We have to overcome many challenges in the day-to-day operations of the coffee shop. Some of these challenges are inevitable, and our ability to grow from our experiences with them is a mark of maturity that we can celebrate, but many challenges are unnecessary, and in celebrating our abilities to overcome them we unintentionally might be normalizing the dysfunction.
On today's addition of shift break, we are going to be talking about why we should avoid celebrating wins that happened as a result of operational dysfunction or from toxic expectations and how to give our best energy to celebrating the functional and quickly addressing the dysfunctional.
Related episodes:
- Stop Glorifying Chaos
- Introducing Chaos
- SHIFT BREAK: Respecting Your Barista's Professional Boundaries
- SHIFT BREAK: Don't Manage by Crisis
- SHIFT BREAK: You Don't Want Loyalty
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
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 chris@keystothshop.com 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
Much of what gets written regarding the reasons behind declining standards in the coffee shop focuses on the leadership and what they can do to facilitate success. Here at KTTS there are dozens of interviews and solo episodes dedicated to this very thing. But what does not get so much air time is the reality that if we are to see a rise in standards of leadership, we must also call for a rise in personal professional work standards from staff.
Culpability for the miserable state of coffee service goes both ways and often it is the leaders avoidance of dealing with toxic employees that keeps them employed thus allowing their negative influence to sabotage the success of the business, the team, and, in fact, the whole industry whose reputation is built from the interactions consumers have with "professionals".
Today on this solo episode we will be exploring the reasons why so many owners refuse to deal with toxic employees in the cafe in favor of a misguided notion of giving perpetual grace that is more enablement than kind gesture. We will also talk about what is needed if we are to make progress in the business of coffee shops. High standards are not just for owners and managers, they are for all and it is time we started creating environments that reward and recognize great work, while also not tolerating corrosive behavior and attitudes, be ti from leaders or employees.
Related episodes:
- 331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career
- 031 : Essential Advice for New Baristas : Tips to help you successfully navigate and thrive in your new coffee career
- 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017
- 109 : Leadership Abandonment Syndrome : Lack of development in senior staff and what to do about it
- 472: Why Technical Skill as a Leader is Not Enough w/ Jonathan Raymond, Refound, Author: Good Authority
- 483: Encore: 6 Essential Qualities of Coffee Shop Leaders
- 368 : Walking the Line Between Leadership and Friendship
- Things the Owner Can't do for You
- SHIFT BREAK : Candid Advice for Baristas, Managers, and Owners
- SHIFT BREAK: How to Take Criticism as a Barista
- SHIFT BREAK: Evil Owners and Lazy Baristas
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
The things we learn in community with others can have a profound impact on both us and our businesses. Certainly learning by yourself is a good thing, but there's just something about having a group of people who have your back and have been where you are and are your peers that creates a different dynamic where you can have accountability encouragement insights and be challenged on your assumptions all in the same conversation.
In short, it's transformational.
Today in this brief recording I want to talk to you a little bit about the behind the Key Holder Coaching Groups that we launched last year how they work, and why joining us in these conversations in community might be the best thing for you as an owner to help you grow and gain clarity in the midst of an often chaotic and isolated existence.
There is only one week left as of today's recording date of September 9, 2024 to sign up for the fall groups!
You can find the link below that will take you to an application to fill out. From there we can have a conversation and you may just find yourself joining us in these dynamic conversations in the next six months.
Click below to learn more or just reach out to chris@keystotheshop.com
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
Marketing is designed to get you to buy. It is something we all do in our businesses. In fact, to not market is to do the customer a disservice in that they will not be aware of the possibilities your product may have for their business. That said, sometimes marketing goes too far and without a well exercised discernment muscle we can fall prey to claims that do not, or can not, come to fruition.
Today on Shift break we will be breaking down the landscape of marketing promises and why it is critical for you to take it all with a gain of salt in order to make the right decision for your cafe and your people.
Related episodes:
- 321 : Marketing and Moral Injury w/ Josh Tarlo of Kiss the Hippo
- 215 : Communication and Marketing Master Class w/ Spencer M. Ross, PH.D.
