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FRIENDLY PAWS
BUSINESS PLAN
Ana Rosero
1003 Hawk Drive, New Paltz, NY 12561
[email protected] & 929-332-3155
11/17/22
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Friendly Paws is a cat café, which is a café with a cat theme. In the communal area,
customers will eat breakfast and lunch surrounded by cute small furry faces. Amid our rescue
kitties, you may unwind, concentrate, or have fun. Additionally, customers can pay a small fee to
spend private time in the playroom with the cats. Friendly Paws will serve as a therapeutic, fun
space for people of all ages—children, adults, teenagers, and the elderly.
Opportunity:
Friendly Paws will provide New Paltz with a unique place for locals & tourists to hang
out. Currently, New Paltz is known for its bars/restaurants, and because it is a new industry that
is gaining popularity in the U.S., a cat café is likely to prosper. Since there are now no
competitors in this highly inventive sector of the economy that is expanding quickly in the United
States, Friendly Paws will also give the town a new significance and likely attract visitors from
well beyond the Town of New Paltz. (“Cat Café Business”).
Solution:
Cat cafés have the potential to be more profitable than traditional cafes because they
can attract larger crowds of customers for a longer average visitation duration than traditional
cafes. (“Cat Café Trend”). The fact that people will likely spend more money on drinks is
because people spend more time in cat cafes than they would in a traditional cafe. Cat cafes
are popular with families, kids, and people who have free time to sit down, have a drink, and
play with the cats.
Requested Investment:
I am requesting $100,000 in investment to open Friendly Paws ("How to Start"). Every
penny will be spent on the location, and a lease will cost anywhere from $5,000 to over $8,000
per month on average (LoopNet). Other costs, as I will explain in the financial section of my
plan, will cover a lease, renovations, and fees for the license and permits.
Expected Returns for Investors:
The expected returns for my investors will be about 25% of our revenue. This will be
based on our estimated yearly sales, with our target-based customers. The market & industry
will also experience an increase of 4% within the next couple of years ("Cat Café Business").
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COMPANY OVERVIEW:
Friendly Paws wants to become the area's favorite hangout spot. Catering to people of
all ages, we will be a friendly place where you can socialize and spend your free time. Of
course, the main attraction is the cats. We want to spread happiness to the residents of New
Paltz and our company's motto is: “Caffeine & Cuddles.”
Mission Statement:
Our goal is to help the emotional and mental health of our customers by making them
smile. Friendly Paws will be a safe place they will seek out.
Company History:
My business was founded after visiting a cat café in Brooklyn, NY. The experience itself
is what I want New Paltz to experience for themselves. Since I am from the city where there are
a handful of cat cafes that I can access. I wanted to make such a café accessible for the
residents who don’t own a car. Ever since I’ve been here, I’ve longed to stop by the cat café. I
also miss my cats back home and being a cat owner, I know what great emotional support
animals they are. Therefore, I wanted to start a cat café because it’s the one thing that New
Paltz needs.
Management Team:
The founder of Friendly Paws is Ana Rosero (myself) I am 18 years old, from Queens
NY, and currently a first-year student at SUNY New Paltz. I was born in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Fun fact I have two cats named Angel & Luna.
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EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT:
Interesting/relevant information about the New Paltz region:
New Paltz is a very well-liked tourist destination. Visitors come here for hiking, rock
climbing, biking, and sightseeing because of the area's convenient access to the Wallkill Valley
Rail Trail, the Mohonk Preserve, and Minnewaska State Park Preserve. In the bustling hamlet
one can find restaurants supplying food from all over the world, unique shops, antique shops,
and a breathtaking view of Skytop on the Shawangunk Ridge. The Samuel Dorsky Museum of
Art, live theater, and a variety of hotels are available to locals and guests at SUNY New Paltz.
(“Our Region”). The community is bustling with business, and the 8,000 SUNY students
regularly brighten up the streets and stores (Lasky).
Why is the Town of New Paltz a good location for your business?
