I feel as though this question is constantly on the mind of owners. It is a question born from a desire to have a well trained staff that makes the quality of the work more consistently great, as well as a desire to be an effective trainer and have the staff "get it" quickly. Throw in a little bit of owner insecurity as they are learning all this stuff themselves too, and you get a recipe for miscommunication, assumption, and frustration that seems to be in the background of the question.
Trouble is we often will default to assuming that the manor and amount of training we are doing is surely not the issue, and instead the issue lies with the staff. Truth is a little less straight forward.
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how long you should expect to train staff, and how to know that you have truly put in a good and appropriate amount of planning, structure, and effort before seeking to address the one being trained.
Related episodes:
INTERESTED IN CONSULTING AND COACHING?
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
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
Creating a cafe space is about finding a fitting home for the equipment and people behind the counter who will use it. It is about finding a synthesis, a flow, and a feeling that is functional and remarkable all at once. The life of the business is either helped or hampered by the decisions we make in designing the space. In the many choices and acts of creation we engage in, both in opening, and then in tending to our shops, we bring forth something unique for us and our guests to partake in.
Today's guest has designed some of the most unique spaces and coffee shops and is here to share his wisdom!
Scott Magic is an award-winning and published architect whose principles lie in strong detailing, room making and using materials to bridge the past with present. While primarily working in the Hospitality and Beverage sector, his expertise includes retail, office spaces, historic renovations, adaptive reuse projects and unique single-family homes.
Prior to founding MAGIC, he helped grow the acclaimed architecture firm, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and the worked for architect-developer Jonathan Segal.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon. His Austin-based firm is purposely kept small, to maintain quality and engagement in all aspects of the work. The firm’s current projects are scattered throughout Texas, California and the Saudi Arabia.
He has designed many amazing cafe spaces including the groundbreaking, Meteor Cafe, Fox Trot, Intelligentsia Austin, and Proud Mary Portland, Congress
In this episode you will learn about:
Links:
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Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, and brick needs!
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One of the beautiful things about working in coffee today is the connectivity that is available to players in the value stream. Those who want to make the biggest difference, both use and innovate better versions of these various avenues for connection to build trusting and generous relationships that bring thriving and understanding.
Today's guest live and breaths this mission. I am so honored to welcome to the show, Beamlak Bekele!
Beamlak has experience working as a Green Coffee Export Manager, Logistics and Documentation Supervisor, and Coffee Quality Control Specialist. She is the 2nd-place national barista champion, and currently working as the project coordinator for IWCA Ethiopia. Being raised in a family that has worked in the Ethiopian Coffee industry for decades, Beamlak is interested in learning how to bring origin country perspectives to international coffee dialogues and how to design gender-inclusive and sustainable operational systems in coffee businesses.
Beamlak has also just returned from a tour in the United States after participating in the Cxffee Black barista exchange progam and being a guest at Nossa Familia
In this conversation we explore her upbringing in coffee, career, perspectives on trade, and the importance of better systems and trust in coffee relationships.
You will learn about:
Links:
Beamlak on IG @HUMANS_OF_COFFEE
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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
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, and brick needs!
It's Founder Friday! I am so thrilled to feature people who have become friends through getting to know them at coffee vents over the years. They have launched their own coffee house and made something as unique as they are themselves.
Nicolas and Krystal Tanaka are siblings and the proud owners of Kohiko Coffee House, located in Sugar Land, Texas. They’ve combined their unique backgrounds and extensive experience in the coffee and food & beverage industries to create a space that brings quality coffee and Japanese hospitality to the Houston community.
Nic, the visionary behind Kohiko, shared his passion and vision for the coffee house after his first trip to Japan. He had already begun his journey as a barista in a specialty coffee shop in Sugar Land. He approached Krystal with the idea during her time pursuing her MBA, which led to them working together on an entrepreneurial project in her final semester. This is where they saw that their passions and strengths complemented each other.
As Peruvian and Japanese Americans, they felt particularly connected to bringing something unique and special to Sugar Land. They honed in on the idea of bringing quality coffee with Japanese hospitality to Houston. After Nic became a two-time Coffee Fest World Latte Art Champion and Krystal graduated from her program, they chose to pursue this endeavor together.
Their family has always inspired and motivated their journey. Their grandfather, Roy Tanaka, an entrepreneur who instilled Japanese values and compassion, played a key role in shaping their vision. Their youngest brother, Kenji, continues to inspire them as he makes a name for himself in the coffee world. They are grateful for their community who helped motivate and encourage them to turn their dream into a reality!
Today we are exploring their story in 2 parts.