- 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak
- 485: Your Shop vs The Industry - How to Free Yourself From Dependency
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
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 chris@keystothshop.com 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
To me, there is something special about the closing shift. Yes there is a lot of work, but there is an honor in tending to the place that just that day made such impact on so many. For most though (including me) the closing shift is at first just hard work that feels far from the world of coffee that drew us to work in the shop or open the shop in the first place. But in this mundanity is an opportunity.
Today we are going to be sharing a classic episode where we talk about how to not only love the closing shift but how to shift the way you think about the difficult, thankless, and common work that undergirds the whole of the cafe.
Related episodes:
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
There are many great coffee shops and roasters in this world. What makes a great cafe in my mind is intentionality, a focus on kindness, consistency, hospitality, and quality as a pursuit in service of those things. Living in Louisville, KY I am fortunate to be only 2 hours away from one of my favorite places that I feel has consistently exemplified those virtues.
Crema Coffee Roasters!
Today on Founder Friday we get the pleasure of talking with the co-founder of Crema Coffee Roasters, Rachel Lehman.
In 2008, Rachel Lehman, a coffee professional with over a decade of experience in barista and management work, along with her husband Ben, founded Crema Coffee. The beginnings of Crema was born from their shared midwestern work ethic and determination to carve out and cultivate something that would endure and have a lasting positive impact.
From their first small cafe - to taking on roast - to now having 3 cafes, a thriving wholesale program, and many national and local awards to their name, the dream has been to create a business that provided hospitality and great coffee for their community and learning opportunities for baristas and staff.
Crema has grown to not only fulfill those dreams multiple times over, but has also made a large impact on the greater industry with the example it sets as a zero-waste cafe and a roastery that exemplifies intentionality and consistent holistic focus on relationships.
In this conversation we explore the early years and the start of Crema and learn about how this business has scaled and grown with integrity, consistency, and hospitality as the foundation
We cover
- Starting and Growing a Coffee Business
- How coffee and music share similarities in terms of practice and discipline.
- Why defining a clear mission and values is crucial for a successful coffee business.
- Aligning company culture with the customer experience is essential.
- How building a strong team of leaders and coaching them is key to success.
- Alignment as a crucial component for effective cross-departmental leadership.
- Finding the right balance between bringing in outside talent and maintaining company culture is a challenge.
- Cleaning and Hospitality in the Coffee Industry
- Understanding Every Position in the Company
- Delegating Tasks and Hiring Managers
- Scaling the Company and Giving Opportunities
- Staying True to Company Identity Amidst Competition
- The Key to Crema's Success: Consistency and Reliability
Related Episodes:
- 380 : Founder Friday! w/ Cary and Cindy Arsaga of Arsaga’s Coffee Roasters
- 273 : Founder Friday w/ Anne Lunnel and Charles Nystrand of Koppi Coffee Roasters, Helsingborg, Sweden
- 177 : Founder Friday w/ Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer in Atlanta, Georgia
- 188 : Founder Friday w/ Jon Allen of Onyx Coffee Lab
- 156 : Founder Friday w/ Lauren Crabbe, Co-Founder of Andytown Coffee Roasters, San Fransisco
- 145: Founder Friday w/ Red Rooster Coffee Roasters co-founder, Haden Polseno-Hensley
Insights, perspective, accountability, and growth are just a few of the benefits that have changed lives through consulting, workshops, and trainings. For the last few years I have wanted to bring to more people, that same kind of transformational experience in a small group setting and now we are now ready to begin! I have personally been in a group for podcasters for the last 6 years and have also hired coaches, consultant, and been a part of an online community. It has all been indescribably transformational.
- Key Holder Coaching Groups will be hosted by Chris and consist of a curated group of 5 coffee shop owners.
- We will meet together 2x per month for 2 hours over a 6 month period.
- This structured group will allow each member to have multiple hot seat opportunities to present specific issues to the group and gain insight, feedback and direction to help them develop themselves, their people, and their business.
- In addition we will be consistently updated on each others progress and have opportunity to speak into each others lives.
- Key Holder Coaching members will have access to each other via the Circle.so community app
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
Designing your coffee shop can be one of the most exciting parts of the opening or scaling process. Exciting, that is, until we come up against resistance to our great ideas in the form of space limitations, quirks, historic preservations, zoning, etc.
