How to Start Collabing with Other Businesses
It is no easy feat running a business. It takes hard work, patience, and a great support system.
In such a competitive world, it can feel unnatural to reach out for help or work together. However, collabing with other businesses is one of the most powerful tools for building a name, expanding your customer base, and creating community throughout the process. If your restaurant business is feeling stagnant or you are looking for ways to expand your customer base, you might want to consider collaborating with other local businesses.
While intimidating at first, teamwork goes a long way. We also had the privilege of speaking with two veteran coffee cart collaborators, who had great advice and unexpected tips for others inspired to try this tactic.
You might be wondering, “How do I even begin?” or “What kind of collaboration makes the most sense for my business?”
Behind the Scenes of a Collaboration through “Pop Ups”
Kristin of One of One Coffee and Ellyza from Kaphe Muna both specialize in “pop-ups,” which is when you create temporary retail spaces for limited amounts of time.
There are two categories of pop-up collaborations:
#1. A business that runs regular programming with rotating pop-ups.
Usually, they expect the pop-up to market/promote the event, whether that is through a content shoot that is dedicated to the event + edited to fit the goals of the event, feature the event in your calendar for customers, and post 5-7 days out as a reminder.
#2. A business that is running a special themed event.
Usually, the business markets this event (wants control of the branding, the story, etc.) Pop-up provides assets and photos to use.
They shared their experiences with collaborations and their overall advice for those looking to branch out with their business in hopes to inspire entrepreneurs.
Kristin, or as Ellyza called “the mother of pop-ups,” has been in the game for about 1-2 years now, building relationships with other businesses along the way. One of One coffee specializes in Philippine coffee and matcha, and focuses on creating “a community gathering space aiming to preserve & share stories through coffee.”
In just a short amount of time, Kristin has successfully executed pop-ups with Home Ec in Kensington, Olivewood Gardens in National City, and Origins in South Park. Her pop-ups go beyond serving coffee, though. Kristin has gotten creative with organized events like morning walks or grocery store collabs.
Ellyza from Kaphe Muna has been doing pop-ups for about a year. She cites Kristin as an inspiration for her, and was very empowered by her work ethic. Kaphe Muna works to bring nostalgic Filipino flavors to coffee and matcha. First interactions turn into friendly introductions as Ellyza makes sure to greet each new customer as “friend,” and each cup is carefully crafted.
How do you find which businesses you want to collaborate with?
When making this selection, you want to make sure you are working with someone you can trust. Kristen often reaches for the companies she shares morals, values, and taste buds with.
“As a consumer myself, I am conscious of where I choose to spend my money. I make it a point to get to know people who own there.” Building trust in this way makes it so that the conversation of collaborating feels natural. It is important to get an idea of who you are sharing your time with, as you want to make sure you are a compatible team that shares similar goals.
It is also important to compare intentions and values to make sure you are both gaining from the experience. Ellyza especially stressed this point. For Kaphe Muna’s collabs, genuine energy and interest to grow a relationship (not just clout and money) is what is key for a successful business collaboration.
How Do I Reach Out?
If you have the idea for the collaboration but you’re not quite sure where to start, this is what we recommend.
One recommendation off the bat is to have a strong social media presence. This doesn’t mean you have to have a lot of followers; it just means your brand and image should be easy to decipher from your social media accounts. This also means posts should look professional and speak to the product you are selling honestly. Having thought put into your page makes you more trustworthy and marketable to other businesses.
While it might be nerve-racking, the best course of action to start a project is to put yourself out there. Kristin remarks that “when you start to put yourself out there, other businesses will start to notice and people will reach out. They are interested in having you in our space.”
Most of Kristin’s connections seem to be in-person, but you can also reach out through Instagram DMs, emails, etc.
This was Ellyza’s experience when forming her collabs.
“I’ve been lucky, and people have been reaching out to me. It’s the connections and networks that I have; my partner Ka’ila is very connected in the community.”If a novice to a collab wanted to dip their toes into this, what advice do you have for them?
One of One Coffee’s official lists to help you prepare yourself for a collab is this:
Ask yourself these key questions: What are your values? What is important to your business? What is your business here to do? Have clarity around that.
Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Collaborations happen because of this.
a. Look for upcoming business networking events (how she found Angelica at Olivewood Gardens)
b. Do research. Show up.
Align on what the event is and what the goals are (e.g., uplifting certain values/groups, telling a certain story, etc.).
