Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Questions and conversation. They are powerful tools to bring clarity and inspire action. Perhaps nobody knows this better than those of us whose job it is to ask questions of experts across our industry to bring understanding to a global audience. Today I am so please to be sitting down for a conversation with one such person. He is the host of The Coffee Podcast, Jesse Hartman! The Coffee Podcast has been a passion project for Jesse for 6 years now since its initial founding in 2015 with his best friend Wes. From a budding coffee nerd to an accomplish coffee professional managing and opening several shops, Jesse's growth in coffee inspired him to start the show to deliver the same coffee conversations that transformed him to the greater world to bringing clarity on a wide range of topics and inspiring action toward positive change. Today we get to hear about both Jesse's and the Coffee podcast's development over the years and the critical insights and lessons that have been gleaned from conversations with some of our industries foremost coffee experts. We cover: The romance of coffee vs the reality Bringing consumers into the fold The early years of TCP Learning through embarrassing mistakes How Jesse choses formats and topics for the show Sustainability, Conversation, and action Future of coffee Advice for retailers who want to effectively represent value chain Related Episodes to listen to next: 265 : Gaining Clarity on Transparency w/ Jonas Lorenz of The Pledge 072: Taking an Origin Trip w/ Kim Elena-Ionescu : How to go to origin in a mutual beneficial way 060 : Serving the Coffee Plant w/ Hanna Neuschwander, World Coffee Research 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 140 : A conversation w/ Erika Vonie, Director of Coffee at Trade Coffee 237 : Thoughts on Post -COVID Coffee Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com

It's Founder Friday! Today we get the honor of hearing the story of Gilly Brew Bar in Stone Mountain, GA from Daniel Brown and Nephthaly Leonidas. Started by Daniel Brown who was quickly joined by Nephthaly Leonidas, Gilly Brew Bar was founded with the mission to help people re-imagine coffee culture. This mission serves their main purpose, which is to disrupt norms and build better communities. Gilly came to be as an effort to not only make waves in the coffee industry being black owned, but to change the narrative of what it means to be a coffee company serving in the community alongside an amazing gang of baristas. Gilly is unique also in that they serve coffee and tea elixirs to story-tell. With this experience comes a whole new way of thinking and operating. Humility, connection, and people focused service define what Gilly is all about. In today's conversation we are going to deep dive into the story of Gilly's founding, overcoming challenges of history and race, bucking the status quo and much more We cover: Setting the table for guests Not being just a coffee bar People focus Challenges in first year Overcoming racism and obstacles Customer feedback and leading with humility Becoming a light in the community The unique elixir beverages and their story Hopes for the future Related Episodes: 236 : Founder Friday! w/ Meil Castagna-Herrera & Curtis Herrera of Cafe Corazon! 222 : How to have Difficult Conversations about Race and Justice w/ Kwame Christian 177 : Founder Friday w/ Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer in Atlanta, Georgia 116 : Understanding Gentrification w/ Dr. Stacey Sutton Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com

Ever get frustrated that your staff are not doing things the way you want? I'm guessing you have. In fact if you are like most leaders presented with an issue in the shop you have probably also said, "That "should" not be like that." or "They "should" know better." The question we need to ask though is-why should they? Today on this edition of shift break we will be discussing why using this word is often problematic and indicative of bigger issues with our communication and systems. Related episodes to listen to next! Communicate, Duplicate, Repeat Don't Waste Problems Being the Point of Clarity How to ruin a Game of Telephone Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com

A lot of how successful a shop is depends on the people who work in it. In the specialty coffee retail industry we can tend to hire based desperation, convenience, or nepotism. What we end up with then is problems in the work and culture that manifest themselves either immediately or down the road. Instead we need to prioritize the hiring process as the main tool in creating a great cafe experience. In today's episode you and I sit down to talk about some best practices in the hiring process that will make getting the right fit for your cafe way more likely. Be sure to listen to the recommended episodes below that are related to this topic. We cover: Why "It's hard to find good people" is flawed Your values lens Applications and resumes Should you hire experienced or no-experience? Hiring for potential Interview tact and goals Related episodes: The Myth of the All-Star Team My #1 Interview Mistake The Right People? 232 : Rebuilding your Staff with Excellence w/ Dave Stachowiak My Favorite Interview Question 018: Hiring, Culture, and the Future of your Shop Visit our sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com

Even though you might want to, you can't just chuck items in the garbage willy-nilly. I have been there, done that, and suffered the wrath. There is a better way to keep the menu fresh and get rid of items humanely and with deference to the customer and the staff. Today we will discuss this important part of curating a great menu. Interested in consulting or coaching? [email protected] Related episodes: 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 191 : Retraining your Staff on new Standards 080 : Changing things in the Cafe : A workflow for Refinement Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com

How we respond to negative feedback will have a big impact on how our business grows. The trouble is that we tend to not take kindly to negative feedback and respond with either dismissiveness, avoidance, or defensiveness. We leave a lot of value on the table when we don't embrace critique and use it to our advantage. Today we are re-airing an episode from 2 years ago that takes you through my 5 step process for responding and reacting to negative feedback in a way that opens up lines of communication, builds good will, and actually strengthens your business in the process. Let's dig in! We cover: Why we get defensive The value of our staff and customers Deciding your response ahead of time Humility and self-reflection Refining the feedback Filling in missing info Responding with generosity Recommended episodes: Building a Feedback Culture Coffee Compass Article: The Wrath of the One Star Review Shift Break: Stop Lying Shift Break: Creating a Feedback Culture VISIT OUR SPONSORS! Pacific Barista Series Prima Coffee

In conversation with employees we are often too quick to accept the first answer or the first explanation of and issue. In order to help we need to have the right information. Unfortunately, often due to the power difference between boss and employee, the information only scratches the surface. Today we will be discussing how exercising positive doubt and being curious can help open people up as well as open more solutions to the issues being communicated. Related episodes to listen to after: Toxic Vulnerability 074 : The Life Changing Power of Good Authority w/ Jonathan Raymond 229 : 7 Tips for New Managers 104 : How to Deliver Difficult Feedback w/ Tom Henschel 052 : Solving Coworker Conflict w/ Tom Henschel 151 : How to Respond and React to Negative Feedback : 5 Step Process Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com

