Keys To The Shop : Equipping the Coffee Retail Professional

We all hate when a shift is slow. It can feel demoralizing, boring, and frustrate even the best barista. What if these times on the bar are not all bad though? What if instead of seeing these times as a waste, we saw them as an opportunity.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the slow bar shifts that we dread and how to use them to grow our knowledge, skill, and maturity as coffee professionals.    Related episodes: study the rules 056 : The Sleepwalking Barista In Praise of Long Term Imperfect Employment Hard work is hard Laziness & the Most Important Decision   Reach out for one-on-one consulting and coaching! chris@keystotheshop.com    Visit these amazing sponsors! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co    

Operations management is a distinct from cafe management. At a certain point in your coffee business' growth it become necessary to have someone whose job it is to manage managers and oversee the operations of the retail shops. This is a critical role that is as much about leadership as it is about decisiveness and and systems. Today we will be learning all about what goes into being a successful operations manager with Ryan Fisher of Erewhon Market, L.A. Long-time coffee professional with experience and knowledge throughout the entire coffee supply chain. Creative and passionate with an extensive network built through a decade of competing, serving, and judging competitions globally including the Cup of Excellence, US Barista Competition, and Cherry Roast.  He has been at the helm of several shops as a manager as well as the Operations Manager for the famed goodboybob Coffee Roasters. Currently he is the Coffee Program Director for Erewhon markets in L.A. In our conversation today we go through Ryan's evolution as a leader in the cafe and then as an operations manager and all that he has learned along the way. I guarantee you will walk away from this conversation with some awesome insights for your own management journey! We cover: Biggest lessons from the early years The difference between manager and operations manager Leading through crisis and change What makes a great operations manager Dealing with tension in the cafe Learning and applying lessons to your management practice What to expect when you first begin this role Practicing good communication and self awareness   Links: www.workinglunch.coffee www.erewhonmarket.com Related episodes: Creative Avoidance : Thoughts on Long-game Management 158 : A Management Masterclass w/ Jon Felix Lund, VP of Operations for Coava Coffee Roasters / Portland, OR 105 : Leadership & Management Masterclass w/ Maria Cleaveland 028 : Why it's Ok to be the Boss w/ Bruce Tulgan : A guide to defining and fighting the under management epidemic in your cafe so you can be the manager your staff need 013 : Leadership & Management Master Class w/ Eva Attia : Leadership | management | hiring | career 012 : Lauren Airola of Onyx Coffee Lab : A Journey Into Management & Back 336: A Cafe Leadership Masterclass w/ Selina Viguera of Blue Bottle Coffee 141 : The 27 Challenges Managers Face w/ Bruce Tulgan   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

It's time to go back to an amazing episode of Founder Friday that teaches us about the power of taking risks and listening to what your heart is saying about your business. Back on episode 43 we interviewed Kathy Turiano of the multiple Good Food Award winning and roastery in Rochester, NY, Joe Bean Roasters. Joe Bean was founded in 2005 and has gone through several transformations but has always served the community through coffee and stayed true to their values in the process.  In this episode you will hear all about their origins and their first transformation and I hop you will be encouraged by Kathy's example, wisdom, and insights so you too can find the courage to make a move in the right, but maybe scary, direction for your own coffee shop.  Please do also listen to episode 207 where Kathy comes back to talk about hope is difficult times around the pandemic and what their latest and current iteration is.  Links: www.joebeanroasters.com 207 : Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano of Joe Bean Coffee Roasters   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com  

How long does it take to see a change take root in you coffee shop? Well, turns out it all depends on how long you have been operating and how large the company is. When we don't take the dimensions of our business, trying to make a shift  or just keeping things on the right path can be very daunting.  On today's Shift Break we will be talking all about the turning radius of your cafe and how to prepare for and navigate it effectively for its size.  Related Episodes: Scaling Values Before you Expand Making a Decision Pipeline 318 : Why Your Shop is Key to the Success of Coffee 181 : Organizational Self-Knowledge 080 : Changing things in the Cafe : A workflow for Refinement   Reach out for one-on-one consulting and coaching! chris@keystotheshop.com    Visit these amazing sponsors! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co    

As long as it has been around, coffee has always attracted creative and artistic people. Whether it is the coffee shop serving as community gathering spots or just the coffee itself inspiring expression, coffee fuels art, music, culture, and human connection. Today we are going to be talking with an artist whose music career has been focused on covering the truth of these subjects and whose own discovery of specialty coffee has helped shape his work, mindset, and mission. We are having a conversation with hip hop artist, Propaganda! Propaganda grew up in a working class black family and lived in a predominant Latino neighborhood of LAThere was a sense of multiculturalism from the very beginning and Prop saw how one personʼs problem could very similar to that of another person. For Prop, music is way to create conversations about substantial entities that impact us on a daily basis and to see how faith can help guide us along the way. After he graduated college with degrees in illustration and intercultural studies, he taught high school for six years and had a hand in founding two charter schools in LA, one of which had a focus on the arts. 2007 he resigned from teaching to pursue music full-time and began touring as a solo artist. He joined the Humble Beast family and unveiled a series of four albums that put his music on the map. Prop fell in love with coffee while on tour and has since been a coffee entrepreneur, enthusiast, and advocate even producing 2 Sprudgie award winning coffee focused songs, "If Coffee was a Man, and "Calibrate" This is a wonderful and deep conversation about music, cultural authenticity, courage, and the cup of coffee that brings us together.  We cover: Finding art and music Motivations and going full time Discovering coffee and waking up the pallet Elegance and complexity of art and coffee Connecting culture to coffee Coffee as the heritage of POC Bringing POC into the coffee space Authenticity and overcoming the fear of being you Shop spaces representing culture The importance of collaborations and lifting others up Links: www.prophiphop.com Red Couch Podcast Hood Politics Music Video "Calibrate" If Coffee was a Man   Related Episodes: (seriously listen!) 337: Founder Friday w/ Diana Martinez of Cafe Calle, Los Angeles 284 : Founder Friday! w. Jackie Nguyen of Cafe Cà Phê | Kansas City, MO 310 : Founder Friday w/ Jelynn Malone and Beverly Magtanong of Mostra Coffee 348: Founder Friday! w/ Benito Burmudez of Cafe Unido, Panama City, Panama! 199 : Founder Friday w/ Mario Jimenez of Banana Dang Coffee, Oceanside, CA 289 : Founder Friday w/ Ochen Simon Eidodo of Chariots Coffees, Uganda! 279 : Founder Friday! w/ Daniel Brown and Nephthaly Leonidas of Gilly Brew Bar 236 : Founder Friday! w/ Meil Castagna-Herrera & Curtis Herrera of Cafe Corazon! 183 : Exploring Diversity w/ Phyllis Johnson 116 : Understanding Gentrification w/ Dr. Stacey Sutton 338: A Conversation w/ Martell Mason of The Sepia Coffee Project, Detroit, Michigan 089 : La Marzocco USA General Manager, Andrew Daday : Leadership, Innovation, service, heritage   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

How do I motivate and inspire my baristas? I get asked this question a lot by owners and managers desperate to see excitement and vibrancy in their cafe culture vs aone of slow, uninterested, and minimal participation and engagement.  Today on Shift Break we will explore 4 steps you need to walk through in order to inspire your staff and make the dream of that vibrant engaged culture a reality.  Recommended episodes: 055 : Personal Growth & Development w/ Jared Truby, Cat & Cloud Coffee 293 : Thoughts on Defining Professionalism 059 : Founder Friday w/ Joshua Boyt, Metronome Coffee 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 243 : Encore Episode! “The Sleepwalking Barista (Owner)”   Need advice? KTTS Consulting: chris@keystotheshop.com    The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co    

