Back in 2018 at a Coffee Fest in Baltimore I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Stephen Zinnerman, owner and founder of (along with his wife Natasha) The Coffee Enthusiast: A Brewing Company (TCE).  Back when we first met on the show floor, he was just starting TCE and since then they have experienced A LOT of growth both in their family and in the business, especially on the roasting side. Through the challenges, late nights, iterations, and lots of giving and receiving from the specialty coffee community TCE has emerged as a known and established industry presence that promotes connection and great coffee experiences.  On top of running TCE Stephen has recently joined the roasting team at Counter Culture Coffee and is also a board member of The Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity Stephen’s background outside of coffee is higher education, where he has worked for over 10 years in different areas, from University Housing to Environmental Research & Education. He is a graduate student, studying Environmental Policy & Management with a concentration in Environmental Sustainability. Stephen is one of the most dedicated, hardworking, and (not surprisingly) enthusiastic people you can meet and it has been a pleasure to follow his progress over the years and now to get to have this conversation exploring his journey 3 years later.  In this interview we discuss:  Starting small and getting feedback Beginning to focus on roasting Learning to listen and serve Creating something to give his kids Continuing to learn and invest in yourself Taking action as an individual  Showing appreciation Taking on a commercial coffee roasting position while running TCE The hard work of commercial roasting Advice on how to learn and grow Links: www.tcecoffee.com TCE on Instagram   Related Episodes: 079 : Interviews from Coffee Fest Baltimore (First interview w/ Stephen) 149 : Celina Velez, Head Roaster of Merit Coffee in Austin, TX 180 : A Conversation with Rugid Grind Founders, Brian Washington and Averett Barksdale Blog: Who we are and What we do 233 : A Conversation w/ Anthony Ragler, Black and White 232 : Founder Friday w/ Blew Kind of Fanny Lou’s Porch   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

Where do we even start when choosing tools for our roastery? There are an incredible number of options from basic and inexpensive -to complex and costly. In the most recent issue of Roast Magazine, today's guest, Kat Melheim gives us an outline of tools and resources through the entire roasting process that can help clarify this dilemma.  Kat Melheim (she/her) is a roaster, barista, artist, and writer. She founded Coffee People Zine, a publication that celebrates the creativity of the coffee community, in 2018. Through her work in the coffee industry she has been fortunate enough to travel, meet exceptional people, and taste delicious coffees all over the world. Kat strives to connect with others, share what she’s learning, and entertain with joy and enthusiasm.  On today's RoR episode we will be diving into the subject of getting the right tools for you specific roasting operation,how Kat's own career has been helped by having or lacking resources, and her advice to us on how we should approach developing ourselves as technicians and artists. Lots of wonderful thoughts and insights here. Enjoy! Links:  www.coffeepeople.org Instagram: @coffeepeoplezine Instagram: @coffeekatheryn  Instagram: @roasterkat Kat's YouTube channel!    On this episode of RoR from Roast Magazine Her career path in roasting Resources and opportunities that helped her Prioritizing tools by impact Importance of roaster “Quality of Life” Discerning what is essential for your context Levels of need  Importance of time on the roaster Being a taster  Taking care of your body Kats Recommended tools The importance of feedback and communication   Advice for growing as an artist and technician    Subscribe to Roast Magazine! www.roastmagazine.com   Related Episodes: RoR #1: A Conversation w/ Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters RoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee Enterprises RoR #3: Making Contingency Planning a Reality w/ Andi Trindle Mersch of Philz Coffee RoR #4: Practical Thermal Dynamics w/ Candice Madison of Royal Coffee / The Crown Oak RoR #5: Time and Color in Roasting w/ Morten Munchow of Coffee Mind” RoR #6: Buying Less and Doing More w/ Ever Meister RoR #7 Illustrative Sample Roasting w/ Mike Ebert of Firedancer Coffee Consultants ROR #8 How Post-Harvest Processing Impacts Flavor w/ Siva Subramanian and Byron Holcomb of Olam Food Ingredients    

In competition we stress about the performance and we practice the skills repeatedly in order to be able to do well on the day. While this approach is needed, there is another approach to preparation that goes deeper and helps ensure that, no mater what you are wanting to do better in (Latte art, management, leadership, etc) you will show up consistently and with minimal stress. Today we will be talking about how we show up at work and in life and how we should approach intentional practice to thrive in our roles.  Related episodes: Laziness & the Most Important Decision Study the Rules 243 : Encore Episode! “The Sleepwalking Barista (Owner)” Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game 031 : Essential Advice for New Baristas : Tips to help you successfully navigate and thrive in your new coffee career   Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com    

Do you feel like you need to be good at everything in order to be a good leader? That is a pretty common thought but the fact is that this way approach to leadership stifles both you and those you lead. Instead we should focus on what qualities will allow us to lead people with different skills than us effectively. Today I want to talk about six things that we develop in succession as leaders in the coffee shop that allow us to lead a variety of people and ourselves sustainably.    Related Episodes:  228 : Cracking the Leadership Code w/ Alain Hunkins 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017 109 : Leadership Abandonment Syndrome : Lack of development in senior staff and what to do about it 018: Hiring, Culture, and the Future of your Shop 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

Hustle culture teaches us that we should be working pretty much all the time. In order to succeed we need to sacrifice a lot and where the limit is nobody quite knows. What happens too often is we only really start to back off when we burn out but by then it's too late.  Recently I was ask by an attendee at Coffee Fest, "How can I get over feeling guilty for taking a day off?" That is a heart breaking question and today on shift break I want to talk with you all about this question and hopefully help anyone of you that might be wondering the same thing.    Related Episodes: 224 : Essentialism: Focusing on what truly Matters w/ Greg McKeown 111 : Self Care 101: Taking care of yourself while taking care of others 176 : Harnessing Emotions at Work w/ Andrea Hoban of Oji Life Lab Professional Distance (Blog) When Going Above and Beyond Goes too Far 258 : Prioritizing your Mental Health in the New Year w/ Dr. Lara Pence   Interested in consulting or coaching? Reach out! [email protected]   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com  

Training and education is an ongoing process. Not just for those we are training but also for ourselves as trainers and educators. If we adopt the same type of "always learning" mentality we want to see in other, then the way we understand and conduct training will change over time. Today we will be exploring training and education through the career journey of someone who has crafted several training systems in world class coffee bars and talk about what he has learned from the mistakes and successes along the way. I am thrilled to welcome to the show, Michael Phillips, of Blue Bottle Coffee! Michael Phillips has worked in Specialty coffee since 2006 and was a co-founder of LA based Handsome Coffee Roasters before joining Blue Bottle Coffee.  Throughout his career he has held Director of training positions at Handsome Coffee, Intelligentsia Coffee and Blue Bottle Coffee.  His work at Blue evolved into supporting new cafe openings internationally helping to launch cafes and new markets from Boston and DC to Tokyo and Seoul.  He also holds two United States Barista Championship titles from 2009 & 2010 and one World Barista Championship title from 2010.  His current role at Blue Bottle Coffee is as the Global Director of Education & Engagement where he focuses on creating consumer facing educational content. In our conversation we cover: Highlights of his completion career The things that shaped his outlook on training When training ideals go too far  Importance of realistic and practical expectations How entrepreneurship helped set the stage for a new approach Shaping the training at Blue Bottle The 10/20/70 rule in training  Logistics of training across borders and cultures  Delegation / Centralized vs localized training Why training is a culture not an event  Choosing what to focus on and the limitation of one-on-one training  Calibrating your team and building something sustainable Creating a great cafe experience Links: Michael Phillips on Instagram @1shot4theroad  Blue bottle Coffee YouTube    Related Episodes: 296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles 191 : Retraining your Staff on new Standards 178 : Training Masterclass w/ Emma Haines of London School of Coffee and Caffeina Consulting 119 : Barista Training Masterclass w/ 2009 WBC Champion, Gwilym Davies     Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