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about how we can embrace the limitations and constraints of our spaces in a way that moves us from frustration to actually being energized and confident in our unique cafe.
You should listen to these episodes next:
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
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 chris@keystothshop.com 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
What is the "Best" coffee shop? As long as coffee and coffee shops have been around, us humans have been rather preoccupied with what the best coffee of coffee shop is. We have our own personal scale of judgment, then there are local popularity contests put on by city papers. Most famously over the past decade or two we have developed barista, brewing, coffee shop, and cupping competitions to determine quality. All of this is to my mind, not just to try to figure out "the best", but to extol virtues we desire to see continued in that category assuming that if they do then it will be a net gain for everyone seeking consistent enjoyment.
Today on the show we get to talk about nature of this construct, why it is a bad thing to base your business on, how we can put the idea of being "the best" into its proper place in our minds so it does not become a distraction from the ways we can truly find fulfillment and meaningfulness in our work serving coffee.
Related episodes:
- 454: Creating a Vibrant Coffee Bar w/ Charles Babinski of Cafe 143 in Sydney, AUS
- 433: Winning Staff and Customer Loyalty
- 390 : 7 Ways to be Consciously Competitive
- 485: Your Shop vs The Industry - How to Free Yourself From Dependency
- SHIFT BREAK: Minding Our Business
- 447: Understanding the Business of Coffee w/ Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
Getting into coffee and then pursuing it as a career takes your through a few different phases of maturation. One of the first phases is where you focus only on one very specific thing to the detriment of many others. For me, the world could be on fire, but as long as I was behind the espresso machine and dialed in, all was good. Or so I thought.
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about why it is necessary for coffee professionals in the cafe to focus on the whole cafe and the experience guests have in it, not just one small part of that big picture.
Recommended episodes:
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
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 chris@keystothshop.com 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
When you start a business, pretty much all your attention goes to getting it up and running and then to keeping it going and growing it over the hopefully many years of its life. What we often do not plan on or put energy into how we will exit the business. Whether it is passing it on to or selling it outright, many are ill prepared to make this transition and when they do want to sell or exit, are left with very few options and a business that is not sellable.
Today we are going to be covering the ins and outs, of what it takes to prepare yourself and your business for this future transition. I am so pleasded to welcome to the show, Aaron Friedman of Guideposts.io.
Aaron Friedman is a seasoned business leader with over two decades of experience spanning information technology, startups, venture capital, and acquisitions. Hailing from El Paso, TX, Aaron's passion for innovation was cultivated early on in his grandfather's machine shop working on racing engines.
With a history of founding and selling companies across the globe, Aaron now specializes in acquiring and transforming companies.
Beyond his professional pursuits, Aaron dedicates his free time to mentoring local entrepreneurs with Score.org, restoring classic cars, and indulging in his fascination for sailing. He has a proven track record of driving operational excellence and navigating complex business landscapes and is counted on as a trusted partner for navigating business exists.
We cover
- The Silver Tsunami and the Impact on Business Exits
- The Importance of Profitability and Building a Strong Foundation
- Delegate or Die: The Need for Delegation and Focus on Growth
- Defining Forward: Risks, Vulnerabilities, and Documentation
- The Value of a Turnkey Operation
- Consistency and Branding: Keys to Business Value
- Documenting Recipes and Processes for Consistency and Risk Mitigation
- Delegating and Empowering Key Employees for Growth and Exit
- Planning for the Future: What Do You Want Your Business to Look Like After You Exit?
- Effective Communication and Setting Expectations in Delegation
- Regularly Creating an Exit Plan: A Practice for Business Owners
LINKS:
Related Episodes:
- 223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll
- 489: Tips for Creating a Resilient Cafe
- 486: Why You should Fire Your Landlord and Consider Owning Your Building w/ Paul Neal
- 414: Secret Ingredients for a Successful Coffee Shop
- 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop
- 453 : The Craft of Operations
- 374: Opening a Coffee Shop: Fantasy vs Reality (w/ bonus commentary)”
Insights, perspective, accountability, and growth are just a few of the benefits that have changed lives through consulting, workshops, and trainings. For the last few years I have wanted to bring to more people, that same kind of transformational experience in a small group setting and now we are now ready to begin! I have personally been in a group for podcasters for the last 6 years and have also hired coaches, consultant, and been a part of an online community. It has all been indescribably transformational.