In order to have a profitable and consistent coffee shop you need to track and keep your data in order. Whether is labor, expenses, or COGs- spreadsheets are an essential tools to help you build a stable business.  On today's episode we sit down with frequent guest of the KTTS podcast, Maxwell Mooney of Narrative Coffee to talk about his top pieces of advice for using making and using spreadsheets.  Maxwell has been in coffee for well over a decade as a barista, manager, and competitor who then turned entrepreneur with the launch of Narrative Coffee. First he had a cart, then a wonderful brick and mortar, and now a second location. In these five years of operating, growing, and refining Narrative, Maxwell has been guided by his values for quality, hospitality, and community, all supported by systems.  In this conversation we cover:  Is a spreadsheet right for the job? Tracking costs COGs, Labor, expresses, and rent Accounting for waste and labor in cost Appropriate sample size for data Projections Taking the first step with spreadsheets   Links: Maxwell's Spreadsheet UpFlip Interview www.narrative.coffee IG: @narrative.coffee   011 : Founder Friday w/ Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee : hospitality / building relationships / coffee quality 038 : Founder Friday / Narrative Coffee Part 2 w/ Maxwell Mooney : His experience after opening his first brick and mortar COVID-19 Focus w/ Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee, Everette, WA   Related episodes: 

It feels like we need to constantly be growing and producing something new or else we risk looking like a failure, or that we lack ambition. The idea that we always need to be expanding and taking on new things is a flawed one that often submarines our chance at finding fulfill ent fro what we do.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how sometimes we need to sacrifice productivity for the sake of our health and why appropriate growth is better than constant growth.  Related episodes: Doing What You Want -vs- Doing What is Needed Scaling Values Slowing down your Response Time Grass Roots Improvement: Tapping into the power of your staffs observations and ideas Accurate Reflection : A very important end of year challenge and encouragement to the Keys to the Shop community The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co    

Brewing a great cup of coffee is what we all strive to do daily. Over the years, our own understanding of how to do this well has grown as the body of literature and content regarding brewing science has increased. Most recently one such resource has been published from someone who has applied their expertise and scientific rigor to the subject of brewing coffee, thus creating one of the most thorough treatments on the subject to date.  On today's show e are talking with the author of the new book, "The Physics of Filter Coffee", Jonathan Gagné ! Jonathan Gagné is a scientific advisor at the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium in Montreal, and adjunct professor at Université de Montréal. He completed his Ph.D. in astrophysics in 2015 and moved to the Carnegie Institution for Science in Washington, D.C. for a 3-year postdoc as a Sagan Fellow. He came back to Montreal to start a second postdoc at the Institute for Research on Exoplanets before he was hired by the Planetarium. Jonathan's expertise is focused on brown dwarfs, young stars, exoplanets, and stellar associations. He uses various telescopes throughout the world to carry his research, from the Observatoire du Mont-Mégantic in Québec, the Infrared Telescope Facilities in Hawaii and Gemini-South in Chile. In his free time, Jonathan is also passionate about coffee brewing and has dived deeply into all many aspects of how physics affect coffee preparation for pour overs and more recently espresso. He maintains a blog of his findings and understanding of coffee physics at coffeeadastra.com, and he is the author of the book The Physics of Filter Coffee. This is a wide-ranging conversation that addresses many of the key elements that impact our brewing and how we can apply practical solutions to create wonderful coffee both at home and at at scale in the shop We cover: Motivation through frustrated brewing Beginning his experimentations in coffee Studying the most significant aspects Relying on the community and their experience Applied physics in how water moves through coffee Building and refining you mental model Accounting for the variability in coffee's behavior Tracking your brews What shops can do to improve extractions at scale Different way of thinking about batch brew Coffee freshness and extraction Recommendation for appropriate bicarb levels in water for brewing Recommended tools to assess your coffee quality Links: Jonathan's Blog : www.coffeeadastra.com Jonathan on IG: @jgagneastrocoffee Buy the book! The Physics of Filter Coffee   Related episodes:

How do we get customers to buy coffees they will like? This is more or less the question I was asked by a client recently in regards to bean purchases and I feel it also speaks to other decisions the coffee shop customer will make in beverage, food, etc.  Today on Shift Break I will give you the answer I gave my client on how to help customers find beans they will like. From there we will talk about my philosophy and approach on up-selling as an important feature of hospitality vs an opportunistic grab for revenue.    Related episodes: 227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds 092 : Tony “Tonx” Konecny of Yes Plz : Consumer Accessibility, roasting, 3rd wave, subscription 122 : How to be a Cash Register Hero : 6 Essential Skills Blog: Spiders and Customer Service   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co    

How specialty coffee has evolved, understood, and enjoyed has changed greatly over the past 50 years. Today get to talk someone whose career has not developed in parallel with the coffee industry but has been instrumental in advancing some of the best aspects of it. I'm thrilled to have bene able to sit down with the great Kenneth Davids! Kenneth has been involved with coffee since the early 1970s and has published three books on coffee, including the influential Home Roasting: Romance and Revival, now in its second edition, and Coffee: A Guide to Buying, Brewing and Enjoying, which has sold nearly 250,000 copies in five editions. His latest book, 21st Century Coffee: A Guide, is an unprecedentedly thorough survey of specialty coffee in all of its aspects, authoritative yet engaging. Ken's workshops and seminars on coffee sourcing, evaluation and communication have been featured at professional coffee meetings on six continents. He is Professor Emeritus of Critical Studies at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. In 1996 he was awarded a Special Achievement Award for Outstanding Contributions to Coffee Literature by the Specialty Coffee Association of America. One of our industries most influential people. Kenneth's work has shaped multiple generations of coffee enthusiasts and professionals and in this sense an hour conversation is woefully insufficient to give you even idea of the breadth and Kenneth's journey and work but here we are and I can honestly say it was true honor to speak with him and to feature his wisdom and perspectives on this show. We cover:  Goals of his new book The new challenges of writing about coffee Honesty and authority of information How Kenneth went form cafe owner to coffee writer Mere communication vs delivering depth of understanding Consumer community and its evolution Starting Coffee review The gap of accessibility and need to building the middle What shapes consumer tastes today Incentivizing accessible excellence Using information to draw people in vs push away Communicating flavor How naturals chawed things The hope for coffee's future Links: Buy Kenneth's new book!  https://www.kennethdavidscoffee.com   Related episodes:  Sustainability Series #4 : Consumer 069: Hosting Consumer Coffee Classes : 7 Guidelines 035 : The Consumer Revolution w/ Kevin Sinnott 242 : A Conversation with James Hoffmann   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com      

Management absolutely means you have the opportunity to affect change in the coffee shop. It also mean you have a responsibility to make sure the current operation is running smoothly and that the basics are taken care of. Often we favor the change over the stewardship and that is where we can get in trouble.  Today on shift break we are going to be chasing about the difference between what you want, what is needed, and how doing things in the proper order can and often does allow for both.    Related episodes:      Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co    

