I don't think there has been a time in the history of coffee shops where we have been so distracted by things that promise to bring value but turn out to be simply distractions. Noise vs signal, image vs substance, and so forth. In my year of coffee I have seen plenty of cafes burn out from pursuing and building their businesses according to these distractions.
Today we are going to detail what these distractions are and what to replace them with and why it is so critical. We have the most resources of any time in the history of coffee but we also have a diminished capacity for discern between what is of value and what is not. It is my hope this episode can give you more clarity to sharpen your discernment.
We talk about:
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KEYS TO THE SHOP OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
How do you know if you are doing a good job? Who are you looking to serve and how do you measure success? For many of us the proof of our doing great work lies in the validation of our industry before it we are happy with the praise and fulfillment of those we serve through the shop. Truth is, great work, done in secret or anonymity, makes a big difference whether the industry recognizes it our not.
In today's episode we will be talking about how to shift the narrative in our minds aways from the outside sources that make us dependent and shallow and toward the discipline of doing great work over time.
We will discuss the benefits of consistent work and how we need to learn to derive our peace from what we have in front of us in order to truly make a difference and do so sustainably.
Listen to these related episodes!
KEYS TO THE SHOP OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Investment is what creates value. There are many other investments beyond the financial that customer must make in the coffee experience that make the act of going to get coffee worth it.
In today's Shift Break we will be talking about the necessary costs customers must bear and why they are not inconveniences we should be trying to get rid of, but crucial investments we should be honoring with what we deliver.
Here are some related episodes to explore:
SHIFT BREAK! Why The Best Hospitality Starts With The Transactional!
SHIFT BREAK! Every Customer is a Judge
SHIFT BREAK: Adjusting Our View of Labor Cost
SHIFT BREAK! Should You Up-Charge for Alternative Milks?
531: Why the Rise Convenience Coffee is a Good Opportunity for Coffee Shops
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If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
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I have talked to many clients as well as Key Holder Coaching Group members who employ seasonal staff. There is a big challenge when looking to hire, train, and manage them since the term of their employment is short and they are either new, or they have had 6 months or more off from the cafe.
In today's Shift Break we will be talking about some strategies to use when hiring, training, and managing seasonal staff that takes away the liabilities you might worry about and creates more a better likelihood of uncompromising standards and a great experience for the staff as well!
HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
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The landscape of retail is cluttered with messages, distractions, gimmicks, and desperate bids for scraps of customers attention. After a while, it all starts to look, sound, and feel the same. How do you stand out for the right reasons and engage with your customers and future customers in ways that provide something sustainable and unique?
In today's episode we will be discussing some great ways that you can be engaged with your customers, and the community around you so you solidify your relationship and reputation with your existing customers, and are better positioned to gain new ones as you go!
Listen to these related episodes!
KEYS TO THE SHOP OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
It's Founder Friday! Today we are chatting with the professional Rugby player turned specialty cafe owner, Jake Heenan of Burra Bristol!
Jake has played professional rugby for over 13 years and started Burra, an antipodean café in Bristol, while still playing full-time. It’s grown to three sites and won multiple awards - shaped by the same principles of culture, teamwork, and performance that he has lived in sport.
The kitchen, known for it's amazing brunch, is headed by Michelin starred chef Toru Yanada and the cafe has focused its energy on high standards of hospitality, community, and quality.
Today we talk with Jake about his career in rugby, the founding of Burra, and the leadership and performance lessons that have come from sports to help build Burra Bristol into the exceptional hospitality experience it is today.
Links:
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INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING?
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
If you are a manager or leader on shift, or the owner of the cafe, how you spend your time really matters. You have been given authority as a tool to help those you serve and they are counting on you to be organized and purposeful in the use of your time, energy, and focus.
Today on Shift Break we are going to be covering some advice for how you can better organize your time so you go from being reactive to proactive and can offer confidence and clarity to your staff and team as a result of having it yourself!
Related Episodes:
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If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
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In this ever cluttered world of tips, tricks, methods, eqipment, and tools it can be hard to know what to employ in the cafe to really make a difference. I am of the opiniion that the best tools are not necessarily physical, but are frameworks and ideas that help guide our presence, work, and relationships in the work.
In today's episode we are going to be diving into what I believe are some of the most important tools a coffee shop can and should have in order to really see the cafe sing!
Listen to these related episodes!
KEYS TO THE SHOP OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
"If you're not growing, your dying", phrases like this tend to drive us pursue a path of growth that often prevents us from slowing down or finding margin in which we can see that something, or even we ourselves, need to stop.
Today on Shift Break we are going to be talking about how to see entrepreneurship as not just a one time thing, but as a cyclical practice that helps you enter into needed change to either maintain, add, or take away.
Related Episodes:
HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
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Have you ever walked into a shop and noticed right away, this place is different. The hospitality, the quality, the feel, the energy, and the comfort and confidence you and the staff feel together is a synergy born from purposeful work behind the scenes. It is a work not just to assemble people and equipment under one roof and call it done, but work to tend to the things that animate, sustain, and breathe life into it.
