Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Sometimes we can overestimate how bad the customer is and in the process make ourselves out to be so very righteous. It is a reality in every bar I have seen that we are blind to the double standard for what we accept from the customer vs what we allow for ourselves. Today we talk about this pesky little habit and how we should move forward and away from our tendency to think we are always right. Related Episodes: 10 Reasons to Love the Customer Simple, Powerful Hospitality Self Care 101 Visit Our Sponsors! Painless ordering and inventory with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with the best! www.urnex.com

How well do you know your business? I'm not talking about the numbers and the stuff that is accessible through the POS or spreadsheets. I am talking about the life of the business and the people and cultures that make it up. The incredible number of intangibles that create the life of an organization. A lot of us assume we know well enough and instead to being curious and diving deeper into what we have, we search for answers, meaning, insight, etc outside of our organization. Today we are going to be chatting about 7 things to consider when seeking to have organizational self-knowledge. Just like having personal self-knowledge is critical to leading others well, organizational self-knowledge is critical to being able to lead your company. You will learn: Why proximity does not equal knowledge How we rob our staff of attention Attitudes and actions to inspire curiosity The key role of feedback How owners de-value baristas The needed balance to high standards Should you go for big or small changes? Related episodes: SB : Feedback Culture 80 : Changing Things in the Cafe 179 : What you MUST Know about Employee Culture Thank you to our sponsors! The right equipment for your situation! www.prima-coffee.com The best plant based beverages on the planet! www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

We tend to have a mindset toward systems that breeds a lack of clarity, break downs in communication, and generally an unpleasant and even toxic environment in the work place. Today we are going to chat about viewing systems as a primary form of showing care to staff and where to start in embracing them as such. Related episodes: SOPs FTW The Broken Chair 4 Keys to and Effective Checklist Building Empathetic Systems Visit Our Sponsors! Painless ordering and inventory with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with the best! www.urnex.com

Coffee is more than just a drink. It can also be a vehicle for change. Ending teen homelessness through coffee is the vision of today's guests, Brian Washington and Averett Barksdale, the founders of , Rugid Grind. Established in 2019, Rugid Grind is a for-profit coffee provider that, as of now, acts as the sole supporter and funder of The Oneighty Project, a nonprofit dedicated to ending teenage homelessness around the world. Through rigorous studying of the process and the building of their headquarters in Houston, Texas, they quickly built their branding into one that serves a greater purpose while also serving a quality cup of coffee. Rugid Grind is dedicated to giving our customers a quality beverage they can count on, but the goal they have committed ourselves to is much bigger than the beverage they serve. As pastors and frequent leaders of mission trips and outreach projects, Washington and Barksdale have seen the epidemic of teenage homelessness firsthand. Over a million American teenagers will go to sleep tonight without a home, and countless others are teetering on the verge of homelessness. The direct funding we provide to Oneighty helps them execute their vision of ending teenage homelessness and giving the at-risk teens of the next generation a greater chance at success. By purchasing, leasing, and developing houses and finding caretakers who are fit for roles of mentorship and parental guidance, Oneighty seeks to create safe, nourishing environments for homeless adolescents not only in Houston, but all around the world. In todays episode you will learn: What it took to found Rugid Grind and the vision behind it Their coffee learning curve and their adventures in trying to source coffee form Haiti What Brian and Averett experienced when introduced to the specialty community. How they plan to use coffee to end teen homelessness The value of action and having a vision that is bigger than yourself How a community can come together to support a worthy goal What shops can do to take action in their own towns Buy Rugid Grind coffee and support their vision! www.rugidgrind.com Instagram: @rugidgrindcoffee Related episodes: 106 : Changing Lives Through Coffee w/ Pamela Chng of Bettr Barista 139 : Founder Friday w/ Kusanya Cafe Co-Founder, Phil Sipka Thank you to our sponsors! The right equipment for your situation! www.prima-coffee.com The best plant based beverages on the planet! www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

Bringing a new employee onto the bar is often a hasty effort. Unfortunately, when we do this, we end up paying for it in the long run. Today we chat about the sink or swim mentality of on-boarding and what managers need to practice in order to mitigate the negative consequences such a mentality produces. Sponsored by: Painless ordering and inventory with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with the best! www.urnex.com

As goes the culture, so goes the company. This is just a fact. All of us want to be able to say that our employee cultures are strong, vibrant, and dedicated to the vision we have set for the company. Unfortunately though, it aint that easy. Today we are addressing this with what I believe may be the most powerful series of insights you've ever heard on employee culture and how to work for and with it to amazing success. I am so pleased to be talking with the amazing, Stan Slap, author of one of my most recommended books, "Under the Hood : Fire up and Fine-tune your Employee Culture" Stan is the founder and CEO of SLAP company and has spent the last 3 decades specializing in achieving fierce support from manager, employee and customer cultures. They believe within each of these groups there is one problem that has the biggest impact on the enterprise and one solution that is most valuable, coveted and elusive. The SLAP company has cracked the code on these problems and their solutions are highest rated in many of the world's highest rated companies. They are currently working in 44 countries countries and ahave achieved amazing results in employee culture at companies like Oracle, CNN, Timewarner, Google, Starbucks, eBay, Viacom, and Microsoft among many others. I don't know of a more potent example of what good and bad employee cultural engagement than the elbow-to-elbow laboratory that is the coffee bar. This episode is absolutely a game changer and foundational listening if you want to create and lead an amazing employee culture. In this episode you will learn about: 4 of the "7 Deadly Sins of Cultural Engagement" How culture is formed and what it cares about Best practices for engaging and guiding a culture How do we fail our employees? Secrets to scaling culture How to create "cultural legends" Why you cannot coax a culture into giving you what you want Tactics for true communication How do customers factor into your employee culture? There is honestly so much more here and I implore you to get the book "Under the Hood", listen to this episode several times, take notes, and see how big of an impact these insights have on your company. Links: www.slapcompany.com Remember to sign up to be put on the Keys to the Shop email list to get weekly resources, bonus audio from todays guest, transcripts, and more. Just click HERE to sign up! Related Episodes: 083: 6 Essential Books for your Professional Growth 6 Essential Books for your Professional Growth 018: Hiring, Culture, and the Future of your Shop Visit our awesome Sponsors! The right equipment for your situation! www.prima-coffee.com The best plant based beverages on the planet! www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