It's Founder Friday! We are traveling to Panama to learn about one of the greatest cafes and roasters, Cafe Unido through a wonderful conversation with its founder, Benito Burmudez.  Inspired by the idea that Panama has some to of the world's best coffees, the first Café Unido opens its doors in 2014 in the city of Panama with a clear goal: provide a space for Panamanians to learn and appreciate coffee grown by different local producers, their distinct terroirs, regions, micro lots, varietals and processes while at the same time giving back to coffee growing regions. Over the years they evolved from a single shop, to nine stores, seven in Panama City, one in Boquete, and a new store in Washington DC. Benito had previously opened and run a successful restaurant, Maito, prior to Unido and is also a Panama Barista Championship 2nd place finisher. Since founding the company he has been tirelessly promoting the celebration and deeper understanding of the coffees of Panama to the world.  Today we will be talking all about this journey, what has made it successful, the lessons learned, and much more... We cover:  How Restaurant experience helped Staying motivated through tough times Working to win over locals to a new flavor of coffee Being flexible and not snobbish about coffee Training system and structure Delegation and investing in understanding  Culture and values at scale The biggest mistake in growing the business  Allowing for the brand's evolution and how to judge success  Exploring the depth and variety of Panama coffee Expansion to the states  Links: https://cafeunido.com Instagram: @cafeunido Related episodes: 294 : At Origin Roasting Revolution w/ Luis Fernando, founder of Amor Perfecto! 335: A Better Business Model for Coffee Farmers w/ Thaleon Tremain of Pachamama Coffee 332: Founder Friday! w/ Iman Kusumaputra & Putri Yulandari of Kopikalyan, Jakarta, Indonesia 061 : You Don't Know Beans about Brazil w/ Kelly Stein, Coffea Podcast 289 : Founder Friday w/ Ochen Simon Eidodo of Chariots Coffees, Uganda!   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com

Welcome to the 10th episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series! In this interview we are talking with Green Coffee Buyer and Director of Coffee at Huckleberry Coffee Roasters, winner of the Roast Magazine Macro Roaster of the year award. The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds Kevin has spent well over a decade in specialty coffee. Beginning as a barista at Chinatown Coffee in D.C. he then moved to Guatemala where he assisted a small coffee growers' cooperative with processing, roasting, and packaging coffee and forging relationships that he maintains to this day. For the last 8 years Kevin has helped Huckleberry Roasters develop, grow, and refine their coffee program through values and relationship based sourcing and all this at scale.  In this conversation we will be diving into Kevins role with the company and the journey of growth and development while maintaining long term sourcing relationships and quality.  We cover:  Kevin's approach to sourcing  Growth and keeping grounded Huckleberry's culture and its impact on green buying Feedback's role in guiding the roastery  Overcoming challenges in logistics and supply Long terms farmer relationships Care for the people and work culture at Huckleberry Links: www.huckleberryroasters.com Instagram: @Huckleberryroasters   Subscribe to Roast Magazine! (Use code "ROR" to get $5 bucks off your subscription)   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com

Welcome to the 9th episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series! In this interview we are talking with specialty coffee and roasting luminary, Scott Rao!   The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds Scott Rao has been in the coffee business for over 25 years as a cafe owner, roaster, consultant, and author. The Coffee Roaster's Companion and Coffee Roasting: Best Practices have influenced a generation of roasters and shaped the global roasting vocabulary and conversation. Scott's popular Instagram account @whereisscottrao offers expert-level tips and discussion about coffee brewing and roasting. Today we are chatting with Scott about the abundance of technological advances in roasting and how to approach adopting these tools and innovations in a way that serves your goals.  We cover:  Innovative technology up til now Controlling outcomes via technology vs brewing methods How better brewing and extraction tech has changed roasting  Working with what we have Controlling coffee's body Best practice for achieving consistency The technologist vs artisan approach How to choose and adopt innovative tech Links: www.scottrao.com Instagram: @whereisscottrao Subscribe to Roast Magazine! (Use code "ROR" to get $5 bucks off your subscription)   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com

Welcome to the 8th episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series! In this interview we are having a great talk with Kat Nolte-Ferguson of Sucafina Specialty! The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds After earning a degree in accounting and spending a few years in rural Africa, Kat been exploring coffee from every possible angle: from barista to trader; from stock lot to microlot; from craft to commercial – she has experience the spectrum one specialty and is focused full time at Sucafina where she has dedicated her career to improving economic opportunity for African smallholder farmers. Kat is also a Chair on the SCA's Sustainability Advisory Counsel. In today's conversation we get to discuss some of what Kat actually presented on during expo related to supply chain risk mitigation for coffee roasters.  We cover: Helping roasters understand the world of logistics Why do roasters have to understand the market and supply chain Cost, price, and buying green The main topics pithing the supply chain that impact your roastery Where do you start with price risk management?  Flexibility and having contingency plans for all your origins  Amount of risk inherent in relationship focused sourcing Blend's role in stability that serve everyone  Links: www.sucafina.com   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com

In the wake of tragedy and heartbreak we find ourselves looking for ways to heal and make sense of the chaos around us. The recent violence, racism, and evil that took place in the U.S. took place in spaces where people should not need to worry about their  safety. Spaces similar to the coffee shops we run and work in everyday.  As we wrestle with the incomprehensible pain and senselessness of these events we find ourselves taking stock of our own communities and spaces and struggle to find ways to make a difference.  Today I wanted to offer a short note on our role as providers of sacred spaces that are made for the beautiful humans that we get to work with and serve. How it does make difference and how we our we can lean into kindness and loving each other well through what we do as a part of the way we build a better future.   

Brewing a great cup of coffee is like crafting a career in coffee, it take intentionality, consistency, and a humility that keeps in mind the end goal of all your efforts. These are some of the qualities that make today's guest, Elika Liftee, not just a brewing champion, but an example of professionalism we can all be inspired by.  Elika is the Director of Education at Onyx Coffee Lab, where he leads a team of educators in training in-house baristas, wholesale partners, and the public. He's been the reigning US Brewers Cup Champion since 2020, finishing 3rd in the World Brewers Cup during that time.  In this conversation we get t talk with Elika about his career, lessons learned through experimentation, and how he has developed his current approach to teaching, training, and brewing a great cup of coffee. We cover: Falling in love with coffee Exploring management and finding teaching  The difference between management and teaching Codifying and customizing the training program  Discovering how people learn Experimenting with brewing and his favorite methods Dialing in hospitality + judge/ customer preferences  Discovering and using the Melo drip and “flat” everything  Dialing in coffee across the cafes.  Consistency and what are forgiving and not forgiving coffees? Advice for brewing amazing coffee Links: Instagram @elikaliftee Onyx Coffee Lab https://www.mk-ceramics.com/pages/mk-dripper   Related episodes: 296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles 339 : What Good Barista Training Produces 188 : Founder Friday w/ Jon Allen of Onyx Coffee Lab 012 : Lauren Airola of Onyx Coffee Lab : A Journey Into Management & Back   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

Welcome to the 7th episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series!  The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds In this interview we are having a wonderful chat with Will Frith all about the current rise of Asian coffee.  Will Frith is a long time industry veteran with a broad range of experience as a barista, roaster, trainer and educator, and entrepreneur. He has been researching and working in the growing specialty coffee industry in Vietnam since 2012 and is the founder of the co roasting space Building Coffee in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Will is passionate advocate for Asian coffee and presented on this subject during the SCA expo. In our conversation with him we dive into the current rise of asian coffee in the industry and what we need to understand in order to support it and experience the wonderful variety it offers.  We cover: What has led to the current surge in asian coffee Specialty robusta Alienation / Differences in cultural preferences  Learning about emerging processes  Local ecosystem of specialty  How roasters should approach these coffees Sustainability connection  Most common questions and concerns The key of branding and connecting the consumer Links: Building.coffee Bel: Will's Coffee and Wine Bar   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com

Welcome to the 6th episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series! In this interview we are talking with industry veteran, green coffee expert, and author of the new book "Green Coffee",  Chris Kornman! The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds Chris Kornman is a seasoned coffee quality specialist, writer and researcher, and the Lab & Education Manager at The Crown: Royal Coffee Lab & Tasting Room. He has extensive experience traveling in and purchasing coffees from East Africa and South America. Chris came up in coffee at the beginning of and through the 3rd wave coffee movement and has been deeply involved in many different facets of the green coffee trade through its many evolutions.  Today we are going to be discussing the world of green coffee buying, trade, and insights into how to approach it in a practical and ethical way.  We cover: Green buying and what's shifted over the years Density as an accessible measure of performance  What we need to be aware of now in varieties  Misconceptions of coffee based on origin Focusing on the people as a framework for sourcing Connecting to customer preferences in spite of ourselves Misconceptions about green buying  Humility and respect for the farmers Links: Buy the book! www.roastmagazine.com/greencoffee The Crown: Royal Tasting Room Subscribe to Roast Magazine! (Use code "ROR" to get $5 bucks off your subscription)   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com

