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About 15 miles from Disneyland, Sunbliss Cafe In Anaheim, California echoes the cheerful spirit of theme parks. After taking social media by storm with its bright blue lattes and Instagrammable interior, Sunbliss has become a popular spot for coffee, tea, and healthy eats like smoothie bowls and avocado toast. Recently, Sunbliss was ranked #6 Yelp’s Top 100 Places to EatA list of the best restaurants across the US, with the help of votes from Yelp users.
Owner Tani Ahmed didn’t always see herself running her own restaurant, much less an award-winning one. While working on the corporate side of a large beverage company, she met various restaurateurs and franchise owners who inspired her to start her own cafe. Since Tani had no restaurant experience, the main way she learned about opening a restaurant was by researching YouTube.
“I thought about it for a few years, and I think I have entrepreneurial blood. It’s in me, and it’s something special that you have to have,” Tani said. “It’s like jumping off a cliff and making a parachute on the way down.”
While creating the menu for Sunbliss, Tani wanted to bring a unique spin to all the drinks. Instead of a classic mocha or latte, customers can find unconventional flavors like a “cloudy coconut” cold brew topped with sweet blue foam. This variety is appreciated by customers like Yelp reviewers Alyssa May L.
“I’m 100 percent into trying new things,” Alyssa May said. “I really like when coffee shops don’t have the usual latte, cappuccino, macchiato, so I find myself drawn to places with unique flavors.”
Sunbliss prides itself on offering the freshest products possible, such as homemade sauces and syrups from locally sourced ingredients. However, the challenge of using these high-quality items is that they charge a hefty price to compensate for their cost.
Tani said it comes down to good marketing to sell the product to consumers skeptical of Sunbliss’ prices, especially compared to a typical coffee shop or cafe. For Sunbliss, this means using social media marketing as an opportunity to educate consumers about the health benefits of its menu items.
“We do education-based marketing. The funny thing is, people don’t really see how important that is. [to] Spend more on your health,” Tani said. “They’ll be hesitant to buy a $9.50 juice, but they won’t be hesitant to buy a $20 drink like a cocktail. For $9.50, you’re adding good nutrients and good bacteria to your body.”
When Alyssa Ma selected a drink she ordered at Sunbliss, the welcoming customer service made her experience memorable and inspired her to leave a 5-star review. At first, Alyssa May was overwhelmed by Sunbliss’ extensive menu, but the staff helped her by giving her suggestions on what to order.
“They really gave me patience while navigating [the menu],” said Alyssa Ma. “It was early in the morning, and I know they were getting into the morning shift, so it was nice to have that kind of patience and some guiding points on what’s good.”
To ensure customers like Alyssa Mae have a memorable experience at the cafe, Tani emphasizes the importance of building a strong culture among her staff, which reaches out to customers. This starts with the hiring process, where Tani ensures that team members not only have the required skills but also share the same values as Sunbliss.
To keep customers coming back, Tani established customer service guidelines that must be followed, such as asking every customer what their name is. After being open for only a few years, her staff prides herself on the strong relationships she has with customers.
“We see the same people every day. It’s because of our employees that we follow them,” Tani said. “We’re all human. We experience bad days. Whenever we get sad news or have a bad day, it seems like when you start your shift, everything turns around. Because there’s always someone you recognize or know. They come in and have that self-uplifting energy that rubs off on you.”
Other businesses can learn from Sunbliss’ journey to Yelp’s Top 100 Places to Eat, including the following tips:
- Bring creativity to your products. Don’t be shy about bringing a personal, unique touch to your business offerings, as Tani did with Sunbliss’ colorful coffee drinks.
- Use social media as a powerful marketing tool. Outside of customer interactions, social media is a great way to connect with customers and educate them about your product offerings.
- Foster a collaborative team. A strong team spirit will be seen in customer interactions. Consider creating a customer service guide based on your core values for staff to follow.
- Make the customer experience memorable. Get to know customers on a personal level by asking them how their day is going and what their name is. Remembering your repeat customers can help make them regulars.
Listen to the episode below to hear directly from Tani and Alyssa Mae, and To register candidacy Back to the review Every Thursday for more from new business owners and reviewers.
Available on: Spotify, The Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, StitcherAnd Soundcloud.
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