- Key Holder Coaching Groups will be hosted by Chris and consist of a curated group of 5 coffee shop owners.
- We will meet together 2x per month for 2 hours over a 6 month period.
- This structured group will allow each member to have multiple hot seat opportunities to present specific issues to the group and gain insight, feedback and direction to help them develop themselves, their people, and their business.
- In addition we will be consistently updated on each others progress and have opportunity to speak into each others lives.
- Key Holder Coaching members will have access to each other via the Circle.so community app
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
When we talk about our employees it is common to talk about "setting up staff for success", but what does that really look like. Talking about it can sometimes wrongly convince us that we are actually doing it.
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about what it looks like to set your staff up for success in very practical terms that, if applied, will transform the relationship to one of trust based on evidence in action, not just talk.
Recommended episodes:
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
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 chris@keystothshop.com 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
Welcome to our special episode from Coffee Fest live on the show floor interviews from New Orleans, 2024!
To start us off we will be talking with Turgay Yildizli of Specialty Turkish Coffee, followed by Doron Petersan of Sticky Fingers Sweets and eats, then a great conversation with Jonathan Riethmaier of Mammoth Coffee in New Orleans.
Turgay Yildizli
Istanbul native Turgay Yildizli, who now lives in New Orleans, is the founder of Specialty Turkish Coffee, a company established in 2014 that offers everything one needs to make specialty Turkish coffee, from equipment to tutorials. He works as a consultant around the globe, helping coffee companies to develop their Turkish coffee programs. Specialty Turkish Coffee also offers certification workshops in Turkish coffee brewing. Turgay has made it his mission to improve the standards of Turkish Coffee and raise it up to the place it deserves in the specialty coffee community. He’s a certified Q Grader and roaster. He was the 2013 World Cezve/Ibrik (Turkish Coffee) Champion, he has also represented Turkey in the Brewers Cup and Coffee in Good Spirits Championship.
https://www.specialtyturkishcoffee.com/
Doron Petersan
Doron Petersan is the owner and founder of Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats in Washington, DC. As a New Yorker-turned-vegan transplant and craving traditional guilt-laden foods, Doron Petersan was determined to unlock the secrets of creating their plant-based counterparts—that didn’t’ taste like it. Armed with a Bachelors degree in Dietetics from the University of Maryland, she embraced her food-science knowledge and love for all things delicious. The Sticky Fingers brand represents the mission to create a plant-based space in the food industry for everyone to enjoy via direct outreach, direct to consumer, cpg and retail
locations.
Sticky Fingers has been making waves and serving up treats to fans far and wide, including celebrities like Miley Cyrus, Bethenny Frankel, and Ellen DeGeneres. Accolades for the bakery include ‘Food Network’s Cupcake Wars and battled to claim the competition’s grand prize, twice.
Doron has been featured on The Cooking Channel’s Not My Mama’s Meals with Bobby Deen as well as NBC’s The Today Show with Kathy Lee and Hoda. She has contributed articles and recipes to Vegetarian Times and Reader’s Digest. The bakery’s recipe book, Sticky Fingers’ Sweets, was released on February 16, 2012, by Avery of Penguin Group USA.
https://stickyfingersbakery.com/
Jonathan Riethmaier
Jonathan’s journey into specialty coffee has spanned nearly two decades and included roles as barista, trainer, marketer and roaster. In 2016, Jonathan and his wife, Darlene, co-founded Mammoth Espresso, a specialty coffee retail shop in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2021, Jonathan established Mammoth Coffee Company, a roasting and wholesale business. Jonathan heads up the roasting, production and sourcing departments of Mammoth, in addition to the day-to-day responsibilities of running a cafe and wholesale business.
https://mammothcoffee.co/
Related episodes:
- 219 : Building a Winning Food Program w/ Marilei Denila, Culinary R&D Manager, Go Get em Tiger
- 274 : Crafting Specialty Drinks in your Shop w/ Matt Foster”
- 129 : Founder Friday w/ Casey & Jeremy Miller of The Mudhouse, St. Louis, MO
- SPECIAL: Coffee Fest Live! Chicago 2022 Part 1 w/ Luke Waite, Kris Christian, and Perfect Cube
- SPECIAL! Part 2 | Coffee Fest Anaheim 2023 w/ Steve Chang of Copa Vida Cafe and Jon Ferguson of Coffee Tech Central
Sponsor:
A shop is maintained by the attention and repeated actions we put into it. We need to make sure our systems and tools are crafted well in order to make sure these intentional actions and our best attention is circulated through the whole of the organization.