Hey! It is the 5th episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series! In today's conversation we sit down with the Roastmaster of Caffe Amouri Nicki Amouri to talk about really getting a grip on roast curves!  The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds Nicki Amouri is a Licensed arabica q grader, SCA certified roaster and barista as well as an SCA certified trainer. She is the Roastmaster and green buyer at Caffe Amouri in Vienna, VA where she also teaches roasting classes.  Nicki Presented some great information during the latest Roast Summit on the most curve and so I wanted to sit down with her to talk about how we should be approaching and utilizing the roast curve to best dial in our coffees for our customers.  We cover: Corolating taste to the curve Feedback and making adjustments Typical things that roasters get hung up on What to focus on to make a difference  Dialing in to your roaster Remaining agile as you become more settled in The excitement of the unknowns Links: www.caffeamouri.com Nicki's presentation at the Roast Summit Click here tp watch video of this interview on Roast magazine's YouTube channel!    Subscribe to Roast Magazine! (Use code "ROR" to get $5 bucks off your subscription)   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com

For this 4th episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series! This time we sit down with one of my favorite roasters, Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters to learn how to teach others to roast! The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds With over 25 yrs working in the coffee industry, Anne is an Australian Roaster who has gained extensive experience in many areas of the coffee industry as Barista, Café Owner/Manager, National Barista Trainer & Assessor, Head Roaster/Roasting Production Manager at both a National & International level. A certified Q Grader she regular judges competitions worldwide. With her consulting company, Equilibrium Master Roasters, Anne continues to develop her extensive roasting skills & knowledge with exposure to a wide range of roasting companies & machines and various roasting techniques / industry relevant processes & protocols – she is really passionate about passing on skills & knowledge to the next generation of flame keepers. In this conversation we dig into how a roaster should approach teaching someone to roast. If you have an apprentice roaster or are thinking you may want to train up some help then this episode will be very insightful.  We cover: Keys to building a curriculum Realistic time frames and structure Education, communication, teaching decisiveness  Learning to teach and tasting unrealized potential Patience and building confidence Creating a learning environment What we can get wrong about education    Click here tp watch video of this interview on Roast magazine's YouTube channel!    Subscribe to Roast Magazine! (Use code "ROR" to get $5 bucks off your subscription)   Links: Equilibrium Master Roasters: www.eqmr.com.au   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com

For some reason we tend to think people can read our minds. When we communicate generally but expect specific results we are setting ourselves and everyone else up for a  lot of tension and confusion.  On today's Shift Break we will dive into the idea of communicating and resourcing your baristas and managers to fulfill specific expectations and using due dates to help give structure to directives and projects.  Related Episodes: 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop Communicate, Duplicate, Repeat : Key habits that make information stick 301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence 025 : Mastering the Art of Training w/ Dave Stachowiak : Coaching, Leadership, education , and how to communicate your coffee and barista knowledge so it sticks Blog: Good Communication is “For Here”   Looking for guidance, clarity, and solid solutions for your coffee business?   Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co  

We take for granted the kinds of interactions and connections we make in the course of our daily professional barista lives. An incredible variety of people with unique and interesting stories and perspectives pass through our doors daily. Coupled with the story of coffee itself, this business is a rich and fascinating one. Those are the motivations that led today's guest, Celeste Wong into the coffee industry and inspired her to start The Girl in the Cafe.  Originally from New Zealand, Celeste is has held top positions in leading artisan cafes all over the world for over a decade. Since migrating to the UK, she has been listed as one of London's top five Baristas in The Financial Times and noted for her excellence in a plethora of other publications. With an Honors degree in Commerce & Design she is also an actress, with notable success in her roles in front of the camera, including her last feature-film becoming the highest grossing independent film of the year in New Zealand that won multiple awards internationally. Celeste produces and curates social media content for her own platform and other brands.  She writes and consults on a range of services for cafes and lifestyle brands.  In this conversation we get to experience the arch of Celeste's career from coffee as a job, then coffee as a career, -to the epiphany that led to her starting and growing The Girl in the Cafe.  There are some wonderful insights here and I hope you enjoy! We cover: Beginning her coffee career in cafes Learning from serious professionals Love hate relationship with coffee Developing The Girl in the cafe platform Goals and personal lessons Reflecting coffee to consumers with empathy Finding your voice Memorable insights gleaned form the show Desire for the industry Links: www.thegirlinthecafe.co.uk Instagram: @The_girl_in_the_cafe   Related episodes: 206 : The Emotional and Social Impact of the Cafe Space w/ Noa Berger 242 : A Conversation with James Hoffmann 024 : Chermelle D. Edwards, The Coffeetographer : Documenting Art and Culture Through the Lens of Specialty Coffee : Barista Culture, Consumer Experience, Movements in coffee culture 257 : A Conversation w/ Morgan Eckroth of MorganDrinksCoffee! Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com    

For this 3rd episode of the Rate of Rise Live Series! We are talking with the always thought provoking, Karl Wienhold, Author of the book, Cheap Coffee! The RoR Live Series is a project in partnership with Roast Magazine taking the popular RoR series on Keys to the Shop and to the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston where we have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds Karl Wienhold is a consultant, researcher and organizer of postcolonial rural development. He is dedicated to trying to better understand and undo extractive economic power structures that have oppressed people and degraded ecosystems to enrich others since colonial times. He studies coffee, microeconomics, agroforestry, circular economies, and is the author of the challenging and important book, "Cheap Coffee". In our chat we dig into lots of topics- mostly challenging- but some encouraging. All Inspiring action.  We cover: The power difference in the supply chain Treating symptoms vs finding solutions The role marketing plays Incentive structures Conflicts of interest Autonomy, Charity, and efficiency Grace for growth   Click here tp watch video of this interview on Roast magazine's YouTube channel!  Subscribe to Roast Magazine! (Use code "ROR" to get $5 bucks off your subscription)   Links: www.cheapcoffeebook.com    www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com

Welcome to Rate of Rise Live! Episode #2 brought to you by Roast Magazine!  I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to partner with Roast during the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston to have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds. In this episode we are sitting down with Owner of Little Waves Coffee, Durham, NC, Areli Barerra Grodski!  Areli Barrera Grodski is an immigrant from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico. She moved to San Antonio at 6 years of age and then to Cherokee, NC at 10. It is here where she was introduced to coffee as a community space and to her husband and business partner, Leon Grodski Barrera. She has been working in coffee since 2009 as a barista, coffee shop owner, roaster, and green coffee buyer. She proudly owns three shops called Cocoa Cinnamon and a roastery called Little Waves Coffee Roasters in Durham, NC. Areli is also the Recording Secretary and Board Member of the Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity.  Little Waves is the most recent winner of the prestigious Micro-Roaster of the Year Award and in this conversation we chat with Areli all about her and her husband Leon's journey in beginning, growing, and learning through Little Waves Coffee.  We cover: Bootstrapping and the uphill battle with a cart The range of challenges and emotions in entrepreneurship The mission behind Little Waves Surviving the pandemic How she defines success Applying values to daily work Open heartedness and growth  Representation in coffee Subscribe to Roast Magazine! (Use code "ROR" to get $5 bucks off your subscription)   Click here tp watch video of this interview on Roast magazine's YouTube channel!  Links: www.littlewaves.coffee   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com  

