Ah roasting coffee, many shop owners are planning what they want their business to look like in the future and how they can make it more resilient and roasters/retailers seem to have some more flexibility in what they can do in this crisis. the idea to roast coffee for yourself can seem fairly simple but there are more issues to consider than one may think. What is the case for and against roasting your own coffee and how can you make the right choice for your business? What are the key considerations to work through that determine if you will be a good roaster or a bad one? Today we get to really explore this subject and generally the art of being a great roaster with the ever insightful, Joe Marrocco! Joe is heading up the U.S. division of German based green coffee importer List and Beisler and has been an accomplished coffee professional since 2005. Joe has been a barista, a café manager, a roaster, an educator, a leader in the Barista Guild of America, and a barista competitor. Prior to List and Beisler he was the long time Sr. Sales Associate and Director of Education at Café Imports, and Educator in collaboration with Mill City Roasters and is widely considered the go-to guy in the industry for deeply useful and practical knowledge in all things roasting.  I am thrilled to have Joe back on the show to explore the subject of becoming a roaster and whether it is the right move for you to make or the worst move you could make. In typical Marrocco fashion, Joe lays out several well reasoned approaches to both sides of the issue and we leave having gained clarity and direction.  In this episode you will learn: Why you should or should not start roasting The logistical concerns behind the scenes Do you save actually money? The metric of joy and health Questions and Factors in profitability Benefits of retail before wholesale  Manual vs automation in roasting equipment Tips for being a good roaster and avoid being a bad one  Trends vs authenticity Links: www.list-beisler.coffee Joe on Instagram Joe on Twitter List and Beisler on Instagram   Related episodes: 026 : What Your Roaster Wants You to Know w/ U.S. Roasting Champion Mark Michaelson 063 : What Your Roaster Wants You to Know w/ Rob Hoos Joe gives Career Advice 20 : Transparency and Origin Knowledge in the Cafe w/ Joe Marrocco     The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service    

Operations, People, and Quality. These are three areas I focus on with all of my clients. Each on contains a myriad of subjects and components that we explore in detail to bring the whole business to a higher level. Today I want to discuss a few ideas within each of these categories that I believe are critical for you to pour energy into right now so you can enter into post-COVID business better than when this all started.  I cannot stress enough how important I think this particular conversation is and I hope it helps your thrive well into the future.    Related Episodes: One-on-ones Filtered Thoughts Podcast interview about "The Future of the Coffee Shop"  http://keystotheshop.com/employeeculture/ http://keystotheshop.com/organizationalknowledge/ Changing things in the Cafe The Life Changing Power of Good Authority SOPs FTW   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS

Walkie Talkie Coffee was founded by Lindsey and John Kind in the Summer of 2019. The result of a ton of planning, dreaming, and raising support, the shop was an immediate hit offering coffees from Heart in Portland , OR, amazing service and hospitality, and a goal to create great social and coffee experiences for their neighborhood. Not even a one year in, Walkie Talkie is now facing what is arguably our industries most challenging time. In spite of this, Lindsey, John, and crew have been handling this with grace and a positive outlook that is rooted in their mutual concern and care for one another and the people they serve.  In this conversation I sit down with John King to hear how this all unfolded, the challenges of being a first year business going through this crisis, what they have done, how they keep going, and what they see for the future.  If you are in Canton, OH definitely swing by Walkie Talkie. I hope you enjoy this conversation.    Links: Walkie Talkie Coffee Instagram All COVID-19 Focus and Relevant Episodes: On a Resilient Coffee Community Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano General Guidance on Talking with Banks and Landlords w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law Erica Escalante, The Arrow Coffeehouse Karl Purdy, Coffee Angel in Dublin, Ireland  The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens Impact on the Supply Chain w/ Ricardo Pereira, COO, Ally Coffee Straight Talk for Coffee Retailers w/ The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer, Atlanta, GA Refining your Leadership and Systems in a Crisis Shift Break: Development in a Crisis Shift Break: Grace and Hight Standards Shift Break: Keep or Throw Away Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian JNP Coffee, Burundi   Keys to the Shop Consulting: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]    

Home brewing is gaining more and more ground as our customers, who would normally come in to he shop, are brewing at home and looking for ways to replicator’s the coffee they love in the shop. This time in coffee history will likely lead to a permanent rise in the number of people brewing coffee at home and subequently a rise in whole bean sales. How we show up for them and help facilitate their success with our coffee really matters. We need to embrace and equip the home brewer and to help us do that we are hearing from the one and only, Brian Beyke, of the I Brew my own Coffee Podcast. Brian is the Director of Coffee for Quills Coffee, Co-host of the Unwrapped Chocolate Podcast, and lover of all things bourbon and whiskey. He is also the host of the I Brew my own Coffee Podcast, an award winning podcast hosted by himself and Bryan Schiele talking about the stories, coffee, gear, techniques, philosophies, and people that make up the wonderful world of home coffee brewing. IBMOC is now officially and has relaunching after 3 years with Mr. Beyke at the helm. Today we will be talking with Brian about our role in the shop to help people successfully brew coffee at home and build trust while doing it.  We cover:  Accessibility and trust Importance of water Understanding the customers Communicating with customers effectively  The state of home brewing compared to the industry Where we need to focus as we look to the future post-COVID Links: IBMOC Podcast IBMOC Instagram Brian's Instagram Unwrapped: A conversation About Chocolate   Related Episodes: 37: Chocolate and Coffee w/ Brian Beyke  Supplying and Selecting Equipment w/ Steve Rhinehart Consumer Revolution w/ Kevin Sinnott Hosting Consumer Coffee Classes How to Taste Coffee w/ Steve Cuevas   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service    

Today we are hearing from Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, the Founder and President of JNP Coffee, Burundi Coffee importer and exporter in operation since 2012. Jeanine grew up in Burundi and left to pursue her education earning an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School and had a 20-plus-year international business career that helped her find her way back to Burundi and to coffee. It was at a “Cup of Excellence” competition that she recognized the potential of the exceptional coffees of Burundi. She saw the opportunity to promote these coffees in the global market as a means of helping the farmers, her people. Today JNP Coffee is known for the award-winning specialty coffees they source and the good works and leadership they provide at origin. As a licensed Q grader, she continues to advance the global specialty coffee industry. Her business model is driven by quality coffee and is based on strong producer partnerships, sharing knowledge, promoting gender equality, and supporting education in financial literacy and leadership, all to empower the farmers and their families in her native country.  Today we are talking with Jeanine about how JNP is responding to the current crisis and also how things look on the ground for the farmer she works with in Burundi.  This is a very important discussion as it give perspectives on the relationship between producers and consumers that I believe will inspire how we conduct business as retailers in the future. It's all about empathy, connection, resiliency, and working with each other to increase access to the great coffees our customers have yet to discover.    Links: JNP Coffee Burundi Friends International   All COVID-19 Focus and Relevant Episodes: On a Resilient Coffee Community Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano General Guidance on Talking with Banks and Landlords w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law Erica Escalante, The Arrow Coffeehouse Karl Purdy, Coffee Angel in Dublin, Ireland  The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens Impact on the Supply Chain w/ Ricardo Pereira, COO, Ally Coffee Straight Talk for Coffee Retailers w/ The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer, Atlanta, GA Refining your Leadership and Systems in a Crisis Shift Break: Development in a Crisis Shift Break: Grace and Hight Standards Shift Break: Keep or Throw Away Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee   Keys to the Shop Consulting: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]    