In today's episode we are going to be exploring some of the ways you can bring your coffee shop to life in a way that is truly a singular thing. Not born from R+D around trends, financial management, or logistical prowess, (although you do need those) but from an embrace and pursuit of the relationships between people, their work, and the place the work is done that creates remarkable moments and experiences for all.
Listen to these related episodes!
KEYS TO THE SHOP OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Signature beverages and seasonal drinks are a huge part of what rounds out the cafe menu and, if done well, can make you stand out for all the right reason.
Of course, it stands to reason, that if they are done not so well, you stand out for the wrong reasons. How can you go beyond TikTok trends and the latest viral sensations and create something that is both good for your culture and good for business?
Today on Shift Break we are talking about how you can approach creative drink making in a way that is fun, sustainable, and meaningful. Your customers want excellence and excellence is born from intentionality. Let's make some great drinks!
Related episodes:
HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
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Coffee. We love it so much! However, in spite of our love for coffee, we have all been burned by taking in just a little too much caffeine as we sip, cup, and enjoy. As technology and methods around decaf coffee have improved and evolved, so too has the demand for having more control over the stimulating effects of the beverage.
This is where Caffeine Control Coffee comes in to educate us on caffeine and provide options for people who want to love coffee but stave off the less desirable impacts of it.
Beginning in 2003 as a barista in college, Pete Licata fell in love with both coffee and the industry behind it. As he worked in various cafes he took on leadership positions as well as roasting he also became deeply involved in competitions leading to his 2x US Championship titles and finally winning WBC in 2013.
Pete is a longtime coach and mentor for world class baristas and founder of Licata Coffee Consulting. In 2019 he took on R+D and eventually the role of Head of Coffee work in Australia for Nomad Coffee Group
In 2025 Pete, along with his wife Maria, opened Caffeine Control Coffee. A business focused on bringing clarity on caffeine in coffee with a focus on wellness to the masses with products designed to control how much and when their customers drink caffeine.
We discuss:
Links:
https://caffeinecontrol.coffee/
Related episodes:
KEYS TO THE SHOP OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
In the busy cafe we tend to want to power through the work and in the process we rush the customer. The average cafe guest can feel as though they are simply being handled or herded instead of welcomed and served.
Today on Shift Break we are talking about how and why we need to fight against the urge to rush the customer and what it looks like to help them truly connect with and experience our unique offerings and hospitality.
Related episodes:
HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
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Everybody leaves. That is the constant of working in coffee shops. How they leave and how you respond to their absence for their good, the team that remains and for your business is a question of how much intentionality you bring to the inevitable departure of staff.
Today we are going to explain how we can view turn-over and use it to better our leadership, to streamline and make more effective operations, and to improve our hiring practices in the future.
INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING?
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
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Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
It's Founder Friday! And this one is quite special. Nori and Tin Burmudez founded Corridor Flow in the Fall of 2019 with community and relationship as their central mission. I was lucky enough to work with them in their beginning stages and for the last almost six years, their commitment to their vision have shown itself in their deeply rooted and instantly resonant presence in their Lomita community.
Nori comes from the world of healthcare and nursing, and Tin from the world of engineering and construction. Mix this together with their heart for service and passion for coffee as a vehicle to inspire gathering, and you have all the right components to build what is the perfect combination of function and hospitality in Corridor Flow.
Today we explore their 6 year journey cultivating their business and growing themselves in the process. Using coffee, radical hospitality, and a steady focus on serving people, Corridor Flow has embodied so many of the things that make a coffee shop more than just a sum of its parts. Something that opens doors for many possibilities through he flow of people and coffee.
Please enjoy this wonderful Founder Friday episode!
Links:
Related episodes:
INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING?
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Great things happen when we plug into community and open ourselves up to the learning process. This is especially true when you begin your own business and apply those things you have learned from your experiences. It opens up entirely new levels.
Today on this 36th episode of Rate of Rise, brought to you by our friends at Mill City Roasters, we are talking with Alex Jacob of Vital Coffee Roasters.
Alex Jacob is the founder of Vital Coffee Roasters, Head Roaster for Ascension Coffee Roasters, and a 2025 Fellow with The Chain Collaborative. He holds two master's degrees in Public Health and Public Administration and is a licensed Q Grader. His passion for coffee began as a hobby and developed into positions as a barista and roasting assistant during graduate school. It was a desire to combine his passions of community impact and coffee that eventually led him to change careers, leaving the world of healthcare. Alex's aspirations had him seeking ways to better understand the coffee supply chain and how to use coffee as a method of impact. This path of continuous learning and community-focused development is what fuels his work today.
