Info

Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

A coffee podcast providing coffee shop owners and leaders, with insights, inspiration, and the tools you need to grow and advance your coffee business or coffee career. We learn from experts both in and outside the coffee industry as they deliver specific, practical, and actionable advice about ownership, optimization, profitability, barista work, employee culture, management, scaling, leadership, personal development, and anything else that will help you achieve success in the coffee shop.
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
2024
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


All Episodes
Archives
Now displaying: March, 2022
Mar 31, 2022

How do we get people to come to our shop? This is the question at the root of most of our marketing efforts. So many of us have stories of how customers will tell us, even after years of business, "I never knew you were here!". It's frustrating. 

In todays Shift Break we will be chatting about how we have been limiting ourselves with the way we are approaching marketing and the change of mindset and tactic that I think may help get people in your shop and aware of your brand.

Related episodes:

215 : Communication and Marketing Master Class w/ Spencer M. Ross, PH.D.

304 : Inside the Coffee Data Trends Breakout Report w/ Katie Von Der Lieth of the SCA

120 : Social Media 101 w/ Jenn Chen

234 : Actions and Strategies to Improve your Messaging w/ Garrett Oden

 

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co

 

 

 

 

Mar 30, 2022

How do we test the energy efficiency, emissions, and impact of or roasting machines?. We all want to be responsible with our environmental impact but all we have to go on for data is supplied by marketing from the manufacturer.  Wouldn't it be nice to have a real measure of the performance of a roasting machine? Well that is exactly what today's guest is out to provide. 

Today on the Rate of Rise series from Roast Magazine we are going to be talking with Dave Baxter about The Norm Roast Protocol!

Dave Baxter has avidly roasted coffee for more than 15 years.  He applies an analytical approach to master the enigmatic art of coffee roasting.  Dave joined the Artisan team in 2015 and is a founding member of the NORM-ROAST Consortium.  Many of the analytical tools and other features in Artisan were created by him.  Dave is an inventive engineer with over 60 granted patents.

In our conversation we cover:

  • How Norm Roast Protocol was conceived
  • Verifying Marketing claims 
  • Key components of the protocol
  • Establishing specification for the protocol from research
  • Incentivization of manufactures to adopt a universal protocol
  • How to begin using the protocol 
  • Balance of Innovations focus on emissions vs maintaining quality
  • Mass adoption as key to create efficacy 
  • Small vs large roasters
  • Optimizing existing equipment for efficiency

Links:

www.norm-roast.org

 

Subscribe to Roast Magazine! Use code "ROR" to get $5 off

 

Related Episodes:

RoR #1: A Conversation w/ Anne Cooper of Equilibrium Master Roasters

RoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee Enterprises

RoR #3: Making Contingency Planning a Reality w/ Andi Trindle Mersch of Philz Coffee

RoR #4: Practical Thermal Dynamics w/ Candice Madison of Royal Coffee / The Crown Oak

RoR #5: Time and Color in Roasting w/ Morten Munchow of Coffee Mind”

RoR #6: Buying Less and Doing More w/ Ever Meister

RoR #7 Illustrative Sample Roasting w/ Mike Ebert of Firedancer Coffee Consultants

ROR #8 How Post-Harvest Processing Impacts Flavor w/ Siva Subramanian and Byron Holcomb of Olam Food Ingredients

RoR #9 Inside the Roaster’s Tool Kit w/ Kat Melheim of Black and White Coffee and The Coffee People Zine

RoR #10 : What Your Broker Wishes You Knew w/ Scott Merle of La Minita Coffee

RoR #11 : Exploring Scent w/ Sandra Elisa Loofbourow

RoR #12 : Inside Coffee Packaging w/ Ever Meister

 

 

Mar 29, 2022

In order to have clarity on how to operate effectively in coffee we need to view it thought a global lens. The tapestry of people and cultures that make up our industry are rarely represented and even less often do they benefit from coffee culture. The answer to this problem is something that today's guest calls "The Sepia Coffee Project". 

Martell Mason is Co-Founder of the Sepia Coffee Project(SCP), a boutique roastery based in Detroit's North End. Although a native of the city, Martell has lived a very nomadic life with years spent throughout Asia, East Africa and Scandinavia. With a BA in International Affairs and grad work specializing in Sustainability and Coffee Value Chains; Martell continues to search for ways to bridge the gap from "farm to cup" while ensuring there is greater representation of all persons involved with an emphasis placed on those of color. 

