Cindy and Nathan Wang are well aware of the challenges of operating a hospitality business – the Brisbane couple ran an independent cafe for five years. While they learned a lot through the experience, Cindy admits it was a tough time. They faced the challenges of sourcing suppliers, managing staff, and losing clients loyal to the previous owner, all difficulties compounded by an out-of-the-way location.

So it’s no surprise that after five years the couple was ready for a new experience within the hospitality sector. 

One easy fix was selecting a better location, so they turned their attention to Brisbane’s city centre. But while considering an independent cafe at the end of Queen Street Mall, Cindy spotted a Soul Origin business for sale in Queens Plaza.

The franchise ticked the location box and appealed for a number of reasons: the support and proven systems within a franchise, and the Soul Origin brand itself – Cindy was drawn to the idea of a growing brand, with a healthy fast food profile. 

Having spent five years handling issues on her own, she wanted the backing of an expert team to help her overcome daily challenges.

“A franchise has a big team, and Soul Origin has a food coach, a coffee coach, a training coach. If I need help I can find support, and most importantly, help with marketing,” she says.

Doing the research

Nathan took on the job of conducting extensive due diligence, comparing the business options and digging deeper into the Soul Origin brand.

He compared the franchise model and other independent cafe operations.

“What stood out to him was the level of operational support, brand recognition, and the proven systems in place, which offered a clearer pathway to sustainable growth, compared to starting from scratch,” Cindy says.

She recommends anyone looking to buy a franchise does extensive research on the brand and talks to as many people as possible to get their opinions.

She also points to the importance of sourcing a good location, and crucially, analysing business data. Cindy and Nathan drilled down on the Queens Plaza store’s database and numbers to ensure there was a solid business with the potential to grow.

After fully researching the options, the couple bought the Soul Origin business in January 2026. 

The value of Soul Origin support in operations

It inevitably took a little time to adjust to working with established processes and standards. However, the pair quickly saw the value of the structure and support in helping drive consistency and efficiency.

“It’s a totally different experience to running an independent cafe,” Cindy explains. “With a franchise we have the whole system behind us, it’s a big company. I’ve had help working out how many staff I need and how to do the rosters.”

Before opening, there was a comprehensive six-week training program which proved invaluable. The course covered all aspects of operating the business from financials to staff training.

“I’ve found all the systems easy to use and operate, the IT, the database, everything,” Cindy says.

“In my own business I had no-one to help. When you are in such a competitive market, it helps to have advice. And that’s not just franchisor advice; a lot of franchise partners share their tips and experiences,” she says.

On a practical level, Cindy has found it helpful to have a fellow franchisee just 500m away.

“If I forget to buy bread or milk, I can get supplies from them – and vice versa,” she says.

One further advantage of operating as a franchise has been access to trusted suppliers – a major headache for the pair as independent cafe operators.

Time to focus on growth

Cindy was working long hours as an independent cafe owner. Her commitment to being in-store hasn’t changed under the Soul Origin banner – she’s working just as hard.

What’s changed is her focus.

“I concentrate on the numbers and the reports – that’s how we can drive the business, by understanding our performance. As a franchisee I have more time to focus on this now – all the systems that enable me to do this are in place,” Cindy says.

She believes her in-store presence sets an example to the team, and reinforces how she wants her business to operate.

“I still go to the store five days out of seven, I show up for the team, and customers like to see the owner,” she says.

While Cindy is managing the store and the 12 staff, Nathan manages all the back office administration.

Buying into a franchise has given the couple access to multiple revenue streams with different dayparts, and the opportunity to offer a catering service.

“Lunch time and catering are our biggest revenue streams. I want to get more customers so I’ll be looking at offering more deals – some are provided by the franchisor, some are shop promotions which we can do ourselves, like offering a discount to shopping centre staff,” she says.

“For me, running a business, support is very important – family and franchise support,” Cindy says. 

“A well-known brand builds immediate customer trust, reduces the need for extensive brand-building, and allows us to focus more on execution and customer experience than solely attracting more customers.”

It’s still early days for the business, but Cindy can see the way to further growth with Soul Origin.

“Being part of a franchise system does make it easier to scale the business. It provides a more structured and lower-risk pathway for expansion.”