It's Founder Friday! Leaving a legacy and making an impact on the industry is something we all want for our businesses. Few companies get to the place where they can say they have not only achieved this but done so it a way that stays true to their values and traditions, while also artfully evolving with the changing landscape of coffee. Mr. Espresso in Oakland, CA is one such company.
Established in 1978 and now celebrating 45 years in business, Mr. Espresso is a specialty coffee roasting company that has stayed true to the Italian coffee culture and roots of founder Carlo Di Ruocco while embracing innovation to inspire the next generation of coffee drinkers. In keeping with the sensibilities of the modern coffee consumer, Mr. Espresso is committed to responsible sourcing, sustainable production and investment in community. Offering wholesale beans, premium commercial brewing equipment, and service and training support, Mr. Espresso made its mark as one of the first full-service, coffee roasting retailers in the U.S. and has since become a trusted supplier to noteworthy restaurants, cafes, bakeries and coffee houses around the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally. Additionally, Mr. Espresso has expanded its online presence and grown its retail customer base well beyond the Bay Area.
Today we are talking with Carlo DiRuocco's sons, John and Luigi DiRuocco, who Co-Own and run Mr. Espresso.
Luigi Di Ruocco is Co-owner and Sales & Marketing Vice President of Mr. Espresso, and Co-owner of The Caffè by Mr. Espresso. An alumnus of Saint Mary’s College, Luigi earned a double major in Business Administration and Economics, followed by two years in portfolio accounting. However, in 2001 at age 24, Luigi returned to the family business, drawn by the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to the family enterprise. Currently, Luigi is at the helm of the newly opened – The Caffè by Mr. Espresso, in the heart of Downtown Oakland.
John Di Ruocco is Co-owner and Vice President of Coffee for Mr. Espresso, and Co-owner of The Caffè by Mr. Espresso. After earning an undergraduate degree in architecture from UC Berkeley. After receiving his degree, he returned to the family business, learning the art of wood-roasting coffee from his father. John went on to become roastmaster in the early ‘90s, and eventually Vice President of Coffee. John has moved the company forward as a leader in both single-origin and blended coffees. John has been instrumental in expanding the offerings to reflect changing coffee preferences, adding distinguished lighter-roasted coffees, most often organic and fair trade in origin.
In this conversation we discuss the rich history of this iconic company, their values, traditions, and how they have grown and evolved over the past 45 years!
We discuss:
Links:
Listen to these episodes next!
Visit our awesome Sponsors!
GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!
THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!
Reach out to KTTS!
In all the building of systems and curating of culture we do, the one culture that tends to get short changed is the managers. Whether it is just you and one manager or a team of admin staff, the relationship between leaders in a coffee shop is critical to focus on and develop.
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about this important set of relationships and why it is critical to the health of the entire company.
Stay tuned to next week's episode where we dive even deeper into this subject with some solid practical steps.
Related episodes:
Visit our Sponsors!!!
The best espresso machines in the world!
Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!
For a long time the coffee you could get at home was limited in quality because the average home user, while able to purchase gear and coffee, was not able to match the commercial water quality of their favorite cafe. All that changed when ThIrd Wave Water democratized ideal water for coffee and helped unlock the potential for innumerable coffee lovers world wide.
Taylor Minor is Co-Founder of Third Wave Water. With a passion for technology and having owned and ran his own roastery, Taylor eventually applied this experience to customizing his own water then, along with business partner Charles Nick, developed Third Wave Water. 3W Water was featured on Shark Tank and has been had a global impact on how people view and can access ideal water for the various coffees they brew.
In our conversation wee discuss the genesis of 3W Water, the evolution of the industry, how they have grown along with it, the science behind the products, and Taylor's views on specialty coffee.
We Cover:
Links:
Related episodes:
Visit our awesome Sponsors!
GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!
THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!
30 years of resourcing you with the best products and education!
Use Code: "KEYS" for 50% General Admission
Part 2 of 2023 Coffee Fest Live Louisville, KY interviews!
