SHIFT BREAK #11 : When it comes to work that needs to get done in the shop the default for a manager can be to just do it ourselves. It's faster and at least we know the job will get done correctly. This, however, is a mistake and will ultimately lead to longterm negative consequences for both you and the employee to whom the task should have been delegated.
In today's Shift Break I talk about the trap of just doing it yourself and why it is best to lean into the work of investing in delegation, training, and helping develop the skills of others.
There are countless details that go into setting up a great coffee shop. At the top of the list of priorities are the legal considerations that provide you with a foundation on which to build your dream cafe in a way that won't turn that dream into a nightmare. Today we welcome long time attorney and general counsel to the Specialty Coffee Association, World Coffee Events, and Coffee Quality Institute, Marshall Fuss!
We dive into 5 critical areas where most shops run into trouble and Marshall details how you can avoid mistakes in each of them. This is a VERY practical and valuable episode that gives you some serious keys to being a legally sound and thriving shop. I can't think of a better subject for ep.101 than some legal 101. Enjoy!
Links:
SHIFT BREAK #10: We take our coffee very seriously. We obsessively taste, cup, evaluate, and discuss all to perfect the way we extract and serve it to the guest. Not so, however, for the rest of the menu that is not a small milk drink or straight espresso or brewed coffee. We tend to hold certain alterations and items in contempt. Today we chat about how we can raise our game by becoming serious about getting to know and appreciate the whole menu and, in so doing, be able to offer a much better customer experience.
Wooo Hooo! It's the 100th episode of Keys to the Shop!!! Thank you so much for listening to and supporting this show! I can think of no better way to use this time than to highlight what a critical role you all play in the industry. Today I want to talk to you about why you are the the key. You can provide others with insights, inspiration, and tools that will have a positive impact on your circle of influence no matter what you do in the industry or how long you've been doing it. I hope that after todays episode you feel confident to take what you have and put it to work even more within specialty coffee community.
I can't tell you how humbled and honored I am to be able to do this work on this platform and I will always work to make what is done here increasingly valuable and impactful for you and your success.
Thank you!
GIVEAWAY ALERT!
In honor of the 100th episode I am giving away a mini-library consisting of these books:
To enter the contest:
Winner announced Thursday July 19th!
Links:
Remember the first episode? Ep: 001 Intro and What to Expect
Why it's OK to be the Boss w/ Bruce Tulgan
SHIFT BREAK #9 : One of the best ways we can make a big difference in the cafe is by taking care of the small stuff. Unfortunately we all know that the small problems like broken timers, leaky sinks, and rotting sponges tend to accumulate quickly and become a real morale killer for baristas and point of stress for management. Today we chat about why you should resist the Siren song of resigning yourself to these little dysfunctions and take on the habit of consistently fixing the small stuff.
Competitions don't have to be expensive, complex, or stressful! The Barista League is proof. Today we are talking with Barista League founder, Steven Moloney about this community focused, engaging, and refreshing competition. We discuss the benefits of this type of format, what people who attend are saying, his perspective on specialty retail, and advice for how we can support and liven up our shops and cities on our own. This is a great chat that will leave you encouraged to connect with and learn from your your fellow baristas and maybe even join the Barista League.
Enjoy!
LINKS:
Thanks to our Sponsors!
SHIFT BREAK #8 : We all have a bit of laziness in us. Throughout the day there are dozens of opportunities to make decisions that will either pave the way to excellence or to compromise and mediocrity. Who we become as people and an industry is built by of thousands these important decisional micro-moments. Today on Shift Break #8 we explore this subject and what you can do to break the cycle and create a personal culture of excellence that you take with you wherever you go.
This is a critical episode so I hope you take it to heart and put it into action!
Links/Resources:
Do the Work - Steven Pressfield
As shifts go, the closing shift is normally not a covent one. We can suffer from boredom, lack of motivation, disillusionment, isolation, and end up feeling bitter toward our day-time counterparts who get to work more in the thick of the coffeehouse culture plus make better tips!
Been there done that. I happen to find a certain beauty and nobility in a closing shift that makes me cherish the experience even in the midst of the hardships that come with it. So what if we could take another look at the closing shift and reframe it in a way that the close an honor rather than a punishment? Today we discuss the both the issues and the virtues of the closing shift and give managers and baristas practical solutions, steps, and tools to reframe the mindset around it and achieve a higher level of excellence and satisfaction.
Thank you for listening and Enjoy!
Related Episodes:
Episode 46 : Death by Comparison
Episode 56 : The Sleepwalking Barista
Episode 31 : Essential Advice for New Baristas
Contact me:Chris@keystotheshop.com
Remember to rate, review, and subscribe!
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!
It's Founder Friday! Today we are honored to hear from the owner of The Arrow Coffeehouse, Erica Escalante. Erica is a 10 year veteran of the specialty industry and went from Starbucks barista to coffee shop owner. Her story is one of extraordinary hard work, dedication, building relationships, constant learning, vulnerability, and servant leadership. Her perspectives on communication, making business decisions, hiring, and where she draws energy and joy in her busy life will leave you refreshed and enlivened to work hard to do good.