How we think of money and its place in our coffee shop's culture will have huge implications for how your staff either engage or disengage with the success of the store. The first step is to examine our mindset and then connect the metrics to meaningful outcomes.  Today on shift break we will chat about how we can shift the conversation around metrics and money from secrecy to celebration.  Related episodes:  311 : Why Your Coffee Shop Needs Open Book Management w/ Larry Chase 302 : Data’s Roll in the Success of your Shop w/ Mark Calhoun and Jim Strarcev of Perfect Cube 009 : How to Approach Data and Metrics w/ Simon Ouderkirk : Simon shows us how we should be thinking of numbers and their relation to our shops, baristas, and businesses 304 : Inside the Coffee Data Trends Breakout Report w/ Katie Von Der Lieth of the SCA   Interested in consulting or coaching? Reach out! [email protected]   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com  

Making a decision on an espresso machine can come with a lot of stress and uncertainty. With so many different options, configurations, styles, and promises made by manufactures it is hard to know that you will be happy with what you end up with. On top of that, will it be able to serve the needs of the business? Really it boils down to wants, needs, and the balance of the two. Today we are going to be exploring some very important mindsets to help you make the right decision for your situation with our guest, Chad Little of La Marzocco!  Chad Little handles sales and business development in the midwest for La Marzocco USA.  In the coffee world Chad has worn many of hats from technician and educator with Counter Culture Coffee, business developer and manager at Ipsento, along with a host of other roles in the world of fine dining and other coffee outfits since the late 90’s. For five years Chad was also an owner/operator of an audacious restaurant called Arbor in Logan Square. Professionally Chad enjoys helping people bridge the gap between knowing what they like and knowing what they want; and beyond that helping connect the dots for people who want to make a difference or be part of a solution, but don’t know how or where to start. In addition, he uses these skills as an advisory board member for a workforce development and entrepreneurship organization for disadvantaged young people based in Chicago, called Workforce High and Meta 24.    In this episode we cover: Early career and finding his guiding values Prioritizing people Serving people through the user experience Listening to the community  Common misconceptions of espresso machines Learning the right things to consider Balancing wants and needs  Being decisive and a decision matrix  Over and under estimation  Humility’s role and growing intelligently    Links: www.lamarzoccousa.com  [email protected]    Related episodes: 089 : La Marzocco USA General Manager, Andrew Daday : Leadership, Innovation, service, heritage 042 : Supplying and Selecting Equipment w/ Steve Rhinehart: Prima Coffee 128 : Terry’s Top 10 w/ Terry Ziniewicz : Best practices for how not to kill your espresso machine 240 : What to do before your Build your Bar   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

"We are the only coffee shop in our town that serves this!" I will bet that you have thought or said this, or some version of this phrase, yourself as you have planned or run your business. Being the only one to have something is exhilarating at first, but then it tends to fade as the thing we thought would be our defining differentiator, becomes more available and common.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why exclusivity is a bad strategy and what we need to spend our energy on instead if we want to build a lasting and truly unique business.  Related Episodes: The Power of "No"   Differentiation Takes Time!   Digital Hospitality 215 : Communication and Marketing Master Class w/ Spencer M. Ross, PH.D.     Interested in consulting or coaching? Reach out! [email protected]   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com      

Have you ever wondered how you can get your staff energized and highly invested in the success of your business? This is one of the struggles that a lot of coffee shop owners have. Turns out the best solution for this challenge is to give your staff a real stake in the outcomes of the business and trust them like partners. Today we will be exploring Open Book Management and The Great Game operating system with Great Game coach and trainer, Larry Chase!  Since 1997 Larry Chase has been a craft brewer leading teams at some of the nations best breweries. All along the way he has studied finance eventually becoming a long time board member of the Brewers Association as the Treasurer and Finance Chair. His career has taught him how to break down complex topics into simple terms to train bring understanding to staff. He is now taking his decades of experience in both finance and leadership and helping businesses achieve success through Open Book Management as a Great Game of Business coach.  On today’s show we will be talking with Larry about this operating system and it power to involve, activate, and engage staff in impacting the core financial levers of your business. I find this way of management very promising for coffee shops and Larry does a masterful job of walking us through the what, why, and how of Larry teaches, supports and coaches businesses wanting to build a lasting healthy culture and empower employees to make positive financial impacts on the business.   We Cover: Open book reporting vs Open Book Management Creating great work cultures What makes up OBM? Tapping into peoples desire to learn Financial literacy Unlocking employee innovation Line of sight to impact the business The importance of reward Servant leadership How to take the first steps The learning curve of implementation Involving others Links: www.greatgame.com Larry Chase email: [email protected]   Related Episodes: 302 : Data’s Roll in the Success of your Shop w/ Mark Calhoun and Jim Strarcev of Perfect Cube 009 : How to Approach Data and Metrics w/ Simon Ouderkirk : Simon shows us how we should be thinking of numbers and their relation to our shops, baristas, and businesses 304 : Inside the Coffee Data Trends Breakout Report w/ Katie Von Der Lieth of the SCA   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

This Founder Friday is such unique success story!  What started as a dream between two best friends (one an actor, the other a classical opera singer) has now been a 7 year coffee journey that is easily the most important and rewarding performance of their lives. From a humble garage to now an award winning roastery with 4 cafes and countless culinary collaborations, we will be diving into the story of Mostra Coffee with co-founders Jelynn Malone and Beverly Magtanong. Jelynn Sophia Malone is a Filipino-American entrepreneur, businesswoman, philanthropist, actress, TV host, producer, wife, and mother of 2 beautiful daughters. She is a co-founder, owner, and acting Chief Marketing Officer for Mostra Coffee, With over 15 years of marketing experience in Hollywood, Jelynn has been instrumental to the growth and international success of Mostra Coffee. She is dedicated to creating positive change that uplifts entire local and global communities.  Beverly Magtanong is a Filipino-Canadian-American entreprenuer, businesswoman, philanthropist, wife and mother of 5 children. She is a founder and co-owner of Mostra Coffee, As a classically trained opera singer with no prior business or coffee experience, Beverly is inspired to empower others to find their true, authentic selves, and make intuitive and empathic entrepreneurship the norm.   Mostra Coffee is a specialty coffee roaster located in San Diego, CA and the recipient of the international and coveted 2020 Micro-Roaster of the Year award by Roast Magazine.  They have been featured on Forbes, Us Weekly, Buzzfeed, Gear Patrol, Huffington Post, Conde Nast's Bon Appétit, as well as ABC, NBC, FOX, KTLA, ABS-CBN, TFC, Alaska Airlines and Google Talks at Google HQ.   Mosta is focused on providing an excellent experience for their customers through the tireless pursuit of perfecting their craft and being the beauty in humanity.  I hope you enjoy and are inspired by the Mosta Coffee story! We cover: From entertainment to coffee Philippines and the Mission of Mostra  First steps t launch Mostra in a garage  Genesis of their first retail space Dialing in their quality through feedback Cold brew, beer pioneers Creating the first brick and mortar retail experience R & D  and utilizing early versions Interview and hiring process Being and spreading goodness through authenticity Navigating growth and planning the future Perspective and the magic needed to say no  Harmonious partnerships  Links: www.mostacoffee.com Mostra Coffee on Instagram Mostaland 7th year Celebration   Related Episodes: 284 : Founder Friday! w. Jackie Nguyen of Cafe Cà Phê | Kansas City, MO Special! “Thinking Differently” Series | Filipino Coffee w/ Ron Dizon of Teofilo Coffee! 256 : Founder Friday w/ Varat Vichit-Vadakan of Roots Coffee Roaster in Bangkok, Thailand   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com