In these interviews I sit down with stellar presenters and lecturers to dig deep into a range of relevant and important topics that will help make you and your coffee business better.
For this part 2 we get to talk with Lauren Lathrop and Rob Arnold!
Next we chat with Rob Arnold of Pre-Game Coffee
Rob is the founder, owner, roaster, and creative at Pre-Game Coffee here in Louisville, KY. For 4 years now Pre-Game has been the premier sports, coffee, and cocktail venue in Louisville and focuses on providing what is likely one of the most unique hospitality experiences in the city. Cocktails and signature drinks have been a focus since day one and Rob was able to talk with the attendees at Coffee Fest about the secrets to success with these beverages. I sat down to chat with Rob about that very thing so you too can benefit from his field tested approach to cafe cocktails and sig drinks!
Links:
Lauren:
Rob:
Related episodes:
Part 1 of 2023 Coffee Fest Live Louisville, KY interviews!
In these interviews I sit down with stellar presenters and lecturers to dig deep into a range of relevant and important topics that will help make you and your coffee business better.
To start us off on part 1 we are going to talk with Jackie Nguyen of Cafe Caphe!
Next we chat with Sean Roberson of West Lou Coffee!
Sean Roberson is the founder and roaster at West Lou Coffee in Louisville, KY. A West Louisville native Sean fell in love with coffee roasting after a career in finance and has been running an growing West Lou coffee as a business based in West Louisville and with an aim to enrich and inspire locals in West Louisville and other overlooked and under resourced areas of cities world-wide. Today we chat with Sean about his journey in starting West Lou Coffee, the challenges, importance of his work, and advice to other who live in marginalized areas to start and build something for their communities as he has.
Links:
Related episodes:
If we work with people long enough, we are going to face frustrations and challenges. Too often these normal relational issues go unresolved and solidify into something called resentment.
Today on Shift break we will be talking about how boss and barista alike can fall into this trap and what to do to avoid the toxicity that results by leaving it unaddressed.
Related episodes:
Visit our Sponsors!!!
The best espresso machines in the world!
Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!
As an industry, our flavor preferences turn into what we market, which turn communicates a message about quality and what people should care about when it comes to "the best" coffees. Too often we are content to let the our message be incredibly narrow regarding flavors and preferences. Without context this leaves a lot of great coffee that may be more enjoyable for the consumer, at a disadvantage.
On this Rate of Rise episode we will be talking about tools to bridge the flavor preference gap with coffee legend, Phil Beattie of Dillanos Coffee Roasters!
Phillip Beattie is the Director of Coffee for Dillanos Coffee Roasters. He is an experienced coffee industry leader with over 20 years in roasting, sourcing and quality control. Known for his contagious energy and passionate leadership. He served as chair the Roasters Guild, been on international cupping juries, and has been a certified Q Grader. He had the privilege of roasting for two United States Barista Champions, once in 2015 and again in 2019. Phillip feels fortunate and blessed to work in the world of coffee.
In our conversation Phil gives us wonderful insights on the state of roasting, how we market, and what tools or system changes are needed to correct the current imbalance that favors our own tastes vs that of the consumer.
Links:
Related Episodes:
Visit our sponsor ROAST MAGAZINE and subscribe!
Growing you coffee shop is about more than just adding locations. Growth has to do with developing internal resilience, culture, and practices that are life giving to those who work in the business and to you as the owner. Ultimately the path for sustainable growth is a people-first path and today we are talking with someone who has a lot of experience charting that path. I am thrilled to welcome back to the show, Mike McFall of Biggby Coffee!
BIGGBY is a fast-growing coffee franchise with over 350+ locations across the U.S. Within the company, Mike has worked every position, from minimum-wage barista to his current role of Co-CEO.
Grow, the second book in Mike’s three-book series, picks up where Grind leaves off–when an entrepreneur is in the midst of the bootstrapping entrepreneurial phase and asking, “what’s next?” The book offers a strategic blueprint for entrepreneurs trying to reach the promised land of stability and sustainability in their businesses.