In 2017, he established Arabica Trading House in Istanbul, Turkey, being one of the first specialty traders to import high-quality, transparent coffees direct from origin. Pivoting after the shocks of the pandemic, Martell arrived back in the US in 2021 and saw an opportunity to be of service to a young, yet vibrant coffee community in Detroit. 

Sepia Coffee Project's mission is to make specialty coffee more accessible to underserved markets, creating a more inclusive and equitable platform for coffee consumers, industry peers and the greater community at large. 

In our conversation today we are going to be learning about Martell's unique journey through coffee and how his experiences shaped his views and the work he does today to create equity and inclusion for all. 

We cover: 

  • Getting into coffee and developing a broad perspective
  • Global travels and working in coffee 
  • How story adds value
  • Learning by connecting directly with people
  • Improve systems through deeper understanding
  • Looking at what quality is and who defines it
  • Farmer livelihoods and mainstream coffee
  • Celebrating a wider range of coffee
  • Addressing "Coffee Deserts" 
  • The establishment and goals of The Sepia Coffee Project
  • Bringing coffee to the underserved and marginalized 

Related episodes: 

116 : Understanding Gentrification w/ Dr. Stacey Sutton

183 : Exploring Diversity w/ Phyllis Johnson

233 : A Conversation w/ Anthony Ragler, Black and White

297 : Making Coffee Education Fun w/ Suneal Pabari of Leaderboard Coffee

092 : Tony “Tonx” Konecny of Yes Plz : Consumer Accessibility, roasting, 3rd wave, subscription

227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds

 

Visit our amazing Sponsors!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

www.pacficfoodservice.com

www.coffeefest.com

 

Mar 25, 2022

Diana Martinez is one of those people that I am thrilled to see find success in coffee. She had a dream to open a coffee shop and consistently pursued knowledge and experience right out of the gate by working at a roastery and coffee shop then setting up a table on a sidewalk in her neighborhood to serve good coffee to those who did not have access to it. Today she has a brand new brick and mortar shop and the loyal support of her community. I dod not come easy though and that is what today's conversation is all about. 

In this Founder Friday we will get to hear details of Diana's journey into coffee entrepreneurship, the challenges, lessons, opportunities, and mission that drives her to continue to build this dream. Not just for herself but for her culture and her community. 

I know you will be inspired by this one!

We cover:

  • How the dream began during COVID 
  • Gaining experience and taking the first step 
  • Starting on the sidewalk to serve the underserved
  • Getting a loyal following and the role of social media
  • Lessons learned in catering 
  • BET Awards and other opportunities 
  • When things got real 
  • How getting in “trouble” led to a brick and mortar
  • Realities of finding and building a space
  • Community reception
  • Advice to other entrepreneurs

Links: 

www.cafecalle.com

Instagram @cafecalle 

Related Episodes:

236 : Founder Friday! w/ Meil Castagna-Herrera & Curtis Herrera of Cafe Corazon!

284 : Founder Friday! w. Jackie Nguyen of Cafe Cà Phê | Kansas City, MO

187 : A Conversation with Nikki Outlaw of Anecho Coffee

097 : Founder Friday w/ Erica Escalante of The Arrow Coffeehouse

 

Visit our awesome sponsors!

Ground Control : Revolutionary Batch Brew Coffee!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

 

The Barista Series: Best Plant Based Beverages on Earth!

www.pacificfoodservice.com

 

Mar 24, 2022

Giving up control and taking on a new role can be scary. As a result a lot of owners and managers rely on rigid and controlling way of leading that ends up doing more harm than good.

In today's Shift Break we will be talking about the value of flexibility for both owners and managers and how it benefits the new context we find ourselves in when leading and delegating leadership.

Recommended episodes: 

261 : The Basics of Managing Managers

194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017

229 : 7 Tips for New Managers

Shift Break: The One-on-One

165 : The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli

 

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co

 

Mar 22, 2022

It's not very often you come across someone who has spent decades as a true example of what it is to be an exemplary manager, leader, and professional. When you do find them you better be prepared to absorb their wisdom and let it help guide your own career. 

Well, today we are privileged to sit down with some one who has done exactly that. We are talking all about leadership, management, and training, with Selina Viguera of Blue Bottle Coffee!