Today we will be talking about 7 things that I believe should be standard in the work we do throughout the day. When we apply these tools and practices we will see a bug change in the way both our staff and guests experience the coffee shop.
Related Episodes:
- 007 : The 4 Keys to an Effective Checklist
- 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop
- 399: Encore Episode! How to Change Things in the Cafe
- 468: How to Be a Shift Lead
- Pre-Closing Madness
- Work Alchemy
- 098 : Loving the Closing Shift : Problems, solutions, and philosophy on work
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
Growing the business is probably the number one concern in the cafe industry. In general we tend to look at growth as either scaling the size of the business physically, or the revenue and profitability. What if I told you there was another way you can look at growth?
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about ways to look at growth that don't rely only on the usual defaults of revenue and scale, but give you another option to be established and fulfilled as an owner.
Recommended episodes:
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
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 chris@keystothshop.com 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
Ever since 2020, we as a coffee industry have been looking for ways to create more resiliency in our businesses. The cafe in particular is vulnerable to a lack of resiliency. Not only is the coffee shop a relatively low margin and high effort entity with an ROI that can take years, it also relies on the public consistently investing in its products and services. In times of economic trouble, coffee can be one of the first things cut. To hedge our bets and prepare for these times, we must build resiliency before it is needed.
Today we are going to be talking about how you can go about creating this resiliency in several different facets of your cafe business. In the end, practicing these things will not only build strength and readiness for uncertainty, but will build trust in your brand that can even out the peaks and valleys of those inevitable times.
We cover
- Mindset and Leadership
- Prioritizing Self-Care
- Agility and Diverse Income Streams
- Lean Operations and Efficient Tracking
- Connecting with Consumers
- Providing a Great Experience
- Effective Systems
- Staff Communication
Related Episodes:
- 223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll
- 276 : Six Ideas for Increasing your Revenue
- SHIFT BREAK: Making Minimum Viable Changes
- Focus on These Areas in the New Year
- 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
- Leaner Teams, Better Results
Key Holder Coaching Group Applications are Open!
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
Coffee is from Africa, yet the way we think of and enjoy coffee today is largely separated from the roots that produced that original fruit. The disparity we see in the value stream today, where those growing coffee do not receive the fruit of their labor, is the consequence.
Today we get to talk with someone who has been laboring hard to honor coffee's root in an effort to create a better future for both those who grow coffee as well as for under served communities whose own cultures are tied closely to coffee's history.
Bartholomew Jones is an emcee, cxffee nerd, and multi-hyphenate creative.
Alongside his wife, Renata Henderson, he is the co-founder of Cxffeeblack and co-owner of the Anti-Gentrification Cxffee Club, a coffee educational center and cultural hub located in Memphis, TN.
Founded in 2018, Cxffeeblack is a community-oriented, multi-disciplinary, education-based coffee company that became a trailblazer in the coffee industry by creating an entirely all Black coffee supply chain from Ethiopia to Memphis, TN, the first of its kind.
Cxffeeblack is on a mission to return coffee to its African roots and in the process create an equitable Black future. Bart is a Sprudge 20 honoree, an annual list of the Top 20 coffee influencers cultivated by Sprudge Media Network, a renowned international authority on coffee and its culture; Cxffeeblack was one of the Coffee Coalition for Racial Equity’s 2024 Innovator of the Year awardees.