Welcome to the last episode in the "Thinking Differently" series brought to you by Ground Control! We are ending on an amazing episode this week as we are going to be talking with the amazing, James Combs of Combs' Coffee in Corinth, Texas! James Combs founded Combs' Coffee in 2013 by visiting East Africa on a sourcing mission with a friend that he met while working in the finance industry. He fell in love with tea and coffee while visiting the birthplace of coffee and seeing how incredibly difficult it is to produce. Upon the arrival of the first shipment of coffee James began roasting coffee with arguable the worlds smallest solar powered coffee roasting operation at his house in Corinth, Texas. Fast forward 8 years and James is now operating the worlds largest solar powered coffee roasting operation with a 30 KW solar array and 3 commercial machines housed within a 100+ year old Coca Cola bottling facility. He currently imports tea & cacao as well as offers local wine and craft beer. James is also a Q-Grader, COE judge, and certified Wine Taster. In our conversation with James we are going to be covering a lot of ground as we explore his tenacious pursuit of building a highly sustainable and quality focused coffee business that also gives back to his local and global community. Fittingly, James has a boundless energy to offer all the current and future projects at Combs' Coffee. Whether we are talking about building a hydro battery, the virtues of mason jars for whole bean coffee, or creating platforms for other businesses to thrive and be sustainable, Combs' Coffee is anything but your typical coffee company, they are the epitome of thinking differently! We cover: Discovering coffee and tea Pusuing Q grader His radical commitment to sustainability Scaling sustainable values First impressions of the industry and early challenges Learning roasting and embracing challenges Creating structures and project to serve the community Building a legacy Running sustainable cafes Upcycling, recycling, eliminating waste Amazing future plans Facilitating opportunities for others Be sure to check out the bonus content only available on www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts as we continue the conversation with James and talk about: How do we start out pursuing sustainability on our business? Doing more with less Embracing the hard way Being consistent with your business path Hopes for the future of coffee Links: https://www.combscoffee.com https://combscoffeeorigins.com http://cabstation.net Related Episodes: Special! "Thinking Differently" Series | Filipino Coffee w/ Ron Dizon of Teofilo Coffee! Special! "Thinking Differently" Series | 1% Better w/ Paul Magda of Pause Coffee House Want to brew things differently? Visit our Sponsor! www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts

How do I make more money? Which areas of the business can I adjust to increase my profitability? These are the questions on the minds of most coffee entrepreneurs. Running a coffee bar means you make your money via low profit margins that compound when scaled. It is not as easy as simply introducing a new flavor, choosing the right rewards program, or offering tempting discounts and deals. In fact, a lot of the usual tactics are money drains not money makers and are definitely not sustainable. Many of the ways to make more money are hiding in plain sight. In today's episode we are going to talk about six proven methods for increasing your shop's revenue that are both achievable and sustainable. Not to mention they offer the benefit of strengthening your companies foundations and culture in the process. We will cover: Service + Speed Well curated specialty item programs Cost + Inventory Retail placement Getting out of your shop Investing in culture Related episodes to listen to next: 223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll 211 : Straight Talk from the Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers 160 : The Smart Way to Approach Money w/ Jill Schlesinger The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoodservice.com

When we serve coffee, who are we serving? If you were to listen in on many conversations about coffee over the counter you would think we are just serving ourselves based on the narrow range of coffees we tend to favor as professionals. We serve both the customer and the farmers interest and how we do or do not cultivate enthusiasm for all the coffees we offer has huge implications for our industry's future not to mention the health and sustainability of your own business. On today's shift break we are going to chat about cultivating a new mindset that will help us show up at work ready to serve our customers both in our communities and on the farm. Related episodes: Building an Accessible Coffee Menu w/ Joe Marrocco How to talk to Customers about Coffee The Dark Roast Night of the Soul 270 : A Conversation w/ Mark Michaelson of Michaelson Consulting! Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com sb

Welcome to the next episodes in the "Thinking Differently" series brought to you by Ground Control! On today's episode we are going to be talking with the co-founder of Pause Coffee House in Sacramento California, Paul Magda! Paul and his business partner Edward are 1st generation immigrants who for the past 6 years have worked diligently to create Pause Coffee House and have learned and grown an enormous amount in the process. Their background is primary in construction and fabrication with a dash of medical experience but they entered the coffee space with a dedication to making Pause Coffee House the best experience for their staff and customers possible. Their story is one of managing incredible amounts of change with the mantra of being 1% better everyday. In today's conversation with Paul we will be discussing their start-up story, their personal and operational challenges taking on and changing an existing business, and how they have thrived through partnerships, teamwork, and a focus on the operations of the business. We cover: Opening the business and early mistakes Being creative in problem solving Change management Growing as leaders Testing vision for authenticity Leaning on other people for help Learning the coffee business while dealing with cover Being 1% better daily Developing the operations Be sure to check out the bonus content only available on www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts as we continue the conversation with Ron and hear some pretty amazing advice for operators and owners who also want to make a difference with their business! Links: www.pausecoffee.house Instagram Related Episodes: Special! "Thinking Differently" Series | Filipino Coffee w/ Ron Dizon of Teofilo Coffee! Want to brew things differently? Visit our Sponsor! www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts

Markets shift and trends change, impacting how we do business as retailers and also how consumers perceive and interact with what we offer. In the last few years there have been incredible amounts of change taking place that we would do well to both pay attention to and embrace as we strive to meet the consumer where they are as well as do our part to help shape the market. To help us wrap our heads around what is happening now in the landscape of cafe spaces and global trends is past guest and researcher Dr. Jennifer Ferreira! Dr Jennifer Ferreira is a Research Fellow in the Centre for Business in Society (CBiS) at Coventry University. She is an active member of both the Economic Development and Inclusive Economies cluster and the Sustainable Production and Consumption cluster within CBiS. A large part of her research interest is in the expansion and development of the coffee and coffee shop industries, in particular the role of coffee shops and coffee shop cultures in different locations and economies, the importance of sustainability, and the role of the circular economy. She has publish many studies as well as articles the you can find on her website www.cafespaces.wordpress.com. In our conversation today we are going to discuss the most relevant movements in the market that impact both consumers and brick and mortar retailers. We cover: Chain stores and growth trends Customer education in coffee Cafes reactions to COVID The spread t suburbia Home coffee brewing Sustainability and the story of coffee Digital interactions Markets to pay attention to Best next steps for coffee retailers Related Episodes: 090 : Researching the Cafe w/ Dr. Jennifer Ferreira 206 : The Emotional and Social Impact of the Cafe Space w/ Noa Berger 198 : The Evolution of the Coffee Shop w/ Prof. Jonathan Morris 140 : A conversation w/ Erika Vonie, Director of Coffee at Trade Coffee The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoodservice.com

Thermodynamics is what makes coffee roasting possible. Having an understanding and control of it is what makes great roasting possible. But what aspects of thermodynamics should we be familiar with and what methods of controlling it are best? In this month's installment of the Rate of Rise series to you by Roast magazine we will be addressing these questions and much more with none other than Candice Madison. Candice Madison has worked in specialty coffee for over a decade, as an accomplished barista, roaster, and trainer. She is a Q Arabica Instructor for the Coffee Quality Institute, an Authorized Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) Trainer, teaching on SCA certified campuses, as well as at the annual SCA Event, World of Coffee and Coffee Roasters Guild Retreat. A past World Coffee Events Head Judge, Candice is currently the Director of Roasting at The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab and Tasting Room. She oversees production roasting for the Tasting Room, as well as contributing to the Crown Jewel program, and hosting original and SCA roasting education. She is also a published writer on a range of topics concerning specialty coffee. Additionally, Candice was a member of several SCA committees, including the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, Candice is the Vice President of the Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity (CCRE). In our conversation today we are will diving deep into the practical knowledge, application, and methods for harnessing the power of thermodynamics in the roasting process. We will cover: Difference between heat and thermal energy Systems that impact roasting What probes actually measure How to control and track thermal energy Understanding your machine Main mistakes made in the roasting process What to measure to monitor thermal energy Between batch protocol and how much data is too much Learning and teaching roasting Does your roaster make your coffee taste particular ways? Cupping against data and managing reactions in the roaster Practical next steps to control thermal energy in your roaster Links: www.royalcoffee.com Royal IG Candice IG www.roastmagazine.com Subscribe to Roast Audio Articles! https://www.roastmagazine.com/audioarticles/ 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 Interested in coffee consulting? Let's talk! Email me: [email protected]