Welcome to Rate of Rise Live brought to you by Roast Magazine!  I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to partner with Roast during the SCA 2022 Global EXPO in Boston to have some live face-to-face interviews with 10 of the coffee industry's brightest minds all about specialty coffee, roasting, risk management, teaching roasting, roast curve, inspiring stories of entrepreneurship and much more! We are kicking off this series of interviews with the venerable Peter Giuliano! Peter Giuliano is the Executive Director of the Coffee Science Foundation and the Chief Research Officer Specialty Coffee Association and one our industries best thinkers.  Recently the SCA presented their new definition of "Specialty Coffee" based on attributes to recognize a wider range of specialty expressions and this is exactly what I chawed with Peter about during the EXPO.  We cover:  History of defining specialty coffee Establishing the new definition according to SCA Inclusivity and diversity in flavor, preparations, etc. What is “good” and “bad”? interchangeability, uniqueness, and blends What changes for how roasters approach coffee as a result How coffee shops help in celebrating diverse ways to be specialty Subscribe to Roast Magazine! (Use code "ROR" to get $5 bucks off your subscription) Links: SCA's New Definition Peter's past episode on KTTS about Customer Preferences   www.keystotheshop.com Consulting and coaching: chris@keystotheshop.com    

After a rush, an event, or any situation where there is tension and the need to perform well as a team (pretty much any time) there are always a lot of thoughts and emotions that people have. Unfortunately we tend to simply carry on as though it never happened and thus lose out on a lot of positive growth and development that can result from debriefing.  On today's Shift Break we will be talking about the importance of debriefing as a team and how it creates better performance, communication, culture, and consistency in the coffee shop.    Related episodes: 229 : 7 Tips for New Managers The One-on-One : How one meeting can dramatically impact your coffee shop's culture and morale. 028 : Why it's Ok to be the Boss w/ Bruce Tulgan Shift Break: The Agreement Tips for Conducting Great Staff Meetings   The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co  

Accurately tasting coffee can be a daunting task. Add to that the pressure of competition or just the daily work of the bar, and being focused, confident, and at ease while dialing in or making flavor determinations seems all but impossible. These are all however attributes that today's guest possesses and has honed over their career to be able to remain cool and taste coffees like a champion. Today we are talking with the 2022 U.S. Cup Tasters Champ, Julien Langevine! Julien Langevin is the production roaster for Coffee By Design in Portland, ME. Langevin only just began learning how to roast after working for about four years as a barista in different iterations, and taking a brief hiatus from the industry to try his hand at being an electrician. His first real job was at Starbucks and worked through various shops in Portland while achieving his Bachelors of Fine Arts. After graduation he began to go to SCA events, acting as a volunteer and a sensory judge for the Barista competition, and then competing in the Nashville Cup Tasters qualifier in 2020. After a two and a half year separation from said community, Langevin found his way back to coffee somehow and is now the current 2022 US Cup Tasters Champion.  In this conversation we will get to learn about Julien's career path, tasting techniques, and hear words of wisdom for aspiring tasters and coffee professionals! We cover: Journey and challenges in coffee career Techniques for tasting Grounding yourself  Tasting when nervous vs relaxed Focus, Flow state, and visualization Preparing for competition  Doing what you can where you are Links:   Related Episodes: 048 : How to taste coffee w/ U.S. Cup Tasters Champion, Steve Cuevas! 297 : Making Coffee Education Fun w/ Suneal Pabari of Leaderboard Coffee 078 : Exploring Green Buying and Sensory Analysis w/ Amanda Juris 037 : Chocolate & Coffee w/ Brian Beyke : Understanding Craft Chocolate   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

Some of the reasons we do not take the next step to delegate management or take the next step in our business is because we feel we are not ready. It seems embarrassing to not have it all together when you've over authority to someone like a manager and you want to wait till you have a perfect system and suite of resources to hand them. Problem is that you will likely never truly be "ready". On top of that, you may be robbing them, and yourself, of the benefit that comes with working through and imperfect context.  Today on Shift Break we are going to be talking about why what you think is messy can and often is something beautiful for your business and the people who work in it.  Related episodes: 261 : The Basics of Managing Managers Hiring for Future Leadership Why "Next in Line" promotion Might be a Bad Idea 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop 267 : The Power of Delegation Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co  

Our industry is one focused on creating memorable experiences for guests of our shops. Being detail oriented is part of our hospitality to people because we know that when all those little things come together, they deliver a real impact.  This is what driven today's guest throughout his illustrious career working for some of the worlds most prestigious hotels and Restaurants to deliver these experiences.  Nicolas Simon caught the hospitality bug upon graduating from one of the top business schools in France. From there, various experiences with Byblos Saint-Tropez, Four Seasons Paris, then Geneva and Plaza-Athénée defined his all-around profile in the industry, from F&B operations to finance and marketing. He was also the managing partner of three restaurants (two of them being awarded a Michelin star within the first year of operation), before being appointed Alain Ducasse's Director of Operations North America and moving to New York City 14 years ago. In November 2016, Nicolas became the co-founder and CEO of Wilcuma – a full-service hospitality workshop that offers services such as consultancy, management, and real estate, and also has a portfolio of proprietary concepts planned for development and operation Fueled by his passion for hospitality and executing at the highest levels, Nicholas has set his sights on the coffee world with the opening of the new El Condor Coffee Roasters in the West Village, NYC. El Condor seeks to create a transcendent and comfortable all-day cafe experience that delivers quality, consistency, and genuine connection.  We cover: Beginnings in hospitality Growing as a manager and leader The critical role of operations Philosophy on service and caring for guests Entering into the coffee industry The vision and goals of El Condor Advice for how to approach hospitality and systems for accountability Links: www.elcondor.coffee www.wilcuma.com Related Episodes: 030 : Casey Underkofler : Matching Your Service to Your Quality : How to Manage and Control the critical details of service so both the experience and product are excellent 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop 301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence 188 : Founder Friday w/ Jon Allen of Onyx Coffee Lab   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

Welcome to this special edition of the Founder Friday series! We have an incredible collection of interviews from some of the world's best coffee shop operators and entrepreneurs. Within each interview are gems of wisdom that help us move ourselves and the industry forward.  In this special edition of Founder Friday I went back into the archives to mine those gems from past guests around a specific topic, -hospitality and meeting people where they are.  Our industry of specialty coffee has worked hard to build itself up and now we see a mammoth effort to help welcome people into what we have built.  In this episode we will here form four past guests: Matt Chitharanjan and Namrata Asthana of Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters in India Dorian Bolden of Beyu Cafe in Durham, NC Daniel Brown and Nephthaly Leonidas of Gilly Brew Bar in Stone Mountain, GA Andrew Sinclair of Madlab Coffee in Los Angeles, CA Each of these past Founder Friday guests brings a unique take and perspective on what goes in to hospitality and meeting people where they are. From accessible brewing, staff and self care - to friendly service encounters, values, and connecting beyond the  transaction, I think this episode will deliver a concentrated dose of wisdom to help inspire us all.    Related Episodes:  171 : Founder Friday w/ Matt Chitharanjan and Namrata Asthana of Blue Tokai Coffee Roasters in India 225: Encore Founder Friday! Dorian Bolden of Beyu Caffe, Durham, NC 279 : Founder Friday! w/ Daniel Brown and Nephthaly Leonidas of Gilly Brew Bar 305 : Founder Friday! w/ Andrew Sinclair of MadLab Coffee, Los Angeles, CA 045 : Simple, Powerful Hospitality w/ Philip Turner 085 : How we Ruin the Specialty Experience   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com

It's one thing to make decisions when you work alone, but quite another thing when you work with others and your decisions have far reaching impact on different employees, leaders, and departments. What e and to do is force change into existing processes without regard for the wake those decisions leave behind.  In today's Shift Break we will be talking about building a decision pipeline that takes into account all the people and relevant down stream departments that this one, seemingly small decision, will affect.  Related episodes: 080 : Changing things in the Cafe : A workflow for Refinement 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop Blog: Accountability goes both Ways   Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co  