The way we have seen people rise to the challenge, amp up communication, take on a sense of urgency, solve problems, and create a culture that is agile and empathetic is truly inspiring. It's the stuff that defines being "In this Together".  The question is, where does this all go once the crisis has subsided? Will our urgency, connection, and togetherness fade away?  Today we will be chatting about the need to use this time to craft a future for our shops where these qualities continue in the daily work and fabric of our shops.    Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS  

As we continue our focus series on the COVID-19 crisis and it's impact on specialty coffee, we get talk someone who has been leading the charge for business agility, staff/customer safety, and creating systems to support it all. Maxwell Mooney is the Owner of the award winning shop, Narrative Coffee in Everette, WA. A past guest on the show, Maxwell consistently brings a clear, level headed, and well thought through perspective to the table. What I enjoy most about Maxwell and his leadership is the integrity that drives what he does and allows him to make tough calls.  In this conversation we will be discussing, from beginning to present day, how the crisis unfolded for him and his team. Among other things we will cover: Not joining the "Cult of hustle"  Creating and executing plans  Hospitality in every context Making tough calls for safety Managing emotional impact on staff  Leading in the midst of exhaustion and hard life circumstances  Links: www.narrativecoffee.com Founder Friday: Narrative Coffee part 1 Founder Friday: Narrative Coffee Part 2   COVID-19 Focused episodes: On a Resilient Coffee Community Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano General Guidance on Talking with Banks and Landlords w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law Erica Escalante, The Arrow Coffeehouse Karl Purdy, Coffee Angel in Dublin, Ireland  The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens Impact on the Supply Chain w/ Ricardo Pereira, COO, Ally Coffee Straight Talk for Coffee Retailers w/ The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer, Atlanta, GA Refining your Leadership and Systems in a Crisis Shift Break: Development in a Crisis Shift Break: Grace and Hight Standards Shift Break: Keep or Throw Away     Keys to the Shop Consulting: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]    

Never before has it been more important to invest in your companies communication and marketing than right now. Connection to our customers and also our staff is the life blood of the cafe and drives everything we do. Additionally, the health of your shop is determined in large part by the health of the relationships you create with the consumer and those relationships are driven by how you communicate.  What are the guiding principles for effective communication? How are small businesses uniquely positioned to build great relationships? And how can we find clarity on strategy and methods that are sustainable long-term? All of these questions and more are going to be answered in today's master class on communication and marketing wit special guest, Spencer M. Ross, PHD.  Spencer M. Ross, Ph.D., is Assistant Professor of Marketing (and specialty coffee enthusiast) at University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Manning School of Business. His dual research interests focus on the intersection of marketing and public policy and on consumer engagement with digital marketing. In the transformative consumer research/public policy context, Ross is primarily focused on sustainable consumption behaviors; he has published work in the European Journal of Marketing and the Journal of Business Ethics on consumer dispositions toward prosocial consumption versus self-interest. He has also published on consumer sustainability issues in the Journal of Business Research, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, and Journal of Consumer Affairs, and presented on consumer sustainability at the 2019 SCA Coffee Expo. Today Spencer breaks down principles and approaches to guide you as you invest in your customer relationships through communication.  Amongst other topics we cover:  How communication fits in your companies larger strategy Being Consumer-centric Tuning into local Consistency  Investing in customer relationships Advantage of agility Internal marketing Creating a communication strategy that is doable long term  Links: Spencer on Instagram Spencer on Twitter Paper on "Sustainable Decision Making"     JOIN THE KTTS MIGHT NETWORK!!! https://keys-to-the-shop.mn.co     The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

It's Founder Friday! Today I am excited to present this live interview with the Co-Founder of Mighty Oak Roasters in Astoria, NY, Peter Moses! You may recognize Peter because he was one of a few people I interviewed on the floor of the 2019 Coffee Fest NYC trade show. At that time they were very much in the planning and build- phase but now Mighty Oak has taken root in Astoria and has gown to quickly become THE spot in the neighbor hood for amazing wood-roasted coffee and an ambiance that is second to none. Mighty Oak has deigned their 1,000 sq.ft. space to not only house a cafe but also all of their roasting and production which is one of the world most sustainable operations.  In this interview we go deep into their story, their operations, values, and plans. It was a thrill to see something like this come to fruition and I have no doubt you will get great value from this interview with Peter.  Amongst other things we talk about: Wood-fire roasting and its advantages Building a cafe space and roastery at the same time Space challenges  Researching design and workflow Leading and hiring people Letting the business tell you how to grow Receiving feedback from staff Expansion insights Personal growth as an owner Links: www.mightyoakroasters.com 142: Entrepreneur Interviews from Coffee Fest NYC (Featuring Peter Moses)   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

Within the fight to stay open there is a pervasive sentiment that we are "letting people down".  I have seen and heard this from many sources of late, including from myself. This is a pretty familiar feeling for those of us in customer service jobs and this current context highlights it to the extreme. But is it true?   Are you letting people down when you close your doors, or severely adjust service, or close a location indefinitely? Today we are going to chat about this idea and I want to offer some encouragement and perspective that will help balance this thought in our mind and also help you get rooted in what the reality truly is.    Sponsors: Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS  

