Hosted in Hinglish | 2.5 Hours

About the workshop

If you are one of those people who always talks about opening up your own cafe or bakery in the hills, this is your chance to figure out if you are cut out for the task. Gopal Kaushik, the owner of Lazy Dog in Old Manali will give you a headstart, so you don’t have to make the mistakes he did.

• Introduction to Gopal and his cafe in the hills 
• The why, what, where, when and how of opening a hospitality business in the hills or other non-urban locations in India.

What
What are the options in the food and beverage/ hospitality space – ranging from a simple coffee shop to a full-service restaurant & bar – space, statutory and financial requirements for each and the lifestyle each has to offer.

Why
It is important to understand why someone would choose to quit a secure career and move into a field with little or no experience or domain knowledge. What are the motivating factors and the rewards and pitfalls. 

Where
Identifying and understanding your destination, location, local dynamics and relationships with property owners and business alliances.

When
Timing is a critical factor that determines rental costs and other advantages. Costs often spell the difference between success and failure. The best time to prospect for a property is a cyclic feature in places which run seasonally.

How
Understanding the skill-set and aptitude required, learning curve, statutory requirements, human resources, supply chains etc. Leveraging technology and bringing about efficiencies. A broad idea about costs – capital and operating expenses.

• Practical challenges and keeping your expectations real
• Questions and answers 

 About the host

Gopal Kaushik runs The Lazy Dog gastro-pub in Old Manali. He used to be a TV producer, when one day he realised that he was wasting the best years of my life. So he quit his job, moved to Manali, and opened ‘The Lazy Dog’. This was 12 years ago and today he uses Manali as a base to manage his pub, indulge in horse riding, filmmaking, photography and more.

You can find his pub on Instagram under the handle ‘lazydogmanali’.

What you should carry along
Notepad and pen