We learn:
Links:
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Training employees remains one of the central tasks of cafe ownership and management. Rather than training from a central standard and source that has been thoughtfully crafted to onboard and develop the skills of the barista to meet specific standards, there is a temptation to want to lean on training by osmosis or by committee where the new hire is simply assigned a shift schedule and told they will learn from the other experienced employees. What you end up with is a lot of mixed messages, confusion, disengagement and inconsistencies.
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why training by committee, or by simply having the existing staff "show them the ropes" is a bad idea and what we should be doing instead.
Related episodes:
HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
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https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
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If you are like a lot of owners or managers you might find the idea of reminding and repeating yourself to be at the top of the "most annoying things I should not have to do" list. To a degree you are right. But only partly. It really depends on how those tools are used and how you approach your own role in the cafe
Today we are going to explore how the tools of repetition and reminders are actually forms of guidance that, in their right place, can bring about the kind of change and excellence you want to see in the coffee shop.
In fact, it seems that the key to leadership in the cafe starts with reminding and repeating to ourselves the truth that we are using our position to serve and facilitate. These elements are critical a solid coffee business.
Related Episodes:
INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING?
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
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We talk about how we want to provide an experience for the guest, to connect with them, to make a positive impact. The way to get there though is through embracing what may seem like the opposite of what we want, the transactional. Gasp!
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why the transaction between you and the customer, the ordinary exchange of money for goods, is the gateway and foundation to building a truly remarkable business and hospitality experience!
Related episodes:
In Praise of the "Transactional"
518: How to Run a Coffee Shop w/ Meaningful Hospitality
505: Maintaining Excellence in the Everyday Work of Coffee Shops w/ Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood
SHIFT BREAK: Back to the Basics
SHIFT BREAK: Is Your Love for Coffee Sabotaging Your Success?
HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!
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On average, when I look into a cafe's operational materials and systems, one of the main things that is either not developed well, developed but not updated, or just not there at all, are job descriptions.
For many coffee businesses, there is a default to describing their growth and thus operation as "organic" and as a result, while some progress is made, they can tend to find themselves hitting a wall where everyone feels a constant sense of uncertainty that impact the business.
Today we will be talking about the good and the bad ways we create and utilize job descriptions in the cafe and how you can approach the use of them to serve your staff and customers well.
As always, I hope you gain one or a few insight from this episodes that you put into practice to make a positive difference in the shop!
Related Episodes:
INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING?
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
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Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Who we are when nobody s looking is really who we are. There are variations of this phrase and for most it is convicting and motivates us to increase the integrity of how we move in life and work. In the cafe, we talk a lot about hospitality regarding guests and more recently we have talked about hospitality for the staff. But what about the people that support and are vested in your businesses through services and products?
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the importance of extending our hospitality to vendors like delivery drivers, bakeries, service companies, and others. Whether in-person or over the phone, how we treat people matters and either builds relationships or erodes them.
As goes the relationships, so goes the business.
Related episodes:
Service, Spite, and Compromise
133 : 5 Keys to Successful Wholesale w/ Sarah Richmond
Are We Giving our Best to the Least?
HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Thank you to out sponsors!
Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/
The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com
INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING?
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Being a manager in a coffee shop is not just about extra administrative tasks, its about leading and guiding people well through the work of the cafe. Many managers in bars around the world are kept buried in tasks and don't have a clear view of the landscape in front of them. This leads to avoiding essential conversations and a lack of growth in both the manager and the staff.
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about a great tool developed by Bruce Tulgan in his book "It's OK to be the Boss" called "The Manager's Landscape". I will go through the framework and show how you can utilize it to know how to effectively lead and manage the people you have best tasked with serving.
It only takes a moment to get this started so I would encourage you to take action after this episode and start applying these principles today!
Related episodes:
KEYS TO THE SHOP®
CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Thank you to out sponsors!
Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/
The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com
Coffee shops are dynamic places that require a ton of focus on what seems like an endless sea of urgent things. Some are actually more important than others and learning what they are and training yourself and your staff to focus on and cultivate them from the start can help set the next years of your businesses life up for healthy operation and growth.
Today we are going to explore what areas you need to be focused on int he first year in order to make best use of your time. Areas that, if given serious investment, will make everything else work together.
This is not just for new businesses though. If you have been open a while and want to recalibrate, simplify, focus, and refine, this one is for you too.
Related Episodes:
INTERESTED IN 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING?
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Once we get a little bit of authority as a trainer, manager, or leader in the coffee shop we tend to dream about and focus on all the things we want to change. Unfortunately the projects that we know will improve things often do not get the reception we want from the boss and we feel dejected and frustrated.
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the need to have patience and to prioritize the right work and projects in order to gain trust so the good things you want to do in the future are better received.
Related episodes:
SHIFT BREAK: Setting Staff Up For Success
SHIFT BREAK: Making Minimum Viable Changes
SHIFT BREAK: Managers, You Don't Need To Do It All
Flexibility for Owners and Managers
HIRE KTTS CONSULTING AND COACHING!
If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email
of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Thank you to out sponsors!
Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/
The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com