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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.
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Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
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Now displaying: May, 2023
May 30, 2023

In order to train people in coffee and barista skills you have to not only be a student of your subject, but also a student of your students and their unique context. In recent years we have seen an incredible explosion of coffee eduction in producing countries where the landscape of learning is among the most unique given their deep relationship with coffee. Today we will be talking with an educator whose commitment to learning and bringing understanding to this context is making great impact. I am excited to be chatting with Fabiola Solano of sOY barista in Costa Rica!

As a certified with the Coffee Diploma and Authorized SCA Trainer (AST) in 2018, Fabiola began her preparation as a barista in 2013. She also has a bachelor's degree in business administration, a degree in marketing, and a specialization in hotel operations management. She is currently studying for the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Coffee Excellence at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences.

She has dedicated herself to content creation since 2015 for her blog Soy Barista, always focusing on updated and relevant data for the Spanish-speaking community

We cover: 

  • Fabiola's entry into coffee 
  • The unique landscape of Costa Rican coffee culture
  • Training and educating on foundational information
  • The importance of certifications and career tracks
  • Best practices for training baristas
  • Exploring all levels of quality
  • Practical results of education on the local industry over time 

Links:

https://www.soybarista.com/en/home

@soybaristacr

 

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30 years of resourcing you with the best products and education!

www.coffeefest.com

Use Code: "KEYS" for 50% General Admission

 

May 29, 2023

Setting up and maintaining a roaster for functionality, safety, and quality output is perhaps the biggest challenge of roasting. There are many variables and trades that go into it and it is easy to skip some steps, be less than detailed, and rush the project. I don't need to tell you, that is s a recipe for disaster. Perhaps nobody in roasting tech knows this more than the man who gets called to both set up roasters, and swoop in and deal with all sorts of emergency situations and repairs. Today on RoR we are talking with the legend, Doug Graf of Vintage Coffee. 

Doug Graf has been rooted in the roasting, and roasting tech, repair and installation world for over three decades. From running his own family business for twenty years- to full time instal, repair, and consulting work for roasters over ten years, Doug Graf has maybe literally seen and worked on it all. Through his consulting company, Vintage Coffee, he provides consulting, training, repair and maintenance, plant design, and start up for coffee roasters of every size. Vintage is also a service representative for Canada for Loring Smart Roasters.

As you might guess, he is also a very active member of the roaster guild where he generously shares his hard earned wisdom and runs the roasters tent at the guild retreats. 

In our conversation we talk with Doug about his career and focus on his advice and insights on how we should approach setting up and caring for our roasters and roasting spaces, and what the most common mistakes are related to maintenance to help us avoid needless troubles in the roastery. 

We cover:

 

 

  • Task frequency
  • Wait time and working with the trades
  • Planning and patience
  • Trusting experts
  • Major mistakes we make
  • Checklists and systems
  • Anticipating the investment
  • The DIY trap
  • Intuition's role

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May 26, 2023

It's Founder Friday! Partnerships in coffee bars can be tricky things. You really have to make sure you have complimentary character traits as well as a unified s12et of values to help guide you through the ups and downs of business in a the cafe and roastery. Today we are talking with a couple of guys who have combined forces and have shown what is possible when these things are in place and you have a passion to serve  and advance both people and coffee. We are talking with Kyle Ramage and Lem Butler of Black and White Coffee Roasters! 

Kyle and Lem are industry legends in their own rights. Each of their carerers has spanned the decades and has been punctuated with competition success. Lem and U.S. Barista Champion in 2016, and Kyle as U.S. Barista Champion in 2017. Along their careers they have been deeply involved in retail, roasting, and have been integral members of the global coffee community through their work and examples. 

The founding of their cafe and roastery in 2017 was the combination their individual talents to create something new, powerful, and needed in the coffee space. They have been making waves in the industry since them striking a balance between accessible coffees, more extreme coffees, serving their staff and customers, and continuing to invest in competitions and the professional development of competitors. 

 This conversation is a look at their history, the development of Black and White, their own growth as owners, and the how of their approach to running one of the most respected brands in coffee. 

