Being a new barista can be both very exciting and VERY stressful. There is an almost never ending list of policies, recipes, practices, and rules that make up this new work of cafe service you are now immersed in. On today's show you and I talk about some essential tips that will help you not only navigate you first few weeks on the bar but advice that will help guide you throughout your entire career.  If you are a manager this episode is great to share with your new staff and even some of your veteran employees.  Enjoy! -Chris   Resources mentioned LINKS: EP 28 "Why It's OK to be the Boss" Model Health Show -Shawn Stevenson "Mindset" -Dr. Carol Dweck It's OK to Manage Your Boss-Bruce Tulgan www.keystotheshop.com  

In coffee service we pour over the details of the coffee's quality in great detail. Often though we can over look the details that make up a complete coffee experience. The way customers experience our coffee, in no small part depends on how we have looked after the fine points of service in how we present the ourselves, space, and the coffee itself. Today we talk with Casey Underkofler, Assistant General Manager at The Bachelor Farmer Cafe in Minneapolis, MN to get some practical and actionable tips on how we can match our service to our quality.  Enjoy! Links for this Episode:   The Bachelor Farmer Cafe Barista Magazine Article: All the Little Things (Search the April/May Issue) "Mindset" -Dr. Carol Dweck     Related Episodes: KTTS 007 : 4 Keys to an Effective Checklist  KTTS 016 : Raising the Bar on Your Customer Service / Michael Butterworth  

The SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America) and the SCAE (Specialty Coffee Association of Europe) have recently merged to form the SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) but what does that mean for those of use who work in retail? What are the plans and goals of the SCA when it comes to their retail members? Is joining the Association something you should do for yourself or for your business and staff? In this week's episode we talk with SCA Vice President Heather Perry to get more details about what to expect and how we might participate. I believe you will gain a lot of clarity from this episode as Heather lays out all that has been going on and what is in store. Enjoy! Heather Perry, Vice President of the SCA, is also a 2 Time U.S. Barista Champion and 2nd Place world Barista Championship finalist. She is Vice President of Klatch Coffee, a 20 year old California based roaster/retailer and has served in association leadership positions for over 12 years.  Helpful Links: Heather's Email: [email protected] Ellie Hudson's Email: [email protected] www.sca.coffee www.Klatchcoffee.com https://sca.coffee/education-1/   www.keystotheshop.com      

Today we are talking with noted author, speaker, and researcher, Bruce Tulgan about his powerful book, "It's Ok to be the Boss". We talk about the myths that managers believe that lead to what Bruce calls "The Under-Management Epidemic" and the very practical and simple solutions we can employ to become a great boss, truly empower our people, gain clarity, and create a great work culture at your coffee bar.  This book has had a huge impact on me and I know you will also be impacted and pushed toward being a great boss. I hope this interview is on,y the beginning for you. Enjoy! LINKS: [email protected]   WWW.RAINMAKERTHINKING.COM     RELATED/MENTIONED EPISODES: KTTS 021:  How to Leverage Your Performance Review   KTTS 003:Pete Licata:The role Of Mentorship in Specialty Coffee Resources: www.keystotheshop.com      

It's Founder Friday #5 !!! Today we get to talk with Chelsey Walker-Watson, co-owner of Slate Coffee Roasters / a family owned roaster/ retailer in Seattle, Washington. We discuss her amazing 2nd place U.S. Brewers Cup Competition routine, How she got into the coffee industry, the story of Slate Coffee, how they run things, their expansion, and the values that drive them.  Slate is a true gem in the coffee industry and after hearing from Chelsey today you will no doubt be encouraged and also be looking for an excuse to go out and visit their shops for more inspiration.  Enjoy!    WWW.SLATECOFFEE.COM Instagram: @slatecoffee  Chelsey's Brewers Cup Routine is at 9min 40sec in HERE   Episodes Mentioned: The Coffeetographer: http://www.keystotheshop.com/podcasts/24-2/    

Roasters are the heart beat of specialty coffee. They transform the fruit of so many peoples labor into the coffees we know and love. Today we get to hear from none other than the new U.S. roasting Champion himself, Mar Michaelson! Mark is the Head Roaster at Onyx Coffee Lab in NW Arkansas and in this episode he shares about his origin story, his competition experience, and then we talk about 5 things he want us to know from his perspective as a roaster.  Such a great conversation and i know you will appreciate roasters even more. Enjoy!    LINKS: [email protected] IG: @Mark_michaelson  www.onyxcoffeelab.com    