There are many qualities that contribute to being a solid professional in the coffee shop. Today we are going to focus on two particular qualities that are very critical to get right in the beginning and can set you up for success in the future. Please share this and the related episodes below with your barista staff! Related episodes: ep14: A Barista's Guide to Advancing ep31: Essential Advice for New Baristas ep56: The Sleepwalking Barista Sponsored by: Painless ordering and inventory with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with the best! www.urnex.com

We all know that training is one of the most critical skills to master in the professional coffee world. Entire careers are made or broken by the influence of a great or a terrible training experience. It stands to reason then that we would go out of our way to find the best examples of training done right and learn from their sucCess in helping others grow their skills. Today that is exactly what we are doing as we talk with the amazing, Emma Haines of London School of Coffee and Caffeina Consulting. Emma is a SCA AST Barista Skills, Sensory & Brewing and has worked in hospitality and catering training for the last twelve years. For the last eight years, she has focused on coffee training, in particular specialty coffee training and how to incorporate specialty elements into commercial environments. She works all over Europe and beyond and is a resident trainer at London School of Coffee.She has a strong passion for inclusivity, as reflected in her role on the SCA Equity, Diversity & Inclusivity Taskforce. Emma's delivery of training ensures that the ability to grow to love coffee and turn it into a passion is available to all, regardless of background. The heart of what drives Emma is summed up in how she describes her role as trainer, "Facilitating a students learning journey" and in this conversation you will be given many insight into how you can better facilitate your students learning journey. I am so excited to share this interview with you all! We discuss: Emma's unique road to training Her philosophy and approach Methods for facilitating true learning Being confident and caring Providing a safe place for questions How to encourage learning vs rote memorization How to balance what people want vs what they really need Managing outcomes Links: www.londonschoolofcoffee.com www.caffeinaconsulting.com Related Episodes: Training Masterclass w/ Gwylim Davies Mastering the Art of Training w/ Dave Stachowiak Training Principles for Specialty Coffee w/ Anne Nylander Visit our awesome Sponsors! The right equipment for your situation! www.prima-coffee.com The best plant based beverages on the planet! www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

Coffee! Beer! Founder Friday! Today we get to talk with founder and owner of Tap Room Coffee and Beer in Atlanta, GA. Jonathan founded Tap Room in 2014 and since then has seen great success creating amazing coffee and beer experiences for both his staff and customers. As an Atlanta native he and the shop have been embraced by the community very well and have a deep passion to serve that community with all they have. In addition to running Tap Room, Jonathan serves as a coach and consultant for entrepreneurs and coffee startups. He has a passion for genuine personal connection and helping others discover and fulfill their life's calling. As you will see in this interview, Jonathan strives to maintain a healthy balance between business, being involved in the community and church, and living a joy-filled life with his wife and four kids. This conversation dives into the story of what led Jonathan to start Tap Room and the details of operating the shop, recent expansion, balancing life and work, and managing all the relationships and responsibilities that come with owning your own coffee retail business. In our conversation we cover: Risk and business relationships Customer retention Hospitality to staff Building relationships Balancing life and entrepreneurship Funding the shop Different set up and build out for beer and coffee Advice to other coffee business people Don't sleep on this interview! It is sure to inspire, inform, and get you thinking about ways you too can create more margin for life amidst work while still having excellence in you shop. Links: www.taproomcoffee.com Taproom on Instagram Sprudge Feature on Ground Floor Coffee Ours Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com www.pacificfoods.com/food-service

There is a little problem we need to talk about that may not seem like a biggie but can wear away at morale and breed needless frustration. The bar area can sometimes attract a variety of staff members who are not on shift or are from other departments. Over time the bar starts to be treated as a pantry or lounge and not a professional work environment. Today we are chatting about this devolutionary phenomenon and some solutions to aid in developing respect for the bar and the people who are tasked with its upkeep. Please take a moment to visit our sponsors! Inventory & Ordering Magic with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with Urnex! www.urnex.com

We will always have our emotions with us at work. In the fast-paced customer facing work of coffee retail we can cycle through a whole host of emotions in just one shift and not all of them are helpful to the situations we find ourselves in. One way we have tried to deal with it is by denying our emotions and detaching. Today's guest is going to challenge us to become emotion scientists and embrace the emotions we have at work to harness them for both great business outcomes and our over-all health as we engage in daily emotional labor. I am so pleased to welcome to the show, Andrea Hoban! Andrea is Co-Founder and head of learning at Oji Life Lab, and has more than twenty years of experience in leading large teams and building business. She is a certified executive coach and leadership development practitioner who has helped hundreds of professionals learn to harness their emotions to achieve their goals. At Oji, she is reimagining the way we learn skills like emotional intelligence to directly impact the quality of our lives. I believe this episode is one of the most important ones you can listen to. Emotional intelligence has such a profound impact on not only our careers and personal lives, but on those we lead and the people we serve. If we want strong people, teams, and businesses then harnessing our emotions at work is the first step in that direction. In this episode you will learn about: The correlation between emotions and achieving business outcomes How the leaders emotions impact the company How to use negative me potions for good Mood regulation Increasing self-awareness Noticing blindspots and biases Healthy approaches to emotional labor and much more! Links: www.ojilifelab.com Andrea Hoban on LinkedIn Related Episodes: Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli Self Care 101 Dealing with Stress in the Cafe w/ Joe Sanok Need reliable equipment and even more reliable service? Check out our sponsor, Prima Coffee! www.prima-coffee.com