Confrontation and difficult conversations are things we tend to avoid. One of the outcomes of this is an increasingly passive-aggressive style of management that seeks to take care of the issue without having to face it.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about this common issue in coffee shops and how we can reframe confrontation and do away with passive aggressive management for good.  Related episodes: 125 : Confidence in Conflict w/ Kwame Christian : A framework for Compassionate Curiosity 165 : The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli 067: 6 Truths about Power 221 : Building your People Program w/ HR Consultant Dana Goodwin   Visit our sponsors! Interested in consulting or coaching? Reach out! [email protected]   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com    

Few things are as essential to the global barista community as Barista Magazine. For 16 years they have been "Serving people Serving Coffee"  and advancing the knowledge, craft, and profession of the barista with every issue. Barista Magazine gives a platform and voice to the vibrant and amazing people who make amazing coffee and today we get to talk with the founders, Sarah Allen and Kenneth Olsen, All about how it started, grew, and their perspectives on the growth of the industry they have been faithfully reflecting all these years.   Sarah Allen, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Barista Magazine, has been a driving force in the international barista movement from its outset, writing thoughtfully and compellingly about the barista craft, as well as contributing numerous stories on the subculture of baristas to multiple magazines and newspapers. Sarah has worked in a variety of editorial positions in her 20 years of professional publishing experience, as a staff writer for The Oakland Tribune in the San Francisco Bay Area; as a staff writer for The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, Ore.; as a freelance writer for such publications as WebMD, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, and The Hollywood Reporter; and as the Editor of Fresh Cup Magazine. She holds a Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore., and a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of California in Davis, California. Publisher Kenneth R. Olson has more than two decades of experience working as a writer and editor for both mainstream and specialty coffee publications. Kenneth’s work has appeared in a number of publications, including academic journals, Oregon Humanities, and The New York Times. Kenneth holds a Master’s degree in Communications from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and a Bachelor’s degree in History and Communications from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. I am old enough to remember when Barista magazine first came out only 6 years into my own career in coffee and what an impact it made. I have known Sarah and Ken for a good portion of that time and so getting to interview them here on this show feels truly magical.  I hope you enjoy this conversation! We cover: Beginning at the perfect time Creating and curating the first issue Highlighting baristas and connecting the community Listening as essential to serving well Providing tools, education and lifting up the barista Accessibility of information Global spread of barista culture Rise of barista in producing countries Providing clear learning pathways  Why there is no “right” answer How owners can meet barista's needs right now Links: www.baristamagazine.com Instagram @baristamagazine   Related Episodes: 306 : A Conversation w/ 2004 U.S. Barista Champion, Bronwen Serna! 305 : Founder Friday! w/ Andrew Sinclair of MadLab Coffee, Los Angeles, CA 294 : At Origin Roasting Revolution w/ Luis Fernando, founder of Amor Perfecto! 252 : Founder Friday w/ Klaus Thompson of the Coffee Collective, Denmark   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

This question gets brought up often when people are discussing their plans to open a coffee shop. The answer, as you might expect, is not as easy as saying yes or no. Ultimately we need to explore what is behind the question. Why is it being asked and how can you answer it for yourself.  Today on Shift break I will be giving you my perspective on this question in hopes that it encourages you to pursue the best paths of preparation for the coffee journey ahead.  Related episodes: 283 : 5 Bad Reasons to Open a Coffee Shop 269 : What to Focus on after you Launch 258 : Prioritizing your Mental Health in the New Year w/ Dr. Lara Pence 253 : Mindsets that Sabotage Success   Interested in consulting or coaching? Reach out! [email protected]   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com        

Italian coffee has shaped how the world understands coffee and cafe culture. These days there is a movement to take the traditional Italian way of of getting a coffee and elevate the quality and the experience making it a truly specialty coffee experience. At the heart of that movement is Aroma Caffe todays guest, Alessandro Galtieri.  Alessandro has owned and operated Aroma Caffe since 1994 and has been a coffee professional since 1991. As he ran the cafe he began to shift it into a beacon of progressive specialty coffee amidst the traditional coffee culture landscape of his city of Bologna, Italy.  Alessandro is the 2018 and 2019 Italian Brews Cup Champion and 3rd place finisher in the 2019 World Brewers Cup. He has published several books/ manuals on professional barista work and training, is a certified SCA trainer, and is tirelessly working to serve his customers the best quality and to make them happy through coffee.  In today's conversation we will be covering his beginnings in coffee, becoming an owner, the challenge of shifting to specialty, and his vision for the future of Italian coffee culture. We cover: Learning under older traditional Italian baristas The road to owning his own bar Changing the business model to specialty coffee Training and educating both baristas and customers Experiencing resistance  to new ways from traditionalists What makes Italian coffee culture?  What is the future of Italian coffee culture The most important behaviors of a barista How loving our coffee helps its sustainability Constance and temperance  Links: Aroma Caffe on Instagram @aromacoffeelove Website: https://www.ilpiaceredelcaffe.it Alessandro's Brewers Cup Routine   Related episodes: 198 : The Evolution of the Coffee Shop w/ Prof. Jonathan Morris 205 : Inside Caffe Florian, the World’s Oldest Coffee Shop ! | Venice, Italy 019 : 10 Reasons to Love the Customer w/ Chris Deferio 299 : 5 Rules for a Successful Coffee shop Blog: The Customer of Tomorrow Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

How coffee is processed after harvest has an incredible impact on the final quality in the cup. Today we have the luxury of choosing form  a wide variety of processing techniques. Whether you are a roaster or a farmer, understanding what these methods contribute to the coffee as well as their impact on the environment, and the industry is critical.  On this episode of RoR from Roast Magazine, we will be discussing post-harvest processing methods from a scientific, philosophical, and practical perspective with guests, Siva Subramanian and Byron Holcomb of Olam Food Ingredients.  Siva Subramanian is Vice President & Head of coffee Innovation, Olam Food Ingredients (OFI).  He has 27 years of extensive experience in the food industry working in multiple countries including India, Singapore, and the United States.  Prior to joining OFI, Siva worked with Hindustan Unilever at the Global R&D center in Bangalore, India Siva holds degrees in Chemistry, Chemical Technology & Food Technology from the University of Mumbai, India.  Currently, Siva is leading a team engaged in creating new processing techniques to enhance the aroma, flavor, and taste of coffee & creating novel food ingredients. Byron Holcomb is the Specialty Coffee Manager, Olam Food Ingredients (OFI. Byron likes to say he is a strong generalist in coffee but not an expert at any one part of coffee. In 2009 he competed as a barista with coffee from his own farm in the Dominican Republic.  He was a coffee buyer for Dallis Bros Coffee in NYC for a few years before moving to Brazil to manage a couple farms in Sul de Minas. There he tried to bring better post-harvest management to the operation. At least one of the farms made it into CoE the 5 years he was there. Recently he received the QP3 certification. For the last few years he is based in Guatemala City supporting the Specialty business in Olam/ofi.  We cover: How processing has evolved What happens in the washed, natural, and honey process The illusion of sweetness Role of stress, microorganisms, acids, metabolites, and sugars Mechanical harvesting impact on flavor Why honey process is not ideal How much does processing contribute to the bean’s true terroir?  What methods are most scalable and sustainable? How roasters can make mindful selections to support farmers and serve customers well  Experimental processing, quality, and marketing Pendulum of experimentation Links: www.olamspecialtycoffee.com www.asic-cafe.org   Subscribe to Roast Magazine! www.roastmagazine.com   Related Episodes: RoR #1: A Conversation w/ Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters RoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee Enterprises RoR #3: Making Contingency Planning a Reality w/ Andi Trindle Mersch of Philz Coffee RoR #4: Practical Thermal Dynamics w/ Candice Madison of Royal Coffee / The Crown Oak RoR #5: Time and Color in Roasting w/ Morten Munchow of Coffee Mind” RoR #6: Buying Less and Doing More w/ Ever Meister RoR #7 Illustrative Sample Roasting w/ Mike Ebert of Firedancer Coffee Consultants