Enjoy!
Links:
Our Sponsors!
SHIFT BREAK #7 : At the heart of every health organization is a prioritized and regular system of communication that gives a voice and an ear to their staff. The one-on-one meeting is a very powerful tool to bring cohesion, give clarity, and increase morale across the company. In today's Shift Break we discuss what it looks like to implement this meeting and why it is so critical to a thriving and positive work culture.
Links to helpful resources:
Manager Tools Podcast on One-on-ones
KTTS 004 : 10 steps to being a people first leader
KTTS 018 : Hiring, culture, and the future of your shop
Did you say "Instant specialty coffee"?! Yup, that's right. Not only does it taste 300 times better than traditional instant but it may well change the way you think about accessibility, consumer engagement, and how we provide value to the end user. In this episode we are joined by the founder of Voila (One of the pioneers of instant specialty coffee) Kent Sheridan. Kent and I discuss the evolution of his company, the philosophy behind their process and approach to no-compromise quality. Does association with instant coffee damage the reputation of specialty or enhance its value? What is behind the rise of convenience specialty products, and what should retail shops take away and learn from this movement? Find out here and take some note because this is sure to give you some ideas for your approach to specialty and engaging a wider audience.
Enjoy!
Links:
Related episodes:
#69 : Hosting a Consumer Coffee Class
#35 : The Consumer Revolution w/ Kevin Sinnot
Our Sponsors:
SHIFT BREAK #6 : Today we are exploring a mentality practiced in cafe leadership that is a microcosm of gentrification. Changing this behavior and mindset can stop coffee shops from being forces that aid in cultural displacement and turn into spaces that aid in cultural enrichment of both their internal and external communities.
LINKS/RESOURCES:
Liz Ogbu TED Talk: Healing vs. Displacing Communities
Stan Slap's book: Under the Hood
In coffee shops we know a thing or two about being stressed! It can range from nagging to debilitating just with a single shift. If you want to experience more calm and peace of mind in the cafe, even in the midst of the business then this episode will definitely help. Today we are talking with celebrated mental wellness counselor and host of the Practice of the Practice podcast, Joe Sanok. Joe share a lot of great insights into the story behind stress, Brain optimization, how staff and owners can manage and reduce stress while at work, the relationship between systems and stress, and helps us walk away with some tools that will bring the well being that we need to sustain a long and healthy career begins the bar.
Enjoy!
LINKS:
Our Sponsors:
SHIFT BREAK #5 : Conferences, trade shows, and podcasts all bring together people and ideas that help us grow and get answers to questions we have that unlock new levels in our careers. The question is, why wait until a conference comes around or an episode comes out to ask your question or connect with those ideas and people? Today on Shift Break we discuss our tendency to isolate ourselves until special events and the benefit of reaching out to those who we respect and can learn from in our industry. This has been a great help to me in my career and I hope this episode inspires you to take action and connect to the community in a deeper and more direct way. You can do it!
We all want a fulfilling career in coffee but often times we feel trapped and disappointed with where we are and cannot see the next move. Enter Lee Safar. Lee is the owner of "Map it Forward" and host of the "Map it Forward Live Podcast". She has amassed a world of experience and knowledge in her over 15 years of working in coffee and draws on both her expertise and other industry success stories to teach you how you can map out an amazing career, grow you business, and be a true professional.
In this conversation we discuss how she came to start Map it Forward, what surprised her about the state of professionalism in baristas, what dysfunctional behaviors owners and managers engage in that hold themselves and others back, how to stop the blame game, creating a win-win for for both employer and employee, setting goals, and advice for what both baristas and leaders can do immediately to start to Map it Forward and build a successful coffee career.
It was a great time chatting with Lee. She and her work are very much kindred spirits to KTTS on many levels and I hope you find thins episode to be inspiring and helpful.
Enjoy!
Links:
SHIFT BREAK #4 : We are in the hospitality business and we recognize that the guest experience hinges on how they are treated. There is, however, a pervasive mindset and set of behaviors that make the customer an enemy in our minds and colors the way we think and act toward them, which ultimately damages their coffee experience and the industry at large. This week we talk about how we make the customer the enemy and what we can do to solve this toxic problem that lives in so many cafes.
Today we get to talk with the 2018 U.S. Brewers Cup Champion, Becca Woodard! It was such a pleasure to chat about the details that went into her fantastic performance, the fascinating story of her competition coffee, her personal drive and the message she delivered regarding changing systems, her mission as a specialty coffee ambasador, and some challenges to the coffee community around how we can become a more diverse and inclusive community.
Becca is a humble and inspiring champion and you will be all the better for listening to her in this conversation. I hope you enjoy!