When it comes how we divide our attention and energy we can tend to skew to one side or another. This leaves us with too much focus on one area and not enough in another which ultimately makes a sustainable coffee job impossible. Today on Shift Break we are going to talk about the importance of recognizing the need for balance and how to achieve it on shift for a great career. Effortless Inventory with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with Urnex! www.urnex.com

When the fridge goes down, the ice machine is not making ice, and the display case is making weird sounds...it's time to call a tech ASAP! Well that is exactly what we did in this episode. Today we get to talk to master refrigeration technician, Luke Peterson of The Maintenance Dept. The point of this conversation today is to give you the knowledge and tools you need to properly care for the other pieces of non-coffee equipment that keep our businesses running well. Not many of us take measures to install, use, and maintain our refrigeration equipment properly and as a result we end up out of commission and paying huge bills. This can all be avoided and Luke is here to tell us how! Be sure and subscribe and share this episode with a friend! LINKS: The Maintenance Department Our Sponsors: www.prima-coffee.com www.pacificfoods.com

Bar backing is one of the most important roles in the cafe. Either as a dedicated position or as a set of responsibilities shared, when it is embraced and executed well, it makes the whole shift successful. Today we chat about this critical part of the bar and some mindsets and best practices for bringing it into focus and working as a bar back with joy and pride.

How do you decide which opportunity for expansion is good and which one is not for you? If you are in business you will get offers to open a location in many different contexts but when you are knee deep in operating your first store it can be challenging to see the next step clearly. Today we are getting the perspective of one entrepreneur who is expanding to a second location within the first year of opening his first shop. Kyle Wells is the co-owner of Torpedo Coffee in Denver, CO and a past Founder Friday guest. I wanted to bring Kyle back to give us insight into his own process of accessing opportunities and making the decision to say yes to one of many the have been made since opening. Kyle and his wife Falene are are true entrepreneurs and Kyle communicates very clearly and with a balanced perspective about that life and in this interview he lays out a lot of very useful information that you can use to help you on your own journey In the conversation you will learn: How this opportunity won Kyle over The signs that you are ready to say yes to expanding How to prepare yourself for the added responsibility How to prepare you team and invest into the current culture The importance of delegation, systems, and trust The importance of working "on" your business not "in" it Kyles advice for how to assess opportunity Links: @Torpedocoffee @theclosequarters www.torpedocoffee.com Founder Friday w/ Kyle Wells "Before and After" Need consulting or training? Lets talk! [email protected] www.keystotheshop.com/consulting

Customers impression of your business is going to be filtered through the lens of their past experiences in coffee. Unfortunately that is too often a bad thing and the memory of bad experiences far outlasts the memory of a good one. Today we chat about the important role we play in delivering positive experiences to re-write the script for our customers and their default view of coffee and service work in general. For consulting and training contact : [email protected] Or visit: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting Related Episodes: 10 Reasons to Love the Customer Simple, Powerful, Hospitality w/ Philip Paul Turner Why YOU are Key

To be successful in retail coffee today you need to be able to give your time and attention to the things that will truly make a difference. The standards for what makes a truly great and sustainable shop is as high as it has ever been. Today we are going to be talking about five areas that are critical for you to focus on in today's retail coffee industry. I cannot tell you how strongly I feel about the importance of these points as I have seen many shops either fail or succeed based on their omission or adoption of them. Please take the time after listening to reflect on your situation and see how you can take steps to improve in these five areas: Hospitality as Priority Accessibility Genuine on-line presence Customer Education to Equip Quality Leadership and Accountability In this episode you will learn: The place of hospitality in a shop to fuel success Why quality coffee is not enough The next level of customer education Managing expectations and living values on-line The critical state of leadership in shops and what to do about it www.keystotheshop.com/consulting [email protected] Related episodes: Social Media 101 6 Truths About Power Good Authority Instant Specialty Coffee Hosting Consumer Coffee Classes 10 Steps to Being a People First Leader

It is easy to be so focused on comparing yourself and your business to what you see in the industry that you end up ignoring your customers and the community your shop serves. Today we are chatting about this all to common mentality and what it looks like to be put the priority on serving your actual customers.

This is absolutely critical! One of cornerstones of running a coffee bar is the ability to stay in tune with the performance of the people that work in it. Having a system for tracking behavior that is either praise worthy or in need of correction is a must. Many shops that just shoot from the hip when it comes to correction or affirmation end up seeing their best people frustrated and their problem people hide out too long in the ranks, spreading toxicity to the others. Today we are going to talk about some ideas and steps you can take to make tracking a performance a reality in your cafe so you can have a vibrant and thriving team the knows that the leaders are paying attention and are there to facilitate their success. In this episode you will learn: The importance of tracking performance How to prepare yourself to launch a system and actually stick to it. Ideas for tracking and rewarding praise worthy behavior A step by step process for corrective action The cultural hazards of correction applied poorly Your role as a coach in the corrective process The importance of having a balanced view of your staff Links to related episodes: The Affirmation Vacuum Why its OK to be the Boss Interested in consultation or training for your coffee business? Reach out and lets have a conversation! Reach out! [email protected] www.keystotheshop.com/consulting