Morgan Eckroth is the new U.S. Barista Champion! Part of the point behind competition is setting the stage for conversation around ideas ranging from social issues to the hands on craft of coffee. In both these areas there are far reaching implications for what the industry latches on to and is inspired to continue developing. On such theme is merging high-end experiences with accessibility in mind. Morgan Eckroth, known for her social media platform Morgan Drinks Coffee, has plenty of experience with connecting with an audience and in her presentation for USBC this year, leaned into the idea that specialty can be and should be experienced by more than just judges at the highest level of coffee.  Morgan is a barista and content creator, having worked in the specialty coffee industry for 5 years. With over 5 million followers across TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, she shares her love for coffee through comedic customer service sketches, vlogs about her job, and educational videos. Morgan also released a line of coffee in collaboration with Wrecking Ball Coffee in December 2020 and is working to continue creating a link between baristas and their customers through a shared love for coffee and a dash of humor. Today we get to sit down with Morgan and hear all about her innovative approach to the competition and all the ups and downs on her journey to victory in Boston. We cover: Deciding to compete after years of life change Preparation for USBC and crafting a theme Innovation and challenges High level Accessibility  Choosing the coffees  Break down of beverage creation Goals and inspirations Advice to other competitors and shops Links: www.morgandrinkscoffee.com Related Episodes: 257 : A Conversation w/ Morgan Eckroth of MorganDrinksCoffee! 099 : The Barista League w/ Competition Founder Steve Moloney 298 : A Trophy, or Atrophy? 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers 296: Holistic Barista Training w/ David Castillo of Go Get Em Tiger , Los Angeles   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

As new processing methods become more popular and prominent, roasters must pivot and adjust how they approach them in order to get the best possible result. Processes like honey and pulped natural present unique challenges for even the most veteran roasters. The good news is that there is a growing family of best practices that will help you see success and consistency while embracing the new and emerging methods on the market. To help us sort through this topic we turn to none other than Mike Ebert of Firedancer Consultants. As the founder of Firedancer Coffee Consultants, Mike is dedicated to helping clients create a personalized strategy to ensure long-term success. He works primarily with roasters, producers and retailers, drawing from his extensive experience in all facets of the specialty coffee supply chain to guide clients in reaching their potential. Ebert is an Authorized SCA Trainer; holding the professional level certificates in Green Coffee, Sensory Skills, Roasting and Brewing. He has had a hand in many positions up and down the supply chain and continues his volunteer work with the Specialty Coffee Association's Education Advisory Council as Co-Chair of the Education Content Committee. In our conversation we cover: Then challenge Pulp natural and other processes present Mistakes we make when roasting new processes Knowing your roaster and being vigilant  Frame work for earlier success  Taking into account the unique sugar changes Rate of Rise How learning new methods can help with old ones Shifting our minds to innovate new metrics   Subscribe to Roast Magazine! Use code "ROR" to get $5 off   Related Episodes: RoR #1: A Conversation w/ Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters RoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee Enterprises RoR #3: Making Contingency Planning a Reality w/ Andi Trindle Mersch of Philz Coffee RoR #4: Practical Thermal Dynamics w/ Candice Madison of Royal Coffee / The Crown Oak RoR #5: Time and Color in Roasting w/ Morten Munchow of Coffee Mind” RoR #6: Buying Less and Doing More w/ Ever Meister RoR #7 Illustrative Sample Roasting w/ Mike Ebert of Firedancer Coffee Consultants ROR #8 How Post-Harvest Processing Impacts Flavor w/ Siva Subramanian and Byron Holcomb of Olam Food Ingredients RoR #9 Inside the Roaster's Tool Kit w/ Kat Melheim of Black and White Coffee and The Coffee People Zine RoR #10 : What Your Broker Wishes You Knew w/ Scott Merle of La Minita Coffee RoR #11 : Exploring Scent w/ Sandra Elisa Loofbourow RoR #12 : Inside Coffee Packaging w/ Ever Meister          

It's not uncommon to feel like the day get's away from us and that we are always being taken for a ride by the work. Heck, I can hardly remember entire years of my own career due to not taking on this one essential habit until much, much later. On today's Shift Break we are going to talk about "Bookending" your day and how to use this time in the beginning and end of your work day to show up fully, mature decisively, and have maximum positive impact on your business, coworkers, and staff.    Related Episodes: The Counterbalanced Barista Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game Learning -vs- LEARNING Accurate Reflection : A very important end of year challenge and encouragement to the Keys to the Shop community Career Advice from Joe Marocco of Mill City Roaster : Mission, learning, goals, mindset Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co    

How do you think about success and your coffee shop? For many people it boils down to financial metrics only which, in the long run, may not bring the kind of fulfillment the we seek when we first set out to begin in coffee. In fact without some more nuanced goals and metrics for success, even the profitability will and does suffer.  Today I want to talk about four ideas of what I believe success can look like that go beyond the financial and help balance our pursuit of profit in a way that bring sustainability to both you and the people you serve through the business.  We cover: Out normal understanding of sucess The importance of employee care Legacy and long term creation Intentionality and Community impact  Personal and professional growth   Related episodes: 055 : Personal Growth & Development w/ Jared Truby, Cat & Cloud Coffee 293 : Thoughts on Defining Professionalism 206 : The Emotional and Social Impact of the Cafe Space w/ Noa Berger 009 : How to Approach Data and Metrics w/ Simon Ouderkirk : Simon shows us how we should be thinking of numbers and their relation to our shops, baristas, and businesses 302 : Data's Roll in the Success of your Shop w/ Mark Calhoun and Jim Strarcev of Perfect Cube 227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds Blog: Who we are and What we do Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

I witnessed a heartbreaking scene unfold while at SCA EXPO in Boston. The situation was a common one in most of our cafes but in this context it really impacted me and inspired this Shift Break.  What are we doing in specialty? Is our talk about accessibility just talk? Are the best expressions of coffee the most exclusive? Lot's of questions rolling around the ol' noggin after this trip and today I wanted to chat about it with you.  As you listen, ask yourself what you would do in this scenario and how we as an industry might be able to do better in welcoming a larger variety of people into our spaces while we simultaneously pursue excellence.    Related episodes:  262 : Understanding the Homeless Community w/ Natalie Harris, Executive Director of The Coalition for the Homeless 338: A Conversation w/ Martell Mason of The Sepia Coffee Project, Detroit, Michigan 337: Founder Friday w/ Diana Martinez of Cafe Calle, Los Angeles Building an Accessible Coffee Menu w/ Joe    Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co  

It is the 5 year anniversary of episode #19 titled "10 Reasons to Love the Customer"! Coffee professionals tend to pit themselves against the customer as and us vs them battle. The original episode in 2017 was inspired by a magazine article about what baristas hate about customers. This mentality does not good for anyone and because we easily fall into thinking negatively about the customer, I thought it was time we refocus and exercise thankfulness and positivity.  All of these reasons are general enough to be true of almost any car or coffee shop. Truth be told, beyond the general reasons, there are a ton more specific ones that are unique to your own community.  It is my hope that you take this episode and contextualize it, and put in place as a regular thankfulness practice for yourself and your team. Related Episodes: Ignoring the Customer Spiders! What they can Teach us About Hospitality 045 : Simple, Powerful Hospitality w/ Philip Turner 016: Raising the Bar on your Customer Experience w/ Michael Butterworth  277: Encore Episode: How to respond to Negative Feedback   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