  To say our emotions are on high alert these days is quite an understatement. I, like you, have found it difficult to manage let alone even articulate the feelings that are constantly being triggered in the wake of the pandemic. At no time has it been more needed to talk about emotional intelligence and managing our emotions in a healthy way than now.  Today we welcome back to the show, Andrea Hoban to help us cope with Corona using emotional intelligence.  Andrea is Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer at Oji Life Lab, and has more than twenty years of experience in leading large teams and building business. She is a certified executive coach and leadership development practitioner who has helped hundreds of professionals learn to harness their emotions to achieve their goals. Andrea is a sought after speaker, having presented at many state and national conferences. As an executive coach and facilitator, she works with individuals and teams to achieve goals and push past limitations. She has served as Board President of HerWisdom.org, School Board President at St. Perpetua School in California, Executive Director of the Portland Chapter of Women in Technology, member of the National Association of Female Executives. At Oji, she is reimagining the way we learn skills like emotional intelligence to directly impact the quality of our lives. This conversation is designed to equip you with tools, habits, and insights to capture, re-frame, and manage your emotions in a healthy sustainable way. In edition this will give you some great tips on how to manage the emotions of your team and to use emotional intelligence to lead well both in this crisis and beyond.  We will learn: Using the Mood Meter Managing and Re-framing emotions Staying calm The positive side of being triggered Using Emotional Intelligence to effectively lead and mange your team  Emotional contagion and co-regulation Adopting an emotional charter  Embrace the awkwardness  Permission to feel   Links: Coping with Corona (original) Leaders Edition HR Edition 176 : Harnessing our Emotions at work w/ Andrea Hoban  Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli Self Care 101 Dealing with Stress in the Cafe w/ Joe Sanok TED Talk on stress by Kelly McGonigal Book: Permission to Feel   JOIN THE KTTS MIGHT NETWORK!!! https://keys-to-the-shop.mn.co     The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

So happy to sit down with Lauren Crabbe Co-Founder of Andytown Coffee Roasters for this episode of our COVID-19 Focus Series. Lauren was a past Founder Friday guest and has a wonderful style of leadership that prioritizes people and focuses on facilitating their success. In this conversation Lauren details how the crisis has impacted Andytown and what they are doing now to continue to serve their community and their people including their ground breaking Coffee for Healthcare Heroes program that has inspired hundreds of similar programs around the country.  We discuss:  Benefit of having an open book policy Switching up schedules Protecting the team Motivation as an owner when things are not in your control Running operations in crisis  Coffee for healthcare heroes program Making systems to thrive in the midst of the new normal  Hiring back employees from project success Continuation of current measures into the future when things are normal?  How will work from home culture shape biz in the future Don't give up. Speaking up now, be loud, be heard!    Links: www.andytownsf.com 156 : Founder Friday w/ Lauren Crabbe    COVID-19 Focused episodes: On a Resilient Coffee Community Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano General Guidance on Talking with Banks and Landlords w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law Erica Escalante, The Arrow Coffeehouse Karl Purdy, Coffee Angel in Dublin, Ireland  The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens Impact on the Supply Chain w/ Ricardo Pereira, COO, Ally Coffee Straight Talk for Coffee Retailers w/ The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer, Atlanta, GA Refining your Leadership and Systems in a Crisis Shift Break: Development in a Crisis Shift Break: Grace and Hight Standards Shift Break: Keep or Throw Away     Keys to the Shop Consulting: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]  

Does this spark joy? Better said, do the components of your business give life to the business and are they sustainable?  Many new programs and tools have been adopted by coffee shops in an attempt to stay in business during the crisis. Now that we have online stores, batching cold brew, delivery, curbside ordering etc...do we keep them?  Today we will be chatting about some basic questions to ask yourself about your systems, items, programs, and schedules, in order to determine whether you should keep and invest more into them or throw them away.    Links: Founder Friday w/ Joshua Boyt   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS      

The time to lean into optimizing your operations and how you show up as a leader is now. As we get used to the "new normal" everyday, we need to take time to look at some critical elements of the work we do in the middle of the crisis and how it what we can do to create excellence in the face of uncertainty, and inspiration in a time of fear.  Today you and I will go over 6 areas I believe need to be focused on and refined in order to thrive right now and to create a culture that both cares for the present while investing in the future.  Today we will cover: SOPs Importance of Communication Inventory/Ordering Accountability Power of Presence Using R.E.P. Value driven tactics Links: Founder Friday w/ Lauren Crabbe COVID Focus w/ Jonathan Pascual / Taproom Coffee and Beer Man's Search for Meaning - Victor Frankl  Work from your Strengths w/ Lisa Cummings SOPs FTW 10 Steps to being a People 1st Leader Communicate Duplicate Repeat  Being the Point of Clarity Why It's OK to be the Boss w/Bruce Tulgan The Power of Good Authority w/Jonathan Raymond   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service      

This is a wonderful value-driven conversation with someone who is doing a fantastic job caring for his staff and the community as the crisis unfolds. Jonathan Pascual is the owner of Taproom Coffee and Beer in Atlanta, GA. He was a past Founder Friday guest on the show and has returned to talk about how the COVID-19 crisis has impacted his business and what he and his team are doing in response. Jonathan has one of the healthiest approaches to professional life and in this conversation you will see how his values have driven his actions on behalf of his business, community, and staff.  We discuss: Reacting to protect, retain, and prepare staff Reducing risk Pivoting business models Giving staff a choice Economic viability of new operating measures Developing support systems for new models Stepping up as a leader The weight ownership bears Caring for yourself and others Work-life balance in the midst of crisis   Links: www.taproomcoffee.com  Founder Friday w/ Jonathan Pascual 

In the middle of all of the upheaval we are fighting for some sense of normalcy and even more so, a sense of grounding. As we iterate and pivot business models and things change all around us, some of the normal conversations around to detail in service and and quality can take a back seat. Today we are chatting about why we need to look after and make sure to continue managing, talking about, and holding ourselves accountable to our usual standards even in the midst of this crisis.    Related Episodes: You need SOP's Effective Checklists One on Ones 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS          

Brick and mortar retail is taking a huge hit right now. We are all trying our best to adjust and weather the storm. In the midst of this crisis there is still room for hope, connections, and there is an opportunity to serve like never before. All of this of course requires decisive and consistent action and to help motivate as we take those actions we are hearing from the worlds leading expert on brick and mortar retail, Retail Doctor himself, Bob Phibbs! Bob Phibbs has helped thousands of businesses in hospitality, manufacturing, service, restaurant and retail since 1994.  His clients have ranged from multi-national luxury brands to small businesses. With over 30 years of experience beginning in the trenches and extending to senior management positions, Phibbs has been a corporate officer, franchisor and entrepreneur.  A frequent guest on MSNBC's Your Business, he and his work have been featured in Entrepreneur magazine, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. In addition, Phibbs provides business makeovers for the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of three books including "The Retail Doctors Guide to Growing your Business" Today he is going to be sharing with us some straight talk on taking actions to not just get through this hard time but to thrive, connect, serve, and be prepared for what comes after this has passed. I think Bob has some incredible insights here and hope you put them into practice in your business. We will be discussing: The opportunities of this moment Believing the best as an owner Power of "Yes, and" Modeling confidence "How" vs "Why me" Optimizing with Hospitality Being brilliant on the basics Serve now you can sell later   Links: www.retaildoc.com Tell me Something Good About Retail Podcast Earl Nightingale, "The Strangest Secret"   Related Episodes The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens 10 Reasons to Love the Customer Raising the Bar on your Customer Experience w/ Michael Butterworth 30: Matching your Service to your Quality w/ Casey Underkofler   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service      