When we want to delegate authority, install a manager, or hire a barista we rely on a job description. We know the power a well formed and detailed job description has for setting up expectations and communicating clearly the what and why of the work, but what about owners? Today we will chat about how a job description is not just good for your staff, but vital for you as well. Related episodes: Tips on Job Descriptions Systems as Care Should You be Behind the Bar Right Now? 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 267 : The Power of Delegation Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com

Welcome to the first in a series of three episodes focused on "Thinking Differently" brought to you by Ground Control! On today's episode we are going to be talking with the owner of Teofilo Coffee Company, Ron Dizon. Teofilo started as a farmers market stand roasting and serving Filipino coffee. Having been born in the Phili[oiines and raised in the U.S. in a Filipino household, Ron turned the obsession of Filipino Coffee into a passion built to give back to the Philippines. Over the years as Teofilo has grown, Ron has learned a lot about operating what is now his brick and mortar shop as well as his pop-ups and roasting operation. In our discussion with Ron we get to hear about his journey in starting, growing, and running Teofilo and the extraordinary opportunities that have resulted from his relentless pursuit of doing hard things and thinking differently about coffee and business. We cover: Understanding Filipino coffee Approaching business differently Big ideas and small beginnings Sourcing and opening up opportunities for Fillipino coffee Evolution of quality control in roasting and brewing Working with and supporting the community Striving to be better and trying to fail Inspiration from community Be sure to check out the bonus content only available on www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts as we continue the conversation with Ron and hear some pretty amazing advice for operators and owners who also want to make a difference with their business! Links: https://www.teofilocoffeecompany.com YouTube Instagram Want to brew things differently? Visit our Sponsor! www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts

U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits champion Matt Foster is here to guide you to specialty drink success! We all want to have a menu that includes unique signature beverages that we love making and customers love drinking. Trouble is, making creative specialty drinks that in your shop that are delicious, practical, AND profitable is not an easy task. It requires intentionality, knowledge of ingredients, and discipline to consider all the areas of the business you menu will impact. As we set our sights on future seasonal and signature drink menu plans I thought it would be great to have the specialty beverage champion himself, Matt Foster of The Annex - Coffee and Foods in St. Louis ! Matt is a long time specialty coffee pro whose fascination with beverages and coffee started at an early age even before becoming a bartender and barista. On top of being a barista he was also the wholesale trainer for Kaldis Coffee in St. Louis and is now the FOH - and Beverage Manager for The Annex - Coffee and Foods. In 2019 Matt won the U.S. Coffee in Good Spirits Championship, a competition combining his two favorite things - coffee and cocktails. Obviously Matt has a deep knowledge of both these areas and knows what it takes to be successful when creating a menu. In this episode we dive into a ton of practical information, best practices, and advice that will not only help you create and execute a successful menu, but help you strengthen your team and community in the process. We cover: Early career and inspiration Competition shaping creativity Finding yourself and authentic expression through creativity Meeting people where they are while expressing yourself Difference between barista work and bartending work Depth vs breadth of knowledge Bridging the gap between industries The most common hurdles to making great creative drinks First steps and considerations to implement a great menu Workflow considerations and keeping it practical How to propose new drinks to your boss What Matt's perspective on what we need to be focusing on right now in the industry to be inclusive and find common ground. Links: Matt's Instagram The Annex - Coffee and Tea Related Episodes: 117 : Coffee and Cocktails w/ Amanda Whitt 002: Master Your Workflow w/ Ryan Soeder 163 : Lessons from Crush the Rush w/ Josh Little Field 031 : Essential Advice for New Baristas : Tips to help you successfully navigate and thrive in your new coffee career The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoodservice.com

I am thrilled to get to feature Anne Lunnel and Charles Nystrand of Koppi: Fine Coffee Roasters on this month's Founder Friday! Founded in 2007, Koppi not only established itself as of Sweden's preeminent third wave coffee companies but also as one of the world's best roasters. Both Anne and Charles have one the Swedish Barista Championship and additionally Anne has won the Swedish Brewers Cup finishing 6th in the world. Their business was established as a roaster retailer in their home town of Helsingborg where they focused on sourcing and serving amazing coffees through a dense of relationship and sustainability. After 1 years they made a dramatic with to only roasting that both simplified their life and their business resulting in an even more healthy company. In today's conversation with these world class roasters we will be exploring their story from founding through present day and the lessons, experiences, and values that have guided them along the way. We cover: Early days of barista work and competition The learning curve to starting a retail/roaster Principles of quality and doing coffee differently in Sweden Sourcing values of relationship and accessibility The move to close the retail shop Lessons in personal and professional balance Advice and hopes for the coffee industry today Links: www.koppi.se Instagram Related Episodes: 252 : Founder Friday w/ Klaus Thompson of the Coffee Collective, Denmark Founder Friday! w/ Adam Obrátil of Industra Coffee, Brno, Czech Republic 171 : Founder Friday w/ Matt Chitharanjan and Namrata Asthana of Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters in India The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoodservice.com

We need systems in the coffee shop. As we pursue them it can be easy to complicate the process and end up with something that was meant to be helpful but ends up being intimidating or not useful at all. Today we are going to talk about the virtues of keeping your systems simple and how doing so will actually create more momentum for positive change. Related episodes: 057 : SOP's FTW! Success through Standard Operating Procedures Systems as Care Interested in over the phone consultation? Reach out! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