We discuss:
- Creating a Space for Authentic Creativity
- Honoring the Roots and History of Coffee
- The Impact of Colonialism
- Collaboration and Co-Creation in Coffee Culture
- The Evolution of Coffee Black
- Empowering Individuals to Find Themselves in Coffee
- Diverse expressions of Coffee
- Creating a Community Space: The Anti-Gentrification Coffee Club
- The Coffee Black Flagship: A Dining Room and Co-Generative Dialogue
- Inspiring Coffee Shops that Honor Roots and Engage with Communities
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/cxffeeblack/
Related episodes:
- 116 : Understanding Gentrification w/ Dr. Stacey Sutton
- 352: Music, Culture, and Coffee w/ Hip Hop Artist, Propaganda
- 338: A Conversation w/ Martell Mason of The Sepia Coffee Project, Detroit, Michigan
- 279 : Founder Friday! w/ Daniel Brown and Nephthaly Leonidas of Gilly Brew Bar
- 230 : Making room for Community in your Shop
- 139 : Founder Friday w/ Kusanya Cafe co-founder, Phil Sipka
- 315 : Growing and Connecting w/ Stephen Zinnerman of The Coffee Enthusiast!
Learn more and put in your application for the next
Key Holder Coaching Group!
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
It is assumed that we should constantly be growing our businesses and looking to expand, scale, and add-to what we have now. Trouble is that, in today's abundantly resourced and optimized environment, we may actually be able to do so at rates that out pace our ability to become the kind of people we need to be to properly handle that growth.
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about why your own development as a person is key to successful growth as a business and why hardship and constraints are often not just signs of a problem, but rather an opportunity to shape you and prepare you for success.
Recommended episodes:
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Listen to related episodes:
- 159 : Addressing Unconscious Bias w/ Lauren Lathrop of Mill City Roasters
- 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
- 278 : Making great Hiring Decisions
- Don't Hire on a Trial Basis
- You Can't Automate Quality
Emotions, Self-Sabotage, and Telling Ourselves the Truth
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
Every day in the cafe we are called on to communicate "in the moment". Whether we are baristas, trainers, managers, or owners ; how effective we are in those moments determines the culture and effectiveness of our business. Wouldn't it be great if there were tools and methods formed specifically to help you not freak out under the pressure of impromptu speaking but to be clear and confident instead?
Well you're in luck because today we get to talk with the author of the book Think Faster, Talk Smarter, Matt Abrahams!
Matt Abrahams is a passionate, collaborative and innovative educator, author, podcast host, and coach. He is the Larsen Lam Family Lecturer in Organizational Behavior at Stanford University’s Graduate School of Business where he teaches two very popular classes in Strategic Communication and Effective Virtual Presenting. He received Stanford GSB’s Alumni Teaching Award in recognition of his valued service to teaching Stanford Alumni around the world.
In addition to his teaching, Matt is much sought-after keynote speaker and communication consultant for Fortune 100 companies. His online talks garner millions of views and he hosts the popular, award winning GSB podcast called Think Fast Talk Smart.
Matt is also the author of the book that is the subject of today's conversation, "Think Faster, Talk Smarter" which equips the reader with tools and strategies to be confident, articulate, and effective when called upon to speak "in the moment"
We cover
- The Importance of Impromptu Communication
- Reducing the Pressure of Spontaneous Communication
- The Role of Listening in Effective Communication
- Crafting Clear and Concise Messages
- The Role of Values and Reputation in Communication
- Improving Communication Skills through Reflection, Repetition, and Feedback
LINKS:
https://mattabrahams.com/Related Episodes:
- Blog: Good Communication is “For Here”
- 443: Want Impactful Messaging? Keep it Simple! w/ Author Ben Guttmann
- 165 : The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli
- 415: The Best Lessons On How to Listen w/ Listening Expert, Oscar Trimboli
- 379 : Encore Episode! How to Deliver Difficult Feedback w/ Tom Henschel : Plus Bonus Content
- 334 : How to Approach Deescalation w/ Melissa Tucker of Mind Over Matters and Pathways to Peace
- 331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
Seeing results form your efforts is what motivates most all of us. In the coffee shop you are engaged with a dynamic intersesion of moving and living communities that take your efforts and reward you with sometimes obvious and sometimes not-so-obvious feedback. It's when we don't see the results happening the way we imagined that we can be tempted to simply abandon the effort and sometimes the business altogether.