This crisis is having a massive impact on more than just coffee shops and roasters. It extends out to the farmers who rely on us to purchase and move the coffee they produce. To help us gain some understanding around the scope of the issue we are going to talk with Ricardo Pereira the Chief Operations Officer at Ally Coffee. We discuss what is happening on the producing side and how roasters should be preparing themselves as they consider green coffee acquisition into the future and ways they can help producers as with changing business models and focus.  www.allycoffee.com  

We are shaped by hardship more than times of ease. How we are shaped and who we become after it is largely up to us and will help define our business for the foreseeable future. Today we are talking about the opportunity presented in the midst of tough times to choose generosity and lean into higher levels of leadership, service, and connection.  Links: The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens      Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer       

The future of retail seems pretty uncertain right now. Many of us are left wondering how things will look at the end of this crisis. What will happen to the physical shop and the customers that frequent it. Whenever we consider the future, it can be pretty murky. Today we get some clarity and direction on what the future holds for our businesses and what we can do to prepare for it.  I am very pleased to welcome to the show, Doug Stephens, CEO of  Retail Prophet!  Doug Stephens is one of the world’s foremost retail industry futurists. His intellectual work and thinking has influenced many of the most widely known international retailers, agencies and brands. Prior to founding the consultancy Retail Prophet, Doug spent over 20 years in the retail industry, holding senior international leadership roles. Doug is also the author of two International bestselling books - Reengineering Retail: The Future of Selling in a Post-Digital World and The Retail Revival: Re-Imagining Business for the New Age of Consumerism. Doug is also the nationally syndicated retail columnist for CBC Radio and sits on multiple corporate and academic advisory boards. His unique perspectives on retailing, business and consumer behavior have been featured in many of the world’s leading publications and media outlets including The New York Times, The BBC, TechCrunch, The Wall Street Journal and Fast Company. In our s=discussion today we are going to be discussing a wide variety of topics related to the future of retail. All of this is hugely instructive and clarifying in a time when we need it the most.  We will cover: What is changing for the physical store?  How will online and digital influence consumers? The value of experience Luxury experience vs utility experience The human craving for social experiences Consumer reactions to crisis  How to create great experiences through tech  Connection between crisis and creativity The opportunity we have in this moment Branding vs advertising  Mistakes to avoid making  I hope you find this episode helpful! Links: www.retailprophet.com   Related Episodes: Designing the Customer Experience w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak Social Media 101 w/ Jenn Chen Death by Comparison  SB Your peers are not your Customers    The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service      

Karl Purdy is a coffee legend. Credited with kickstarting the specialty coffee movement in Ireland in 1996 he has since founded and run the amazing Coffee Angel in Dublin. From a humble mobile stand that offered great coffee and a smile, to now 5 cafes and roasting operation, Coffee Angel is an Irish coffee institution.  Since the COVID-19 crisis started Karls has had to make the painful, and now all to familiar, decision to close down all his shops, put his staff on unemployment, and now drives around the city delivering roasted coffee door to door in a fight to keep his business going for the sake of his community, family, and staff. This is a conversation with someone who has seen a lot and been through a lot since 1996 and in this discussion we talk about the lessons he has from his history, how he communicated to his employees as things went down, his motivation that keeps him going, how he is pivoting to keep the business alive, his back-to-basics philosophy, and what his mindset is for the future in a post-pandemic world.  I hope you find this helpful and encouraging.  We are in this together.   Links: www.coffeeangel.com KTTS COVID-19 Focus Spotify Playlist   

Today on Founder Friday we are talking with Linda Thach, the founder of Little Skips in Brooklyn, NYC!  Having come to the states as a Cambodian refugee with nothing, the comfort of food and family played a foundational role in setting the values that drive Linda today. Little Skips is a communal, artistic, accessible, and fun coffee experience that seeks to create happiness in everyone. Since it's founding in 2009 it has quickly become a Bushwick institution. Now with 3 shops and 1 restaurant, Linda has been able to learn a lot through the peaks and valleys that inevitably happen when running a business and explores much of that for us here today. I am thrilled to present this conversation to you because I believe Linda offers a critical message to owners that will help bring the clarity, freedom, and focus that is often sought but not found.  In this episode we will learn about: How and why Little Skips came to be What lessons were learned early on Philosophy on partnerships Systems that provide freedom Communication  Self care as a priority Overcoming problems outside our control Reflection vs Rumination  The unique culture of an individual store   Links: www.littleskips.nyc Little Skips Instagram      The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

Hurt feelings and processing grief are all too familiar to us right now. As an owner you have had to make some tough decisions for the sake of helping the business survive this time while also trying to do good by your staff and customers. No matter what the outcome is not ideal and staff will have some negative emotions to work through. The question is, how do you respond when they are upset at you, the situation, and the decisions made? How do you manage their bitterness or dejection when you are working like crazy to keep everything together? Today we will chat a bot about this tension and how to lead well in the midst of it.    Related Episodes: The Broken Chair 6 Truths About Power What you Must Know about Employee Culture   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   

Erica Escalante is no stranger to overcoming challenges. You might say that her experience in starting and running The Arrow in Portland, OR has prepared her to shine as a leader during this crisis. Today Erica recounts how she prepared herself, her staff, and her business to respond to the COVID-19 crisis and offers an insightful, vulnerable, and passionate look into the world of an owner fighting to stay in business, maintain connections, and care for her family and staff through these hard times.  This is an awesome example of leadership and I hope Erica's words offer hope and strength to you.    Links: Founder Friday w/ Erica Escalante  Erica's Instagram        

