Cristina Tecuceanu chose to become an entrepreneur in Romania, convinced that our country offers a lot of opportunities for those who have a spirit of initiative and really want to do useful things, unlike in Western Europe, where the market is much more settled and you have to go through several complicated stages when you want to start a business. So, he chose the city where he lives - Bucharest - to open his business, whose potential he believed in from the very beginning, because, as is known, "people always want a good coffee and to socialize". And 5 to go offers both.

Cristina had experience in entrepreneurship, but had only worked in the IT area. Precisely because she was a beginner in the field of HoReCa, she chose a franchise system that she knew would give her an already formed and strong brand, some well-defined work procedures, relationships with suppliers, things that would allow her to focus on business development and all day-to-day operational aspects, employee management and developing a stable clientele. Next, she told us about her experience, the difficulties she faced, but also the moments when she felt she made the best choice in the world.

"Although I'm not a big coffee drinker, I used to pass by a 5 to go cafe every day, close to my children's school, a location that was and is very successful. That's when I realized that such a business can be a great opportunity and I thought that in the area where I lived, there were no cafes of this type, with quick service. I am open-minded and very practical, so I was aware that I had the assets and potential to develop such a business, and even though I did not know much about the 5 to go franchise, I was determined from the very beginning to go in the direction this and sure of success."

The start of the business was not a smooth one for Cristina, because the timing was not the best either. Shortly after the opening of 5 to go Averescu, the pandemic would fundamentally change the course of things, especially for the HoReCa area.

"The initial experience was very unpleasant. After only a month and a half of operation, the pandemic came and what we all know followed. After the re-opening, we went through a tough, subsistence period, basically, where only the belief that things would relax, gently, gently, and that people would want to get out of their homes again and return to a normal life was not made us continue."

The franchise system offers an extremely valuable advantage, that of a community of entrepreneurs, who meet occasionally at conferences organized by 5 to go, keep in touch, collaborate effectively and offer their support whenever the situation calls for it.

"The relationship with other entrepreneurs was very good. We helped each other with various information or products when needed, and occasionally, to check the history of another employee, I consult with them.

I believe that this type of communication should be substantially improved and would help a lot in solving some problems or optimizing certain operational aspects, simply by sharing the experiences lived by other colleagues in the network. Many times, you waste valuable time and resources looking for a way to solve a particular case that has already been solved by someone else, many times better, faster and more efficiently."

For the community, the impact of opening a 5 to go cafe is always significant. Because it is not a simple cafe, but a place of the soul.

"We managed to create, in addition to a cafe where you can quickly get a coffee and something to eat, a meeting place for the people of the area. Both myself and colleagues in the locations have created a very close relationship with some of the customers. We laugh together, tell stories, debate the news of the day, we are like friends. For me, who lives in the area, it was like going back in time to my childhood, when you knew everyone in the neighborhood you lived in." 

Despite Cristina's enthusiasm, the beginning was not easy and came with challenges, as happens with anything new and different. But things gradually fall into place and end up meeting or even exceeding your expectations, especially if you have the right people.

"We faced the imminent problems of finding people in the bar, organization, stocks, cleaning, suppliers, the relationship with the authorities, etc. Until that moment I had never had a business where I worked directly with the end customer, B2C, as it was now, so the previously acquired notions could not serve as a reference point for me in many ways. Experience in managing a company helps, but the most important aspect remains the creation of a team that you can trust and that will grow together with the business." 

Cristina remembers many pleasant moments spent in her own cafe, which impressed her and stayed in her soul. "Recently, at the beginning of the school year, some of the high school students who finished the twelfth grade in the summer met and came to us especially to enjoy a coffee together, as they used to do in the not-so-friendly mornings when they would come to classes and feel the need to share such a moment of joy and relaxation. Obviously, it's a very nice feeling to know that the place where you invest time and energy is seen this way. Then, even if the pandemic was not a time to remember fondly, somehow it also created some funny situations, because when distancing, wearing masks and many other measures were mandatory, we could not see the face many of the customers and I would remember their features, but then when they would come back, without the mask, and we really got to know each other, it would take us a few seconds to associate the man with the face under the mask, so we would often laugh together at the comedy of the situation .”