Training. At some point in your coffee career you will be called on to train or teach in some form. As well as we might know the craft of coffee, it is often the case that we struggle to find the best way to teach that craft. If you are at all interested in learning how to become a better trainer or educator then this show is going to prove indispensable. To help us explore these things I am thrilled to welcome Dave Stachowiak of the Award winning podcast: Coaching for Leaders to the Show! We talk about the difference between knowing a skill -vs- teaching it, insights to help you develop yourself as a leader, and 5 steps that provide a framework that will help you master the art of training! Daves Website: www.coachingforleaders.com Episodes related to this: CFL 289: How to Lead Part Time Staff w/ Chris Deferio http://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/289/   CFL 237: These Coaching Questions Get Results w/ Michael Bungay Stainer http://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/237/   CFL 190 : How to Improve Your Coaching Skills w/ Tom Henschel http://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/190/   CFL 196 : Marshall Goldsmith on Triggers : Creating Behavior That Lasts http://coachingforleaders.com/podcast/196/ Books: The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stainer The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg  

Cheremelle D. Edwards, Founder of "The Coffeetographer" joins us today to talk about all she has learned and observed through her work documenting arts and culture through the lens of specialty coffee. We talk about the critical role of the small independent cafes, her favorite experiences, what she sees as the future of specialty coffee culture, and what we should focus on to continually provide a great specialty experience in our shops.  As she says on her sight, Chermelle loves coffee, but she loves coffee shops even more & I know you're going to love this conversation! Enjoy! Chermelle Links: TWITTER INSTAGRAM THE COFFEETOGRAPHER     www.keystotheshop.com    

Fresh off his victory in Seattle, Kyle Ramage of Mahlkonig USA took some time to talk with us about the competition. We get into the details of his routine, his drinks, his presentations message, his dry ice frozen coffee and the challenges/lessons he experienced on the road to winning the U.S. Championship title.    LINKS: www.keystotheshop.com www.mahlkonig.com    www.worldcoffeeevents.org www.cafeshow.com   VIDEO: Live Stream of USBC FINALS Kristian Klatt Heat in Grinders Christopher Hendon on "Performing an Good Experiment"            

I am honored to welcome Colin Harmon for our 4th Founder Friday episode! Colin is a 4 time Irish Barista Champion, 4th place World Barista Championship finalist, and Owner/Founder of 3fe Coffee, one of the world’s most innovative and progressive specialty coffee shops located in Dublin, Ireland. Colin is also the author of the new book, "What I Know About Running Coffee shops", a book detailing critical information and insights from colin experiences that will help you start or run a great coffee operation. Trust me, you will want to get this book. We talk about the evolution of his shop and the lessons, challenges, and rewards experienced along the way. We also dive in and discuss some of the great content form the book I know you are going to enjoy this! Links: •What I Know About Running Coffee Shops •3fe Website •3fe Instagram •Colin on Twitter   Notes Can be found at: www.keystotheshop.com

Reviews can be a great experience. They can also be frustrating and challenging. They key is in how you go into the review and how you respond to the feedback given. Today we will cover 7 tips that will help you leverage the review to your professional advantage. Performance reviews are a great opportunity for growth and to gain gain clarity on where you are in your career. I hope these 7 tips are helpful to you!  Enjoy! Links: Notes www.keystotheshop.com/resources    "Setting the Table" by Danny Meyer   Related Episode: #14 "A Baristas Guide to Advancing"

There is a lot of farm information available to us today in coffee. The question is how do we use that information & what is the line between overloading the customer and enhancing their experience? What purpose does all this knowledge serve? Today Joe Marrocco of Coffee Imports helps us not only answer these questions but also talks about the relationship between the cafe, the producer, and everything in between.    Joe Marrocco has been working in Specialty Coffee since 2005, where he started at a small, but mighty, café in southeast Missouri. Joe has been a barista, a café manager, a roaster, an educator, a leader in the Barista Guild of America, a barista competitor, a BBQ judge, a server and expeditor, and many more things both in and out of coffee. Basically, he loves the service industry, coffee, food, and people. He is also a husband of nearly 15 years, and the father of two. He is the Sr. Sales Associate and Director of Education at Café Imports, Educator in collaboration with Mill City Roasters, Co-host of the Opposites Extract Podcast, and Chair of the Membership and Communications Committee on the Roasters Guild Executive Council. Show Notes  www.cafeimports.com www.millcityroasters.com www.oppositesextract.com www.joemarrocco.com Insta and Twitter: @roasterjoe Email: [email protected] 