We discuss:

  • Careers and competition
  • Training and complimentary strengths
  • The founding of Black and White
  • Taking on an existing customers base and staff
  • Self awareness
  • Listening to customers
  • Developing a fresh approach to coffee
  • Investing in their baristas
  • The need to market coffee differently
  • Creating inroads in roasted coffee offerings
  • Where we need to go as an industry

Links:

www.blackwhiteroasters.com

Instagram: @blackwhiteroasters

 

Listen to these episodes next!

 

 

Visit our awesome Sponsors!

GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

 

THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!

www.Pacificfoodservice.com

 

Reach out to KTTS!

chris@keystotheshop.com

 

 

May 25, 2023

There is a shortcut for everything these days. Automation, templates, and other tools would give you the impression that you can automate of be hands off with your leadership and that your aim is to continually seek more ways to remove yourself. 

On today's Shift Break we will be talking about how this idea, while appropriate in some aspects of the business, is a recipe for disaster in others. 

Listen to these related episodes next:

 

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co.

May 23, 2023

Opportunities for specialty coffee still abound in certain areas of the American South. With those opportunities comes challenges of communicating coffee in a way that both meets people where they are, and helps open them up to new experiences that expand their enjoyment. Today we are talking with someone who has not only been communicating to his customers through the coffee he roasts, but also through a podcast designed to be an entertaining AND educational. We are chatting with Kenneth Thomas of Umble Coffee!

Kenneth Thomas is host of the very popular Coffee 101 podcast and interviews coffee experts weekly from around the world.  He is owner and head roaster at Umble Coffee Co, an online and wholesale coffee company.  Kenneth and Umble Coffee have been ranked as one of the top specialty coffee roasters in the United States consistently for the last several years.  He is also a physician and chemical engineer - both of which lend expertise to Umble’s mission of sourcing and roasting the best coffees from around the world in a way that optimizes for taste quality and health. 

In my conversation with Kenneth we will cover how his own curiosity sparked his obsession and business, how he crafts customer service through roasting excellent coffee in an approachable way, and the importance of always learning and providing opportunities to learn for himself, his customers, and listeners. 

We Cover:

  • Discovering coffee and roasting
  • Listening to customer feedback
  • Blue ocean opportunity
  • Meeting people where they are
  • Coffee and health
  • Advice for coffee roasters in coffee desserts
  • The importance of always learning and teaching
  • Don't sit on innovation

Links: 

www.umblecoffee.com

Coffee 101 podcast

Listen to these related episodes next!

Visit our awesome Sponsors!

GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

 

THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!

www.Pacificfoodservice.com

 

30 years of resourcing you with the best products and education!

www.coffeefest.com

Use Code: "KEYS" for 50% General Admission

 

May 18, 2023

The foundation of the building determines the stability of what is built on it. When it comes to building a coffee shop business your growth cannot out pace the degree to which you invest in the relationships and the culture at the heart of it. 

On today's Shift Break we will be talking about the need to increase engagement, resourcing, communication, and meaningful connection as you get business and the business develops in size and scope. 

This is a very important topic and one that I hope you take to heart and put into practice.

Listen to these related episodes next:

 

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co.

May 15, 2023

Tenacity, humility, and curiosity. Whether you are working as a barista, competing, opening your own shop and roastery, these are character traits that are essential for success. Today we are talking with someone whose long career in coffee has been characterized by these values. We are chatting with the new U.S. Barista Champion, Isaiah Sheese!

Isaiah Sheese is the Owner of Archetype Coffee located in Omaha, Nebraska. He has been working in the coffee industry for almost 20 years in various roles from barista, to QC cupper, green buyer, janitor, and now owner. He has competed in the US Barista Championships for 9 years, judged for 2 years, and placed top 6 in 8 of the 9 qualifiers. He finished 5th in 2020 and is now the 2023 US Barista Champion.

In my conversation with Isaiah we get to talk about his beginnings in coffee, the early experiences of competition, starting and running Archetype, and the pursuit of hospitality while also pushing coffee forward. 

We Cover:

  • Entering the coffee industry
  • Discovering barista competitions
  • Challenges of taking the next step in career
  • What moments changed the game in competition
  • Pursuit of excellence
  • How judging changed things
  • Starting a business and meeting customers where they are
  • The importance of community trust for cafe success
  • Tenacity in competition and the evolution of Archetype
  • His winning routine and how they approached it differently

Links: 

 

Listen to these related episodes next!

