Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

SOPs FTW! In order for any operation to be successful it needs to be supported by a set of well crafted Standard Operating Procedures or SOPs. In many a cafe there is a great need for more thorough, clear, and relevant communication around the daily tasks as things often get lost in translation and quality, as a result, is inconsistent. In this episode we walk you through the process of understanding, creating, instituting, and enforcing effective SOPs in your shop. This was a topic requested by several listeners and I know, from my own experience with seeing SOPs in action, that this content will be very useful to effect positive change in your shop or to maintain a quality standard over the long haul. ENJOY! Links: OSHA Health Department Database Email me with comment, questions, and suggestions: [email protected]

Sleepwalking happens to us all at different points in our careers and for a variety of reasons. Though the reasons may vary the results are the same. Missed opportunity, lack of fulfillment, disillusionment, growth stagnates, we may even wonder why we are doing this in the first place! Today we will explore 7 of the main causes for why we check out for lengths of time and how we can wake up, become aware and be intentional with the work and opportunities that surround us. This episode is of profound importance an I hope you take the suggestions to heart as I know they have been powerful and effective in my own pursuit to stop sleepwalking through my career. Enjoy! Links: David Goggins Interview on Impact Theory Cole McBride Twitter

Pursuing personal growth and development is one of the cornerstones of success and fulfillment in work and in life. Often we can get into such a rhythm of the day-to-day at work that we forget that there is a whole world of resources at our finger tips. Jared Truby of Cat and Cloud Coffee talks with us today about how seeking personal development with tenacity and purpose has helped shape his life and gives key tips and insights on how we can more effectively pursue personal development through studying outside resources and maximizing our present opportunities. Who we are in the future depends on the decisions and we make everyday. It is my hope the this episode will help motivate you to take the reigns of your career and bring you closer to your goals. Enjoy! Links: www.catandcloudcoffee.com Instagram Books Recommended: "Getting Naked" by Patrick Lincionni "Legacy" James Kerr "Be our Guest" Disney Setting the Table by Danny Meyer Leadership and Self Deception by The Abridger Institute

Welcome to another Founder Friday! We are talking with Nathan Quillo, Founder of Quills Coffee. You will get to learn about the methods, values, and vision that makes Quills Coffee tick / The importance of buy-in and communication / What are some of the keys to their success / and the three things Nathan think every owner should do. This was a fun talk and Nathan offers up some really great tools and perspective that I think you will be greatly helped by. ATTENTION!!! Please Consider donating to The Memorial Fund for Quills Barista Francis Feeney: Link: Gofundme Links: Quills Coffee The E Myth Revisited www.keystotheshop.com

As we build our careers we take on more responsibility and authority. Building trust and helping build the community around you is a critical part of your success and how that plays out in your cafe will determine how it plays out in the industry. As a long time trainer and industry leader, Reggie Elliott has embodied these values. We get to talk about his career, how he helped build the coffee community wherever he was, how he trains baristas, and his advice for trainers, leaders, and whoever else has position of influence. Reggie is someone you should listen to. Enjoy! LINKS: Reggie Instagram Reggie Twitter DMV Coffee Restaurant: A Rakes Progress La Colombe

Conflict at work is inevitable but it does not have to take a negative turn. Hard conversations and confrontations handled well can actually enhance your relationships, the team in the cafe, and benefit our industry as a whole. This week it is an absolute privilege that we get to learn from world renowned executive coach and communications expert, Tom Henschel. In this episode Tom give us the tools and shows us how to use them to help work through both our inner and outer conflicts. I really hope you give this a couple listens and get the notes as well. Just like the conversations discussed here, skillfully handling conflict is crucial to our success. -Chris LINKS: www.essentialcomm.com Tom's Linkedin Page Recommended Book: Crucial Conversations

When people experience our coffee they are left with an impression that is largely made up of what they saw. What kind of impact does design have a customer's experience of your business? What are the keys to good design? What are the first steps you need to take to assess the state of design in your business? This week we are joined by the amazing designer Liz Chai. Liz works 100% in the specialty coffee industry and shares with us what she has learned about effective design for coffee. You're going to want to listen up! Enjoy! Links: www.chai.coffee twitter: @chaiamericano Instagram: @chaiamericano

