Planning how you intend to leave is as important as planning to start. Consider where you want to be in 5, 10 and even 20 years: how do you see yourself and your business changing in that time? What will your role be in that business? Do you really want to be the 70 year old behind the counter serving drinks at an owner-operated coffee shop? Maybe you do, which is just fine.
Give serious consideration to how you will be involved in the future of your business and for how long, we recommend developing an exit strategy that will allow you to leave before you have to leave. Popular exit strategies include planning to sell the business in part or whole to an unrelated party or a business partner, aggressive expansion whether by franchising, private capital investment or public offering, leaving the business as an inheritance to provide for your children or the inevitable default method for inaction, death.
Be mindful of the fact that the preferred timing and method of exit will vary greatly for each person; whereas, some coffee shop owners enjoy the secure routine of personally managing their business 6-7 days a week, others may prefer to leave that task to others and search for new location opportunities, new business challenges (perhaps wholesale coffee roasting) or something entirely unrelated to coffee that poses a new and exciting entrepreneurial challenge.
Be aware of which personality type yours is and plan ahead accordingly with the advice of your attorney and accountant. The plans you make now for your eventual departure from the business will dramatically affect the convenience of your departure, whether for you or your heirs.