Promote the event. A collab is cool. But people need to know about it to make it work best for your business.
Collab Etiquette
It is crucial that you are respectful of everyone’s time and efforts. Working with others for the first time can be a big stressor, so here are some silent rules to consider before working together.
Amenities/Logistics: Do they have what you need to operate? What do you need to bring with you to function?
Overall Goal: What are you hoping to get from this? Whether that is just generally trying to gain more visibility, or you are launching a specific item, or even you need a physical location in order to sell.
Marketing Strategy: How are you planning to promote yourself? How can you guys create a connected message to send on multiple platforms to attract an interested audience? A simple collaborative post, merging both your branding, 2 separate posts, or merged posts on social?
A tip from Ellyza:
“Creating reels are very important (whether it’s your brand or your face); your face is your brand (you as the entrepreneur) = you have the advantage of getting more collaborations if you’re posting your face, not just your drinks. When you post and create these marketing campaigns - recommend being vulnerable and sharing the emotional aspects (people want to connect with you on a personal level, not a strategic level) - being yourself allows others to connect with you.”
Preparation: 4-6 weeks is best in advance. This is generally enough time to determine logistics, the menu, marketing calendar, etc.
*Remember: Each pop-up business has its own flow, and you cannot expect the same from each business.
Stay Open-Minded: Be prepared and open to it not being successful. What does that look like for you as a business?
A collaboration will be successful no matter what, because you tried and you learned something for the next one! A collaboration where you didn’t make your sales goal does not always mean it was a failure. Collaborations are strong brand-building tools that leave a lasting impression and make your business memorable, causing you to stand out in the future.
It’s a great opportunity to look internally - how can we do better? What can we do next time?
Types of Collaborations
Whether it's a small menu contribution or a big hands-on event, there are countless ways to coordinate projects together. Here are a few ideas:
#1. Artist Corners or Local Merchandisers
Local artists are always looking for physical locations to display their work. Not only are you supporting local artists and businesses, but it’s entertainment for the customers: it’s almost like having a mini museum in your establishment.
Burn All Books Newsstand - Provecho Coffee
#2. Providing other food or drinks from other businesses
Or vice versa. This is a way your customers can experience different types of food that your kitchen otherwise might not have the facilities to make. For example, PorchLight Coffee in Pacific Beach specializes in coffee drinks, but their bagels are from Desperado Bagels, a longtime favorite for San Diegans.
#3. Providing food to non-food businesses
#4. Special/Themed Events
An amazing way to bring business and hobbies together is through special events. Trivia nights, game nights, karaoke, or even run clubs are all ways to get like-minded people together and bond over things they might not otherwise get to share with their loved ones.
#5. Following pop culture trends
Events like the Olympics, the Super Bowl, or Hollywood award shows always generate a lot of buzz. There are lots of ways to incorporate pop culture in your business, like themed menu items or watch parties. Recently, there have been a lot of reality TV watch parties for shows like Love Island or The Traitors. It’s the same camaraderie and excitement you see from sports bars.
#6. Creating limited-edition menu items
#7. Giveaways, vouchers, or gift cards
Things like this give customers an incentive to come back. There are a lot of ways to incorporate this into your business model, too, whether that's giving away vouchers at checkout or entering customers in raffles. Providing vouchers for other businesses is also a good way to spread your name and support your fellow small businesses.
#7. Sharing physical spaces
If you are a brick-and-mortar store, you might be able to lend and share your space for other small businesses.
Why Collab?
Collaborating with local businesses opens the door for new customers, connects a greater community, and supports your neighbors.
With the internet, there has been a loss of third spaces outside of social media. People are looking for places to connect outside of their phones. That is why you can use social media as a tool for promotion, and then prepare the space as a new place for the community to connect.
One of One Coffee and Kaphe Muna are excellent examples of how far business can go when given the opportunity to serve the community. It creates a unique experience for customers to remember, come back for more, and is more likely to talk about and recommend it to others.
For One of One Coffee, the pop-ups have given Kristin so much more than a community of coffee-lovers.
“I was on this search for purpose and alignment, about how I want to contribute to the world. I was itching for something creative and purposeful. I know I really enjoyed events, food, and drink, and how that brought people together.” Business collabs are also a good way to try out new business models or locations without emptying your pockets. For some, it’s even the opportunity to have a physical location.
So if you are ready to innovate your business, connect worlds, and grow with other communities, today is the day to put yourself out there.