How we talk about coffee, relay information about coffee, and represent coffee to our customers and consumers in general, not only determines their attitude toward coffee but will literally shape the coffee industry. Often we get bogged down with details, side tracked with minutia, and overwhelm people in our bid to show them how precious coffee is to us. What is needed is a distilled and approachable treatment of the industry the opens up opportunities to more learning. That is what today's guest has accomplished through his new book Coffee for Dummies. I am thrilled to welcome back to the show, Major Cohen! Major Cohen is a coffee lover who has enjoyed a dream realized. After being a teacher of photography and film at the high school level for 20 years, his second career brought his passion for teaching and passion for coffee into alignment and he worked as a coffee educator for more than 25 years for Starbucks. His work for Starbucks began in 1995 when, as a Barista, he leveraged his passion and curiosity for coffee and business and after 8 years in operations in 5 roles was invited to move to the Seattle headquarters and join the coffee team. In the next 17 years he had the opportunity to be part of some of Starbucks most innovative efforts, and during his final 7 years traveled extensively in Asia as a coffee educator and brand ambassador. Although recently retired from Starbucks, Major is continuing his involvement with education in his role as an Authorized Specialty Coffee Association trainer, AST, and has written his first book, Coffee for Dummies. In today's conversation with Major we get to hear the story of how this book came to be, what went into deciding its content and we dive deep into discussion about communicating with consumers about the drink we all love! We cover: Connecting past and present day industry Creating impactful and simple content Distilling the topics The danger of making coffee too precious What makes information valuable Opening doors to further learning How we can effectively communicate with customers Links: Buy the book here! Wiley Link to Starbucks video: https://coffeeexperiences.starbucks.com Related Episodes: 127 : Passion and Curiosity: A conversation w/ Starbucks Global Sr. Project Manager, Major Cohen 242 : A Conversation with James Hoffmann 198 : The Evolution of the Coffee Shop w/ Prof. Jonathan Morris 215 : Communication and Marketing Master Class w/ Spencer M. Ross, PH.D. The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoodservice.com

Going from a single store store to multiple locations brings with it the question of how to replicate the culture and values across the shops. Making continuity between your various retail expressions a reality will take some purposeful planning and actions. Today on shift break we are going to talk about a couple key actions you can take to scale your companies values as you grow. Related episodes: Are you Excited? Bridging the Values-Actions Gap Example > Words Before you Expand Interested in over the phone consultation? Reach out! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

One of the most neglected areas of the bar happens to also be the most important. The register. Not because it is where we handle money (although that is important) but because it is where we make first impressions and guide the experience of both the customer and our coworkers. The register controls everything but we treat this station as though it is simply a place to avoid when on shift or a place to hastily put new underprepared baristas. If we hope to win people over to specialty coffee and deliver a great experience then we need to start focusing at least equal amounts of energy on how we prepare ourselves and others to working this station with the respect it deserves. Today we are going to be discussing behaviors and habits that are core to creating an excellent service and work experience beginning at the cash register. We cover: The status quo for register work How the register steals the experience Skewing positive Urgency Being detailed Communication Warmth and Empathy Related Episodes: 122 : How to be a Cash Register Hero : 6 Essential Skills Episode 45: Simple. Powerful. Hospitality. w/ Philip Paul Turner Shifting the Shadow Shift 167 : Handing off the Shift : 4 Tips to Avoid Chaos The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

Hiring a great team is the aim of every cafe. Often when we look for the right person we end up looking for the perfect individual vs the perfect fit for the team and culture of our shop. We want an all-star team but what we get can often just be a big collection of egos that don't work well together. Today we will be talking about the myth of the all star team and how we can approach hiring in a way that creates harmony in the work. Related Episodes: 121 : Working from Your Strengths w/ Strengths Finder Guru, Lisa Cummings 232 : Rebuilding your Staff with Excellence w/ Dave Stachowiak 226 : The Art of being Indispensable at Work w/Bruce Tulgan 221 : Building your People Program w/ HR Consultant Dana Goodwin Interested in over the phone consultation? Reach out! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

Coffee roasting legend Mark Michaelson is back on the show! Mark has spent the last 9 years as the Head Roaster for onyx Coffee Labs in NW Arkansas whee he was instrumental in helping them forge a path to being one of the worlds most respected coffee companies. One top of this Mark is the 2017 U.S. Roasting champion and top 12 finisher in the World that same year. Mark is an active member of the Roasters Guild and in addition to being a champion himself has roasted coffee for other champions including the Colombian Brewers Cup champion and also for 2020 U.S. Champion and Co-Owner of Onyx Coffee Labs, Andrea Allen. So suffice it to say, Mark has had a very successful career in coffee roasting and has been an inspiration to production roasters all over the world. In this conversation, as Mark Ventures out in his own Consulting business, we are going to be taking a look back at his time in front of the roaster and learning a great deal about how he has developed as a professional and gaining some wonderful and practical insights into the world of production roasting that will definitely help you on your own coffee roasting journey. We cover: Trust the process What he has learned in 9 years of roasting Most common new roaster mistakes Quality control approach Including the team in feedback and trusting baristas Roasting trends Mark loves and trend Mark hates Listening to customers Investing in people Links: www.michaelsonconsulting.com Instagram Related Episodes: 026 : What Your Roaster want you to Know w/ U.S. Roasting Champion, Mark Michaelson, Onyx Coffee Lab 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

If this least year has shown us anything, it is that life is unpredictable and can sometimes throw a wrench into our plans, causing us to go into emergency mode. What do we do when this happens? What is our plan for when the roastery goes down? If you are like most busy owners, you probably don't have much of a plan in place for when these things happen. Having a robust and well rehearsed contingency plan can literally save your business and those who depend on it. But where do you start and what should you plan for? To help us figure this all out we are talking with Andi Trindle Mersch of Philz Coffee! Andi Trindle Mersch is Director of Coffee, Tea, and Sustainability with Philz Coffee. In these roles, she oversees coffee and tea sourcing and quality and leads company wide sustainability efforts. Andi has held a variety of responsibilities throughout more than 26 years in specialty coffee. She has published numerous trade journal articles and lectured nationally and internationally on many topics in the coffee sector and more recently in sustainability. She has held a number of leadership and board roles within the broader specialty coffee industry and is currently serving on the Food 4 Farmers Board of Directors and the newly formed Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity. Today Andi will expand on her 2 part Roast Magazine article on Coffee Plant continuity Planning and give us practical and insightful advice to take the first and best steps in making contingency planning a reality for your roastery. We cover: Why it is critical to have a plan 1st steps in getting started Parts of your bunisess to prioritize Including all players in the planning Investment of time and money Choosing contingency partners Serving well in an emergency Planning in phases The benefit of networking and mutuality The ROI I hope you enjoy! This episode is brought to you by Roast Magazine! Visit them and subscribe over at: www.roastmagazine.com Subscribe to Roast Audio Articles! https://www.roastmagazine.com/audioarticles/ Links: https://www.philzcoffee.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/andi-trindle-mersch/ Related Episodes: RoR #1: A Conversation w/ Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters RoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee Enterprises 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak Interested in coffee consulting? Let's talk! Email me: [email protected]

Talking about, even announcing to our staff, what we are going to do and what we intend to do is a behavior displayed by leaders under the title of "Casting Vision". The question must be asked though, how many of those plans actually come to fruition and how many end up just being abandoned? Today we will be talking about the power your words have and the necessity to communicate responsibly to those you lead in the coffee shop. Related Episodes: 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees 261 : The Basics of Managing Managers 228 : Cracking the Leadership Code w/ Alain Hunkins Interested in over the phone consultation? Reach out! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