We love the idea of developing a culture of trust. A place where it is safe to open up and be honest without worrying. Vulnerability is the new metric (among others) by which we judge how successful we are as leaders and I am happy that is. But if we are not carful then we risk using vulnerability as a weapon against people. In today's Shift Break we will be chatting about how our desire to have a team where there is openness and trust can lead to us resorting to coercion and essentially forcing people into vulnerability, making it weird for everyone.  Related Episodes: Toxic vulnerability One on ones Above and beyond Reasonable expectations   Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co    

What does you baristas training produce? For many shops barista training is a loose and rushed experience that falls short in equipping staff with what is needed to succeed. It also creates stress in leadership who desperately want to see good results but through poor mindsets toward training, sabotage the chance of seeing them.  In today's episode we will be talking about what goals and outcomes you need to be shooting for when thinking of and developing your your training programs.  We discuss:  Why we don't see the things we want What baristas need vs what we give them Pitfalls of rushed and overly wrought training Memorization and Understanding Standards and Consistency  Excitement and Curiosity Related episodes: 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop 080 : Changing things in the Cafe : A workflow for Refinement 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

How do we get people to come to our shop? This is the question at the root of most of our marketing efforts. So many of us have stories of how customers will tell us, even after years of business, "I never knew you were here!". It's frustrating.  In todays Shift Break we will be chatting about how we have been limiting ourselves with the way we are approaching marketing and the change of mindset and tactic that I think may help get people in your shop and aware of your brand. Related episodes: 215 : Communication and Marketing Master Class w/ Spencer M. Ross, PH.D. 304 : Inside the Coffee Data Trends Breakout Report w/ Katie Von Der Lieth of the SCA 120 : Social Media 101 w/ Jenn Chen 234 : Actions and Strategies to Improve your Messaging w/ Garrett Oden   Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co        

How do we test the energy efficiency, emissions, and impact of or roasting machines?. We all want to be responsible with our environmental impact but all we have to go on for data is supplied by marketing from the manufacturer.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a real measure of the performance of a roasting machine? Well that is exactly what today's guest is out to provide.  Today on the Rate of Rise series from Roast Magazine we are going to be talking with Dave Baxter about The Norm Roast Protocol! Dave Baxter has avidly roasted coffee for more than 15 years.  He applies an analytical approach to master the enigmatic art of coffee roasting.  Dave joined the Artisan team in 2015 and is a founding member of the NORM-ROAST Consortium.  Many of the analytical tools and other features in Artisan were created by him.  Dave is an inventive engineer with over 60 granted patents. In our conversation we cover: How Norm Roast Protocol was conceived Verifying Marketing claims  Key components of the protocol Establishing specification for the protocol from research Incentivization of manufactures to adopt a universal protocol How to begin using the protocol  Balance of Innovations focus on emissions vs maintaining quality Mass adoption as key to create efficacy  Small vs large roasters Optimizing existing equipment for efficiency Links: www.norm-roast.org   Subscribe to Roast Magazine! Use code "ROR" to get $5 off   Related Episodes: RoR #1: A Conversation w/ Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters RoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee Enterprises RoR #3: Making Contingency Planning a Reality w/ Andi Trindle Mersch of Philz Coffee RoR #4: Practical Thermal Dynamics w/ Candice Madison of Royal Coffee / The Crown Oak RoR #5: Time and Color in Roasting w/ Morten Munchow of Coffee Mind” RoR #6: Buying Less and Doing More w/ Ever Meister RoR #7 Illustrative Sample Roasting w/ Mike Ebert of Firedancer Coffee Consultants ROR #8 How Post-Harvest Processing Impacts Flavor w/ Siva Subramanian and Byron Holcomb of Olam Food Ingredients RoR #9 Inside the Roaster's Tool Kit w/ Kat Melheim of Black and White Coffee and The Coffee People Zine RoR #10 : What Your Broker Wishes You Knew w/ Scott Merle of La Minita Coffee RoR #11 : Exploring Scent w/ Sandra Elisa Loofbourow RoR #12 : Inside Coffee Packaging w/ Ever Meister    

In order to have clarity on how to operate effectively in coffee we need to view it thought a global lens. The tapestry of people and cultures that make up our industry are rarely represented and even less often do they benefit from coffee culture. The answer to this problem is something that today's guest calls "The Sepia Coffee Project".  Martell Mason is Co-Founder of the Sepia Coffee Project(SCP), a boutique roastery based in Detroit's North End. Although a native of the city, Martell has lived a very nomadic life with years spent throughout Asia, East Africa and Scandinavia. With a BA in International Affairs and grad work specializing in Sustainability and Coffee Value Chains; Martell continues to search for ways to bridge the gap from "farm to cup" while ensuring there is greater representation of all persons involved with an emphasis placed on those of color.  In 2017, he established Arabica Trading House in Istanbul, Turkey, being one of the first specialty traders to import high-quality, transparent coffees direct from origin. Pivoting after the shocks of the pandemic, Martell arrived back in the US in 2021 and saw an opportunity to be of service to a young, yet vibrant coffee community in Detroit.  Sepia Coffee Project's mission is to make specialty coffee more accessible to underserved markets, creating a more inclusive and equitable platform for coffee consumers, industry peers and the greater community at large.  In our conversation today we are going to be learning about Martell's unique journey through coffee and how his experiences shaped his views and the work he does today to create equity and inclusion for all.  We cover:  Getting into coffee and developing a broad perspective Global travels and working in coffee  How story adds value Learning by connecting directly with people Improve systems through deeper understanding Looking at what quality is and who defines it Farmer livelihoods and mainstream coffee Celebrating a wider range of coffee Addressing "Coffee Deserts"  The establishment and goals of The Sepia Coffee Project Bringing coffee to the underserved and marginalized  Related episodes:  116 : Understanding Gentrification w/ Dr. Stacey Sutton 183 : Exploring Diversity w/ Phyllis Johnson 233 : A Conversation w/ Anthony Ragler, Black and White 297 : Making Coffee Education Fun w/ Suneal Pabari of Leaderboard Coffee 092 : Tony “Tonx” Konecny of Yes Plz : Consumer Accessibility, roasting, 3rd wave, subscription 227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

Diana Martinez is one of those people that I am thrilled to see find success in coffee. She had a dream to open a coffee shop and consistently pursued knowledge and experience right out of the gate by working at a roastery and coffee shop then setting up a table on a sidewalk in her neighborhood to serve good coffee to those who did not have access to it. Today she has a brand new brick and mortar shop and the loyal support of her community. I dod not come easy though and that is what today's conversation is all about.  In this Founder Friday we will get to hear details of Diana's journey into coffee entrepreneurship, the challenges, lessons, opportunities, and mission that drives her to continue to build this dream. Not just for herself but for her culture and her community.  I know you will be inspired by this one! We cover: How the dream began during COVID  Gaining experience and taking the first step  Starting on the sidewalk to serve the underserved Getting a loyal following and the role of social media Lessons learned in catering  BET Awards and other opportunities  When things got real  How getting in “trouble” led to a brick and mortar Realities of finding and building a space Community reception Advice to other entrepreneurs Links:  www.cafecalle.com Instagram @cafecalle  Related Episodes: 236 : Founder Friday! w/ Meil Castagna-Herrera & Curtis Herrera of Cafe Corazon! 284 : Founder Friday! w. Jackie Nguyen of Cafe Cà Phê | Kansas City, MO 187 : A Conversation with Nikki Outlaw of Anecho Coffee 097 : Founder Friday w/ Erica Escalante of The Arrow Coffeehouse   Visit our awesome sponsors! Ground Control : Revolutionary Batch Brew Coffee! www.groundcontrol.coffee   The Barista Series: Best Plant Based Beverages on Earth! www.pacificfoodservice.com  