One of the most unique things about Baratza, a legendary 20 year old home grinder company, is that people are not just loyal to them, but that those same people go out of their way to advocate for and recommend the brand to anyone who will listen. That does not happen by accident, it is cultivated and grown over time with am inset that sets out to care for and to be an advocate for the customer.  Today I am absolutely thrilled to present a conversation with the Co-Founder of Baratza, Kyra Kennedy! You might say a concern for the well being of others has always been a core value of Kyra's having a background in environmental science before founding Baratza with her friend / Business partner Kyle Anderson in 1999. Their concern for the environment and being a sustainable company has been central to their identity from the start. Innovation has also been their main calling card. Baratza has pushed the envelope, with innovative firsts for the Specialty Coffee market like macro/micro grind adjust system for fast and repeatable adjustment; Portaholder to grind hands-free into a portafilter; Grind by Weight; plus Grind by Weight directly into a portafilter (earning Best New Product Awards from SCA in 2011, 2013 and 2016). The full range of Baratza grinders and all their features, offer users the ability to create cafe quality coffee at home or on bar.  As we are currently in the midst of pivoting in the COVID-19 crisis we are deeper into teaching and promoting home brewing to our customers than ever before. Baratza plays a central role in making that possible. We are doing this because we want to continue to care for our customers even if we can't see them in the cafe. To me, Baratza embodies the kind of hospitality we would expect in the best cafes.  I have no doubt that this conversation and the insights Kyra gives into showing care as a company will inspire you as you continue to serve your community.  Enjoy!   Links and Related Episodes: www.baratza.com Consumer Revolution w/ Kevin Sinnot Teaching Consumer Classes Supplying and Selecting Equipment w/ Steve Rihnhart      The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

Today we are talking with past guest Marshall Fuss Attorney at Law. Marshall is attorney and general counsel to the Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events, and Coffee Quality Institute and was a guest on episode 101 of KTTS "Avoiding Legal Pitfalls" Today he joins me to offer some guidance to shop owners on how to actions to take in talking with your landlord and bank during this crisis. Things are moving fast and this conversation is meant to help guide you as you pursue action appropriate to you local context.    MEMORANDUM ON IDENTIFICATION OF ESSENTIAL CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE WORKERS DURING COVID-19 RESPONSE Marshall's Website   Related Episodes: 101 : Avoiding Legal Pitfalls w/ Marshall Fuss 125 : Confidence in Conflict w/ Kwame Christian : Negotiating for your career's and your coffee businesses best interest  

These are hard times. It is difficult to know where to begin in discussing the COVID-19 crisis and its impact on our industry. I have, like many of you, spent countless hours trying to process this and attempting to help in any way possible. There have been tears and anxiety to be sure. There has also been many bright spots and encouraging moments as I see our community come together. That is what I want to focus on in today's extended shift break. Resiliency, community, and the path forward in the midst of this unprecedented time in coffee history, that is what we are discussing today. Ya'll...we have what it takes, we have each other, our community, and the heart for hospitality that drives us to keep serving, keep caring, to be creative, and ultimately to take this moment and use it for good.   Links to related episodes: Spotify playlist of encouraging episodes   Resources: The COVID-19 post from Christopher Feran (includes a list of resources) Community-Contributed COVID-19 Resources from SCA NCRLA Guidance on COVID-19 Preparedness  Follow KTTS on Instagram as I boost ideas and resources through the Stories If I can be any help to you in this time please reach out: [email protected]   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer       

In the midst of challenging times, there can still be hope and a way forward. Today we welcome back to the show Kathy Turiano to talk about finding hope in the face of difficulty. Kathy is the Co-Owner of Joe Bean Coffee Roasters in Rochester, NY, an award winning Roastery and cafe in Rochester, NY that has consistently set the pace for specialty coffee in their city and beyond. Our initial interview with Kathy was a Founder Friday back in May of 2017 (link below). This interview was also focused on the overcoming difficulty and pivoting the business as that has been a theme of sorts since Joe Bean was founded.  During the last three years since we last talked, a lot has changed and they faced some of the biggest challenges to date. Challenges that crushed their spirits. In all of it they were able to find hope, light, and ultimately a better version of their business as a result.  My hope is that Kathy's story of overcoming hardships and letting it shape their business for good, will bring you hope in this very difficult time. To me it is a story of learned resiliency and taking things one step at a time. We will learn some pretty important mindsets to have and lessons in how to lead ourselves and communicate with other when things get really tough. We need stories that encourage and I am certain this interview was meant for such a time as this.    Links: www.joebeanroasters.com Joe Bean on IG   Related Episodes: 043 : Founder Friday! Kathy Turiano / Joe Bean Coffee Roasters / A tale of overcoming challenges, new beginnings, and building a strong team, business, and community through coffee 200! : From Tragedy to Triumph : Navigating Change w/ Talor Browne of Talormade, Oslo, Norway 135 : Staying Motivated in the Midst of Difficulty 111 : Self-Care 101: Six Ways to Make Sure You are taking Care of Yourself While Taking Care of Others Self-Betrayal and the Art of Action 008 : Finding Joy in Coffee w/ Nathanael May 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

Managing poor performance is one of the more frustrating parts of being a leader in the coffee shop. While in NYC for Coffee Fest I receive this great question, "What do you do if your manager or barista is not fulfilling the requirements of their role? Do you demote?" In this episode of Shift Break I will get into why I believe most bosses are too quick to blame the employee and slow to see themselves as the source of poor performance in the cafe.  Related Episodes: Facilitating Success Empowering Staff to Make the right Call Being the Point of Clarity   Consulting opportunity! Does having a regular one-on-one coaching session where you get to work out problems, develop solutions, and gain clarity on your business sound attractive? Reach out! [email protected]   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   

The cafe is an institution of our social lives. More than just a spot to grab a quick coffee, the coffee shop is a place that carries with it a host of different sociological and emotional implications for the customer, the local and global community, and the ones who work within its walls. Having a grasp on these ideas is critical and today we are diving into the social intricacies of the coffee bar with sociologist, Noa Berger!  Noa is a PhD candidate at the EHESS (School of Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences) studying specialty coffee in Brazil and France  Her research is part of the PSL project "Emodities: How Emotions Become Commodities" directed by Prof. Eva Illouz, a theme explored in her PhD and in the seminars she teaches (on consumption and authenticity). In addition to her studies, she teaches Sociology at both Graduate (EHESS) and Undergraduate (NEOMA) level and write for magazines (25 Magazine, Standart) and newspapers (Le Monde, Ha'aretz). Her professional experience has revolved around studying and "doing" culture. Alongside research, she has gained extensive experience working in communications, event production and journalism in the cultural and culinary fields, experiences she now mobilizes in her research into the sociology of consumption and the anthropology of food. We will be discussing many things today including what do we mean by "authentic"? What is emotional labor and how does it apply to both cafes and farmers? What does the design of our cafe say about our values? The benefit of understanding our messaging to customers, and how to ask questions like a sociologist.  I love the rabbit holes and layers of thought we go down in this conversation and am so thrilled to be presenting it to you.  Enjoy!   Links: Noa on Instagram Stimuli Project IG   Related Episodes: The Evolution of the Cafe w/ Prof. Jonathan Morris Designing the Guest Experience w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