The Indian specialty coffee market is growing by leaps and bounds. Today's guests Matt Chitharanjan and Namrata Asthana and their company, Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters, are part of the reason why Indian people are switching from instant and drink more amazing Indian coffee at home and in cafes. From humble beginnings working shoulder-to-shoulder packaging their roasted coffee in a home's 2 spare rooms - to now 25 cafes, over 300 staff, and partnerships with over 25 Indian coffee estates, Matt and Namrata have been able to build an incredible business that makes Indian coffee the star, creates amazing coffee professionals pouring resources and training into their staff, and successfully introduces the average Indian coffee consumer to the wonders of specialty coffee grown in their own backyard. I had such a great time talking with Matt and Namrata, I know you will find this to be inspirational especially if you are a coffee pro or business owner in a producing country. In this episode you will learn about: The specialty landscape in India How Blue Tokai started, scaled, and structure their business The challenges of operating in a producing country How they overcame the hurdles and won the trust of the farmers The value of connecting with your customers on their level How blue Tokai has empowered their female staff What role presence and communication plays in breaking through harmful social norms What Blue Tokai does to continually develop their quality as they grow LINKS: WWW.BLUETOKAICOFFEE.COM More about Matt and Namrata: Namrata Asthana - Co-Founder Namrata graduated from Vanderbilt University with a major in Psychology and a minor in Anthropology. After working in design in Chicago, she moved to New Delhi to work with the American India Foundation where she managed the Service Corps Fellowship (now the Clinton Foundation Fellowship) for three years. Namrata then worked with PepsiCo India as the Communications Manager for four years and moved onto working as Communications Director for the Centre of Development Finance at the Institute of Finance Management and Research. In addition to this, Namrata has also worked with Alliance India and has authored a book on migration and education for the American India Foundation's Learning and Migration Programme. In 2012, she co-founded Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters with her husband, Matt Chitharanjan. Matt Chitharanjan – Co-Founder Matt graduated from NYU's Stern School of Business with a B.S. in finance in 2003. He spent a number of years working in economic research and real estate investing for a boutique consulting firm and hedge fund in Berkeley, California before pursuing an M.A. in economics from the University of British Colombia. After graduating in 2008, he spent several years working on impact evaluation in international development in Jordan and the U.S. before moving to India in 2011 to work on SME access to finance research with IFMR. In 2012, he decided to put his past roasting experience to good use by starting Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters with his wife, Namrata Asthana. www.keystotheshop.com/bluetokai

Which one best describes how staff react to your presence in the cafe? The problem is that, no matter what, management will always be seen in a different light than a barista. The authority managers carry creates a certain tension and that tension either will lead to people fearing you, or being inspired by you. Today we will chat about embracing your authority, breaking down needless tension, and investing in your staff to create a culture that sees your authority in positive light and avoids the all to common fear based authority that drive people from your business. Related Episode: 6 Truths About Power This episode was inspired by a talk I gave to the wonderful retail managers of Phoenix Coffee. If you want me to come to your business for training/ workshops./ or speaking contact me here: [email protected]

What you have on your shelf is of the utmost importance. Tracking it and evaluating its performance is key to being able to make good decisions that will increase the health of your business. Unfortunately we in coffee tend to rely on either our own personal knowledge of what we can see on our shelves or on very rudimentary systems that don't give us enough information. Today we are going to be exploring the importance of accurate counting and tracking of your stores inventory with special guests Pierre-Francois Rio and Albert Amar of SwiftCount. Swiftcount is a cloud-based inventory management solution suitable for small to midsize businesses in a variety of industries. It has been designed to make taking inventory simple, accurate, and easy to manage. Especially nice is the reporting it gives you on the back-end to help you track the flow of inventory, profitability, performance, and more. Albert and Pierre take us through why the company was formed and detail a ton of examples, mindsets, and actionable solutions we can take to get a hold of our inventory which is life blood of our shops. I hope you take notes and apply what is presented today because the importance of this aspect of our businesses cannot be over-stated! In this episode you will learn: What inventory tracking does for your businesses' cost of goods and cash flow Why we tend to rely on faulty ways of measuring this important area of business. Examples of businesses that have seen success from proper inventory management How SwiftCount works The steps we can take to get a hold of our inventory today The mindset to infuse into yourself and your culture so that these practices last well into the future. LINKS: WWW.SWIFTCOUNT.COM Need consulting of training for your coffee business? Reach out! www.keystotheshop.com/consulting Visit our sponsors!!! www.prima-coffee.com www.pacificfoods.com

Being self-aware is over-rated. Why? Because without action following it up, self-awareness becomes useless and quickly creates a situation where we seek scoring status points for being aware and then never do anything about it the thing we are aware of. In short, our self-awareness becomes a vanity virtue and we, and those we lead, suffer for it. Today we chat about this problem and what actions we can take to take action and complete the self-awareness journey.