Links:
SHIFT BREAK #3 : Hiring is one of the most important things you will do for the benefit of the cafe and great questions are key in helping you decide who to bring on and who to not. Today I talk about my favorite interview question and why it has been so instrumental in helping me gain clarity around who to hire. I hope this is helpful to you!
Great coffee should be for everyone! For the consumer today though, specialty coffee can be complicated. But it does not have to be! Today we talk with industry legend Tony "Tonx" Konecny, Founder of Tonx Coffee, and Co-founder of Yes Plz (the people behind the $1 cup of coffee at Locol) all about his mission to remedy this issue. In addition to discussing Yes Plz and some of Tony's professional history that informs the companies philosophy we will talk about:challenging orthodoxy, intentional blending, pricing for accessibility, coffee subscriptions, on-boarding customers, the industries echo chamber and much more. Tony has a lot to say that I think will help shape our approach to customers in the shop and really make an impact on how "into" coffee they get.
Throughout this talk ask yourself: What are we doing to help customers into specialty coffee in the shops? How can I apply these philosophies to how I act and speak with customers in the shop? What rules or orthodoxies am I holding onto that may need to be challenged in the name of progress?
I hope you enjoy this interview!
LINKS:
Thanks to our sponsors!
Boy do we have a great on in store for you! Talor Browne, Co-founder of Talor & Jorgen in Oslo, Norway chats with us on this May edition of Founder Friday. Talor is an absolute legend and through her career has been at the helm of some of the worlds greatest cafes and roasters. She and her business partner Jorgen opened Talor & Jorgen December 2017 and have put together what looks to be one of the industries most unique and fun concepts.
In this discussion we talk about Talor's path in the coffee and culinary world, the back story of how Talor & Jorgen was founded, their mission and vision, the key to hiring the right people, and the lessons learned in the process. We touch on delegation, burnout, passion, growth, strengths, and the importance of keeping great coffee easy and fun!
Talor has a lot of great advice to those of us in the industry and to those of us hoping to start a shop that is as much an authentic expression of our ethos as Talor & Jorgen is of theirs.
Enjoy!
LINKS:
SHIFT BREAK! #2 : Management is often the first position we get promoted to within the cafe and it comes with a lot of added responsibility and pressure. From my own experience and observations over the years there are 3 things that effective managers put into practice and are always looking to get better at. In todays Shift Break we discuss what those things are and why they are so important.
Thanks for listening and stay tuned for next week's Shift Break!
While many of us can say that we are students of coffee and coffee shops, not many can say that we study it on an academic level the way or guest Dr. Jennifer Ferreira does. In this discussion Dr. Ferreira talks about her research into coffee shops, their impact in society, and the things that she has learned along the way. We discuss the cafe's place in society and its various roles, as well as its impact on the environment, the community, and the economy. We also discuss whether more is always better when it comes to the increasing number of specialty stores opening globally and what might be the next phase for the growth of the cafe industry.
I hope you enjoy this chat and make time to discover Dr. Ferreira's work at the links below!
Links:
https://cafespaces.wordpress.com
https://www.jennifer-ferreira.com
https://twitter.com/jennywrenwatts
SHIFT BREAK #1 : Welcome to Shift Break! This is a new feature of Keys to the Shop that gives you quick and focused insights, tips, and tools you can use to thrive in the cafe. My hope is that if you are pressed for time you can take something away from these mini-episodes that will positively impact your life. Today I wanted to talk about anger and how you can overcome it when you are on shift. The 3 tips have proven effective in my own career and I hope they benefit you as well.
Thanks for listening and stay tuned for next week's Shift Break!
LINK:
Solving Coworker Conflict: http://www.keystotheshop.com/podcasts/52-2/
Today we have the immense honor of talking with Andrew Daday, General Manager of La Marzocco USA! We dive into his leadership, values, and goals as he heads up one of the worlds most iconic and respected equipment manufacturing companies. Also in this conversation we discuss the critical importance of La Marzocco's relationship with the coffee shop, their vision for sustainability, how they serve such a wide and varied customer base while still pushing the envelope on quality, how innovation goes from idea to implementation, and throughout all this, Andrew give us some excellent management and leadership advice that will have a huge impact on the way you serve.
I hope you enjoy this and are inspired!
LINKS:
Today we talk with the new U.S. Barista Champion, Cole McBride! Cole has always given 110% effort to improving both his own craft and being an advocate for specialty coffee and those around him. In his 15 years of professional coffee work he has gleaned an impressive amount of wisdom, skill, and perspective that is clearly on display both on the stage and in this conversation. We cover everything from his career's development, competition history, some deep dives into the details of his winning performance, lessons learned from challenges, how intention and awareness are key elements of being a successful barista, and his quest to uplift the barista in his role as an ambassador for specialty coffee. This conversation is packed! I was very much energized and inspired by Cole and I hope you feel the same way.
Enjoy!
LINKS FOR COLE:
EMAIL: colecoffeeseattle@gmail.com