 

Visit our awesome Sponsors!

GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

 

THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!

www.Pacificfoodservice.com

 

30 years of resourcing you with the best products and education!

www.coffeefest.com

Use Code: "KEYS" for 50% General Admission

 

May 11, 2023

It is not so much the fear of change that keeps us from moving forward in the areas we know are necessary. It is the fear of what will happen when we implement the change. The fall out, we imagine, is too much to handle and so we stay where we are. 

On today's Shift Break we will be talking about why you need to embrace the fallout related to needed change and how doing so in a people-first way will, in spite of the inconveniences, lead to a better outcome.

Listen to these related episodes next:

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co.

May 9, 2023

One of the hardest things to make consistent in the coffee shop is your espresso. There are so many variables that contribute to the final product, not to mention the number of different baristas tasked with making coffee daily. can be very overwhelming and inevitably we throw in the towel and end up with a let than optimal product. Well good news! Today we get to dive into the science of optimizing your espresso with coffee scientist Samo Smrke!

Samo Smrke is a scientific associate at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW) in the group of prof. Yeretzian. He is involved in coffee research projects in collaboration with industry partners and in fundamental research on various topics of coffee chemistry and coffee science. He is leading a module of the Coffee Excellence continuing education course at ZHAW, and various other educational programs with partners of ZHAW.

Samo is actively participating at coffee conferences, is one of the co-authors of the SCA Freshness Handbook and Water Handbook and has contributed to scientific papers and book chapters about coffee.

In this episode we discuss several major factors that need to be considered and optimized in order to always have the consistent and excellent espresso you want to serve on your coffee bar.

We cover:

  • Samo's journey into coffee
  • Ideal resting times and CO2
  • Aroma and taste variance in coffees
  • What causes crema
  • Various roast levels and decaf
  • The grinder's role 
  • Steps to take in addressing problematic coffee
  • The importance of tracking and systems
  • The science communities role in tandem with professional baristas

Links:

Listen to these related episodes next!

Visit our awesome Sponsors!

GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

 

THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!

www.Pacificfoodservice.com

 

30 years of resourcing you with the best products and education!

www.coffeefest.com

Use Code: "KEYS" for 50% General Admission

 

May 4, 2023

Like you, I have been to and conducted my fair share of cafe meetings. And also like you, I have seriously questioned the effectiveness of these get togethers. In fact, in many cases meetings can hurt more than help. How do we avoid this? 

On today's Shift Break I will be taking you through a few big mistakes that contribute to bad or ineffective meetings, and what to do instead to make sure your gatherings are assets to the business and not liabilities to culture. 

Related episodes:

Visit our Sponsors!!!

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

 

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co.

 

May 2, 2023

The world of coffee is saturated with suppliers of tools and equipment. Most are seeking the transaction and chasing the opportunity the current market has afforded them. Precious few  suppliers are truly passionate about their customers in a meaningful way that results in the love and respect of the barista community. Slow Pour Supply is one such company, because Anita Tam is one such person. 

Anita Tam is the owner and founder of Slow Pour Supply Co., a socially driven coffeetools company that is dedicated to serving coffee people and small businesses around the world. 

Prior to coffee Anita spent decades in the world of professional music as both a professional classical musician, instructor, and conductor. She discovered a passion and fascination for the craft and science of coffee that set her on a course to not only work in coffee but to establish Slow Pour as a platform to foster the same discovery for baristas globally through quality tools. 

Anita is a long time certified AST with the SCA and you can find her and her team at almost any coffee event or competition spreading joy and positivity and serving the community. 

Today we are going to be getting to know a bit about Anita's entry into coffee, the passionate and philosophies that drive her, and how she approaches business and relationships in coffee with wholistic generosity. 

We cover:

  • The link between music, art, and coffee
  • Founding slow pour and guiding principles
  • Passion for the product and end user
  • Milk pitchers, brewers, and tools as catalysts
  • The need for in person connection and community
  • Creating, serving, and passing on gifts
  • Peace through the circular flow of experiences
  • Thoughts on the future of coffee

Links:

www.slowpoursupply.co

@slowpoursupply

 

Listen to these episodes next!

 

Visit our awesome Sponsors!

GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!

www.groundcontrol.coffee

 

THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!

www.Pacificfoodservice.com

 

 

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