Our default in management can often be to live in the extremes. Either we are suspecting everyone and everything as a potential problem or we are way too trusting and offer no structure in order to avoid conflict. Both scare away your staff and make your shop a pretty miserable place to work. Today we talk about why we need to live in balance with realism and trust in order to create a thriving coffee shop and happy staff.    Related Episodes: Fear or Inspiration 104 : How to Deliver Difficult Feedback w/ Tom Henschel 074 : The Life Changing Power of Good Authority w/ Jonathan Raymond 028 : Why it's OK to be the Boss w/ Bruce Tulgan   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   

300 Years! That is how long Caffe Florian in Venice, Italy has been in continuous operation serving Venice and the world. In those years Cafe Florian has served as the cultural hub for millions of Venicians and travelers privileged to experience its art, events, unique service of food, coffee, drinks, and chocolate. Today it is all carried out in the original way past patrons like Charles Dickens, Lord Byron, and Casanova would have experienced it.   To celebrate today's 300th broadcast of Keys to the Shop (including our shift break ep.) I sat down with the resident authority on all things Florian and Venice, Stefano Stipitivich. Stefano is the Art Director for Caffe Florian and has worked there for 33 years! We will be speaking to him through a translator, Cristiana Rivolta, the Sales & Marketing Manager at Florian. (You will hear Stafano in the background mostly and Cristiana in the foreground.) In our conversation we discuss the history of Florian, how it has evolved, the secret to it's longevity, how they hire and train their staff, how they keep up with the times while being true to the past, the values that drive their dedication to delivering a perfect customer experience, and more. I have read about Caffe Florian in coffee history books and to get to speak with them is surreal and an honor indeed. It all really impresses upon me the the kind of impact coffee houses have had over time and will continue to have through you and I.  Enjoy!  Links:  Caffe Florian Website Caffe Florian Instagram   Related Episodes: The Evolution of the Cafe w/ Prof. Jonathan Morris Designing the Guest Experience w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

It's Founder Friday! I am thrilled to be able to feature a conversation with an old friend and coffee OG, Jeff Taylor. Jeff is the Co-Founder and CEO of the legendary PT's Coffee Roasters in Topeka, KS and the Owner/ President of Bird Rock Coffee in San Diego, CA.  In todays episode we dive into Jeff's 27 year journey from founding  a small shop called PT's with his business partner Fred Polzin to now being at the helm of an amazing team of coffee professionals that run 10 cafes and two wholesale roasting company’s in 3 states.  Jeff left a very successful career in photo journalism to work fully in coffee and I am so glad he did. PT's has been at the forefront of many of our industries firsts. Jeff worked with a select group to develop what eventually became the United States Barista Competition (USBC), dating back to 1999. Jeff made the transition to Coffee Buyer for PT's Coffee in 2004 and began the process of building relationships with producers around the world which led to forming one of the first Direct Trade models. (Today, PT’s Coffee Roasting Co. Coffee and Bird Rock Coffee Roasters (acquired in 2017) source approximately 85% of our coffee’s directly from farmers) Jeff also served one term on the Specialty Coffee Association of America's Board of Directors through 2010 after which he returned to focus on growing the business sharing sourcing responsibilities with his wife, Maritza Taylor, and Director of Operations Brent Pipiergerdes, so that he could lead the transition and purchase of Bird Rock Coffee Roasters in San Diego, CA. In 2016.  This has been a long and winding path leading to what is undeniably a great coffee career. Patience, relationships, stubbornness, dedication, and trusting your gut are just a few of the themes that emerge here and I feel like we can all see a bit of ourselves and our star in Jeff's.  I hope you enjoy this episode. Like Jeff's career, it's a bit on the long side but worth every minute to be able to learn from one of the original specialty coffee professionals.    Links: www.ptscoffee.com www.birdrockcoffee.com PT's Instagram Bird Rock Instagram    Related Episodes: 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game 174 : Saying Yes to Business Opportunities w/ Kyle Wells of Torpedo Coffee & Close Quarters   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service        

Mindset is at the heart of our effectiveness as leaders. As the work of the cafe piles up it is easy to forget about what your role's primary responsibility is. Today we are going to be chatting about how facilitating success of the people you lead is the cornerstone mindset that supports and gives momentum to everything else you do. Links: Acceptance of Dysfunction 179 : What you MUST Know About Employee Culture w/ Stan Slap Manager's Top 3    Visit our Sponsors!  Painless and accurate ordering and inventory  odeko.com/keystotheshop   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer     

In the world of specialty coffee we still have a lot of work to do when it comes to creating a context where women are given the same bias-free consideration as their male counterparts. As a result, having the confidence necessary to thrive and advance in the cafe can be hard to come by. In today's episode we will be exploring how women can cultivate confidence in business and how those who run businesses can empower the women in their organizations. To that end I am so excited to welcome to the show, Katherine Knapke!  Katherine Knapke is the Chief Operating Officer at the American Negotiation Institute. Katherine is passionate about using her experience as a Psychiatric Nurse trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) and as a Certified Mediator to address the psychological, emotional, and societal concerns that impact women in the workplace. Her goal is to use her expertise to help women develop the skills and confidence they need to get more of what they want and deserve in the workplace.  Katherine also uses her healthcare experience to lead our work within hospital systems and in public health departments. Lives depend on the crucial conversations that happen in healthcare every day. She helps healthcare professionals manage conflict in order to improve communication, persuasion, and patient care.  Katherine is the host of our newest women’s focused negotiation podcast, Ask With Confidence, designed to empower women and to help them gain the confidence they need when engaging in difficult conversations. Some of what we will cover: The power of asking Why women don't need to be like men Structuring meetings for inclusion Competence vs confidence Overcoming over-apologizing A frame-work for negotiation and difficult conversations   Links: Ask with Confidence Podcast Negotiate Anything Guides IWCA #Shestheroaster   Related Episodes: 131 : The Strong Women of Coffee w/ Laura Gonzalez 125 : Confidence in Conflict w/ Kwame Christian 104 : How to Deliver Difficult Feedback w/ Tom Henschel 052 : Solving Coworker Conflict w/ Tom Henschel 014 : A Barista's Guide to Advancing 015 : What to do if you Don't Advance w/ Anne Nylander Shift Break: Career Advice from Joe Marocco   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service    

