Sweet Chai of Mine
By Lindsay Thomsen
Edited by Natalie Backora
“Don’t stop believin’, hold onto that feeling.” – Journey
Business ownership is a “dream until your dreams come true” scenario for many people. But it’s not the easy road to take; owners are faced with many hardships along the way. Having been a franchisee myself, my own entrepreneurial path was sprinkled with uncertainties and unknowns. However, the perceptions of the unknown along the way is what ultimately leads one to success (or not).
Omaha’s Classic Rock Coffee franchisee, Rod Hieronymus, understands this all too well. After leaving a civilian military career and living overseas, he decided to return to Omaha and start a new adventure by opening a coffee franchise. While going to work surrounded by guitars and album covers from the 1970s and 80s offers daily fun, the path to becoming a franchisee has had some trials.
Van Halen might have said it best. “You’ve got to roll with the punches to get to what’s real.”
The road to owning a franchise isn’t an Easy Rider, but Rod took every speed bump (and pothole, literally) in stride. He eventually survived building permit nightmares and nearby construction, thanks in part to the support and guidance of the franchisor and fellow franchisees. This network helped him navigate the struggles and overcome the setbacks.
“It’s a small franchise operation, so we [the franchisees] know each other personally,” Rod said. “It’s a tight knit group, and they [the franchisor] are always quick to answer.”
Now that Classic Rock Coffee in Omaha has been in business for over a year, Rod says they have a lot of regulars, but he loves seeing all the new people wanting to check out this classic rock hotspot. Not only is this a great place to study or chat with friends, they also support local businesses, live music and radio shows by hosting special events. The next event is Coffee with a Cop at 8am on Wednesday, October 2nd, and you can check out more upcoming events and specials here.
With over a dozen locations throughout North America and abroad, Classic Rock Coffee offers patrons a full coffee menu with throwback names like Sister Hazelnut and Sweet Emotion lattes as well as Haulin’ Oats with fruit and pecans. Even more, if you want to live out your entrepreneurial dreams AND have a reason to head bang or jam out at work, check out potential franchisee opportunities with Classic Rock Coffee. And keep on keepin’ on!