What do you think of when you think of "The Customer"? All too often it brings to mind annoyance, challenges, irritation, and even anger. I recently read an old article that was being newly shared around social media that was the catalyst for this episode. Tons of lists exist stating what we baristas "hate" about customers but what is it that we love about them? We will go much farther in our careers if apply a little charitable assumption to the ones who make our work possible. You may not own the business but taking a posture of ownership when it comes to how you perceive the customer will set you up for success in the future. A  and today I want talk about 10 reasons to love the customer! If you have more things to add that you love about your customers tell us on Twitter using the hashtag  #lovemycustomers  Visit our Sponsor! Notes: www.keystotheshop.com/resources The Article: http://www.wweek.com/restaurants/2016/11/09/10-reasons-your-barista-hates-you/ Cool reaction to the piece: http://www.nossacoffee.com/nossablog/2016/11/11/5-reasons-your-nossa-familia-barista-loves-you-1    

The future of your shop depends one more than just the coffee you serve, it depends on the people you hire and how you engage and lead them. This determines how they care for each other,  your customer, and your business. In this episode I present a talk I normally share at Coffee Fest where I give you tips on how you can create a culture that ensures an excellent experience for your staff and guests.    Book: It's OK to Be the Boss Related Episodes: Episode 7 "4 Keys to an Effective Checklist" Episode 4 "10 Steps to Being a People First Leader" Episode 13 "Leadership and Management Master class w/ Eva Attia"     Send you questions to : [email protected]  Thanks for listening! -Chris

Jonathan Rubinstein, President & Founder of Joe Coffee in NYC and Philadelphia joins us on the show today to talk about coffee business, Hospitality, the keys to their success in growing from 1 store in 2003 to 16 locations today, the recent investment from Danny Meyers', Union Square Hospitality Group, and the challenges and rewards that he has experienced along the way. This episode is jam packed with great stories, advice, insight, and inspiration. If you are in the coffee business (that's probably all of you) you won't want to miss this one! Don't forget to share this episode and subscribe! Show Notes will be available at : www.keystotheshop.com/resources Helpful links for Joe Coffee: www.joenewyork.com Instagram Twitter http://www.ushgnyc.com   Questions, Comments? Send them to : [email protected]   

The customer experience can make or break your cafe. There are so many seemily small things that can derail the customers enjoyment of your shop. How can we raise the bar and focus our energy on the places that really count? What are some of the main things we do that detract from an other wise great experience? Michael Butterworth , cofounder of The Coffee Compass and Director of Education at Quills Coffee in Louisville, KY talks with us about these things and more on episode 16 of Keys to the Shop! Helpful Links: The Coffee Compass Quills The Black Fox     Send your thoughts to [email protected]  www.keystotheshop.com   

Sometimes, in spite of doing all the right things and taking all the right steps, advancement just does not happen. Today we talk with Anne Nylander about how to navigate the tricky terrain of leaving your job in pursuit of the next step in your career. We talk about how to bring up the topic with you boss, getting counsel from the right people, making a solid plan, how to maintain relationships throughout.  Anne Nylander has been a Specialty Coffee Professional for 11 years Her experience in the industry goes from East to West Coast. She has worked as: Store manager for Joe Coffee NYC Founder, President, and Lead Consultant at TampTamp NYC BGA Executive Counsel Member and SCAA Membership Coordinator  Manager at Starbucks Reserve Roastery and Tasting Room in Seattle She has launched: WWW.ANNEFNYLANDER.COM ... which is home to her consulting business      Questions/Comments: [email protected] www.keystotheshop.com    