We seem to be addicted. Not to coffee, but to coffee loyalty programs. Whether it's a card or points on the POS, we can't imagine running a business without them. But what if cards and programs don't actually create loyalty? Today we are chatting about mindsets and practices as it relates to achieving true customer loyalty and why what we have accepted as a means to that end has really led us astray. Links: wwww.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]   Visit our Sponsors!  Painless and accurate ordering and inventory  odeko.com/keystotheshop   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer       

Too often an otherwise promising business is compromised from lack of attention, simple systems, and tools to manage the finances. This leads to many cafes going under way before their time. There is a lot going on when you are just starting out and accounting/finances are often the first things to get compromised. Well, today we are going to talk about best-practices, mindsets, tools, systems, and strategies to help you take control of your cafe's finances and accounting with our very special guest, Keila Hill-Trawick of Little Fish Accounting! Keila is strategic business advisor who partners with freelancers, solopreneurs, and small businesses owners to plan and reach their financial goals . After spending over a decade working in both the government and private sector, Keila launched Little Fish Accounting to serve as a trusted partner in financial and tax planning to drive business results and growth. Keila holds a BBA in Accounting from Georgia State University, an MBA from Mercer University, and is a licensed Certified Public Accountant. She has held multiple senior level accounting and finance positions at corporations such as Home Depot, Georgia-Pacific, UPS, CNN/Turner Broadcasting, Comcast, and various Federal agencies. Based in Washington, DC, Keila now services small businesses nationwide through Little Fish Accounting. This is a critical primer for foundational financial health of cafes everywhere and I hope it empowers you to take control of your accounting, the future of your business absolutely depends on it. In this episode you will learn: Why so many entrepreneurs mismanage their finances What systems are key when first starting out How to make your systems and tools give you what you need Keeping track of the various departments of your business Pitfalls to be aware of When you have money but should not spend it Financial management whole scaling Purchasing and invoicing wisdom   Links: www.littlefishaccounting.com  Little Fish on Instagram   Related Episodes: 160 : The Smart Way to Approach Money w/ Jill Schlesinger 101 : Avoiding Legal Pitfalls in Coffee Retail w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law 108 : Founder Friday w/ Dorian Bolden of Beyu Caffe, Durham, NC   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

Okay, so today the tables are turned and I get interviewed by my loving and lovely wife, Lynnsy. Doing something like this podcast requires a good deal of support, encouragement, and patience from the people around us. My wife is the epitome of those things and more. When she came to me with this idea was very hesitant but she has convinced me to let her interview me for a Valentines Day episode to explore some fun stories from my career, completion, and also how coffee brought us together. Seems pretty appropriate right? Coffee brings us all together.  So if you want to hear about how latte art got me married, why you should check your ego before you blog, what happened to me in that I needed to call my wife from a pay phone in Vegas, and more, then this episode is for you! Thanks, Lynnsy.  I love you more than coffee.    Visit our sponsor! (My wife) Storytree Creations   

It can be hard to organize all the responsibilities you take on when in a leadership role in the cafe. When we don't order our work well it leads to giving too much time and energy to things that seem important in the moment only to get further behind. Today we chat about three categories to place our work under and how to prioritize you work to thrive as a manager or cafe leader.     Related episodes: Please Clarify Don't Just do It : Delegation Managers Top 3     Links: wwww.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]   Visit our Sponsors!  Painless and accurate ordering and inventory  odeko.com/keystotheshop   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer     

Curiosity is the reason we got into coffee. As we go on in our careers though, the world we thought was so big becomes much smaller. We learn the rules, the ropes, and we get busy with the business of coffee often at the expense of being fascinated by it.  Today we will be discussing the importance of curiosity and how it has a tremendous impact on our personal and professional lives. To do this I am joined by someone who's job it is to inspire curiosity in people around the world, Cody Gough! Cody Gough is the executive producer and co-host of Curiosity Daily, an award-winning daily science podcast from Curiosity.com. Curiosity Daily was recognized as the Best Technology & Science Podcast in the 2019 Discover Pods Awards, and was recognized as the Best Science & Medicine Podcast at the 13th Annual Podcast Awards. Cody's broadcasting background includes more than a decade of experience working at Chicago’s 720 WGN Radio in both on-air and production roles. He’s also a seasoned podcaster with The GonnaGeek Podcast Network, an accomplished commercial actor, and former cooking show host. I am so happy to have gotten a chance to speak with Cody. I really enjoy his podcast and believe that what we discuss here today will, not only ignite our curiosity, but will help us break out of our ruts and explore the world around us a bit more deeply. The return on investing in curiosity is immeasurable.  We will discuss: How Cody has developed more curiosity through the show What role curiosity plays in producing Nobel Prize winners Why curiosity makes you better at hospitality The importance of outside interests and hobbies Steps to take in igniting your curiosity Some of the coolest hangs Cody has learned from his show   Links: www.Curiosity.com Cody on Twitter   Related episodes: 165 : The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli 137 : Essential Books for your professional Development 112 : The Power of Story w/ James Harper   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service    

Problems come up all the time in the cafe. We deal with them as best we can but often we are leaving a lot of value on the table with the ways we attack the issues we encounter. Today we are chatting about how get your problems to work for your companies benefit and not let them go to waste.    Related Episodes: SOPs FTW Communicate, Duplicate, Repeat Being the Point of Clarity   Links: wwww.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]   Visit our Sponsors!  Painless and accurate ordering and inventory  odeko.com/keystotheshop   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   

Navigating unforeseen change brings about a ton of challenges that, in the moment, seem insurmountable. Today we will be exploring this subject by hearing an incredible story going from tragedy to triumph with the ever-awesome, Talor Browne! Talor Browne is a 20 year specialty coffee veteran and pastry chef that ended up in Oslo via Paris and Melbourne. Former head roaster of Tim Wendelboe and founder of Talor&Jorgen, she is currently on the cusp of opening the first of three stores of her new roastery and doughnut shop, Talormade.    Talor was a guest on our show back in May of 2018 for Founder Friday. Talor&Jorgen was a force of nature that was massively successful and showed no signs of slowing. Not too long after our interview though, the 16 hour days and 300 hour months began to take their toll on Talor. This all culminated in her business partners trying to force her from her from the company she founded. After an ugly lawsuit, settlement, and the best interest of the employees in mind, Talor stepped away.   Now, after 7 months of preparation and planning she has the best equipment in the industry and a renewed determination to do it all over again, just bigger and so much better.  Talormade was born from the ashes of this tragedy.   So many questions...How did she do it? What was this journey like? What mistakes did she make in the first company? What is different about this new venture? What insights and advice can Talor offer us that will help us navigate unforeseen changes that we may face?  This interview answers those questions and much more.    I can think of no better way to celebrate a 200 episodes than to share this real-life inspirational coffee story with all of you.   Please listen with open hearts and minds as Talor shares her story and wisdom gained as a result.     Links: www.talormade.no Talormade on Instagram    Related Episodes: Founder Friday w/ Talor Browne of Talor + Jorgen  Self Care 101 Avoiding Legal Pitfalls w/ Marshal Fuss     The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service    