It seems like we as an industry want two conflicting things. On the one hand we want baristas to create excellent drinks and to come to work with the mentality that they will not just be on autopilot and phone it in. On the other hand, we have a tendency to believe that the right configuration of recipes and equipment will solve the problem.  Today on Shift Break we will be discussing why machines and recipes cannot replace people in providing the kind of quality we seek, and how, ultimately, we need to take ownership over creating  the environments where quality can achieved.  Related episodes: 298 : A Trophy, or Atrophy? 296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles 025 : Mastering the Art of Training w/ Dave Stachowiak : Coaching, Leadership, education , and how to communicate your coffee and barista knowledge so it sticks 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team   Interested in Consulting? Reach out! [email protected]   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com  

Our coffee shops are the sum total of many different small and large things. When business gets going it can be easy for some of the simpler and more nuanced elements of running a coffee bar to fall by the wayside. The impact these have over time can be and is felt by both your staff and your customers.  Today you and I will be covering ten ways you can upgrade how your employees and patrons experience your cafe. These will be practical/physical changes as well as mindset shifts. As you listen, I would challenge you to select one or two of these and really create an initiative to implement them in your shop long term. As you go through the whole list I believe you (and everyone else)will see some remarkable changes. We cover: Bathrooms Bar cleaning Condiments Seating area Aromas in the shop Service standards Prioritizing feedback Upgrading and maintaining Focusing on your work Related Episodes: 057 : SOP’s FTW! Success through Standard Operating Procedures Spiders 299 : 5 Rules for a Successful Coffee shop 128 : Terry’s Top 10 w/ Terry Ziniewicz : Best practices for how not to kill your espresso machine 253 : Mindsets that Sabotage Success Fix the Small Stuff! : Management, Morale, Coffee Bar Culture   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

The question of who to promote to available positions is one that coffee shop operators wrestle with a lot. As with any hiring decision, we can make great choices based on solid reasons or we can make a choice we will regret later that was based on shaky reasoning. One of those not so great reasons to promote someone is that they are "next in line" Today on Shift Break we will explore the idea of "next in line" promotion, why it may not be a great idea, and what to do to make the best decision for your baristas, the customers, and the cafe.  Related episodes: 172 : Why Tracking Performance is a Must! Blog: Good Communication is “For Here” 232 : Rebuilding your Staff with Excellence w/ Dave Stachowiak 301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence 278 : Making great Hiring Decisions   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com  

Today we get to chat with 2004 U.S. Barista Champion and legend, Bronwen Serna! Bronwen has been a practicing Coffee Professional since 2000, a Professional Barista, Roaster, and Barista Trainer, a Certified Instructor and Assessor with the Specialty Coffee Association. Her love of coffee precedes her experience, where she manages to frequent many coffeehouses all over the world and became a Barista after having drunk many cups of coffee and inspired by a trip to Italy. What has driven her all these years has been her love coffee and people. Bronwen is currently working with Counter Culture Coffee in LA, as she continues to build excitement and knowledge for clients and coffee professionals in the Specialty Coffee scene. This is quite a special episode. I have known Bronwen since the early 2000s. Having both grown into our careers during the same era of specialty coffee and in the same professional barista community I have witnessed first hand Bronwen’s dynamic and inspiring  impact in the industry and it is a tru privilege to welcome her to the podcast to share her story and wisdom with the KTTS audience!  In our conversation today we will be exploring Bronwen’s early years in coffee, and by default the early years of the 3rd wave that she was helping to shape. We talk about training, education, hospitality, business models, and how all these things have developed and what she believes are the timeless truths that contribute to a thriving community and career in coffee.  I hope you enjoy this episode and that it helps you mindfully pursue building a great future coffee history with what you presently set your hand to. We cover: Formative years in coffee and 3rd wave Being a life long learner Roasting as a career springboard  Competition and expanding horizons Tailoring education  Evolution of the industry Universal truths and practices of barista and coffee work How to best serve our customers Simplicity as a virtue  Biggest needs in the industry Links: Bronwen on Instagram www.bronwenserna.com Counter Culture Coffee   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

Boy do we have a Founder Friday for you! Today we get to talk with the founder of MadLab Coffee in L.A., Andrew Sinclair.  Andrew has been in coffee for over a decade going from an enthusiast to barista, head barista, manager, then owner and operator all before he started MadLab in 2015.  Mad Lab’s mission is to love people a whole lot more, instead of a whole lot less and to push everyone that encounters our coffee, to be the person they needed when they were younger. These mantras are the compass for how they present themselves and practice business with their everyday customers and thier partners that become our friends and family. In today’s conversation we will be exploring Andrew’s unique path into the coffee world and the peaks and valleys that mad him and his company what they are today.  This is one of the most encouraging, passionate, and genuine interviews to date and serves as a real dose of inspiration to put integrity and people at the center of all we do. We cover: The difficulty  of being in hospitality in LA. Becoming a barista, manager, owner Looking after people first Viewing things as opportunities Serving the needs of the neighborhood  Flag planters vs hometown roasters Adventures in learning to roast   Our hospitality and staff care mindset Taking over an existing space at the right time How the homeless community saved MadLab Coffee MadLab service mantras and the importance of mentorship Why it's not about money Links: www.madlab.co MadLab on Instagram   Related Episodes: 045 : Simple, Powerful Hospitality w/ Philip Turner 232 : Founder Friday w/ Blew Kind of Fanny Lou’s Porch 129 : Founder Friday w/ Casey & Jeremy Miller of The Mudhouse, St. Louis, MO 075 : Founder Friday w/Jill Killen of Cloud City Coffee, Seattle Washington 107 : Kyle Glanville & Charles Babinski of G&B Coffee and Go Get em Tiger   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com

Looking out into the world of specialty coffee and the sheer number of complex problems both locally and globally that need to be addressed, it is easy to get overwhelmed. The question of, How can I make a difference? Is often left unanswered because the opportunities for contribution seem too small. Or we try to answer the question in with unsustainable efforts that fizzle out and make us worry of trying again.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how small steps toward a goal can bring about massive change and bring consistency to how we walk out our values in our daily business for the benefit of all our staff, customers, and the greater community. Related Episodes: Sustainability Series #1 : The Farm Sustainability Series #2 : Importing & Roasting Sustainability Series #3 : The Cafe Sustainability Series #4 : Consumer    Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com      

Consumers. What we assume to be the end of the value chain in coffee, may in fact be the the beginning. In reality, as we will learn today, coffee is more a circle than a straight line, and in many ways it begins and ends with the consumer.  How we serve, market to, and communicate with the consumer, literally shapes the industry through curating the demand that we then supply. The question for all of us who have influence in creating the expectations, and therefore the demands and behaviors of consumers, is, how do we build guide them to options and habits that create long term sustainability?  With the help of some of the most incredible and influential people we dive deep into the world of the consumer to discover what makes them tick, what part we play, what makes sustainability movements sticky, how to create a narrative and supply options that encourage mass change through local effort, how farmers are creating direct to consumer models, and where we can start in our own businesses to create sustainable change.  As we end the series on this episode I hope you take these ideas and find a way to start applying them as soon as possible. The road to sustainability is being built by many hands around the world working together for a common goal. Let's make sure we join hands with them.  Our Guest for this episode include: Erika Vonie: Coffee Consultant at Erikavonie.com Felipe Croce: Farm manager for F.A.F. Brazil Heather Ward: Content Strategy Director for the SCA Spenser M. Ross PHD: Assistant Professor of Marketing at University of Massachusetts Lowell’s Manning School of Business. Dr. Sukhbir Sandhu: Senior Lecturer in Sustainability and Ethics at the University of South Australia Business, and researcher w/ Centre for Workplace Excellence (CWeX) Thaleon Tremain: CEO and co-founder of Pachamama Coffee Cooperative Guest Links: Erika Vonie FAF Brazil SCA.COFFEE Spencer M. Ross Dr. Sukhbir Sandhu Pachamama Coffee Cooperative Show Links: www.biocaf.com Download the  Free PDF Program Guide All Episodes of The Sustainability Series    Related Keys to the Shop Episodes: 035 : The Consumer Revolution w/ Kevin Sinnott 304 : Inside the Coffee Data Trends Breakout Report w/ Katie Von Der Leith of the SCA 215 : Communication and Marketing Master Class w/ Spencer M. Ross, PH.D. 294 : At Origin Roasting Revolution w/ Luis Fernando, founder of Amor Perfecto! Blog: The Customer of Tomorrow 272 : Coffee for Dummies w/ Major Cohen 227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano Transcript   Remember! Visit www.biocaf.com for more resources on sustainability! Visit www.keystotheshop.com for hundreds of episodes focused on helping you and your coffee business thrive! Follow @keystotheshop on Instagram!