The design of your shop communicates the level of care you have for your customer and the community. Crafting the details of your space to evoke a sense of connection to place and a feeling of hospitality that matches the quality is absolutely critical. Today we are going to learn about the specific physical and social dynamics that guests look for in a coffee shop with special guest, Dr. Lisa Waxman! Dr. Lisa Waxman, Ph.D. is an award winning professor and chair of the Interior Architecture + Design department at Florida State University. Her research includes topics related to the design of spaces that foster community, sustainable design, and design for special populations. She also serves on the board of directors for the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Dr. Waxman has many scholarly and creative works to her name but we will be focused on one particular study "The Coffee Shop: Social and Physical factors Influencing Place Attachment" In this study we learn of the 5 design considerations that customers most appreciate as well as specific social dynamics that all together influence whether or not a customer will feel a special attachment to the shop, which in turn inspires return business! We dive into this study in today's interview and hit on several other great points to consider when you approach the design of your space. I am truly excited for this episode and the impact it can have on the landscape of specialty coffee retail. LINKS: "The Coffee Shop: Social and Physical factors Influencing Place Attachment" Article: https://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/coffee-shops-build-employee-loyalty-according-to-science.html Dr. Waxman's Full Bio Please take time to visit our sponsors! WWW.PRIMA-COFFEE.COM www.pacificfoods.com

We communicate either care or apathy depending on how we conduct ourselves on the bar. The way we expertly handle all the work necessary to provide a great experience in the cafe is by nurturing a sense of urgency in all we do. This means the difference between run of the mill, low expectation experiences - and amazing service and quality that wins customers and gives life to your work. Today we are chatting about urgency and the critical role it plays for you and your business. Inventory & Ordering Magic with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with Urnex! www.urnex.com

Dialing in your coffee can be hit or miss. There are so many factors to consider for the extremely large variety of coffees we are tasked with brewing. Methods, recipes, and philosophies abound yet still the complexity of brewing remains a barrier to getting the best from your coffee. That is the problem that todays guest, 2013 WBC Champ, Pete Licata has set out to solve in his new book, "How to get the Best from your Coffee". In the book Pete identifies and expounds on 4 fundamentals in brewing: Water, Device & Filter, Grinding, and Variables. He takes readers through his process of identifying key practices and insights into each of those categories that will yield a predictably great cup every time, whether or not you are familiar with that coffee. In this conversation you will learn: How to choose temperature based on coffees density Which material is best for brewing What about our water makes a coffee shine? Is grind uniformity truly the best for brewing? The importance of questioning and curiosity Why our obsession with celebrity is regressive So much more! Go get this book: "How to get the Best from your Coffee" www.licatacoffeeconsultants.com

When a customer comes into our bar they expect that they will be taken care of and the best cafes strive to get the details of the guests visit right. Over time though, there is a migration away from the details. The customer begins to be familiar and with that familiarity there is a falling off of the vigilance and attention to detail that was what made them a customer in the first place. Today we chat about this phenomenon and how we can re center our service to our best customers so they continue to feel cared for. Inventory & Ordering Magic with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with Urnex! www.urnex.com

The most confusing moments in the day are when the shifts switch. People finishing tasks, gathering items to leave, and others coming in tying to get caught up to speed, get situated, and find their place. It can get chaotic and customers are often left wondering which one of the haired people behind the bar is going to notice that thy are waiting to be served. It rarely goes very well Unless of course, you have a plan. That is exactly what we are going to talk about today in this episode. With just a little bit of intentionality and communication we can take what is usually a tangled mess and straighten it out to something that sets up the staff for success and the customer for a good experience even if they do happen to show up during the switching of the shifts. Links to related episodes: Working Clean(Shift Break) 4 Keys to an Effective Checklist(Shift Break) SOPs FTW You Need SOPs (Shift Break)

From the Founder Friday vault we are diving into the subject of how to care for your staff, staff culture, and setting up yourself and your people for success with amazing past guests Lauren Crabbe of Andytown Coffee Roasters San Fransisco, Dorian Bolden of Beyu Caffe and Beyu Blu,Durham, NC -Jonathan Rubinstein of Joe Coffee Company NYC, and Kathy Turiano of Joe Bean Roasters in Rochester, NY. I have pulled out some clips from each of these amazing founder's episodes that will address this subject. We have now had 30 conversations with some amazing founders here on the show and one of the things they all have in common is that the care for their people is of primary importance. In fact, the cornerstone of the most successful shops is that they are in constant, substantive conversation with their staff about their needs and the needs of the shop as they experience it. I hope will inspire you to make the care for your staff a tangible and consistent foundation of your leadership and business. LINKS: Founder Friday w/ Lauren Crabbe of Andytown Coffee Roasters www.andytowncoffeesf.com Founder Friday w/ Dorian Bolden of Beyu Caffe / Beyu Blu www.beyucaffe.com Founder Friday w/ Jonathan Rubinstein of Joe Coffee Company NYC www.joecoffeecompany.com Founder Friday w/ Kathy Turiano of Joe Bean Roasters www.joebeanroasters.com

Sometimes it seems like everything is crashing down around you. You break a cup, your co-workers are annoying you, customers are frustrating, you're tired, you can sense that your are 2 seconds away from biting someone's head off, and it's only 8am! In short you feel like you're about to lose it. We have all been there. The question is, how do we get ourselves out? How do we overcome this thing that threatens to overcome us? Today we chat about some powerful things to do to reclaim emotional control of this familiar situation and I share a bit about my personal struggle with anxiety, and how the tools detailed in this episode have helped both on the bar and in life. Inventory Magic with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with Urnex! www.urnex.com