We all want to make progress and be fulfilled in our work. For many of us though frustration in our jobs causes us to not take full advantage of our current role to help us get to where we want to be. Today we are talking about some basic (but powerful!) ways to advance and set yourself up for success in your coffee career.    Related Episodes: Ep: 12 "A Journey Into Management and Back w/ Lauren Airola"   Ep: 05 "Baristas Speak! Interviews from Coffee Champs Knoxville"   Have questions, Comments etc? Reach out to me! [email protected]    Some Helpful Resources:  www.keystotheshop.com/resources www.scaa.org www.baristahustle.com  www.jimseven.com Chris Baca Youtube Channel Barista Guild of Washington State FB Group    

So you want to be a better leader or manager? Have we got a show for you! On this episode Eva Attia, the Director of Retail Operations for Portland Roasting Coffee, is our guest. Eva is just an amazing professional and today she shares her insights & advice gained from 20 years of coffee retail management and leadership, 16 of which was spent at Pete's Coffee and Tea where she worked her way up from Assistant Store manager all the way to Director of Retail Operations. I was quite encouraged an energized by this discussion. Eva also gives us a list of 5 things she feels are the most important to practice if you want to be a great manager or leader.  1. Select Carefully 2. Treat People Differently 3. Have High Expectations 4. Show Courage 5. Put others before yourself   Buckle up and enjoy!   -Chris More show Notes are available at www.keystotheshop.com/resources  You can reach out to Eva via email: [email protected] Or connect with Eva on Linkedin   John Maxwell: 21 Laws of Leadership Book: Situational Leadership  

Going from barista work to take on a management role can be a tough transition. It can also be a very rewarding one both personally and professionally. On this episode we talk with Lauren Airola about her experiences as a barista and a manager at Onyx Coffee Lab in NW Arkansas. We discuss her "Employee Focused" management style, how she discovered more about her strengths and weaknesses, her advice on how we improve as managers and baristas, and her decision to step away from management back into barista work.  There's just a lot here. I think you are going to find this just as fascinating and helpful as I did! Enjoy! Show notes: www.keystotheshop.com/resources Onyx Coffee Lab   Other resources mentioned: Bethany Hargrove's Article in Barista Magazine on transitioning from barista work to roasting        

It's the second edition of Founder Friday and today we get to hear the story and learn from the experiences of Maxwell Mooney who owns Narrative Coffee in Everette, WA. We discuss how he got started in coffee, his driving vision for Narrative, how competitions and the coffee community helped shape that vision, and much more! I hope you enjoy the discussion. Maxwell is a true professional and incredibly driven guy and I was certainly encouraged by this conversation. Show Notes and other resources can be found at: www.keystotheshop.com/resources   Maxwell can be reached at: [email protected] website: narrative.coffee social: @narrative.coffee (insta) @narrativecoffee (twitter) @maxwellamooney (Twitter/Insta) Want to donate you Competition wares? Maxwell suggests donating to WINCC (Women Investing in North West Coffee Champs)    Other Resources mentioned in this interview include: Michael Gerber's Book the E-Myth Revisited The Boss Barista podcast      

Are barista competitions relevant what I do on the bar every day? How does my business benefit from sending staff to compete? These questions are asked by almost everyone at one time or another when they consider a coffee competitions. Today Jess Steffy, Owner of Square One Coffee in Lancaster, PA, joins us to not only answer these questions but also to share her experiences from being both a successful business owner and the Chair for the SCA's U.S. Competition Committee. Jess is also a licensed Q Grader, a BGA Certified Barista, an SCA Certified Lead Instructor, a veteran USBC Judge, and certified World Barista judge.  Show notes are available  at www.keystotheshop.com/resources  Have questions, comments etc?  [email protected] Thanks and enjoy this episode with Jess Steffy!   Other mentions intros episode: Nick Cho's (of the Portafilter Podcast) post on Medium about competition from an owners perspective You can also learn more about the U.S. Coffee Championships by visiting www.uscoffeechampionships.org      