Starting a coffee bar means you have to focus on several hundred different things at once. It can be maddening! All of this to get to the point where you can open the doors and finally let people enjoy what you and your team have created. But what happens after you launch? Where do you put all that energy you have been used to spending getting ready? Today we are going to cover several key areas that you need to focus on after you launch your shop in order to create the best chance of success. Even if you are well along in your shop's life, you will still benefit from today's episode because it is never too late to give proper focus to the core elements of your business and each time you open a new location you will want to make sure these areas are well covered. Related episodes: 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers 181 : Organizational Self-Knowledge 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak 191 : Retraining your Staff on new Standards Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

I am so excited to share this interview with Adam Obrátil, the co-founder of one of the Czech Republic's most well known and foundational cafes, Industra Coffee! Founded in 2013, Industra brought a newer specialty coffee experience to the Czech coffee scene that was just beginning to get established. Both Adam and his partner Petra Střelecká are long time coffee pros who cut their teeth in some of London's busiest cafes before starting the shop. Both Adam and Petra have competition experience and Petra is 3x Czech Brewers Cup Champion and 6th place finisher at WBrC. Through the years of running the shop they have grown from just the two of them working behind the bar, to now a staff of 10 people serving a large and loyal, growing customer base. In my conversation with Adam we learn about their history, their road to ownership, the biggest lessons along the way and how they have approached service, quality, delegation and what their plans are for the future! Early cafe experience The journey to ownership Bringing a new style of coffee to the Czech scene Attracting all ages from a traditional culture Hiring for hospitality Navigating the different between being a barista vs owner Growing and delegating in order to scale Handling COVID Serving community and supporting each other Plans for the future Links: Instagram https://www.industracoffee.cz Related Episodes: 107 : Kyle Glanville & Charles Babinski of G&B Coffee and Go Get em Tiger 129 : Founder Friday w/ Casey & Jeremy Miller of The Mudhouse, St. Louis, MO Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

How people experience the service we provide them has a lot to do with the pace we keep in the process. Sometimes we go too fast! Sometimes we go too slow! What is the balance here? Today we are going to talk about how to properly apply speed and intentionality behind the bar to produce an experience that customer will want to come back for again and again. Related Episodes: 163 : Lessons from Crush the Rush w/ Josh Little Field 084 : Crushing the Rush : Tips and Best Practices for Busy Times 002: Master Your Workflow w/ Ryan Soeder 045 : Simple, Powerful Hospitality w/ Philip Turner Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

We have a control problem. Specifically we don't like to give up our control of the processes and operations of our cafes out of fear for what might happen when others take the wheel. The difference between a successful shop that has capacity to both care for its people and grow and one that is stifled and limited, comes down to your ability to delegate. Today we will be talking about wha delegation is, what it can do when practiced responsibly, and how to begin the process of changing the way you act and think as a leader in the coffee shop. We cover: Fear driven control The danger of not delegating Testing your systems Building your people Delayed gratification Expanding capacity Cultivate trust Related Episodes: Don't just do it Prioritizing your Work 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

I hear all the time how we want baristas to be excited, motivated, up-selling, engaged etc. Those are all great ideals and goals. The problem is that we tend to expect that to just appear out of thin air. How we invest into those who we rely on to represent the business determines what kind of representation they give. Today we will. be talking about the truth that, if you want to have staff the are excited about your business, you have to be excited about them! Listen to these related episodes: Bridging the Values-Actions Gap The Affirmation Vacuum 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017 Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

The health of our bodies plays a huge role in determining the quality of our life both at work in the shop and outside of work. When we are pursuing our health holistically we are making an investment that pays us back immeasurably. The question is, how do you begin to approach caring for our physical health in a way that equips us to thrive? Today we are going to explore this subject with special guest Dr. David Dahl! Dr. David Dahl DPT, CAFS is the owner and operator of Linchpin Performance based in Louisville, KY. Dave has worked as an outpatient physical therapist for the majority of his career treating and caring for the old, the young, the athlete, and the sedentary. Linchpin Performance is a company dedicated to helping active adults bypass the need for expensive surgery, pills, or injections. Working directly for people, Linchpin Performance is in a position to make decisions that are best for one's particular goals and aspirations. At Linchpin Performance they place a high emphasis on teaching, listening, and guiding people in their health and wellness journey. In this conversation we cover: What leads to our physical ailments The end result of repetitive stress What pain means Discovering our why Prioritization The interconnected nature of the body Holistic health Surviving vs thriving Using good stress Links: www.linchpinperformance.com Instagram Health related episodes: 095 : Dealing with Stress in the Cafe w/ Wellness Counselor, Joe Sanok 176 : Harnessing Emotions at Work w/ Andrea Hoban of Oji Life Lab 213 : Coping with Corona using Emotional Intelligence w/ Andrea Hoban of Oji Life Lab 258 : Prioritizing your Mental Health in the New Year w/ Dr. Lara Pence Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

One of the most needed but conspicuously missing pieces of the coffee shop puzzle is accountability. Both leaders and baristas need accountability in order to thrive but we neglect to put in place as a real process because we are afraid of what it might uncover in us, or in them. Today we will be discussing the two ways we tend to respond to accountability and what our responses indicate regarding our attitudes toward work and even our fit for the role itself. Related Episodes: 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers 158 : A Management Masterclass w/ Jon Felix Lund, VP of Operations for Coava Coffee Roasters / Portland, OR 156 : Founder Friday w/ Lauren Crabbe, Co-Founder of Andytown Coffee Roasters, San Fransisco 181 : Organizational Self-Knowledge Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

Transparency. We see it increasingly being used as a tool to signify responsible commerce and trade among coffee roasting companies. But what is it exactly? Are we approaching it in a meaningful way? How do we define and practice transparency in a way that will actually make the difference we want to see it make? These are questions that will get answered today as we talk with Jonas Lorenz, co-author of The Pledge. The Pledge was designed to function A common code for transparency reporting in green coffee buying. Companies that sign The Pledge agree to share publicly a fixed set of variables when reporting on green coffee purchases. The aim is to create a common standard for transparency reporting that is applicable throughout the coffee world. With a degree in political science, and 10 years in the coffee industry, Jonas dreamt of combining the ideas of the "direct trade/quality/appreciation for the product" approach of specialty coffee with the "farmer centric/ fair share of profits for all stakeholders in the industry/respect for people and planet" approach of the fair trade movement. Co-Authoring The Pledge did just that. In our conversation today we will be exploring how to meaningful define and practice transparency. We cover: Price as the foundation of transparency Approach and mindset Negative litmus test Relationships with farmers How to get started in transparency Sharing information with our customers The dire state of poverty at origin The ripple effect of adopting transparency Being honest about where you are Links: https://www.transparency.coffee/pledge/ https://www.transparenttradecoffee.org Related Episodes: 252 : Founder Friday w/ Klaus Thompson of the Coffee Collective, Denmark 153 : Exploring the Peace Trade in the Congo w/ Mighty Peace Coffee 060 : Serving the Coffee Plant w/ Hanna Neuschwander, World Coffee Research 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 Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