It's Founder Friday! Today we get to talk with Mario Jimenez one of the owners of Banana Dang Coffee in Oceanside, California!  Mario and his wife, Thanh-Thanh Dang started Banana Dang back in 2007 in Rincon, Puerto Rico before eventually relocating to Oceanside, California. Back on the island, they served Puerto Rican coffee and homegrown bananas in all their smoothies. Dubbed the “World’s First ALL Banana Smoothie and Specialty Coffee Bar,” Banana Dang became an institution in the Caribbean surf town. After selling the property in Rincon in 2014, they returned to California and opened the second Banana Dang shop in Oceanside in 2015. Banana Dang is lovely and unique business in the specialty retail space with a simple mission and a lot to teach us. In today's interview we will be exploring the founding and evolution of Banana Dang in depth with Mario and learning all about the heart behind it and the insights gain from over 13 years of operation.  You will learn about:  How Mario went form band leader to shop owner Why they are "Bananas about Coffee"! Why coffee is like music Winning with simplicity Standing out as a brand Staying true to your values Closing a successful store to re-opening stateside  Cultivating culture The balance between discipline and fun  Serving their community Links: www.bananadang.com Instagram   Related episodes: Simple, Powerful, Hospitality Founder Friday w/ Joshua Boyt Founder Friday w/ Luaren Crabb / Andytown Coffee Roasters   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service        

It is easy for us to be consumed with work. Especially if you are passionate about it and desire to achieve great things, to move the needle in the company, and to help those you lead. Trouble is hough, we tend to blur the lines between work and home and end up burning out for lack of clear borders. Today we will talk about three tactics that will help bring balance and ultimately keep you healthy and thriving at work and at home.  Related episodes: Blood Sucking Bosses Self Care 101 Asking for Help   Links: wwww.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]   This Episode brought to you by ODEKO! Painless and accurate ordering and inventory  odeko.com/keystotheshop  

Coffee and the coffee shop have an amazing history. From the Ottoman Empire to your favorite 3rd wave coffee bar, there have been many evolutions and critical pints in time that have led us to where we are today. In order to move forward well, we need to be well informed of our industry's past. To help us in this effort we are chatting with coffee historian, Prof. Jonathan Morris Jonathan Morris is a Research Professor in History at the University of Hertfordshire, specializing in the history of coffee. His latest book Coffee: A Global History explains how coffee became popular the world over,  and why tastes in coffee differ all over the world. Jonathan was the European Editor of Coffee: A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry (2013) and directed the Cappuccino Conquests research project which traced the history of Italian-style coffee from the origins of espresso through to the global coffee shop chains of today. In this episode we are talking with Prof. Morris about some key points in the evolution of the coffee shop that impact us today. We will discuss: The democratic intent of the cafe Eras of the cafe's evolution and why they were significant Alcohol’s connection to the cafe and what is concerning about it today?  The social importance and role of the cafe in society Coffee prices in the shop and politics Differentiating ourselves to the consumer Are we niching down too far?  What things should we be focusing on now as we write this next chapter of cafe history  Links: thecoffeehistorian.com Buy the book on Amazon [email protected]   Related Episodes: Your Peers are not Your Customers 090 : Researching the Cafe w/ Dr. Jennifer Ferreira   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys 5% off your purchases at Prima Coffee until January 31st! Just use the code "HOLIDAY5" when you visit this link!    Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service    

On bar, things get stressful. We are not just managing the physical space but we are also managing and navigating our emotions. It's all too easy to let our pride keep us from asking for help when we most desperate need it. In this shift break I talk about a recent experience I had that inspired the episode and we dive into vulnerability, team support, communication, and ultimately allowing ourselves and others to be humans at work.  Related episodes: When you're Losing it Harnessing your Emotions at Work Self Care 101 Dealing w/ Stress in the Cafe   Links: wwww.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]   This Episode brought to you by ODEKO! Painless and accurate ordering and inventory  odeko.com/keystotheshop      

It's tech time! Equipment breaks, that is just a fact of life. How and why it breaks depends on the way we maintain (or don't maintain) it over the corse of its life. right now there are thousands of bars working on machines that are either about to break or are well on their way because of improper care. Today we are talking with Counter Culture Coffee NYC equipment tech extraordinaire, Melissa Vaiden. The goal of our conversation? To help us avoid an untimely demise for the equipment we depend on.  Melissa Vaiden is a service technician for Counter Culture Coffee in the NYC region. After working as a barista for years, she found a tech internship at Boxcar Coffee that sparked her love for fixing coffee equipment. She speaks on panels sharing her experience as one of the few women working in the technical field. She also is a stage manager for the Coffee Champ's Cup Tasters competition. In this conversation e cover a LOT of information and best practices for your brewers, grinders, espresso machines and filtration. If you follow Melissa's advice here you will be sure to save yourself a world of suffering form needless maintenance issues.  We cover: Preventative maintenance for Espresso, brewer, grinders Why so many businesses get behind in their machine care Mindsets for getting the most from your equipment Budgeting for inevitable costs in machine care Filtration best practices Purchasing the right machine for your business Links: Counter Culture Coffee   Related episodes: Talking Tech w/ Tom Ritz Terry's Top 10: How not to Kill your Espresso Machine Supplying and Selecting Equipment w/ Steve Rhinehart   Got questions, comments, feedback? Want to work with KTTS Consulting? [email protected]   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys 5% off your purchases at Prima Coffee until January 31st! Just use the code "HOLIDAY5" when you visit this link!    Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service  

How do you inspire people? This was a question I was asked recently while conducting a day-long workshop for a group of cafe managers. The answer is easy to give, but hard to live. You can think of this also as policy -vs- relationship. Today we are going to talk about our tendency to try and force inspiration, why it falls short, and what to do instead.  Related episodes: 179 : What you MUST Know About Employee Culture w/ Stan Slap Introducing Chaos Self-Betrayal and the Art of Action The Broken Chair     Reach out!  wwww.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected]   This Episode brought to you by ODEKO! Painless and accurate ordering and inventory  odeko.com/keystotheshop