When we listen, we tend to stay on the surface of what is being said but rarely ever venture into the deeper meaning of what is being communicated. This means we enter into dialogue with staff and customers only hearing a fraction of what can be perceived and as a result our personal and business relationships fall short of their potential. Today we are going to take our listening skills to the next level and learn about the art of "Deep Listening" with our guest, Oscar Trimboli. Oscar is an internationally recognized coach, mentors and speaker who spent over ten years with Microsoft Office leading the Australian division to great success. He created extraordinary opportunities for through the "Microsoft Protege" program that gave young professionals in the company access to mentors and coaching. Oscar is also the author of the new book "Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words". In this book Oscar codifies into a very intuitive and easy to understand format the art of becoming and taking on the practice of being a Deep Listener. It is essentially a field guide that will transform you from the inside out and take your communication skills to a level that honors and explores the depth of each conversation you have. In this conversation you will learn: The 125/400 rule How we miss each other in conversation Overcoming distraction The cost of not listening Simple actions to change of your physical state to prepare for listening What we gain from deep listening Tactics for fixing the way we listen Why listening to yourself is the first step The 5 levels of listening The 4 villains fo listening Please do yourself and everyone around you a huge favor by visiting Oscar's website: www.oscartrimboli.com Download the 5 Levels of Listening and buy the book: Deep Listening: Impact Beyond Words Here are some related episodes: Shift Break: Feedback Culture Solving Co-Worker Conflict Confidence in Conflict Shift Break: The One-on-One

This phrase is rarely heard in the cafe, especially not from leaders. Too many shop cultures are void of genuine and humble apologies as those with authority wrongly suppose that doing so would compromise their position. Nothing could be further from the truth. Today we will chat about the power of a good, heart felt apology, and three do when measures to take if you want it to make a difference. This is such an important leadership skill and one that, if practiced well, can stop a huge number of dysfunctions from springing up further down the road. Manage your inventory with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with Urnex! www.urnex.com

For so many people cold brew is the first step into the world of specialty coffee. In order to truly serve our customers well we need to make sure that, when we offer cold brew, we do it in a way that is engaging, fun, relatable, and helps showcase to them the vast possibilities of specialty coffee. Well, today we get the privilege to talk with the someone who has spent year exploring, tasting, and talking to creators of some of the best cold brew out there. Rachel Dillon is the host of "The Cold Brew Chick" podcast. A show that takes a deep dive into the multi-faceted world of cold brew and the story of those who produce it. Today she sits down with us and gives us 6 tips on how how we can level-up our cold brew game from all that she has learned from her own conversations and experiences as the ultimate cold brew consumer You will learn about: Why Nitro may not be for you What immersion cold brews can offer The power of samples Flash chill vs cold brew The importance of integrity in marletign How to stand out when you bottle your cold brew Helpful and customer focused mentalities toward cod brew Links: www.coldbrewchick.com Instagram Related episodes: Consumer Revolution Decoding Decaf 10 Reasons to Love the Customer

Huge problems come up for staff and customers when we are not on top of the may unique situations that spring up on the bar. In spite of trying to be preemptive and plan for all possible scenarios you will have baristas who make drinks differently, customers who are not charged for things they should be charged for, and many other types of exceptions that will be made on the bar without your knowledge. Customers end up frustrated at inconsistency and baristas end up confused. Today we are chatting about actions you can take to manage these exceptions now before they develop into toxic traditions later. Manage your inventory with ODEKO! odeko.com/keystotheshop Clean that equipment with Urnex! www.urnex.com

There is no better feeling than when the cafe gets busy, the pressure is on, and you and your fellow baristas dig deep, communicate well, get orders out quickly, accurately, and keep the bar clean in the process. You just crushed it! This is the idea behind La Marzocco USA's amazing team based competition, Crush the Rush. A competition who's aim is to re-create a rush in a cafe under but with even more pressure than normal and to test team's ability to handle that pressure with professionalism and grace. Today we get to talk to the one and only, Josh Littlefield, Events Manager for La Marzocco USA & the man spearheading Crush the Rush and its 2nd country wide tour. In our discussion we chat about the competition's creation, goals, format, and the lessons we can learn from the both the mistakes and successes of the many teams that have all competed in Crush the Rush. You will learn about: Grace under pressure Recovery from mistakes Accuracy and speed Good communication when it counts Handling unforseen challenges The importance of cleanliness and organization Be sure and follow the link below to find more info about signing up for Crush the Rush! LINKS: La Marzocco USA Instagram La Marzocco USA Blog Listen to these related KTTS Episodes: Crushing the Rush Drink Drills! Working Clean Order out of Chaos

Caring for staff is one of the main functions of leadership. Unfortunately, the reality experienced by baristas the world over is that of a dysfunctional, ambivalent, sometimes toxic, or even abusive culture that disregards the welfare and voice of the employee and safe guards the disfunction of the system and the people who run it. Today we chat about how to approach this problem in a proactive way and the mindsets that will put you on the right path for properly care for the people who care for the shop. Links: For more info and stories from the group of baristas that inspired this Shift Break please follow: @coffeeatlarge on Instagram Below are curated links to past episodes that will act as a primer for being a great leader in the cafe: #67 : 6 Truths About Power #121 Working From Your Strengths #4 Leadership in the Cafe :10 steps to being a People First Leader #109 Leadership Abandonment Syndrome #13 Leadership and Management Master Class w/ Eva Attia #105 Leadership and Management Masterclass w/ Maria Cleavelend #28 Why It's OK to be the Boss w/ Bruce Tulgan #55 Personal Growth and Development w/ Jared Truby #18 Hiring, Culture, and the Future of your Shop #80 Changing Things in the Cafe Shift Breaks: Don't You Forget About Me Would You Hire You? Self-Betrayal and the Art of Action People Not Objects Building Empathetic Systems Please Clarify Acceptance of Dysfunction The Affirmation Vacuum Toxic Vulnerability The One-on-One Manager Top 3