Data, Metrics, Measurements...they play a critical role in the success of your shop. But how we approach the information available to us will determine how well we use it. Today Simon Ouderkirk a former coffee professional who now works with Automattic (the company behind Wordpress.com, WooCommerce, and JetPack) talks to us about how we can best approach data and make it work for business and our people.  If you're like me you can really get caught up in the numbers and maybe miss some critical perspectives that being on the floor talking to your staff and customer provides. You might be the opposite. Maybe you don't look at the numbers enough and are all about being on the floor. You might be missing critical information in the data that can enhance the experience people have in the cafe.    No matter where you are, you will likely be encouraged by this discussion and equipped with a foundational understanding of metrics that will help you use them successfully.  Show Notes are available on the website: www.keystotheshop.com/resources  Enjoy! -Chris  

Joyfulness in our work is something we all would like more of. Nathanael May joins us to discuss how we can cultivate joy in our work in coffee. Being a barista and remaining joyful throughout the day can be challenging especially when things just seem to be going wrong. In this episode we talk about the difference between Joyfulness and happiness, Joy's important role in the cafe, how we can take control of our own joyfulness, giving joy to others, and some tips for how you can start that process. Nathanael May is the Director of Coffee and Green Buyer for Portland Roasting Coffee in Portland , OR. He is a head USBC judge, WBC judge, and a Certified Q Grader. You can find some great writing from him HERE   For the complete show notes simply click HERE and you will be directed to our resources page where you can find the downloadable PDF of this episode's main points and key take-aways. Enjoy the show! www.keystotheshop.com got comments, questions, or suggestions? Email me! [email protected] 

Checklists get things done!!! If you work in coffee you use  a checklist. Some lists are effective and others...not so much. In this episode we explore the 4 keys to making an effective checklist and talk about what role it plays in the cafe and in a baristas professional development.  

This is the first in a monthly interview series highlighting founders of great cafes on the last Friday of each month. This month we are featuring new owners Taylor and Shem Doupe who own Soleil Cafe (So-lay cafe) in Syracuse, NY! They started their cafe in may of 2016 and have been very well received by the community. Their passion for people and great coffee is what drives them and in this interview we get to hear how they came to start their business and what they have learned along the way. You can find more info on their website: www.soleil-cafe.com and follow them on Instagram: @soleil_cafe Also you can email them at: [email protected] [email protected]   I hope you enjoy this interview and if you like Keys to the Shop be sure to subscribe to the show and leave us a 5 star review on iTunes...it really helps the ge the podcast up in the rankings and out in front of more people. email you questions, comment, and suggestions to [email protected]   www.keystotheshop.com  

This weekend I got to go to Coffee Champs in Knoxville, qualifying event for the United States Coffee Championships. While at an event party hosted by Wild Love Bakehouse I sat down with 5 baristas to get their unique take on coffee service, career development, and the future of the cafe industry. Each perspective shines a light on something different that you will find useful for your own career. It always helps to learn from the experiences of others and this episode includes some really great insights from: 1. Trainer,  Dawn Shanks of Peregrine Espresso in Washington D.C. 2. Manager, Paul Yates of Shenendoah Joe in Harrisburg, VA also Owner of  Rock town Coffee Roasters 3. Consultant,Diana Mnatsakanyan-Sapp, Owner, Undercurrent Coffee, Charlotte, NC 4. Barista, Hannah Craig of Quills Coffee in Louisville, KY 5. U.S. Barista Champion, Lem Butler of Counter Culture Coffee in Durham, NC Full show notes will be available Wednesday in PDF form from our website  www.keystotheshop.com Twitter: @keystotheshop IG: @keystotheshop  

In this episode you and I get to discuss some practical leadership practices for the shop to help you keep people first. There are 10 things that, if implemented, will help anyone who is currently a leader or is aspiring to hold a leadership position in a cafe to lead effectively while also providing proper care for their staff.  Thanks for listening! Show Notes can be found at: www.keystotheshop.com/resources   

We get to talk about mentorship with 2013 World Barista Champion, Pete Licata. In this conversation we discuss what mentorship is, what are the benefits of its one-on-one nature -vs- other learning methods, and how do we find mentors to help us in out coffee careers. We also discuss how we can invest into others and act as a mentor to those who might need our help in our professional community. Pete has a tons of insight and wisdom to share here. This is a guy who just exemplifies learning and teaching in his career. Enjoy!  Here are some links: http://www.roastratings.com http://www.licatacoffeeconsultants.com [email protected] Twitter @petelicata   Subscribe: Keys to the Shop Visit: www.keystotheshop.com for the show notes under "Resources"