It's the 50th Episode of Keys to the Shop and I had the opportunity to interview 5 people live at the Kentuckiana Coffee Champs Pre-lims this past weekend. In this 2nd edition of Baristas Speak Nathan Quillo, Sam Miers, Cimara Dunn, Matt Park, and Rita Kaminsky join me to give their thoughts on the role of the barista, lessons they have learned, and advice to current and future baristas all of which you will definitely want to hear. Let me just say...Thank you for listening to Keys to the Shop! 50 episodes later and there is still so much to talk about. It's been great to grow and learn along with you and I'm looking forward to what the next 50 holds! Links: - Nathan Quillo / Quills Coffee - Sam Miers / Kaldi's Coffee - Cimara Dunn / Quills Coffee - Matt Park / Plus Coffee - Rita Kaminsky / Snowdrift Coffee & Workspace

Are you wanting to start something in your town based a shared passion for coffee? Do you want to invest more into your existing community and want some tips from a seasoned pro? Today's guest will address those question and more. Jason Card is the founder of Journeyman Coffee in Tallahassee, FL and in today's Founder Friday episode we get to talk with him about building community where there is none, founding Journeyman, the importance of enthusiasm, humility, and lessons he has learned along his journey. Jason is such a wise soul and I hope you find this conversation helpful and inspiring. Enjoy! LINKS: www.journeymancoffee.com [email protected]

Steve Cuevas of Black Oak Coffee Roasters is the 2017 U.S. Cup Tasters Champion and he is here to here to talk to us about learning to taste, tips for developing your palate, and talking to customers about coffee with confidence, and empathy. His approach to cupping and communicating about coffee to consumers is generous and refreshing and will inspire you to expand your approach too. Enjoy! LINKS: WWW.BLACKOAKCOFFEE.COM Instagram: @dreadfulvegan FACEBOOK Episodes Mentioned: EP 26: What Your Roaster Wants You to Know EP 44: Navigating Mistakes and Failure

Ah Latte art...that ubiquitous often ill used symbol of specialty coffee in the eye of the consumer and to the professional both a creative outlet and a seal given to a well made drink. This week we sit down to talk all about latte art with four accomplished latte artists: Jibbi Little, Antoine Franklin, Kenny Smith, and Christopher "Nicely" Alameda. They share their origin story, what latte art means to them and how it's changed over the years, some of the dangers that obsession w/ latte art poses, and advice for how we can improve our art and grow as professionals in the cafe. I absolutely loved hearing their insights and perspectives and I would bet money you will too! Enjoy! Links: Jibbi Little www.jibbijug.com Instagram Antoine Franklin www.blacksmithhouston.com Antoine's Instagram Kenny Smith www.sunergoscoffee.com Instagram Nicely www.menottis.com Instagram Flickr

In the coffee world, like anywhere else, we love to compare ourselves to other baristas, managers, owners etc. and see how we stack up. Often this can lead to stress, worry, depression, lack of clarity, wasted energy, loss of opportunity, and many other negative consequences. In today's episode we explore some of the ways negative comparisons can damage your shop and your career and ways to avoid getting caught in the comparison trap. "Comparison is the death of joy" -Mark Twain LINKS: The Effective Executive www.Worldcoffeeresearch.org Episode 08: Finding Joy in Coffee / Nathanael May https://bloomerang.co/blog/what-is-your-nonprofits-return-on-mission/

Providing amazing hospitality for the guests in your shop does not have to be complicated. Today's guest, Philip Paul Turner, Manager at Sunergos Coffee, shares his 3 step approach to providing great hospitality that has become his mantra to the staff at his shop and it can transform the way you welcome people into your space. I get to work with Philip and see him put these principles into action very day and can vouch for their effectiveness. I truly know of no better example of genuine and contagious hospitality than Philip so it was great to get him to dive into the things and inspire us to achieve simple, powerful hospitality. Enjoy! Links: Setting the Table - Danny Meyer www.sunergoscoffee.com www.keystotheshop.com

Even though mistakes and failure in coffee are a normal part of the learning process they can be hard to deal with, embarrassing, and often can derail our progress. Today we talk about some best practices I have discovered from personal experience for navigating both the small and the serious failures we all have or will encounter as we continue our work in coffee. You will learn how to move through challenges, avoid surprises, recover from major failures in job performance, the importance of humility, and how to truly change a problem behavior for good, and much more. If you address these issue in the proper way they can be the most important thing that ever happens to you and your career. This episode is personally challenging as it reflects events from my history in coffee all the way up to events happening today in my work. I do hope this is useful for you for the mistakes and failures you're having to overcome. Enjoy! www.keystotheshop.com [email protected]