Selina Viguera is well-known in specialty coffee mostly for being an amazing and dedicated barista. She leads the Barista Guild Café at Specialty Coffee Expo and U.S. CoffeeChamps; she’s been a lead barista at TED in Vancouver, as well as TEDxWomen and TEDxMed; her latte art is featured on the Pacific Barista Series Oat and Rice packages. And she’s been “the face” of Blue Bottle, especially in her adopted home in Los Angeles, for years.
 
Selina Viguera is a coffee professional who has worked in the industry for over 20+ years. Selina has managed some of the busiest Blue Bottle cafes in the North American market such as San Francisco’s Ferry Building location and LA’s Abbot Kinney location, where she is currently the cafe leader for over 7 years. 
 
In our conversation we explore here long career and the experiences that have shied who she is as a leader today. 
 
We cover:
  • Discovering the work of the cafe and then specialty coffee
  • Connecting with customers and becoming a leader
  • Leading the change to specialty in her first cafe
  • Learning to train and teach
  • Doors opening for management and leadership
  • Leading "Team First" and the metric of staff happiness
  • Training and onboarding effectively
  • Empowering feedback and conflict resolution 
  • Balance of structure and culture
  • Embracing difficult conversations and being courageous
  • What she is most proud of accomplishing
  • Advice to fellow managers

Links: 

Instagram: @sellybean_13 

Email: Selina.viguera@gmail.com

 

Recommended Episodes:

329 : How to Teach Company Values to Your Staff

313 : Coffee Education and Training w/ Michael Phillips of Blue Bottle Coffee

306 : A Conversation w/ 2004 U.S. Barista Champion, Bronwen Serna!

305 : Founder Friday! w/ Andrew Sinclair of MadLab Coffee, Los Angeles, CA

305 : Founder Friday! w/ Andrew Sinclair of MadLab Coffee, Los Angeles, CA

In Praise of Long Term Imperfect Employment

 

Visit our amazing Sponsors!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

www.pacficfoodservice.com

www.coffeefest.com

 

Mar 17, 2022

We have talked a lot about your career development on the show and for the most part I would say this show advocates that you find a place that is right for you. There are times though, when we are in what could be considered the right place, but the difficulty prompts us to move on too quickly, leaving opportunity for growth behind. 

In todays Shift Break we will be chatting about how long term employment in a place that can sometimes be deeply challenging can actually be beneficial and deepen your growth. 

Be sure to also listen to the linked episodes below. They provide other perspectives that will help you wrap your mind around your current situation to make a mindful and solid decision. 

Related Episodes:

077 : How you can Happen to your Career w/ Scott Anthony Barlow : A frame work for finding the right work

015 : What to do if You don’t Advance w/ Anne Nylander : How to take the next step in your barista/coffee career

260 : Wait! Is your current Job actually the right Job?

331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career

292 : How to Take Charge and Drive Your Career w/ Ed Evarts

Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game

 

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co

 

Mar 13, 2022

Most of us would say we represent farmers with our work. Few of can say we literally work for farmers. Increasingly we see the need for business models that don't just give financial reward to farms but that shift the power balance to them. This is where the example and work of Pachamama Coffee shines as an example of what is possible with true farmer ownership. Today we are going to be exploring this model with the CEO AND co-founder, Thaleon Tremain. 

 Thaleon Tremain is the CEO and co-founder of Pachamama Coffee Cooperative, a vertically-integrated cooperative representing more than 240,000 smallholder coffee farmers around the world. Launched in California in 2006, Pachamama is the first coffee roaster in North American to be 100% owned and governed by farmers in Africa and Latin America. Thaleon has led Pachamama Coffee’s formation and growth since 2003.

Pachamama Coffee is wholly owned by its five member-cooperatives and its board of representatives is entirely composed of farmer representatives. Pachamama allows farmers to maintain quality control of their roasted coffee, while creating a brand and a simple path to share their own story with their own customers. 

Thaleon’s passion for the cooperative business model began at an agricultural cooperative in rural Bolivia, where he worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the mid 1990s. In pursuit of a better ownership and governance structure for economic development, Thaleon is a dedicated advocate for the cooperative model. He lives in Sacramento with his wife and two sons.

In our conversation we will be exploring the founding and development of Pacahamama, its growth, goals, and isights they have gained over the course of almost 20 years of changing the landscape of farmer equity. 