Since New Paltz is mostly a college town and many students are regularly stressed out
after their exams and midterms, it is an ideal location for Friendly Paws. They lack the emotional
capabilities to lessen stress. So, it makes sense that students looking to unwind from their
worries would find a cat café appealing.
College students can work or study while sipping coffee and taking in the most serene
creatures. The first benefit of my concept is that, unlike a regular café, it serves a highly
specialized customer, giving me the opportunity to differentiate myself from rivals by offering a
fresh idea to a niche market. People who adore cats are more likely to frequent cat cafes, which
are popular for holding children’s birthday parties, family celebrations, and special occasions
with friends. A day of relaxation or even working on a laptop is likely to draw customers to a cat
café, as is commonly the case in Japan (Diaz).
Hudson Valley Region:
The Hudson Valley has a distinctive culture that combines local pride with weekend
visitors from New York City looking for a break from the Big Apple. Hudson Valley is a never-
ending treasure trove of adventure with cultural centers like New Paltz and historical places like
Hyde Park. Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, and Ulster counties make up the Middle Hudson Valley.
This area is renowned for its picturesque and historic riches, with its rolling hills, grand
mansions, and the Shawangunk and Catskill Mountain ranges. The beautiful Hudson Highlands
dominate the banks on each side of the Hudson as it narrows (“Hudson River Valley”). People
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will be drawn to my business, since Hudson valley is popular with tourists taking a break from
the city. They can enjoy my café since I will be the only one located in New Paltz, versus the
nearest cat café located in Beacon, NY. Which is about a 30-minute drive away from New Paltz.
Industry Analysis:
Friendly Paws falls under the NAICS category of café industry. The market for cafes is
predicted to grow significantly between 2023 and 2030. The market is growing faster than in
previous years. More coffee is being consumed by customers of all ages, which has boosted
sector growth and sped up expansion in the café sector. The main forces behind the café
industry are the millennial generation, full-time workers, urbanites, parents of children under 18,
and teenagers. People who work already spend a lot of time at home and at work, thus there is
a growing need for the café business. As a result, industry marketing strategies are closely
related to the way of life that the businesses supporting the growth of the café sector are
promoting (“Cafe Market Size”). A third of all cat cafes that opened in 2019 were in tiny
communities with fewer than 30,000 residents. Towns with fewer than ten thousand residents
are home to 16% of all cafes that have opened in 2019 (“Cat Café Trends”). My business fits
perfectly into Americas growing café industry. With the trendiest cat cafes starting off in small
towns, New Paltz will be the perfect place to grow. (Please see Fig. 1, Fig. 2, and Fig.3).
Figure 1 (“How to Start”)
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Figure 2 (“Cat Café Trends”)
Figure 3 (“Global Coffee Shop”)
MARKET ANALYSIS:
Target Market and Customer Analysis:
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People who adore cats are more likely to frequent cat cafes. Of the estimated 85.8
million cats in America, 35% of households have one. Many people enjoy cats, and those who
don't have the time or space to care for them often visit places like cat cafes to express their
desire to socialize with the adorable animal. The target audience's enthusiasm shows that the
business will soon reach its peak point (“Cat Café Business”). Overall, we plan to target people
from New Paltz & outside New Paltz. Our customers will be of all ages, gender, race, and class.
With NP being a college town, we plan to also have many students who want to hang out with
friends or study at my café.
Competitive analysis:
Opening a cat café should allow me to avoid direct competition with other cafes in the
Town of New Paltz. As of right now, there are standard coffee shops, but mine is a clear
difference. So, competition will be. Even so, I believe the food that is served at Friendly Paws,
needs to be tasty food customers can enjoy. We will serve custom food that fits our theme to
make our food presentable and attractive to patrons. How our café looks on the inside and
outside is also particularly important in competition; we want to become a place where
consumers can upload images to social media platforms of their experience in the café.
SWOT Analysis:
Strengths:
• My business is the only Cat Café in
New Paltz within a close distance
(“Allison Kay”)
• My Cat Café will cater to all residents
of New Paltz including adults, teens,
children, & elderly.
