20minutes with . . .
FROM THE CORPORATE WORLD TO THE CAFÉ, JUST IN TIME FOR COVID
Born and raised in India, Khushboo Badiyani moved to New Zealand to study business and information management, a month into her studies, she met her husband.
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ost of her career was spent in the corporate field as an internal auditor until she took the plunge into hospitality just before the first COVID lockdown in 2020. “In 2010 my husband wanted to start his own business, so I supported him by continuing to work my corporate role until we were in a financial position for me to quit my job and start my own business in hospitality,” said Badiyani. After working in a corporate environment for so long, Badiyani was looking for a big change and flexible lifestyle. “Being a real foodie and coffee fan, I had my sights set on opening my own café.” The opportunity arose in 2019 when Emirates Leisure Retail offered a partnership to buy the Master Franchise rights for Hudsons in New Zealand. There are three Hudsons stores in New
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restaurantandcafé.co.nz
Zealand. The first at Auckland Airport, and the other two in Wellington, which Badiyani owns. Badiyani took on this opportunity just six weeks before the first lockdown in New Zealand. “I gave up a successful, decadelong career to set up a business in hospitality, to then grapple with a lack of cash flow, supply chain issues, and plans to open a second site put on hold. We also had shopfitter bills and stock payments to be made.” Despite a turbulent first year, Badiyani has no regrets. She has come out of the ordeal stronger and having learnt some good lessons. “Lockdown gave us an opportunity to take time off to review our menu options, pricing, and internal procedures.” Now, Badiyani enjoys making someone else’s day. “People are the heart of this job – customers, the team, suppliers, contractors, anyone! I get the most satisfaction knowing people are enjoying Hudsons coffee, food, service, and ambience.” Badiyani’s Hudsons franchises are owned by Emirates Leisure Retail Australia (ELRA) – part of the high-profile Emirates Group. “They truly understand coffee and the customer experience, so as the Master Franchise operator in New Zealand, I knew I was in safe hands,” Badiyani said. With support from ELRA, Badiyani overcame the challenges of opening a new business during COVID by monitoring internal and external factors affecting the business and receiving valuable