Filled with real-life examples from Mike’s 26 years of experience, Grow plants the seeds to help readers recreate themselves as the leaders their organizations need them to be and take their business from chaos to calm.
In this conversation we dive into some of the most critical element outlined in his book that, if applied and practiced, will definitely help you grow your business the right way.
We cover:
Links:
Related episodes:
Visit our awesome Sponsors!
GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!
THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!
30 years of resourcing you with the best products and education!
Use Code: "KEYS" for 50% General Admission
All of us have had the conflicted emotions of having baristas that are simply amazing but then also knowing that those baristas will eventually leave the coffee shop. Try as we may, most staff will not be long term and this can either cause you to feel defeated, or you can embrace it and the opportunity these exemplary employees bring.
Today on Shift break we will be talking about how we can lean on the examples of our best staff to essential bottle that magic and allow our systems and structures to be shaped by their example and the ideas their work brings to the business.
Related episodes:
Visit our Sponsors!!!
The best espresso machines in the world!
Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!
Learning how to listen is the cornerstone of effective and transformative communication. In the hustle and fast paced daily activities of the coffee shop, it is easy to forget about listening and truly understanding what is being said beyond the words we hear. Add to this that emotions are often high, listening deeply and well can seem daunting.
Thankfully we have a guest on the show today who is a listening expert and has built incredible resources to help show use exactly how to listen!
Oscar Trimboli is an author, host of the Apple award-winning podcast Deep Listening and a sought-after keynote speaker.
His third book is how to listen – discover the hidden key to better communication – the most comprehensive book about listening in the workplace. Along with the Deep Listening Ambassador Community, he is on a quest to create 100 million deep listeners in the workplace.
Through his work with chairs, boards of directors, and executive teams, Oscar has experienced first-hand the transformational impact leaders can have when they listen beyond words.
In this conversation we dig deep into the principles of listening, especially when emotions cloud our mind. Through deeply personal examples, role playing scenarios, and impactful insight, Oscar lays out a master class in listening here on his second appearance on KTTS. Enjoy!
Links:
We discuss:
Related episodes:
Visit our awesome Sponsors!
GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!
THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!
30 years of resourcing you with the best products and education!
Use Code: "KEYS" for 50% General Admission
Especially important for the younger generation is access to the wisdom and experience of those who have gone before. Older coffee professionals can also benefit from the drive and perspectives of the younger. Problem is that we tend to only converse with and stick to your own age group and the benefit of cross generational communication is lost.
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about mentorship and the importance of seeking these intergenerational relationships and the benefit it brings not only to our own development as individuals, but to the industry as a whole.
Related episodes:
Visit our Sponsors!!!
The best espresso machines in the world!
Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!
The barrier of entry for getting a coffee shop open is lower than ever. Many have the idea that if they can get the shop open, then they have succeeded. But the test is not only about whether you can open a shop, or even if you can keep it open, but how do you make something that is truly great and successful?
On today's episode we will be talking about a few ingredients that must be present in the mix of a coffee shop from the beginning in order for all the components we assemble in the race to open, to work together and create something truly greater than the sum of its parts.
These things are not readily apparent but are necessary nonetheless, and are what separates the average coffee shop from one that is long lasting and impactful.
We cover:
Listen to these episodes next:
Visit our awesome Sponsors!
GROUND BREAKING BREWING MADE SIMPLE!
THE BEST PLANT-BASED BEVERAGES ON THE PLANET!
30 years of resourcing you with the best products and education!
Use Code: "KEYS" for 50% General Admission
I mean, I like variety as much as the next person, but overly complex menus are overwhelming and create confusion for customers who rely on us to curate our offerings that meets their needs in a way that delivers quality over quantity.
On today's Shift Break we will be talking about how the pursuit of a simplified menu can be a powerful tool for hospitality and, in the end, creates a more memorable experience that customers are excited to share with others.
Related episodes:
Visit our Sponsors!!!
The best espresso machines in the world!
Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!