As we have explored all that has gone into the product of coffee and the many ways that sustainability can be achieved in farming, Importing, and Roasting. Now we come to the place where coffee's potentially is ultimately on display. The cafe.  Next to the farm, the cafe has been the focus of much of our sustainability efforts, and with good reason. The cafe is hands down the most wasteful link in the value chain in product, materials, energy, and even in potential as businesses often cannot sustain themselves longer than a few years.  In this episode we will be talking with some brilliant minds whose work and ideas have created seismic shifts in the way coffee shops can view and pursue sustainability in an accessible and effective ways.  As we talk about everything from shifting our mindsets, zero-waste initiatives, and energy saving innovations --to navigating social pressure, communicating values to customers/staff, and committing to small steps and building simple systems, I believe this episode will stoke your desire to start or continue your own shop's sustainability efforts.  Our Guest for this episode include: Cosimo Libardo: CEO, La Carimali Group Karen Lickteig: Marketing & Sustainability Director for Nossa Familia Coffee Umeko Motoyoshi: Author, Not Wasting Coffee, Host, A Better Table Podcast Guest Links: La Caramali Group  Nossa Familia Coffee A Better Table Podcast Not Wasting Coffee / Umeshiso.com Show Links: www.biocaf.com Download the  Free PDF Program Guide All Episodes of The Sustainability Series    Related Keys to the Shop Episodes: 275 : The Changing Landscape of Cafe Spaces w/ Dr. Jennifer Ferreira 206 : The Emotional and Social Impact of the Cafe Space w/ Noa Berger 067 : 6 Truths About Power : The Responsible Approach to Power Dynamics in the Cafe 057 : SOP’s FTW! Success through Standard Operating Procedures Remember! Visit www.biocaf.com for more resources on sustainability! Visit www.keystotheshop.com for hundreds of episodes focused on helping you and your coffee business thrive! Follow @keystotheshop on Instagram!

Sustainability is a collaborative effort that relies on solid networks, relationships, and communication. This is mainly the responsibility of importers and roasters whose job it is to provide connection, accurate representation, and to realize the potential of the now harvested coffee and the farmers who grow it. While providing these platforms to those they serve, importers and roasters must also look out for the stability and sustainability of their own businesses in order to make progress long-term. In this episode we will be talking with some seriously inspiring importers and roasters to discuss their practices, perspectives, accomplishments on what it means to be holistically sustainable. From commited importing relationships, balancing the needs of roasters and farmers, and exploring the roasters role in the value chain -- to roaster cooperatives, creating values based culture, and navigating supply challenges, there are some incredible points and actionable insights in these conversations. I hope this inspires you to take consistent action, even in small ways, to add to the positive momentum! Our Guest for this Episode include: Jeanine Niynzima-Aroian: Owner of JNP Coffee / Founder of Burundi Friends International James Tooill: North American Sales Manager, Ally Coffee Joe Marrocco: VP of Coffee Sourcing and Product Development at FairWave Coffee Collective Monica Firl: Director of Sustainability, Coop Coffees Lee Wallace, CEO, Peace Coffee Andi Trindle Mersch: Director of Coffee, Tea, and Sustainability with Philz Coffee Guest Links:  JNP Coffee Ally Coffee FairWave Coop Coffees Peace Coffee Philz Coffee Show Links: www.biocaf.com Download the  Free PDF Program Guide Series Link: All Episodes of The Sustainability Series  Related Keys to the Shop Episodes: COVID-19 Focus: Perspective form Burundi w/ Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, JNP Coffee 020 Joe Marrocco : Transparency, Origin Knowledge,and Your Shop  078 : Exploring Green Buying and Sensory Analysis w/ Amanda Juris Special! “Thinking Differently” Series | Radical Sustainability w/ James Combs of Combs’ Coffee 152 : Essential Advice for Starting a Roastery w/ Jen Apodaca “Rate of Rise: Elevated Conversations on Roasting” RoR #6: Buying Less and Doing More w/ Ever Meister 265 : Gaining Clarity on Transparency w/ Jonas Lorenz of The Pledge   Remember! Visit www.biocaf.com for more resources on sustainability! Visit www.keystotheshop.com for hundreds of episodes focused on helping you and your coffee business thrive! Follow @keystotheshop on Instagram!

Welcome to the Sustainability Series from Biocaf and Keys to the Shop!  To kick off this series we will be exploring sustainability where all the potential of a coffee and the foundation of our industry is concentrated. The farm.  How we define and understand sustainability here creates a ripple effect that impacts every action we take along the value chain.  As we explore sustainability on the coffee farm we will be discussing everything from organic production, farmer cooperatives, and climate change - to legacy, genetic/crop diversity, and organic production. All of this with the aim to create clarity on the issues and highlight the movements currently making positive change that we can be inspired by, work along side of, and support in their big for sustainability on the farm.  Our Guest for this Episode include: Marcos Croce: Owner of Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF) Brazil Esperanza Dionisio: General Manager of the Pangoa Cooperative in Peru Erika Koss : SCA instructor and Sustainability Consultant at "A World in your Cup" Kim Elena Ionescu: The Chief sustainability Officer for the SCA Vern Long: CEO of World Coffee Research Stefanie Tye: Climate Resilience Researcher with The World Resources Institute Guest Links:  F.A.F. Brazil Pangoa Cooperative Erika Koss "A World in your Cup" SCA World Coffee Research The World Resources Institute   Show Links: www.biocaf.com Download the  Free PDF Program Guide Series Link: All Episodes in this Series Related Keys to the Shop Episodes: 294 : At Origin Roasting Revolution w/ Luis Fernando, founder of Amor Perfecto! 265 : Gaining Clarity on Transparency w/ Jonas Lorenz of The Pledge 288 : The Truth behind Cheap Coffee w/ Karl Weinhold 060 : Serving the Coffee Plant w/ Hanna Neuschwander, World Coffee Research COVID-19 Focus: Perspective form Burundi w/ Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, JNP Coffee 072: Taking an Origin Trip w/ Kim Elena-Ionescu : How to go to origin in a mutual beneficial way 020 Joe Marrocco : Transparency, Origin Knowledge,and Your Shop : How to approach and apply coffee origin information to enhance, not detract, from the cafe experience Remember! Visit www.biocaf.com for more resources on sustainability! Visit www.keystotheshop.com for hundreds of episodes focused on helping you and your coffee business thrive!  Follow @keystotheshop on Instagram! 