This Founder Friday we talk with Kathy Turiano, Co-Owner of the award winning, Joe Bean Coffee Roasters in Rochester, NY. In this episode you will hear the epic story of how Joe Bean embraced radical change to come back from major set backs early on in the life of the business. I know you will find their example of over coming challenges, learning, collaboration, hospitality, continued exploration, and investment into their team truly inspirational. This was a phenomenal conversation! Enjoy! LINKS: WWW.JOEBEANROASTERS.COM Instagram Twitter Facebook Book: Necessary Endings

There are many hands that contribute to specialty coffee ecosystem. In addition to farmers, green coffee importers and roasters supplying our shops we all rely on specialty coffee equipment suppliers to get the gear we need to make great coffee. Just like sourcing great coffee, the best suppliers are very particular with what they stock and offer. Today to explore that process further we get to talk with Steve Reinhart, Brand Manager for our sponsor on Keys to the Shop, Prima Coffee. Steve talks with us about his journey into coffee, and his role in product curation and testing. We also get to learn the history of Prima Coffee and how empathy drives their company culture. Lastly Steve tells us what he believes are the top three things that we should be considering before purchasing equipment. Wise words there for sure. Enjoy! LINKS: www.prima-coffee.com INSTAGRAM TWITTER

One of the best places we can go to gain inspiration, be educated, find insight, and experience life in a different and deeper way is printed page. In the midst of an endless sea of available content, Standart Magazine stands out as a leader in this arena for specialty coffee. Content Director for Standart Magazine, Luke Adams, talks to us this week about the philosophy and process behind curating the excellent writing and content that makes Standart unique and impactful. We talk about the future of coffee, parallels between great writing and a great cafe experience, among many other things. I believe this will help inspire you to greater heights in your career and hopefully to pursue the kind of learning and engagement with different ideas all around us that will help shape you and our industry for the better. Enjoy! LINKS: WWW.STANDARTMAG.COM Facebook Twitter Instagram www.keystotheshop.com

Pour over & batch brew. Each method of brewing has it's strengths and weaknesses and depending on what message you want to communicate in your shop you will likely find one to be better suited to assist you in that cause. Today in Part 2 of our discussion, Ryan Soeder breaks down the pros and cons of each method along a frame work of Labor, Training, Speed, Aesthetics, Equipment cost, and Waste. Along with this he sets out some important ground rules for implementing each method into the cafe. There are a lot of great insights and tools discussed here. Enjoy! Links Shops mentioned Intelligentsia Coffee Sunergos Coffee Ryan's Glass Work Marble Party

Eric Cacciatore is the host of the #1 Podcast for the restaurant industry, Restaurant Unstoppable! A podcast that brings together some of the best and most successful hospitality professionals and seeks to draw out wisdom, advice, and insights to help us also be successful in our hospitality careers. In this weeks show Eric is sharing with us the top 6 things that he has seen as the common traits and actions between the over 300 professionals he has interviewed. Whether you are a barista, manager, owner, or trainer we can definitely learn something from the restaurant world that can help us in our coffee careers. You will leave this episode feeling inspired, energized, and Unstoppable! LINKS: WWW.RESTAURANTUNSTOPPABLE.COM Instagram Twitter Resources/ restaurants/Chefs Mentioned: Zingerman's Besh Restaurant Group

He's Back!!! Maxwell last joined us on the show back in February 23rd on episode #11 before the opening of his first brick-and-mortar space for his company, Narrative Coffee. It's been 4 1/2 months and Narrative has had their soft opening, grand opening, and Maxwell has learned a lot through the process. Now he is back on the show to give us a glimpse into his first couple months being open for business and how it is shaping him, his staff, and his community. I know you will enjoy Part 2 Narrative Coffee's Story! LINKS: WWW.NARRATIVE.COFFEE Instagram Twitter Facebook Narrative Coffee Pt. 1 / Episode 11 of KTTS Roasters Mentioned: Veltons Coffee Roasting Company Spotted Cow

Chocolate and coffee seem to be made for each other! Whether you are having a simple well made mocha or pairing a bar with a single origin espresso, chocolate can compliment, enhance, and make more accessible the specialty coffee we serve. Yet, as much as we know about coffee, we tend to fall short when it comes to this very important part of our shops menu and offerings. This week we are talking with coffee pro and chocolate enthusiast, Brian Beyke to help us understand the world of craft chocolate and how we can make steps to level up our chocolate offerings in the cafe to better compliment the coffee we are so proud of. I learned a lot in this chat and I know you will too! Enjoy! Brian is the Director of Digital Sales, Marketing, and Communications for Quills Coffee in Louisville, KY. He is also a co-host of both the I Brew My Own Coffee Podcast and Unwrapped - A Conversation About Chocolate podcasts. LINKS: I Brew My Own Coffee Podcast Unwrapped: A conversation About Chocolate Tasting Sheet from Brian's Friend in Nashville Quills Coffee Craft Chocolate Makers Mentioned: Soma Dick Taylor Bellflower Patric Charmschool Ritual VISIT OUR SPONSOR!