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about why you should not give up and how to be patient in the process of pursuing worthy goals in the face of frustrating but perhaps emerging results.
Recommended episodes:
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Listen to related episodes:
- 159 : Addressing Unconscious Bias w/ Lauren Lathrop of Mill City Roasters
- 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
- 278 : Making great Hiring Decisions
- Don't Hire on a Trial Basis
- You Can't Automate Quality
Emotions, Self-Sabotage, and Telling Ourselves the Truth
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
One of the most heartbreaking things I see is when an established cafe is forced to upend everything due to changes to the cost or use of a space that they do not own. All the dreams, emotions, investment in the space itself, and developing a customer bases habits around that location are all up in the air. While renting may always be a great first step for most owners with limited resource, it may also not be the wisest long term play as you grow. If you are looking for an alternative to that volatility, you may want to consider ownership
Joining me to unpack this topic is Paul Neal.
Paul Neal is the owner of Vantage Point Commercial Capital and a trailblazer in empowering business owners to create wealth, autonomy, and control by owning their commercial space. His new book, "Un-Lease Your Business: Unlock Wealth, Autonomy and Control By Buying Your Building and Firing Your Landlord," delves into this transformative approach to commercial property ownership.
Today on the podcast we are going to talk all about why you should consider owning your own space vs renting and what ownership can do for your businesses security, profitability and more!
We cover
- The Availability and Challenges of Commercial Real Estate Ownership
- Financial Factors and Timing for Purchasing a Building
- Managing Risk and Building Confidence in Ownership
- The Benefits of Owning the Building
- Creating a Unique Culture and Attracting Customers
- Building Equity and Generating Income
- The Process of Owning a Building
LINKS:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-neal-tea/
https://www.amazon.com/Lease-Your-Business-Autonomy-Building/dp/1955242747
Related Episodes:
- 223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll
- 388 : Insurance and Risk Mitigation w/ Brennan Pothetes of Butter Insurance
- 447: Understanding the Business of Coffee w/ Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood
- 374: Opening a Coffee Shop: Fantasy vs Reality (w/ bonus commentary)”
- 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
Managing in a cafe is one of the ultimate forms of leadership. Part of leading as a manager is planning for, responding to, or avoiding altogether, problems with people, operations, and quality. But instead of spending our best energies in prevention of problems, we tend to manage reactively when problems turn into a crisis. It's a vicious cycle.
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about why we need to flip our focus and pull ourselves away from the dependency the business has on us being crisis managers, and instead become people whose best energies are spent in preemptive leadership and at the very least in creating solutions to issues when they happen to prevent them from repeating.
Recommended episodes:
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Listen to related episodes:
- 159 : Addressing Unconscious Bias w/ Lauren Lathrop of Mill City Roasters
- 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
- 278 : Making great Hiring Decisions
- Don't Hire on a Trial Basis
- You Can't Automate Quality
Emotions, Self-Sabotage, and Telling Ourselves the Truth
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
The Industry. What does that even mean? Owners and professionals use this term as though it has specific power to give clarity or meaning to the work they do, when in fact it is merely the most readily observable manifestation of millions of individual decisions across the supply chain, all made worse when based on a fixation on that reflection.
For many operators there is an assumption that their cafe and the decisions they make need to be compared against the wider industry to find validation and success. Today we will be talking about how this dependency is a mistake and why freeing yourself and your business from this collective narcissism is critical to sustaining your business, doing more good, and serving your community.
We cover
- Why the Industry is You
- Questioning Industry Trends
- Separating Ethic from Business
- Understanding Customer Habits
- Rootedness and Prioritizing Your Shop
- Success Beyond Industry Validation
Related Episodes:
Peers
- 317 : Encore Episode: Death by Comparison
- 227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds
- 230 : Making room for Community in your Shop
- 181 : Organizational Self-Knowledge
- Your peers are not your Customers
- Who do we Serve?
Thank you to our amazing sponsors!
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
Hiring is probably the most important decision you make in your coffee shop. As important as it is to choose the right people, we often are at the mercy of bad habits or are missing key practices we need to make that decisions and end up making too many mistakes that drain you, the business, and the your team of energy.