How do we gauge the markets our coffee shops serve? On top of being engaged in our own local ecosystems we must also pay attention to large scale trends as they influence the perception and habits of our customers. The SCA and NCA have recently teamed up to produce a robust, first of its kind report called, "The National Coffee Data Trends Break Out Report" that is free to the public and chock full of very useful and actionable information.  Today we will be discussing many of this reports findings and how they impact our shops with the SCA's Katie Von Der Lieth! Katie von der Lieth is a Research Program Manager at the Specialty Coffee Association and Coffee Science Foundation, where she supports and grows the coffee research program. Prior to joining the SCA, Katie earned master’s degrees in International Agricultural Development and Agriculture Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis. She also helped design and teach an undergraduate course about coffee and has conducted small-scale coffee research projects in Brazil and Ecuador. In this conversation we will cover: The making of the report and its goal Defining specialty and non-specialty Exposing customers to options Definitions and How report was compiled Trends in socio-economic, ethnicity, geographic distribution  Surprising results of the study  Relationship of consumers to home vs cafe experiences Discussing causes, impact, and customer trust Reason for the study Implications of the findings on marketing Links: SCA.COFFEE Download the free Report!   Related Episodes: 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano Transcript 069: Hosting Consumer Coffee Classes : 7 Guidelines 092 : Tony “Tonx” Konecny of Yes Plz : Consumer Accessibility, roasting, 3rd wave, subscription 035 : The Consumer Revolution w/ Kevin Sinnott 297 : Making Coffee Education Fun w/ Suneal Pabari of Leaderboard Coffee 270 : A Conversation w/ Mark Michaelson of Michaelson Consulting! 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano Transcript 048 : How to taste coffee w/ U.S. Cup Tasters Champion, Steve Cuevas!   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

Exciting news! On Wednesday, September 22nd, Keys to the Shop along with Biocaf, will be releasing a 4 part narrative series focused on exploring sustainability all along the value chain. Throughout the series will be talking to 20 of the most inspiring farmers, roasters, managers, importers, thinkers, and academics to both understand what real sustainability looks like, and how their ideas and work is making an impact.  We will be focused on: The Farm Importing and Roasting The Cafe The Consumer Through this journey of arranging, conducting, compiling, and editing these interviews into their final form, this much is clear - This is just the tip of the iceberg. I hope that what you hear is surprising, encouraging, educational, and ultimately inspires you to dive deeper yourself into how you and your company can continue to pursue and refine what it means to be a sustainable specialty coffee industry.  You can download a PDF program guide that highlights all of the guests that are featured on the series.  A huge and humble thank you to my friends Jesse Hartman of The Coffee Podcast and Kojin Tashiro for their priceless help on the storyboarding and editing respectively.  This series will be release in total on Wednesday the 22nd at 12am EST  Visit Biocaf for more valuable content on sustainability and be sure to tune in on Wednesday the 22nd for the Keys to the Shop Sustainability Series!     

Baristas are obsessed with it! The question we have to ask is, why?Most of us don't need to get people interested in latte art. In fact many of you probably wish your baristas would focus on other things. Contrary to what we might assume, baristas that gravitate toward latte art are not trying to avoid work so much as they are compelled by what latte art offers.  Today we will be talking a little about why, if we want staff to engage holistically with the cafe, we will make all work like latte art. Related episodes: 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 172 : Why Tracking Performance is a Must! 162 : Discussing “Baristastainability” w/ Jenna Gotthelf of Counter Culture Coffee 047 : Mastering Latte Art : Some of the worlds best latte masters weigh in!    Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com      

Ideally, the nature of your relationship with your wholesale customers is less like a transaction and more like a partnership. How do we approach caring for those who have decided to serve our coffee in a way that is true to our values, supports their success, and creates growing trust and mutuality? In this episode these questions and more are answers as we talk with the Partner Program manager for Cat and Cloud Coffee, Marc Gessler!  Marc has been in coffee now for 7 years. Born and raised in Santa Cruz, he began his career at Verve and after following the progress of Cat and Cloud he landed a job as a barista and quickly moved into working in the wholesale partnership program. Marc now leads this program that seeks to build authentic and values based relationships with all the people who partner with Cat and Cloud.  In this conversation we will talk a bit about Marc's own journey into coffee, then dive into the work he does in supporting all the Cat and Cloud wholesale partners on a day to day basis, how they manage challenges, and continue to improve their standards and communication. I love the passion Marc brings that absolutely resonates with what I know about the whole team over there at Cat and Cloud. You are sure to gain some very valuable insight that you can apply to your wholesale department after listening to today's episode.    We cover: Where do leads come from Values and authenticity as prerequisites Managing partner relationships Training and customization Trusting your clients Meeting people where they are Dealing with difficulties and when to part ways Keeping track of partner progress and needs Links: www.catandcloud.com   Related Episodes: 246 : Selecting a Wholesale Coffee Provider 133 : 5 Keys to Successful Wholesale w/ Sarah Richmond 233 : A Conversation w/ Anthony Ragler, Black and White 235 : 4 Tips for Training your Staff 191 : Retraining your Staff on new Standards   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

If you want to do well in competition you have to study the rules. Without this you are flying blind and will probably get a less that stellar result for your effort. The same thing is true for your career.  Today on Shift Break  we will be talking about the importance of learning the "rules" as it applies to your professional journey in coffee and why doing this will give you a much better chance of success. Related episodes: Laziness & the Most Important Decision 243 : Encore Episode! “The Sleepwalking Barista (Owner)” 031 : Essential Advice for New Baristas : Tips to help you successfully navigate and thrive in your new coffee career Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game 014 : A Barista’s Guide to Advancing: How to take full advantage of where you are and set yourself up for success in coffee The Barista Slump   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com    

There is a lot of information available to us through our POS systems that show us the numbers behind the business. Owners and managers read these numbers to get a sense of not only how the business is doing, but also to get an idea of where it needs to go and what decisions need to be made to make that happen. So it is quite important that we have a sensible way to approach and use the data so the conclusions we come to and actions we take benefit the business long term.  Today I am so pleased to be talking with Mark Calhoun and Jim Strarcev of PerfectCube! After they sold their financial technology business to Charles Schwab, Mark and Jim pivoted to the retail space by opening a gelato shop. They ultimately wanted to learn the retail business so they could create a better software solution for mom-and-pop stores and small franchises. The result is PerfectCube, an online platform that allows small retailers to easily track their performance and even forecast the near future. In the space of a few minutes, users can get a read on sales, inventory levels and other important metrics. PerfectCube can assess what hours of the day have the highest sales and which individual products sold fastest, not just today, but last week, last month and last year. Mark and Jim give a great work shop at Coffee Fest trade shows called -Real Number in Your Cafe- and today they are going to be discussing with us their path to retail, approach to the numbers, and how owners and operators should be managing the metrics to make the best choices for how they run their cafes.  We cover: From big data to gelato  Learning the key points of focus for retail Taking care of customers Looking at what was behind the data Short term thinking, long term damage  False positives and confirmation bias Iportance of easy visualization Metrics to pay attention to  Next steps to get and use data well Links: www.perfectcube.co PerfectCube on Facebook   Related episodes: 009 : How to Approach Data and Metrics w/ Simon Ouderkirk  170 : Why your Inventory Counts w/ Albert Amar and Pierre-Francois Rio of SwiftCount 172 : Why Tracking Performance is a Must! 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

If your shop does not have specific standards for the products your serve and the way you serve them, then you are leaving a lot of the success of your coffee shop up to chance. Question is, how do you go about setting standards? Where do the parameters come from? In today's Shift Break we will be discussing an equation for how to set up the basics of your cafe's quality standards in a fashion that is informed, practical, and flexible. Related Episodes:  298 : A Trophy, or Atrophy? 235 : 4 Tips for Training your Staff 172 : Why Tracking Performance is a Must! 123 : The 10 Essentials of a Barista Manual  Communicate, Duplicate, Repeat Your Peers are not your Customers How to ruin a Game of Telephone   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com    

