's Underground) and natural wine brand P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants.
From staying flexible and trialling new systems to the importance of communication and media, The Love Tilly Group, Bitter Phew and The Mary's Group share what they've uncovered from starting their respective businesses.
What were the most important steps you took before opening your business?
"We opened our first business, Love, Tilly Devine, in the backstreets of Darlinghurst way back in 2010. We were young and built the business on the smell of an oily rag with the idea of giving the people of Sydney access to premium and exciting wines, without the preconceived notion that wine bars needed to be stuffy," shared Managing Director Nathanial Hatwell. "At the time, we didn't know where this journey would take us, but the concept of Love Tilly still rings true to this day. Nailing that concept was fundamental to the success of the group that we have become."
Though staying true to your original concept and brand is important, it's also vital to be able to adapt. Prior to opening each Mary's venue, Kenny Graham and Jake Smyth have tried to reevaluate and evolve the brand from its original roots on Newtown's back streets. "As we grow as people and as a company, we want to open the doors wider, metaphorically speaking. We wanted our own kids to be excited about going to a Mary's venue. [We tried to] Embrace current popular culture more, expand the offering a little, and make it fun for a wider range of people."
Bitter Phew's Aaron Edwards had some practical tips. "Work on engaging events to garner new customers and help build your base." He added, "Have enough liquid cash — try to have reserves for those ups and down in the first year. Where possible, avoid borrowing excessive money as you want to have the freedom to work on your business."
What's one key thing you wish you knew before you opened your doors?
"As we've grown, systems and processes have been introduced in order to streamline our operations. Some of those have been trial and error, which have unfortunately cost us time and money," responded Hatwell. "In retrospect, we could have been better at doing our research in the lead-up and ensuring that the correct systems were introduced from the get-go."
Edwards focused on the importance of communication, branding and media. "I thought that what we were doing would get enough attention, so I didn't push media enough. I would partner with media partners earlier and communicate clearly how you are building a diverse and interesting offering for the community."
Graham and Smyth had a similar answer. "Speed, options, and clear and concise visual information is a must. People need to know at a glance who you are, what you do, and how they go about getting it. Barriers to entry need to be removed at any point."
Nikki To
What methods did you use to generate buzz and attract customers before opening?
All three businesses emphasised the significance of communication, marketing and media. "Over the years, we've been lucky enough to work with some of the best in the industry when it comes to marketing, PR and social media engagement, which we continue to rely upon to this day," said Hatwell.
Bitter Phew had an advantage by "Making sure our socials were up and running before [opening], and connecting with key influential people in our industry to ensure we were on the right track."
"Great communication at every point is key," explained Graham and Smyth. "We engaged with local businesses and the community, and we spent months working on new branding ideas to help introduce ourselves to what we perceived as a new market. We engaged our PR Agency, Electric Collective, to help land some important media pieces. We staged a marketing campaign via our own social media and EDM channels. Little by little and piece by piece, it helps towards creating a structured and controlled narrative."
Trent Van Der Jagt
How did Square help you stay organised?
"Square makes the POS side of things super easy. It's modern tech for a modernising industry, and it takes the time and pain out of what used to be a laborious process," shared Graham and Smyth. "The system looks great, operates fluently and allows us to tap into our business instantly. We can check the app on our phone and see how business is going. The ease of transparency allows us to use the tools available to us to operate a more dynamic business. They say that retail is detail and Square helps us greatly with keeping our eyes on the important things."
"The Square dashboard is phenomenal, providing oversight across all of our venues on a day-to-day basis," added Hatwell. "The payment terminals are super user-friendly and allow us the opportunity to customise the guest experience."
Find out how Square can kickstart your business at squareup.com.