On today's Shift Break we will be discussing three BIG hiring mistakes that I see countless cafes making and how you can take steps to avoid them.
This is not just about the well being of your team and business, but also the ones you hire who were not a good fit. When you hire them, it cuts off other possibilities for them in places where they might have been more suited and that can really mess up their career.
So when you listen, hear this as an episode intended to care for ALL the people involved.
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Listen to related episodes:
- 159 : Addressing Unconscious Bias w/ Lauren Lathrop of Mill City Roasters
- 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
- 278 : Making great Hiring Decisions
- Don't Hire on a Trial Basis
- You Can't Automate Quality
Emotions, Self-Sabotage, and Telling Ourselves the Truth
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
In the the coffee industry, we all need help and we can all give help. In order to truly advance our own careers and those of others we want find success we need plan for and practice mentorship. The trouble is that the need we have for help also creates a lot of insecurities and the idea of mentorship can sound rather unapproachable or inaccessible. The good news is that it does not have to be this away and our guest today will help us demystify mentorship and approach it in a fresh and accessible way.
Dr. Ruth Gotian is Chief Learning Officer and Associate Professor of Education in Anesthesiology and former Assistant Dean for Mentoring at Weill Cornell Medicine. She is a globally recognized expert in mentorship and leadership development.
Hailed by Nature, Wall Street Journal, and Columbia University as an expert in mentorship and leadership development, she was named a top 20 mentor worldwide. Thinkers50 ranked her as the #1 emerging management thinker in the world in 2021, and LinkedIn recognized her as a top voice in mentoring in 2023.
A semi-finalist for Forbes 50 Over 50, Dr. Gotian is a prolific contributor toHarvardBusiness Review, Forbes, andPsychology Today, where she shares insights on optimizing success with a focus on the mindset and skill set of peak performers, including Nobel Prize winners, astronauts, Olympic and NBA champions, she's also an award-winning author of The Success Factor and The Financial Times Guide to Mentoring.
Today we are going to dive deep into what mentorship is, why it is critical for advancing both individuals and industries as well as how to pursue mentorship for yourself and how to be a mentor ot others.
We cover:
- Continuous Learning and Surrounding Yourself with Mentors
- The Strength of Vulnerability in Success
- Finding and Building Relationships with Mentors
- Defining a Mentor and Their Role
- The Difference Between Mentoring and Coaching
- Preparing for Mentoring: Recognizing What You Need
- The Value of Formal Mentoring Programs
- The Importance of Effective Matching
- Building a Community of Practice
- Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Judging Success
Links:
Related Episodes:
- 003: The Role of Mentorship in Specialty Coffee w/ Pete Licata
- 472: Why Technical Skill as a Leader is Not Enough w/ Jonathan Raymond, Refound, Author: Good Authority
- 430 : Embracing “Unreasonable Hospitality” w/ Will Guidara | Thank You NYC + The Welcome Conference
- 127 : Passion and Curiosity: A conversation w/ Starbucks Global Sr. Project Manager, Major Cohen
- 130 : Anne Nylander | Training Principles for Specialty Coffee Professionals
- RoR #25 : Training Up the Next Generation of Roasters w/ Steve Lee of Pocket Knife Consulting + Linea Caffe
Thank you to our amazing sponsors!
Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com
Making decisions about who to hire or even who might need to be let go are some of the hardest but most important decisions to make in a coffee shop. So hard in fact that we can often fall into avoiding the decision by deferring to our existing staff for their opinion on who is or is not a good fit. While involving key staff in these decisions is generally good, putting too much emphasis or all the weight on them can end up in wrong choices for hiring or needlessly extending a staff member's employment solely based on the fact that people like them.
On today's Shift Break we will be discussing why we need to making these types of decisions based not so much on the expressed preferences of the current staff (or your own bias for that matter!) but on values alignment and professionally established standards for the business and that role.
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 chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
Listen to related episodes:
- 159 : Addressing Unconscious Bias w/ Lauren Lathrop of Mill City Roasters
- 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
- 278 : Making great Hiring Decisions
- Don't Hire on a Trial Basis
- You Can't Automate Quality
Emotions, Self-Sabotage, and Telling Ourselves the Truth
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