These are the two most important and intensive processes in the cafe yet they often are the most rush and poorly thought through. The preparations we make and the actions we take when hiring and training staff will and does create a ripple effect that is felt by everyone who interacts with your business for years to come. Maybe more than ever, a proper focus on hiring and training with excellence is the key to creating resilience and sustainability in our coffee shops. Strong investment in the beginning helps alleviate issues down the road. Today we will be going through a detailed presentation I delivered at Coffee Fest that dives into some very practical advice to equip you to bring on, and care for well, the right people for your coffee shop and customers.  We cover:  Values based hiring and the problem of false-promises  Building the role and job description Steps of the interview process and the role of feedback Ways to attract staff Proper views toward training and onboarding Structures to equip baristas Patience, follow through and intentionality Manuals and teach trainers to teach Related Episodes:  Hiring Friends and Making Enemies 278 : Making great Hiring Decisions Hard Work is Hard Training TMI Shifting the Shadow Shift 296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles 123 : The 10 Essentials of a Barista Manual 130 : Anne Nylander | Training Principles for Specialty Coffee Professionals Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

New York City is undoubtedly one of the coffee capitals of the world. With a seemingly endless number of options to choose from, it is hard to stand out and create something that makes people notice and even hard to keep their attention and patronage. Birch Coffee in NYC was founded with the intention to level up the hospitality and customer service one can expect in a coffee house and has been busy building and making this a reality since 2009. Today on Founder Friday we get to talk with the Co-Funder of Birch Coffee, Jeremy Lyman! Jeremy Lyman is the co-founder of Birch Coffee, a New York City-based coffee company. Since its first store opened in 2009, the company has grown to become one of New York City's premiere and most loved independent coffee shop chains. With more than a dozen locations throughout the city, the focus of Birch is on customer service.  Service is something Jeremy believed was lacking in the Specialty Coffee industry and being that both he and his partner Paul are consumers first and worked in bars and restaurants for years before, they realized that this was what was necessary to stand out in the industry. In order to grow the company, he has overseen the development of not only a high level of service, but methods in which to hone and develop those skills amongst his teams.  Jeremy, Paul, and their team have also figured out creative ways to stand out. From eliminating wifi and introducing conversation starters to designing extraordinarily unique napkins, they have caught the eye of the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and Forbes who have paid specific attention to these differentiators. In this conversation we will not only her the story of Birch Coffee’s founding and growth but we will also be hearing about Jeremy’s journey as an owner through the years as he owns up about hard lessons, values, the impact of vulnerability, and what we considers the most valuable thing owners can focus on at any stage of their cafes development.  I loved this talk and was greatly moved by Jeremy’s honesty and candor. I hope you enjoy this episode but more than that I hope it helps inspire you to new levels of personal and professional excellence.  Excellent customer service First steps and lessons learned early Overcoming arrogance What makes a great partnership Recovery and Vulnerability Being honest and self aware Making good decisions  Healthy and unhealthy fear  The vital role of feedback and observation  Training baristas for real world scenarios Looking for the lessons in everything Advice for entrepreneurs Links:  www.birchcoffee.com Follow Birch on Instagram Email: [email protected]   Related episodes:  177 : Founder Friday w/ Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer in Atlanta, Georgia 228 : Cracking the Leadership Code w/ Alain Hunkins 181 : Organizational Self-Knowledge 145: Founder Friday w/ Red Rooster Coffee Roasters co-founder, Haden Polseno-Hensley 017 : Founder Friday w/ Jonathan Rubinstein of Joe Coffee: Entrepreneurship | Coffee Business | Hiring | Barista Culture | Growth   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com  

At work there is unnecessary difficulty and then there is just…necessary difficulty. The trouble is that sometimes we can blur the line between the two and generally will default the thinking all difficulty is to be avoided or is a sign of something wrong with the system, ourselves, or the people we lead. On this Shift Break I channel my inner old man (kinda) as we will be discussing the necessary difficulty of work and how to avoid blaming others, and why embracing hard work as a blessing and not a curse can change you and your business.  Interested in consulting services? Reach out to : [email protected] Listen to these episodes next: Laziness & the Most Important Decision 056 : The Sleepwalking Barista Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game 6 Truths about Power  283 : 5 Bad Reasons to Open a Coffee Shop 226 : The Art of being Indispensable at Work w/Bruce Tulgan Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com    

What makes a successful coffee bar? This whole show is dedicated to exploring the depths of the question and yet there are a few fundamental elements that, if practiced, will greatly help your coffee bar succeed. Were are not going to be talking about the common things you might associate with success such as location, Cost of Goods, and great customer service. Those things and many like them are definitely important but even if you have the major pieces in place, there are aspects of your shop that are quite nuanced and are responsible for hold those big pieces in place. Today we will be exploring the top 5 rules for a successful coffee shop, why they are important, and what it looks like to implement them to make your cafe sustainable for you and everyone associated with it. We cover: Doing the right thing facing reality Celebrating staff and community People-first systems Pursuing humility, empathy Iterating your business Passion and realism Feedback and communication Accepting different means to and end Values in various contexts Recommended episodes related to this:  173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers 276 : Six Ideas for Increasing your Revenue 269 : What to Focus on after you Launch 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017 057 : SOP’s FTW! Success through Standard Operating Procedures 108 : Founder Friday w/ Dorian Bolden of Beyu Caffe in Durham, NC 043 : Founder Friday w/ Kathy Turiano: Joe Bean Coffee Roasters   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com      

Quality control and assurance is common in most well established coffee shops. Even if it is not a dedicated position, it at least is an area where we invest a lot of time and effort. What we don't see very much of is a focus on care. How do the staff and customers experience the business and what are we doing to make sure we are dialing in that experience?  Today on Shift Break we will talk about how investing in care assurance is a critical to success. Related episodes:  Fear and Trust Systems as Care 208: Building a Company that Cares w/ Kyra Kennedy of Baratza 162 : Discussing “Baristastainability” w/ Jenna Gotthelf of Counter Culture Coffee 085 : How we Ruin the Specialty Experience 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com    

Winning coffee awards and competitions is pretty cool. There are many benefits to pursuing accolades for your coffee shop through such as marketing opportunities, sharpening skills, energizing staff, and networking. The question we have to ask ourselves though is, just how critical are competitors and awards tot he success of our shops and what metric should we be using to gauge the health of our businesses?  In today's episode we will be talking about how the pursuit of awards can often become a means to ignore the more foundational issues within the shop and actually contribute to further disfunction by prioritizing external validation over internal health.  We discuss: Benefits and place of competition Where we go astray Why "Best of" doesn't mean what you think The consequences Feeding our ego Mindset for ROI no matter what Escaping responsibility through community Focus on "first things" and internal health Related Episodes:  Icing on the Cake: Competitions vs. the Shop Accurate Reflection 010: How Are Competitions Relevant? w/ Jess Steffy: Barista competitions / Coffee Shops / Employee engagement / Professional growth  045 : Simple, Powerful Hospitality w/ Philip Turner 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers 158 : A Management Masterclass w/ Jon Felix Lund, VP of Operations for Coava Coffee Roasters / Portland, OR 296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

On a daily basis we have opportunities to take a customer's genuine curiosity and excitement and either affirm it and guide them or to stamp it out and push them away. In coffee shops all over the world the former scenario play out but what we see too much of these days is the latter. Customers being essentially scolded for their budding enthusiasm for coffee.  Today on Shift Break I am re-airing an old episode called "Curbing Their Enthusiasm". In it we explore the problem, what it causes, and how to fix our mindsets so we can be effective and genuinely excited guides for our customers.  Related Episodes: Customer Experience - vs - Coffee Quality Making the customer the Enemy Gossip: How this toxic element destroys community in the coffee shop and what to do instead Managing Anger : Tips on how to deal with getting angry behind the coffee bar in a healthy way   Visit our awesome Sponsors!  Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com  