What is it we mean when we refer to "Quality?" If we take that a step further we might ask, how can we control quality? These questions are top of mind for most coffee roasters who, amidst a sea of complexity and moving parts, are desperately interested in providing a consistently excellent end product to their customers. Today we are going to dive into the topic of understanding quality, quality control, and taking the first steps in making it a real part of your operation so you can comfortably navigate the multi faceted issue. To do that we are talking with one of our industries brightest minds (and palettes), Spencer Turer! Spencer is the Vice President of Coffee Enterprises, the first independent laboratory in the United States dedicated to quality analysis of coffee and a global leader in coffee quality testing and consulting throughout the farm-to-cup supply chain. Spenser has been a professional coffee taster, analyst, and quality control expert since 1992 having previously held positions as General Manager, Sales Operations (Coffee Division), Mitsui Foods, Coffee Specialist, Kerry Food & Beverage, Waukesha, WI, and Supply Chain Manager / Coffee Technologist - Product Development, Dunkin' Donuts Additionally he is a member of American Society for Testing & Materials Evaluations: Food & Beverage Committee. Green Coffee Association Specialty Coffee Arbitration Panel and an ambassador with International Women's Coffee Alliance. As a long time Q Grader, co-founder of the Roasters Guild and widely published author, Spencer's incredible breadth of experience and expertise is going to help us tackle this question of quality as we discuss the how to approach the concept and the main issues we need to consider in our operations both large and small. I hope you enjoy! We cover: Defining quality Intrinsic vs extrinsic quality Factoring in the consumers preference Consistency First steps in QC Factors that contribute to quality Being able to identify issues and replicate success Danger of "Selling your problems" Balance of systems of control ' How we set our own definitions Addressing the complexity of the supply chain Choosing the right things to measure This episode is brought to you by Roast Magazine! Visit them and subscribe over at: www.roastmagazine.com Links: www.coffeeenterprises.com Specialty Coffee Professionals LinkedIn Group Spencer's Audio Article: "Defining and Measuring Quality in Coffee From Production to Preparation" Related Episodes: RoR #1: A Conversation w/ Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters 078 : Exploring Green Buying and Sensory Analysis w/ Amanda Juris Interested in coffee consulting? Let's talk! Email me: [email protected]

I get it. You love coffee! You listen to this show after all and you cup, brew, read about, and live coffee. Your customers however, do not. Mostly they just drink it and if we are honest, that sometimes bothers us. How we talk to customers about coffee is more than just telling them what we know about it. It is about giving them the tools and understanding to enjoy it. Today we are going to chat about how to meet customers where they are to help the continue to come get coffee from us! Related Episodes: 085 : How we Ruin the Specialty Experience Dark Roast night of the Soul Taste the Rainbow Curbing their Enthusiasm Building accessible menu w/ Joe Marrocco Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

On today's episode we get to have a conversation with Abner Roldan who, along with his wife Karla Quiñones founded one of Puerto Ricos best coffee shops, Cafe Comunion. Abner is also Puerto Rico's latte art champion 2014 & '15, a member of the Barista Magazine Editorial Board AND the recent Sprudgie Award winner of Best Coffee Podcast! (La Crema) In this interview we start right at the beginning to learn about Abner's entry into coffee, the story of founding Cafe Comunion, starting his award winning podcast, and his experiences as he has grown as a coffee professional serving both the Puerto Rican coffee community and the Spanish speaking coffee community globally. We cover: Starting in coffee and building a career Starting the shop Deciding to building in Puerto Rico Connecting community Why the industry needs to expand its reach to other cultures Inspiring other businesses Not forgetting about your culture, language , and roots How to welcome more people and offer better resources Links: Abner's IG Cafe Comunion IG Related Episodes: 236 : Founder Friday! w/ Meil Castagna-Herrera & Curtis Herrera of Cafe Corazon! 061 : You Don't Know Beans about Brazil w/ Kelly Stein, Coffea Podcast 072: Taking an Origin Trip w/ Kim Elena-Ionescu : How to go to origin in a mutual beneficial way 103 : The Colombian Coffee Connection w/ Ervin Liz Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

Well now! Today we are going to get an inside look into one of the biggest and most successful coffee brands in the nation! We are talking with the Co-Founder of Biggby Coffee, Mike McFall! Biggby Coffee was founded in 1995 in Lansing, Michigan a fast-growing $100-million-dollar coffee franchise with 250+ locations across the Midwest and quickly expanding into the East Coast in 2020. Biggby is one of the largest coffee chains in the USA. Having originally started with Biggby in 1996 as a minimum wage barista, Mike has since held every subsequent position within the company, including his current title as co-Founder and co-CEO (May 2016). Mike believes his time in each of his previous roles has allowed him to form a bond with his employees based on understanding, credibility, and respect. Two decades later, Mike also wrote and published the Inc. Original book, Grind, with the mission to help founders and entrepreneurs take their business concept and turn it into a positive cash-flow business. In the book Mike shares his personal experiences having led Biggby through survival mode, stability, and aggressive growth. In our conversation today we will be hearing the story of both Mike's and Biggby's development from concept to present day and all the failures, lessons, and success in between. This is a very insightful interview and Mike truly hits on some crucial keys to success that apply to everyone from coffee shops with 1-2 spaces to a large chains with hundreds. We cover: The beginnings of the business The journey from barista to co-owner Mission and vision Catalyst for changing problematic leadership and management styles What is "Love in the workplace"? Commitment to support Why they chose the franchise model Selecting franchisees Biggby's keys to a successful store Why people are not the problem Self-awareness Your impact on others is paramount Links: www.biggby.com https://grindthebook.com Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

All of us want to wake up, look around, and be happy with where we are and what we're doing. How we accomplish that is often thought to be in the "big breaks" and in exclusive opportunities. But in most cases, who we become and what we are able to do is based on the daily decisions we make that pave the way. Today we will be talking about how we can most effectively build our careers by embracing this mindset. Related Episodes: 243 : Encore Episode! "The Sleepwalking Barista (Owner)" Laziness and the most important Decision Work Alchemy "It's not my Job" & Self-Sabotage Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