This week we get to chat with 2014 World Barista Champion from Japan, Hide Izaki! We talk about his path to the WBC, the distinctive traits of the Japanese coffee culture, what has he learned and experienced in his travels , the importance of failure, what is his #1 piece of advice to baristas, and how we can build our industry by listening t the consumer. It was such an honor to have Hide on the show and I know you will enjoy this conversation as much as I did! LINKS Hide's Consulting: Samurai Coffee Experience The Coffee Man Film / Hide was WBC Champion, Sasa Setic's Coach and is featured in the film Behind the Scenes of Coffee Man film w/Hide Hide's 2013 WBC presentation Hide's 2014 winning WBC presentation Cafe's Mentioned: Tim Wendelboe Fritz Coffee Company ...Also here Coava Coffee Visit Our Sponsor, PRIMA COFFEE!

We are in a Consumer Revolution! The home barista - coffee brewer- coffee drinker makes up 70% of coffee consumed in the U.S. and has access to a lot of great information, training materials, resources, and gear to help them get a truly great cup of coffee. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of misinformation and bad gear out there making it hard for consumers to consistently get the best we have to offer in specialty coffee. Never fear! Today we talk with the founder of the world's first consumer coffee festival "Coffee Con", and author of "The Art and Craft of Coffee" Kevin Sinnott! Kevin has made it his job for over 2 decades to bridge the gap between the consumer and specialty coffee through writing about coffee, reviewing and recommending gear to the home enthusiast, and now bringing pros and consumer together at his ground breaking event, Coffee Con. We talk about how Kevin came to be an ambassador to the coffee enthusiast, the perspective of the consumer, and how we who work as professionals can better serve them in or shops. LINKS: WWW.COFFEE-CON.COM IG: @Coffeeconevent Kevin's Book: The Art and Craft of Coffee www.georgehowellcoffee.com Related KTTS Episodes: Episode 19: 10 Reasons to Love the Customer Episode 30: Matching Your Service to Your Quality w/ Casey Underkofler VISIT OUR SPONSOR FOR GREAT GEAR! WWW.PRIMA-COFFEE.COM

Pour over coffee is often seen as a sign that you take coffee seriously. It implies a level of quality not usually reserved for plain ol' batch brew. Batch brew is seen as a bit more pedestrian. Customers may even assume that, compared to pour over, batch brew is inferior in quality. The truth? It all depends. Today we take the red pill with past guest Mr. Ryan Soeder, Q.C. & Barista Trainer at Sunergos Coffee! We discuss the variables, circumstances , and processes involved in making decisions about both methods as it relates to your shop and the message you send to your customers. Enjoy! LINKS: Related Episode: 002: Master Your Workflow Book: Barista Secrets www.sunergoscoffee.com Ryan on Instagram @ryansoeder

On this edition of Founder Friday we go to a small town in rural Kentucky to hear about Katie Startzman's venture into bagels, coffee, and the adventures of business ownership! You will leave this conversation energized and encouraged as she shares the details of how she made her vision a reality in Berea, KY. We talk about hiring, researching your business ideas, how to be ok with spending money, and a lot more. I know you are going to get something valuable form this conversation. Enjoy! Links: www.nativebagel.com Native Bagel Facebook Instagram email: [email protected] Related Episodes: KTTS 022: Collin Harmon of 3fe Coffee Resources Mentioned: E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber Restaurant Succes by the Number by Roger Fields Setting the Table by Danny Meyer

Fear, frustration, stress...we all have experienced one or more of these feelings when we deal with groups in the cafe. Be they a family, friends, or study group we can sometimes have trouble managing the group dynamic and the chaos that can often accompany it. In spite of all this though the group does not represent a hurdle to jump over But an opportunity to embrace! On todays show we answer a question sent in by a KTTS listener on how to effectively manage this very thing. Be prepared to walk away empowered to view groups in a new light. Enjoy! Books recommended: - Setting the Table: Danny Meyer Related Episodes: - Ep: 030: Casey Underkoffler / Matching Your Service to Your Quality

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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