A big issue with coffee education is accessibility. Much of the practical information that leads customers and coffee professionals alike to understanding, buying, and brewing great coffee is either locked away in our roasteries and cafes or hurried in a sea of misinformation. That's where Leaderboard Coffee comes in.  Today we are going to talk with the founder of Leaderboard Coffee, Suneal Pabari. Suneal is the co-founder of The Roasters Pack, Matchmaker Coffee, This Coffee Co. & Leaderboard Coffee, based out of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He’s passionate about creating interesting coffee experiences and elevating specialty coffee. Leaderboard is a subscription based tasting competition that brings together passionate consumers and professionals to taste some of the best coffees in the world and win a place on the leaderboard at Leaderboard.coffee  In our conversation we discuss the origins and logistics of Leaderboard as well as the state of coffee education today and what it can be, and needs to be moving into the future.  We cover: Origins of Leaderboard The importance of accessibility Connecting consumers with professionals How gamification aids education through urgency How to approach coffee duration in the future Logistics  Experimental coffee vs conventional Sustainability Creating community Links: www.leaderboard.coffee Instagram Youtube   Related Episodes: 296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles 282 : How to Listen to your Customers 250 : Planning better Events w/ Steven Moloney of The Barista League 242 : A Conversation with James Hoffmann 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano 168 : How to get the Best from your Coffee w/ WBC 2013 Champ, Pete Licata 163 : Lessons from Crush the Rush w/ Josh Little Field     Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

How do I motivate my staff? This was a question I received at Coffee Fest regarding managers and I believe the answer is applicable both to baristas and to managers. Heck, it's pretty much true for anyone. It starts with culture.  In today's Shift Break we will be talking about a few of the usual ways we motivate staff in the coffee shop and then discussing why creating a great culture is the primary way to motivate and incentivize and see people really engage.  Related episodes: 139 : Founder Friday w/ Kusanya Cafe co-founder, Phil Sipka 179 : What you MUST Know About Employee Culture w/ Stan Slap 109 : Leadership Abandonment Syndrome : Lack of development in senior staff and what to do about it 105 : Leadership & Management Masterclass w/ Maria Cleaveland 074 : The Life Changing Power of Good Authority w/ Jonathan Raymond 004: Leadership in the Cafe : 10 Steps to Being a People First Leader   Visit our sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com  

Training staff to become productive, competent, and confident members of the team is a massive challenge all coffee shops face. In spite of our best efforts we often end up with baristas who have completed training but are still not ready to work the bar effectively and this brings about frustration for everyone. There is a better way and today we are going to explore that way with one of the nations top barista trainers, David Castillo.  David has worked in specialty coffee for the past decade as a barista, manager, and trainer, and has competed in a few barista competitions along the way. Originally from New York, he moved to Los Angeles in 2018 and is now the Training Manager for G&B Coffee and Go Get Em Tiger.  David's philosophy and best practices in training have come about through a massive amount of focused experience in the field. Through failures and success he has honed in on what I think are the most critical element to successfully train baristas and the and create the professionals we need in our coffee shops.  We cover: Early experiences + Connecting music to coffee Learning to learn and train Biggest mistakes Training lab vs reality The role of the manager + Effective feedback  The “why” and the “how” Becoming open minded Revamping the training process Training the whole professional Redefining success in training  Links: www.gget.com GGET Instagram David IG   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

It's Founder Friday! I am very pleased to be presenting a conversation with someone who I have wanted to have on a Founder Friday for quite a while. Not just because he has been quite successful, but because in the course of achieving that success he has created a model of a healthy and resilient business through rooted and wise decision making, refinement, expansion, and putting values into action. Today we are talking with Justin Shepherd of Spencer's Coffee in Bowling green, KY! Justin left a career in journalism to purchase a coffeeshop, along with his wife, Shelley, back in 2005. In the years since, he and his team have transformed Spencer’s Coffee  from a quaint downtown cafe to a sustainable and ever-growing company, boasting two locations and a third set to open this fall). In addition to a full menu of coffee and espresso, house-made pastries and made-to-order breakfast items are served at both locations, and the original downtown location also features a full lunch menu, along with a rotating selection of craft beer.  In our conversation we will be taking you through the whole story of how Justin started, early and hard lessons, navigating change, and building a firm foundation with the community in mind.  We cover: Early lessons taking over an existing business Getting through initial challenges Learning about coffee and business Asking for help and becoming confident Serving what is right for your community Managing customer retention and changing standards  Knowing the numbers and profitability Stages of expansion Hiring and Managing Keeping the community as your center Justin's proudest accomplishment Advice to other owners/entrepreneurs  Links: www.spencerscoffee.com Instagram   Related Episodes: 146 : How to Host a Throwdown w/ Justin Shepherd of Spencers Coffee, Bowling Green, KY 145: Founder Friday w/ Red Rooster Coffee Roasters co-founder, Haden Polseno-Hensley 083: 6 Essential Books for your Professional Growth 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano 223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll 230 : Making room for Community in your Shop   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com    

Here's some good news...Burnout is usually a result of a long string of unaddressed stressors that build up until they reach critical mass. Why is that good news? It's good because it means with a few shifts of our thinking and approach we can address the issues that lead to burnout before it happens.  Today on Shift Break we will be discussing a few of the ways we can either set managers up for failure or success based on how we  create roles, expectations, and the degree to which we practice being agents of clarity and resourcing. Episodes to listen to next: 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees 229 : 7 Tips for New Managers 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017   Visit our sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com    

We generally assume that roasting happens once green coffee leaves its county of origin taking much of the coffee's value along with it. But there is a growing movement of entrepreneurs who are keeping their coffee's value right at home by roasting at origin and shipping direct to shops and consumers. 25 years ago that movement was catalyzed and led by today's very special guest, Luis Fernando, Founder of Amor Perfecto in Colombia.  Luis' quest was to bring the freshest, best tasting Colombian coffee to the world and he started by breaking the law. It was illegal at the time to roast and/or sell quality beans locally but through his passion, championing roasted at origin Colombian coffee, Luis not only was able to get the law changed but has today built global team of FNC-affiliated growers, agricultural technology companies, master roasters, baristas, packagers, chefs and coffee aficionados all brining the finest Colombian Coffee to the entire world.  Luis and his team at Amor Perfecto have won a host of awards for their coffee, barista skill, and business. The most impressive result of all Luis' work though is his legacy and the impact Amor Perfecto has had on countless professionals, farmers, and like minded entrepreneurs.  In this episode we cover: We cover: From flowers to coffee Adding value at origin From illegal operation to trail blazer  Changing laws to revolutionize coffee culture in Colombia Barista competitions and networking Learning to roast and developing the business True local coffee Exporting origin roasted coffee Advice to other entrepreneurs at origin  Developing professional barista culture Partnering with growers Sustainability legacy and future farmers  Links: www.amorperfecto.com   Episodes to listen to next: 288 : The Truth behind Cheap Coffee w/ Karl Weinhold 265 : Gaining Clarity on Transparency w/ Jonas Lorenz of The Pledge 061 : You Don’t Know Beans about Brazil w/ Kelly Stein, Coffea Podcast Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

It is a blessing and a curse. Being in a position of management or any type of authority means you likely can see when things are wrong or don't quite fit the ideal. That is a valuable skill set that is worth cultivating. As a result we tend to skew negative and become primarily focused on what is wrong which inevitably leads to an anemic and rather bleak outlook in the coffee shop.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how we can balance our natural tendencies with mindsets and actions that skew positive.    Related episodes: The Affirmation Vacuum Are you Excited?   Bridging the Values-Actions Gap   Visit our sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com  

What is professionalism? Is it aprons? Using the right greeting? The way the space looks? When it comes to coffee shops and coffee professionals we often use metrics that are more surface than substance and the result is that we create an experience that misses the mark when it comes to making real connections and, I would argue, misses the mark on what true professionalism is.  Today we will be chatting about what professionalism is, what it is not, and how to create an authentic expression of hospitality through your craft that matters.  I am pretty passionate about this subject and hope that this helps inspire some deep thoughts on how we seek to present ourselves and build our industry.  We will cover: What we believe about professionalism Why it is problematic The results of pursuing synthetic expressions on staff, customers, and business The universal values of true professionalism How to build with substance and grow with grace The future we and our customers want   Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com