How does your shop address and interact with the homeless community? If you are like most people, the answer is not very defined and born more from fear and misunderstanding than empathy and informed policy. As we provide spaces to serve the community, it is important that we focus in on how we interact with every person within it, including the homeless. To help us rewrite the narrative and bring some understanding to the conversation on home we and our businesses treat the homeless we are going to be talking with the Executive Director of Louisville Coalition for the Homeless, Natalie Harris. Natalie Harris joined The Coalition for the Homeless in April of 2010. The Coalition is a nonprofit organization committed to advocacy, education and collaboration on the issues of homelessness. It is member agency of over 30 homeless shelter and service providers serving Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. They have a staff of twelve. Natalie was responsible for working to create Rx:Housing/Louisville and effort to end both veteran and chronic homelessness in Louisville. Natalie was also the Chief Executive Officer of Miami Valley Housing Opportunities, a nonprofit supportive housing provider in Dayton, Ohio. Natalie also served as director of the Specialized Housing Resources Department at Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC), the state housing finance agency. There, she was responsible for development, implementation and coordination of policies and procedures relating to special needs housing. She has served as a consultant to the U.S. Census Bureau, Corporation for Supportive Housing, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Urban Institute on issues related to rural homelessness and supportive housing. In this conversation Natalie gives us insight into the factors contributing to homelessness and helps give us practical and actionable steps to take to equip ourselves and our staff with the mindsets and tools to really connect with and help the homeless community in meaningful ways. Please look into the links provided here to learn more. We cover: Systems that create homelessness Profit over people Segregation Blaming the person Broadening your perspective Listening and connecting Coffee shops role Gaining more information Communicating with your staff Links: https://louhomeless.org email: [email protected] https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/take-a-course/ Related Episodes: 180 : A Conversation with Rugid Grind Founders, Brian Washington and Averett Barksdale 182 : Founder Friday w/ Alec Tod of Indie Coffee Roasters 106 : Changing Lives Through Coffee w/ Pamela Chng of Bettr Barista 183 : Exploring Diversity w/ Phyllis Johnson 139 : Founder Friday w/ Kusanya Cafe Co-Founder, Phil Sipka Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

In the relationship between wholesale coffee roaster and client, there are things that do not get talked about as much as they should. Largely this is based the desire to maintain the relationship and any harder or awkward conversations present themselves in the course of business are subsequently ignored, often util they reach a critical point. Today we are going to be discussing why honestly should be the cornerstone of this professional relationship and how it benefits both you and your client. 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 Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

When we set up a manager in the cafe we are not just delegating authority and freeing up some of our time, we are setting up the business for failure or success. All of it boils down to how we manage and lead them in their responsibilities and roles. Today we are going to explore the basics of managing your managers and cover many aspects that get over looked. As I have said plenty of times in on this show, managers are one of the most important, if not THE most important role in the cafe. We need to determine to invest in their success from the beginning in tangible and consistent ways. I hope todays conversation will help you do just that. Be sure and listen, or re-listen to the recommended episodes below. Related episodes: 028 : Why it's Ok to be the Boss w/ Bruce Tulgan 179 : What you MUST Know About Employee Culture w/ Stan Slap 013 : Leadership & Management Master Class w/ Eva Attia : Leadership | management | hiring | career 109 : Leadership Abandonment Syndrome : Lack of development in senior staff and what to do about it 141 : The 27 Challenges Managers Face w/ Bruce Tulgan Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

We love to talk about coffee! So much so, we often fail to give people the information they need to be successful on the bar. If you have ever gone off on a tangent about extraction science and esoteric processing methods with a new hire (I think we all have) then this episode is for you! Today we will talk about training TMI and how we should be approaching the communication of information if we want baristas to be successful as a result of their time in the training process. Related episodes: 4 Tips for training your staff Shifting the Shadow Shift 025 : Mastering the Art of Training w/ Dave Stachowiak Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

Sometimes everything will seem to suggest that leaving our job or career in pursuit of something better is the best option. But is is always the best option? What if the job we have now is actually the perfect one for us? What might we be missing out on if we leave and how do we get clarity to make these kinds of decisions in the first place? Today we are going to be exploring these questions with returning guest, Scott Anthony Barlow of Happen to your Career. Scott Anthony Barlow is the Founder and CEO of Happen to Your Career. He's been featured on CNBC, Yahoo, CareerBuilder, Fast Company and Huffington Post and various Colleges and Universities as a top expert on Career Happiness. He gets way excited about careers, coffee, and helping people take control over their life and work. In our discussion today we cover specific mindsets, frameworks, and questions to ask yourself in order to gain career clarity and truly know that you should either stay or go. We cover: Reasons people leave jobs The danger of missing out on what your current job has to offer Questions to ask yourself to determine your values 7 Needs we have at work Contextualizing those needs Using the power you have to change your current circumstance Good stress and bad stress Wants vs needs Links: www.happentoyourcareer.com www.happentoyourcareer.com/8day Related Episodes: 077 : How you can Happen to your Career w/ Scott Anthony Barlow : A frame work for finding the right work 073 : How to be Awesome at Your Job w/ Pete Mockaitis 121 : Working from Your Strengths w/ Strengths Finder Guru, Lisa Cummings 125 : Confidence in Conflict w/ Kwame Christian : A framework for Compassionate Curiosity Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

Your customers are not just in the shop. They are not even just in your city. They are anywhere your digital footprint treads and how you manage that experience will determine the quality of the experience people have with your brand. Today we are going to be chatting about the importance of digital hospitality and why it needs to of equal importance to in person service. Related Episodes: 120 : Social Media 101 w/ Jenn Chen 227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds 234 : Actions and Strategies to Improve your Messaging w/ Garrett Oden 215 : Communication and Marketing Master Class w/ Spencer M. Ross, PH.D. Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

We have created a monster. Over the years our quest to please the customer has turned toxic as it ignores the well being of our staff and enables entitled, rude, and even abusive behavior. All this in the name of the miss guided notion that "The customer is always right". In today's episode we will be exploring this toxic customer service culture, what is behind it, what its impacts are, and how to begin the process of replacing it with a heathy culture of boundaries and support that create a great experience for both staff and customers alike. Link: Food and Wine article Related Episodes: The Customer service pro is not Always Right 151 : How to Respond and React to Negative Feedback : 5 Step Process 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees 019 : 10 Reasons to Love the Customer w/ Chris Deferio Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

Welcome to the new series produced in partnership with Roast Magazine, "Rate of Rise: Elevated conversations on Roasting"! Every first Friday we will be interviewing roasting experts from around the world to discover wisdom and insights that will help you thrive in your roasting business. In this inaugural episode we are going to be talking with the amazing Anne Cooper or Equilibrium Master Roasters! With over 25 yrs working in the Coffee Industry, Anne is an Australian Roaster who has gained extensive experience in many areas of the coffee industry as Barista, Café Owner/Manager, National Barista Trainer & Assessor, Head Roaster/Roasting Production Manager at both a National & International level. A certified Q Grader, Anne regularly attends, volunteers, competes in & judges coffee competitions in Australia, USA & Brazil. With her consulting company, Equilibrium Master Roasters, Anne continues to develop her extensive roasting skills & knowledge with exposure to a wide range of roasting companies & machines and various roasting techniques / industry relevant processes & protocols - she is really passionate about passing on skills & knowledge to the next generation of flame keepers. In our conversation we focus on setting yourself up for success through data, equipment knowledge, establishing solid protocols, and balancing the use of software and tools with a deep sensory understanding of the roasting process. There is a ton of fabulous information here to help you kick of 2021 the right way! We cover: What's changed in roasting perspectives over the last decade Barrier to entry in the roasting profession The balance of software and sensory as tools to achieve flavor Data collection and decisiveness The importance of palate preference Are you roasting the coffee or the software? Finding your palate preference Getting to know your specific machine Common misconceptions of new and experienced roasters Why sharing roast curves is not really helpful Identifying human error before equipment error Links: Equilibrium Master Roasters Roast Magazine Audio Articles Related Episodes: 152 : Essential Advice for Starting a Roastery w/ Jen Apodaca 063 : What Your Roaster Wants you to Know w/ Rob Hoos, Author, Modulating the Flavor Profile of Coffee 078 : Exploring Green Buying and Sensory Analysis w/ Amanda Juris 082 : Knowledge and Flavor w/ Cosimo Libardo This episode is brought to you by Roast Magazine! Visit them and subscribe over at: www.roastmagazine.com