The sustainability of the barista profession is a subject that needs to be talked about more. Trouble is that we have accepted that the kind of turn-over we see within the ranks of baristas is how it will always be and cannot be helped. In truth, much of what contributes to a barista leaving their job or leaving coffee is entirely preventable by focusing on "Baristastainability" My guest today, Jenna Gotthelf, is an 8 years specialty coffee veteran and educator with Counter Culture Coffee. Jenna spearheaded this critical professional development project that is based on the results of a globally circulated survey of owners, managers, and baristas. The survey asks professionals about their training, being valued at work, human resources, compensation, working conditions, and other very pointed questions that shed light on some root causes for employee turn-over and professional burn-out. In this conversation we will be talking with Jenna about some of the results of the survey and what kinds of actions and steps can be taken to correct course and build a more sustainable barista profession that in turn builds a stronger retail coffee industry. This is important work and I am so glad for Jenna taking this on! LINKS: The presentation "Baristastainability" will be available at the link below soon. Stay tuned! www.counterculturecoffee.com/learn

Drive-Thru coffee stands play a huge part in spreading the good word of specialty coffee. The convenience they offer makes both consuming coffee and getting into the business of coffee more accessible. Today on Founder Friday we are talking with a real drive-thru success story, Jasmine Diedrich Wilson, Owner of the Diedrich Espresso! Jasmine started the company at 19 years old and has been at it for eight years. She started with two stands and now has a whopping sixteen. This is an all women owned and run organization that not only serves great coffee and hospitality to their customers but also gives back the their community every chance they get. Jasmine is a wonderful business woman who, in the beginning, learned a lot of hard lessons and has since developed an inspirational skill for leadership, management, and the know how to run a multi-site coffee business. We will learn about: Jasmine's story and the evolution of Diedrich Espresso Leading by empowering others Overcoming your past leadership mistakes Dealing with criticism for how you got your starting capital Elements of a successful drive through Curating the culture across multiple locations Ideal drive-thru menu Achieving hospitality in a drive-thru What are the financial standards for determining staffing levels? Choosing locations ENJOY! Links: WWW.DIEDRICHESPRESSO.COM

As your competition increases, standing out becomes more of a struggle. We chase ways to be unique and often we grab hold of trends, products, and concepts that end up looking more like desperation than authentic expressions of your business and brands. Today we chat about the fact that differentiation, the kind that matters most, comes with time and is well worth waiting for. _______________________ Take a moment and visit our awesome sponsors! The best cleaner for your coffee equipment: www.urnex.com Amazing AI purchasing agent that predicts, fulfills, and manages your shop inventory! www.odeko.com

Managing money can be super stressful. This is especially true when you own and operate a coffee shop, the margins are thin, and there seems to be more going out than coming in. To help us work through our approach to our money we are talking with the Emmy Award nominated and Gracie Award winning financial analyst for CBS News, Jill Schlesinger! Jill is the host of the "Jill on the Money Podcast" of the nationally syndicated radio show, "Jill on the Money" which one the 2018 Gracie Award for best national talk show. Jill appears on CBS radio stations all over the country and covers the topics of economy, markets, investing, and all things financial. She translates complicated business and economic news into understandable relatable topics for everyday people. Jill is also the author of the new book, "The Dumb Things Smart people do with Their Money" where she reveals 13 costly mistake we are likely making right now with our money and how much of what causes us to make these mistakes are emotional blindspots related to our mindset on toward money. We dive into this idea and more in this episode as Jill details smart and stable ways to approach money. The result is a conversation that will definitely set you on the a course for a more peaceful relationship with your finances. In this conversation you will learn about: Developing a balanced mindset toward money Achieving and enjoying your goals What mistakes small biz owners make Why it's important to pay yourself Developing endurance as an entrepreneur Who to take advice from A framework for making decisions Good practices once you are profitable Investing in your employees and business Creating an environment consistent with your values Setting the financial tone in your business LINKS: www.jillonmoney.com

Coffee is too cheap, and we all want customers to pay more for specialty coffee. How can we more effectively shift customers over to paying more, is it through higher quality or better experiences? Today we chat about why elevation of the customer experience is the ultimate leveraging tool for creating sustainable value and ultimately will be what determines whether people will consistently pay more.

What we think and how we act are inextricably linked. In the world of hospitality how our views and assumption about others influences everything form how we serve customers -to who we promote to leadership positions in the cafe. A large part of what contributes to our behavior is actually under the radar and as such goes unaddressed. Today we making a conscious effort to tackle and talk about unconscious bias w/ special guest , Lauren Lathrop of Mill City Roasters! Lauren works as part of the education team at Mill City Roasters in Minneapolis, where she recently moved after 10 years in Portland, OR. She is an Authorized SCA Trainer, a Head Judge for the United States Barista Championship, and a certified judge for both the World Barista and World Brewers Cup Competitions. She has worked in the coffee industry for over 12 years as a barista, assistant manager, and retail coffee educator. She has also competed in Barista Competitions, earning a spot in the finals at the 2012 Northwest Regional Barista Competition. She now serves as Vice Chair for the US Barista Competitions Committee and has developed a number of new training programs for competitions, including an Unconscious Bias Training for Judges. In todays episode you will learn about: The evolution of the Unconscious Bias Training and its impact on the competitions Our tendencies for bias in customer serve and in the shop Why unconscious bias is not intrinsically bad What can do to address it personally What we can do to address it systemically Helpful mindsets to adopt in the journey to explore unconsious bias LINKS: www.millcityroasters.com Lauren's email: [email protected]

Everyday we have the opportunity to act on thoughts we have that would benefit others and never follow through. There is a whole world of encouragement lying dormant inside each of us that could greatly contribute to harmony within the bar and ease the relational tension that is such so prevalent in cafes around the world. Today we discuss the concept of self-betrayal and how not engaging in it can bring everyone to a higher level. www.keystotheshop.com [email protected]