Giving up control and taking on a new role can be scary. As a result a lot of owners and managers rely on rigid and controlling way of leading that ends up doing more harm than good. In today's Shift Break we will be talking about the value of flexibility for both owners and managers and how it benefits the new context we find ourselves in when leading and delegating leadership. Recommended episodes:  261 : The Basics of Managing Managers 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017 229 : 7 Tips for New Managers Shift Break: The One-on-One 165 : The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli   Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co  

It's not very often you come across someone who has spent decades as a true example of what it is to be an exemplary manager, leader, and professional. When you do find them you better be prepared to absorb their wisdom and let it help guide your own career.  Well, today we are privileged to sit down with some one who has done exactly that. We are talking all about leadership, management, and training, with Selina Viguera of Blue Bottle Coffee! Selina Viguera is well-known in specialty coffee mostly for being an amazing and dedicated barista. She leads the Barista Guild Café at Specialty Coffee Expo and U.S. CoffeeChamps; she's been a lead barista at TED in Vancouver, as well as TEDxWomen and TEDxMed; her latte art is featured on the Pacific Barista Series Oat and Rice packages. And she's been “the face” of Blue Bottle, especially in her adopted home in Los Angeles, for years.   Selina Viguera is a coffee professional who has worked in the industry for over 20+ years. Selina has managed some of the busiest Blue Bottle cafes in the North American market such as San Francisco's Ferry Building location and LA's Abbot Kinney location, where she is currently the cafe leader for over 7 years.    In our conversation we explore here long career and the experiences that have shied who she is as a leader today.    We cover: Discovering the work of the cafe and then specialty coffee Connecting with customers and becoming a leader Leading the change to specialty in her first cafe Learning to train and teach Doors opening for management and leadership Leading "Team First" and the metric of staff happiness Training and onboarding effectively Empowering feedback and conflict resolution  Balance of structure and culture Embracing difficult conversations and being courageous What she is most proud of accomplishing Advice to fellow managers Links:  Instagram: @sellybean_13  Email: Selina.viguera@gmail.com   Recommended Episodes: 329 : How to Teach Company Values to Your Staff 313 : Coffee Education and Training w/ Michael Phillips of Blue Bottle Coffee 306 : A Conversation w/ 2004 U.S. Barista Champion, Bronwen Serna! 305 : Founder Friday! w/ Andrew Sinclair of MadLab Coffee, Los Angeles, CA 305 : Founder Friday! w/ Andrew Sinclair of MadLab Coffee, Los Angeles, CA In Praise of Long Term Imperfect Employment   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

We have talked a lot about your career development on the show and for the most part I would say this show advocates that you find a place that is right for you. There are times though, when we are in what could be considered the right place, but the difficulty prompts us to move on too quickly, leaving opportunity for growth behind.  In todays Shift Break we will be chatting about how long term employment in a place that can sometimes be deeply challenging can actually be beneficial and deepen your growth.  Be sure to also listen to the linked episodes below. They provide other perspectives that will help you wrap your mind around your current situation to make a mindful and solid decision.  Related Episodes: Hard Work is Hard 077 : How you can Happen to your Career w/ Scott Anthony Barlow : A frame work for finding the right work 015 : What to do if You don't Advance w/ Anne Nylander : How to take the next step in your barista/coffee career 260 : Wait! Is your current Job actually the right Job? 331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career 292 : How to Take Charge and Drive Your Career w/ Ed Evarts Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game   Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co  

Most of us would say we represent farmers with our work. Few of can say we literally work for farmers. Increasingly we see the need for business models that don't just give financial reward to farms but that shift the power balance to them. This is where the example and work of Pachamama Coffee shines as an example of what is possible with true farmer ownership. Today we are going to be exploring this model with the CEO AND co-founder, Thaleon Tremain.   Thaleon Tremain is the CEO and co-founder of Pachamama Coffee Cooperative, a vertically-integrated cooperative representing more than 240,000 smallholder coffee farmers around the world. Launched in California in 2006, Pachamama is the first coffee roaster in North American to be 100% owned and governed by farmers in Africa and Latin America. Thaleon has led Pachamama Coffee's formation and growth since 2003. Pachamama Coffee is wholly owned by its five member-cooperatives and its board of representatives is entirely composed of farmer representatives. Pachamama allows farmers to maintain quality control of their roasted coffee, while creating a brand and a simple path to share their own story with their own customers.  Thaleon's passion for the cooperative business model began at an agricultural cooperative in rural Bolivia, where he worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the mid 1990s. In pursuit of a better ownership and governance structure for economic development, Thaleon is a dedicated advocate for the cooperative model. He lives in Sacramento with his wife and two sons. In our conversation we will be exploring the founding and development of Pacahamama, its growth, goals, and isights they have gained over the course of almost 20 years of changing the landscape of farmer equity.  The beginning of pachamama  True farmer ownership Working for farmers True partnerships  Patience and building long term solutions  The importance of marketing, branding, and the consumer Communication of preference to farmers from the market Long term viability through community  Links: www.pachamamacoffee.com Instagram @pachamama_coffee   Related Episodes: Sustainability Series #4 : Consumer Sustainability Series #2 : Importing & Roasting 294 : At Origin Roasting Revolution w/ Luis Fernando, founder of Amor Perfecto! 288 : The Truth behind Cheap Coffee w/ Karl Weinhold 265 : Gaining Clarity on Transparency w/ Jonas Lorenz of The Pledge   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com  

A them of this show has been to infuse grace and patience into your leadership. For the most part, when we exercise patience and extend grace to baristas in the cafe it is a good thing that brings about positive results. There are times though, when it turns into something detrimental and it is hard to tell where that line is.  Today on Shift Break we are going to explore why patience is not always the best play and what you can to avoid letting your emotions prolong a bad situation.  Recommended episodes: Hard Work is Hard Reasonable Expectations The Problem with "Should" Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game Visit our Sponsors!!! The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com   Custom branded mobile apps for your shop! www.espressly.co      

Working in customer a customer facing environment like a coffee shop means that we get to serve and experience all different types of people in the course fo the day. While so many of our interaction are within the expected range of emotions, there are times where things get pretty tense and situations escalate past where we are comfortable.  What do we do when confronted with these circumstances? Are we prepared for and confident in deescalation? Sadly we often fail in this area which means bad situations often get worse leaving staff and customers feeling demoralized and without much hope for resolution.  This is a really important topic and To help us learn how to approach deescalation and make it a real process in our shops we are talking to Melissa Tucker or Mind Over Matters and Pathways to Peace.  Melissa graduated with a Master's in Counseling Psychology from University of Hawaii Hilo, in August 2015. She worked for five years, in Hawaii, as a crisis mobile responder for youth, as a counselor at the domestic violence shelter, as a counselor for a private outpatient substance abuse clinic, and as the clinical supervisor providing training, counseling, parent education and services to staff and Child Welfare Services mandated clients. After moving to Washington State in 2019, she began providing private coaching and training in Motivational Interviewing, supervision, and counseling skills. She also worked for Crisis Connections as a supervisor and trainer for counselors and non-clinicians in Mental Health related skills. She currently works as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate in private practice in addition to doing private training.   In today's conversation we cover: What leads to poorly handled conflict The unique context of the coffee shop Caring for staff needs and safety  Listening and understanding The right mindset and cultlure Inoculating baristas against conflict Making policy a conversation Modeling behavior Principles and techniques of deescalation Links: https://www.mindovermattersinstitute.com EMAIL: info@pathpeace.org   Related episodes: 125 : Confidence in Conflict w/ Kwame Christian : A framework for Compassionate Curiosity 262 : Understanding the Homeless Community w/ Natalie Harris, Executive Director of The Coalition for the Homeless 052 : Solving Coworker Conflict w/ Tom Henschel 165 : The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli 104 : How to Deliver Difficult Feedback w/ Tom Henschel 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop   Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.prima-coffee.com/keys www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com