• It is a relatively new industry in
America but a popularized industry in
Asia (“Blue Zones”)
Weaknesses:
• I have no experience in the café
industry
• There will be some potential newfound
competitors in the area
• There are little to no Industry Statistics
on cat cafes
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• My Location is an old coffee shop
walking distance from SUNY New
Paltz & town so you can use all travel
methods (“LoopNet”)
• The cats that will be in our café will
be adoptable & rescues (“Animal
Wellness”)
• Initial startup costs will include
maintenance of the cats (“Excited
Cats”)
• Those that are allergic to cats will
refrain from attending the café
(“Excited Cats”)
Opportunities:
• We will attract townspeople, tourists,
& other new consumers
• Because cats are popular, we will
become popular amongst college
students (“Rousselle”)
• Playing with cats therapeutic for all
people (“Ehtram”)
• We plan to become partners with
local companies such as the
veterinary clinic & pet store.
Threats:
• New cat café in the district
• Because we are new, we may lack
customers
• Café furniture can be damaged by cats
• Cats often fight with one another,
which could increase vet bills
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Marketing Plan:
My marketing plan is promoting the café by the theme. I want patrons to enjoy the scenery of
the café itself. There will be cat themed pastries, breakfast, coffee, snacks, treats, & lunch. This
will make the café more aesthetically pleasing. I also plan to make the cats adoptable so
patrons can look no further & adopt the cats from the café. I will create a social media account &
promote my business so that young adults & teens can engage with the platform, repost & boost
my account. I will also have a play area for patrons who strictly want to play with the cats 1 on 1,
at a small price of $20 for 1 hour. My café can host kids' birthday parties so we will be charging
for the rental of the place. I also want to partner with veterinary clinics in the New Paltz area to
ensure cats & customers' health & safety. We will also partner with nonprofit organizations for
animal rescues in the New Paltz area. We will also have donations for the café in which
proceedings go to the furniture, vet bills, cat food, & cat supplies that will be needed to support
the cats.
LOCATION:
The location for my business will be an old café shop at New Paltz. It is found at 11 Church St,
New Paltz, NY 12561. I chose this location because it is in the middle of town near Main Street,
so it is near the most populated area in New Paltz. It is a 2,100-sf beautiful corner retail space at
11 Church Street, formerly occupied by Lagusta's Commissary Café (“LoopNet”). It is the
location in my opinion that is best for a cafe since it has 2 parts, the front & back, which is the
kitchen. I like the home feeling I get when I see the business, it can make patrons feel at home
at the location.
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Salaries
Barista Salary in NP:
$28,147 per year
Managers salary in NP:
$33,237 per year
Business owner salary:
$45,186 a year
Social Security Tax:
12.4%
Cashier salary NP: $9.96
per hour
Cat Trainers: $56,255
Janitors:
$33,666
Barista Salary
($26,617 - November
2022) ZipRecruiter
Oct 28, 2022
Start Up
The average startup
costs for a cat cafe:
$187,300
Cat Cafe Business
Plan Sample [2022] |
OGScapital
Cat Café Business
Plan [Sample
Template for 2022]
(profitableventure.co
m)
Sept 12, 2018
Marketing Budget
$200-$400 a month
6 Coffee Shop
Marketing Strategies
that cost less than
$100 a Month
(handground.com)
Accessed in 2022
Profit Forecast/Plan:
• Coffee ($2.50 - $5.00)
• Pastries ($3.00 - $7.00)
• Breakfast ($5.00 - $10.00)
• Lunch ($10.00 - $15.00)
• Birthday Parties ($200 - $300 for 2 Hours)
• Play time with cats ($20 per person for 1 hour)
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IMPLENATION PLAN:
Once we receive the funds from our investors, we plan to begin refurbishing the leased space. I
want to start the promotion of my business by advertising it on social media platforms, on the
university campus & around town, since New Paltz is relatively small word will spread fast. I
want to go to local shelters & rescues to find the cats that need a home or at risk of being put
down. I will take them to the vet & make sure they are in a healthy condition to live in the public
safe. I will buy all necessities needed for maintenance of the cats. I want to make sure the cats
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are in a comfortable space, so they are not in distress. I will make sure the theme of the cat café
is very eye-catching. So, once we get grounded in New Paltz, we shall be hosting exclusive cat
events to ensure the popularity of our café.