  • The beginning of pachamama 
  • True farmer ownership
  • Working for farmers
  • True partnerships 
  • Patience and building long term solutions 
  • The importance of marketing, branding, and the consumer
  • Communication of preference to farmers from the market
  • Long term viability through community 

Links:

www.pachamamacoffee.com

Instagram @pachamama_coffee

 

Related Episodes:

Sustainability Series #4 : Consumer

Sustainability Series #2 : Importing & Roasting

294 : At Origin Roasting Revolution w/ Luis Fernando, founder of Amor Perfecto!

288 : The Truth behind Cheap Coffee w/ Karl Weinhold

265 : Gaining Clarity on Transparency w/ Jonas Lorenz of The Pledge

 

Visit our amazing Sponsors!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

www.pacficfoodservice.com

www.coffeefest.com

 

Mar 10, 2022

A them of this show has been to infuse grace and patience into your leadership. For the most part, when we exercise patience and extend grace to baristas in the cafe it is a good thing that brings about positive results. There are times though, when it turns into something detrimental and it is hard to tell where that line is. 

Today on Shift Break we are going to explore why patience is not always the best play and what you can to avoid letting your emotions prolong a bad situation. 

Recommended episodes:

Hard Work is Hard

Reasonable Expectations

The Problem with "Should"

Patience & Passivity : Career Advice for the Long Game

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co

 

 

 

Mar 8, 2022

Working in customer a customer facing environment like a coffee shop means that we get to serve and experience all different types of people in the course fo the day. While so many of our interaction are within the expected range of emotions, there are times where things get pretty tense and situations escalate past where we are comfortable. 

What do we do when confronted with these circumstances? Are we prepared for and confident in deescalation? Sadly we often fail in this area which means bad situations often get worse leaving staff and customers feeling demoralized and without much hope for resolution. 

This is a really important topic and To help us learn how to approach deescalation and make it a real process in our shops we are talking to Melissa Tucker or Mind Over Matters and Pathways to Peace. 

Melissa graduated with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology from University of Hawaii Hilo, in August 2015. She worked for five years, in Hawaii, as a crisis mobile responder for youth, as a counselor at the domestic violence shelter, as a counselor for a private outpatient substance abuse clinic, and as the clinical supervisor providing training, counseling, parent education and services to staff and Child Welfare Services mandated clients. After moving to Washington State in 2019, she began providing private coaching and training in Motivational Interviewing, supervision, and counseling skills. She also worked for Crisis Connections as a supervisor and trainer for counselors and non-clinicians in Mental Health related skills. She currently works as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor Associate in private practice in addition to doing private training.

 

In today’s conversation we cover:

  • What leads to poorly handled conflict
  • The unique context of the coffee shop
  • Caring for staff needs and safety 
  • Listening and understanding
  • The right mindset and cultlure
  • Inoculating baristas against conflict
  • Making policy a conversation
  • Modeling behavior
  • Principles and techniques of deescalation

Links:

Pathways to Peace Training

https://www.mindovermattersinstitute.com

EMAIL: info@pathpeace.org

 

Related episodes:

125 : Confidence in Conflict w/ Kwame Christian : A framework for Compassionate Curiosity

262 : Understanding the Homeless Community w/ Natalie Harris, Executive Director of The Coalition for the Homeless

052 : Solving Coworker Conflict w/ Tom Henschel

165 : The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli

104 : How to Deliver Difficult Feedback w/ Tom Henschel

330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop

 

Visit our amazing Sponsors!

www.prima-coffee.com/keys

www.pacficfoodservice.com

www.coffeefest.com

 

 

Mar 3, 2022

Coffee shops are notorious for overcomplicating their menus, concepts, and services. Most shops, if left unchecked in this, will have a significant number of poorly thought through drinks, back stock of unused inventory, and frustrated staff and customers either leaving bad reviews or leaving the business. The answer is not what we can add to our already burdened shops to find success, but what can we do less of to focus more on the few things that will bring success. 

On today's Shift Break we are going to discuss how to approach building your capacity and ability to make good decisions by embracing simplicity and learning what you business needs and what it can handle as you go. 

Related episodes:

327: Founder Friday! w/ Phuong Tran of Lava Java

224 : Essentialism: Focusing on what truly Matters w/ Greg McKeown

274 : Crafting Specialty Drinks in your Shop w/ Matt Foster”

240 : What to do before your Build your Bar

Exclusivity is a Bad Strategy

Blog: Soul Searching in the New Landscape of Retail

 

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co

 

 

1