Last Shift Break of 2020! As this year wraps up and we set our sights on the next there are a few things I believe we would greatly benefit from focusing on in order to build resiliency and a thriving business. Today we will be discussing a few of these things and why focusing on them can transform your shop for the better! Related Episodes: Systems as Care Bridging the Values-Action Gap 004: Leadership in the Cafe : 10 Steps to Being a People First Leader 257 : A Conversation w/ Morgan Eckroth of MorganDrinksCoffee! 170 : Why your Inventory Counts w/ Albert Amar and Pierre-Francois Rio of SwiftCount 223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll 202 : Mastering your Finances and Accounting w/ Keila Hill-Trawick of Little Fish Accounting Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co

This year has been a mental and emotional test of endurance like no other. Add to the pandemic the already existing stresses and pressures in the cafe as customer face professionals and you get a perfect storm of both feeling the need for mental health wile simultaneously feeling helpless to actualize it. Even though mental health has been top of mind, it can be hard to move it from a "Should" to "Must" and as we look forward to the new year at the close of this incredibly challenging one, resolving to prioritize our mental health will make a monumental difference both for us personally and the people we lead. To help guide us in this pursuit we are going to be talking with Dr. Lara Pence! Dr. Pence attended graduate school at Widener University where she obtained her Doctorate Degree in Psychology (PsyD) and her Masters in Business Administration (MBA). In 2010, she opened her own private practice, Chief Mind Works, in Dallas, TX. Early in her career she worked primarily with individuals suffering from eating disorders, anxiety, and depression both through individual work as well as intensive group workshops. She later branched out to work more specifically with entrepreneurs who were looking to elevate their leadership skills and execute more efficiently at work, and professional athletes who needed support in understanding the mind/body connection and its impact on performance. In 2018, Dr. Pence began consulting for Spartan Race, the largest endurance racing organization in the world to implement a curriculum that provides a mental pathway to change and transformation, and began hosting a weekly video series, Spartan MIND. Dr. Pence also works at the Unbeatable Mind Coaching Program alongside Mark Divine, and has recently launched her own product – LIGHFBOX – a tool used to strengthen mental health and wellness. She also began a new podcast, Curious Minds with Dr. L, where she and her guests use curiosity as the cure for stagnation. She has served on the Board of Directors for various non-profit organizations, and has been featured in various publications, media outlets, and podcasts, including Good Morning America, the BBC, Glamour, Vogue, WebMD, Psychology Today, and the Huffington Post. In today's conversation with Dr. Pence we are going to explore many absolutely critical topics that will set us up to prioritize our mental health in the new year. This is the perfect way to end the year and I hope you get a lot out of this episode! We will be covering: Why dont we prioritize our mental health Taking stock of our relationships Making mental health practices stick How knowing our values guides our success Self and situational awareness The masks we wear Matching values to circumstance What are common things that degrade our mental health Setting boundaries The value of hard conversations Negativity bias Checking in with ourselves and others Links: www.drlarapence.com Instagram Related Episodes: 201 : Igniting your Curiosity w/ Cody Gough 213 : Coping with Corona using Emotional Intelligence w/ Andrea Hoban of Oji Life Lab 176 : Harnessing Emotions at Work w/ Andrea Hoban of Oji Life Lab 095 : Dealing with Stress in the Cafe w/ Wellness Counselor, Joe Sanok 111 : Self Care 101: Taking care of yourself while taking care of others Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

Connection with our audiences has never been more important. How do we go about truly delivering value and building a strong community that resonates with or message all while staying true to our core "why" ? Well, today we are going to be talking with and learning from someone who has cultivated all of those things and has created the largest online coffee following in the world as a result. Today we get to have a conversation with Morgan Eckroth of MorganDrinksCoffee! Morgan is a barista and content creator, having worked in the specialty coffee industry for 3.5 years. With over 5 million followers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, she shares her love for coffee through comedic customer service sketches, vlogs about her job, and educational videos. Morgan also released a line of coffee in collaboration with Wrecking Ball Coffee in December 2020 and is working to continue creating a link between baristas and their customers through a shared love for coffee and a dash of humor. In this conversation we will be exploring Morgans beginnings in the industry as a barista and competitor, then diving into the story of how MorganDrinksCoffee was born, how it has grown, and the insights and lessons Morgan has learned along the way. When we look into what the future holds for hospitality, we need to fully embrace our distributed online audiences and create for them a specialty experience just like we do for those who frequent our in-person shops. Morgan shares a great deal of wisdom to help get us where we need to be as an industry. We cover: The evolution of MorganDrinksCoffee Managing both cafe life and the social platform Creating a message that connects people Lessons in marketing Community inspiration Attracting the younger generation Balancing and curating the message at scale How to approach digital hospitality Not using celebrity as leverage Balance of sales and story in marketing Quantity of fillers vs quality Advice to baristas and owners Links: https://morgandrinkscoffee.com Instagram TikTok Morgan Recommends these IG accounts: Glitter Cat Erica Escalante Umeko Motoyoshi Related Episodes: 242 : A Conversation with James Hoffmann 222 : How to have Difficult Conversations about Race and Justice w/ Kwame Christian COVID-19 Focus : Erica Escalante, The Arrow | Acting Quickly, Leading Well, and Fighting for Connection 097 : Founder Friday w/ Erica Escalante of The Arrow Coffeehouse (Now Cafe Reina) 215 : Communication and Marketing Master Class w/ Spencer M. Ross, PH.D. 210 : The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens | CEO of The Retail Prophet Need consulting? Reach out! [email protected] The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

One of the most counterintuitive ways to make progress in the right direction just may be slowing down your decision making and response time. We are bombarded with pressure everyday from all sides to make decisions about a myriad of subjects both large and small. Often we will resort to making quick decisions in the moment that we might regret later. In today's Shift Break we will be talking about why slowing your your response time can create a greater likelihood for good decisions down the road. Related Episodes: 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak 181 : Organizational Self-Knowledge 252 : Founder Friday w/ Klaus Thompson of the Coffee Collective, Denmark 253 : Mindsets that Sabotage Success Need consulting or coaching? Reach out to KTTS Consulting! [email protected] Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer Your Own Branded App! www.espressly.co