Being a manager in coffee ain't easy. There is no end to the number of different issues vying for your attention on any given day and it can seem like you are constantly trying to keep your head above water. Managers are the most important leaders in specialty retail and in order to do our best work we need to learn from the example of others. Today get to learn from the experiences of someone who has seen great success in cafe management, Jon Felix Lund. Jon has been in coffee for close to 15 years and Currently VP Of Operations for Coava Coffee Roasters in Portland, OR where he has spent the last 6 years. He started as a trainer and quickly moved into management from there. With an emphasis on developing his team, constantly improving communication, and deftly planning for the future the things that he will need to succeed, Jon is the perfect person to help us learn in this management masterclass Some of the things you will learn: Relying on your team Delegating responsibly Focusing your time Good communication Planning out your time Coddling vs challenging staff Vulnerability as a manager Finding system solutions. Embracing confrontation Advancing as a barista Where ever you are in your journey as a manager you are sure to get something useful and empowering from this conversation. Enjoy! LINKS: www.coavacoffee.com www.thegreatnorthpdx.com Have questions or comments? Want training or consultation? [email protected] www.keystotheshop.com

Sometimes we can give ourselves a pass when it comes to being the type of professional that we want employees to be. Practicing self-awareness is tricky when the work continually distracts you but it is necessary in order to not become a hypocrite at work. Today we talk about why it is important to ask yourself this question and what to do once you have answered.

The beautiful thing about coffee is getting to explore the stories of all the wonderful individuals who make up the specialty community. Today we we do just that. In this series of four short interviews from the show floor at Coffee Fest Indianapolis we get to sit down with Stephen Garcia, General Manager at Commissary Barber & Barista, Indianapolis, IN / Andy and Sarah Hassler, Owners of Blue Mind Roasting, Indianapolis, IN / Lizath Zorrilla, Co-Owner of La Finca Coffee House, St. Francis, WI / Natassa Contini, Owner of the nations first dog cafe, Chateau Le Woof in Astoria, NY As we dive into their stories we get to hear about the pressures of ownership, self-care, team management, pursuing opportunities operating a hybrid model cafe, delegation, confronting racial bias in the shop, growing a business sustainably, managing power dynamics between boss and employee, and a whole heck of a lot more. I hope you enjoy getting to know these folks. I definitely think you will find something that will encourage, inspire, or equip you for the road ahead no matter where you are in your coffee journey. LINKS: Commissary Barber & Barista Commissary IG Blue Mind Roasting Blue Mind IG La Finca Coffee House La Finca IG Chateau Le Woof Chateau Le Woof IG WWW.COFFEEFEST.COM Need consulting or training for your shop? Lets talk! [email protected]

"Like walking into your granny's kitchen." That's the goal Andytown Coffee Roasters founders Lauren Crabbe and Michael McCrory have for what people experience when they walk into their shops in the Outer Sunset of San Fransisco. Starting as a single 600 sq ft shop, Andytown currently employs 49 people over 5 locations— four public-facing coffee shops and one private office cafe. All pastry, baking and coffee roasting is done in-house and they have a thriving wholesale business as well. Today we get the honor of sitting down with co-founder, Lauren Crabbe to hear a detailed account of the founding, evolution, and the values that drive Andytown Coffee Roasters. This is sure to inspire! In this episode you will learn about: The challenges and pleasant surprises that arose when Lauren and Michael first opened. The value of starting small Connecting with customers Delivering genuine hospitality even when busy The importance of delegation How they have grown their business Lauren's metrics for business success Links: WWW.ANDYTOWNCOFFEESF.COM INSTAGRAM

Tracking staff performance can be difficult when you are putting out fires and being pulled in a thousand different directions. Things fall through the cracks and that means we miss growth opportunities with staff who end up feeling forgotten about and not noticed. Today we talk about this issue and how to take action so you can track progress and deliver specific and meaningful feedback that will bring clarity for yourself as well. Links: Shift Break: Leadership Abandonment Syndrome Do you need help in your shop? Reach out! [email protected] www.keystotheshop.com/consulting

Less Bitter, More Glitter. That is one of the mottos for Glitter Cat Barista, a new barista competition training program designed to give marginalized and underrepresented communities the resources to shine on the competition stage and address the problem of representation in the USBC. In it's first year Glitter Cat has made substantial impact on the diversity seen in barista competitions with four of the ten participants advance from qualifiers to nationals where two first time competitors made it to semifinals and one third-year competitor made it to finals. All of this is the brainchild of today's guest, T. Ben Fischer. T. Ben is a 6 year coffee industry veteran and has placed 2nd and 3rd in the USBC (2018, 2019) He is currently based in New York City as a Coffee and Retail Trainer for Blue Bottle Coffee. He joins us today to talk all about Glitter Cat's founding, the journey he has been on, and the lessons learned along the way. In this episode you will learn: T.Ben's professional history and the catalyst for Glitter Cat What Glitter Cat does, and how it addresses the problem of representation in competitions, what it has accomplished in the 1st year. What support and resource can do Lessons for how to organize and take action on what is important to you Being prepared for the ups, downs, and nitty gritty tasks What owners can do to open their doors to and support underrepresented people. Plans for year 2 at Glitter Cat I am so glad we got to have T. Ben on the show. He is a great example of what one person with a vision and the willingness to act can do to make a difference. Enjoy! LINKS: WWW.GLITTERCATBARISTA.COM Instagram www.keystotheshop.com/glitter [email protected]

Communication is the cornerstone of a harmonious team. Problem is that we tend to see things that need correction and don't feel comfortable bringing them up to each other. Today we chat about how a mutual agreement between coworkers can help propel growth and prevent strife. Links: Shift Break on Gossip Solving Co-Worker Conflict w/ Tom Henschel