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Works Cited
"Average Cost of a Vet Visit for Cats in 2022: How Much Should I Expect to Pay? - Excited
Cats." Excited Cats, excitedcats.com/average-cost-of-a-vet-visit-for-cats. Accessed 15
Nov. 2022.
"Cafe Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth, Opportunities, Scope & Forecast." Verified Market
Research, www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/cafe-market. Accessed 18 Nov.
2022.
"Cat Cafe Business Plan Sample [2022] | OGScapital." OGScapital,
www.ogscapital.com/article/cat-cafe-business-plan-sample. Accessed 8 Nov. 2022.
"Cat Cafe Trends and Updates." That Cat Life, thatcatlife.com/cat-cafe-trends-updates.
Accessed 18 Nov. 2022.
"How Many People Are Allergic to Cats? 13 Interesting Statistics - Excited Cats." Excited Cats,
excitedcats.com/cat-allergy-statistics. Accessed 15 Nov. 2022.
"How to Start a Cat Cafe in 2022 - Step by Step Business." Step by Step Business,
stepbystepbusiness.com/business-ideas/start-a-cat-cafe. Accessed 8 Nov. 2022.
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www.hudsonrivervalley.com/regions. Accessed 18 Nov. 2022.
"Our Region - Visit New Paltz | Hosted by One EPIC Place." Visit New Paltz | Hosted by One
EPIC Place, visitnewpaltz.com/our-region. Accessed 17 Nov. 2022.
"What’s a Cat Cafe? - About Us | The Cat Cafe." The Cat Cafe, catcafesd.com/about. Accessed
8 Nov. 2022.
“Cat Cafe Trend: Loneliness and Relaxation in a Time of Political and Economic Unrest.” Blue
Zones, 8 Feb. 2019, www.bluezones.com/2019/02/cat-cafes-help-reduce-loneliness-in-
a-time-of-political-unrest/. Accessed 18 Oct.
Allison Kay. "Top 3 Cat Cafes Near the Hudson Valley That Are Worth Visiting." 94.3 Lite FM -
Feel Good Variety While You Work, 943litefm.com/top-3-cat-cafes-near-the-hudson-
valley-that-are-worth-visiting. Accessed 15 Nov. 2022.
Diaz, Mercedes. "How to start a cat cafe? | Poster POS." Poster POS, 18 Nov. 2020,
joinposter.com/en/post/start-a-cat-café. Accessed 8 Nov. 2022.
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Ehtram, Qudsia. "Are Cats Therapeutic? Can They Help with Anxiety, Stress, or Depression?"
LinkedIn, 13 July 2019, www.linkedin.com/pulse/cats-therapeutic-can-help-anxiety-
stress-depression-qudsia-ehtram. Accessed 15 Nov. 2022.
Global Coffee Shop Market: Industry Analysis and Forecast (2021-2027) by Type, City Size.
(n.d.). MAXIMIZE MARKET RESEARCH.
https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/market-report/global-coffee-shop-
market/113030/. Accessed 15 Nov. 2022.
Lasky, Julie. "New Paltz, N.Y.: Beautiful, Sporty and Cultured (Published 2020)." The New York
Times, 30 Sep. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/09/30/realestate/new-paltz-ny.html.
Accessed 15 Nov. 2022.
LoopNet, New Paltz "11 Church St, New Paltz, NY 12561 - 11 Church Street LoopNet,
www.loopnet.com/Listing/11-Church-St-New-Paltz-NY/26897252. Accessed 15 Nov.
2022.