These conversations presented back-to-back give us deep insight into the values, vision, plans, and life of the business from conception to full open and growing.
I love the whole Tanka family and after you listen to today's episode I think you will too!
Enjoy!
We discuss:
Links:
Instagram: @kohikocoffeehouse
Related and Recommended 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
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, and brick needs!
Did you know that, in spite of all the work you do for others, the sacrifices you make to run your business and do what you can for your staff, plus the positive impact on your community, the you are ACTUALLY evil and/or complicit in the demise of coffee and the people in coffee?
Well, if you listen to the conversations, articles, and headlines being created about you by people who don't know you and the details and nuances of the work you do, you'd be tempted to take on that accusation and guilt as statement of fact and forget about the good work and proof to the contrary in a bid to chase social standing among people whose job it is to find fault above all else. Not a great idea.
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why it is critical that you choose to participate in and give energy to the right conversations so we can create virtuous cycles instead of downward spirals.
I am thankful for you all and the good you do for people through coffee everyday!
Related episodes:
INTERESTED IN CONSULTING AND COACHING?
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
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
Coffee brings people together for all sorts of reasons. One of the beautiful ways coffee is used is as a vehicle for change in areas of our world that desperately need it. Nowhere is change more needed than in the realm of human trafficking and exploitation.
I am thrilled to talk with a couple of professionals on the front lines of this fight. We are talking with Jenny Barber and Jake Jiron of Talitha Coffee Roasters!
Jenny Barber, Cofounder of Talitha Coffee Roaster has spent the past 14 years becoming an expert on the topic of Human Trafficking. Determined to make a positive difference after witnessing the devastating, intergenerational impact of the issue from a young age Jenny founded Talitha Coffee Roasters.
Their mission is to end Human trafficking and support survivors, one sip at a time. They do this By creating job opportunities, providing support for survivors of human trafficking, and partnering with experts as well as individuals and organizations seeking to benefit others.
Jenny herself is a survivor of childhood exploitation. Today, she’s a mother of 6, college graduate, business and non-profit leader, and tireless advocate.
Jake Jiron, originally from Bakersfield, CA, began his journey in specialty coffee in 2016 after graduating from San Diego State University. Starting as a farmer's market pop-up coordinator, he quickly expanded his roles to include admin tasks, invoicing, delivery driving, and ultimately transitioned into sales. Over the past seven years, Jake's focus has been on selling coffee and managing wholesale customers, turning his passion into a dedicated career.
Inspired by the mission and vision of the company, he knew he wanted to be part of something bigger that made a tangible difference in people's lives. Believing he could use his skills to support those in need of employment and opportunity, he made the decision to join Talitha Coffee.
In this conversation we discuss:
Links:
Instagram: @talithacoffeeroasters
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
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, and brick needs!
Ah the age old debate.
Should you hire someone who is experienced working in coffee? On onhand they have skills that may be helpful and on the other they might have bad habits you need to address.
Or should you hire someone without experience? Their first exposure to coffee will be at your shop and you get to train them up on your standards from the start. At the same time they ma take longer to train and could experience bore inertia getting used to the work a coffee shop requires
Today on Shift Break we will be talking all about how to decide between potential employees with varied experience backgrounds so you have the best chance of hiring the right person for the role.
Related episodes:
INTERESTED IN CONSULTING AND COACHING?
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
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 think about the things that make the biggest difference in culture, hospitality experience, staff morale and the profitability of your coffee shop, you would be forgiven for being overwhelmed. There are so many moving parts in food and beverage operations it's hard to know what lever to pull to make a difference.
Well the good news is that, according to today's guest, when you apply focus and systems to the most critical 30% of those areas that make up you cafe, you will transform the business and go from striving, to thriving!
I am very pleased to welcome to the show, Preston Lee of The 30% Rule!
With over 20 years in the business and being a part of 25 restaurant openings, Preston is on a mission to help independent restaurant owners gain the knowledge and best practices on how to best train, lead, and nurture their staff to build a robust culture. Ultimately leading to the highest level of consistency and customer retention.
Today we talk with Preston all about how some hard lessons learned early on in his carrier shaped him and what he does now to help hospitality businesses with their culture, sales, training, and quality.
This is a really motivating talk that I hope focuses you on the right areas to make the biggest difference in your coffee shop.
In this conversation we layout the plan for:
Links:
Instagram: @the30rule
Instagram: @the_30_rule
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
Want a beautiful coffee shop?
All your hard surface, stone, and brick needs!
In recent weeks Starbucks has announced it will no longer charge for plant-base alternative milks. This comes after efforts from activists claiming discrimination. Starbucks aside, the conversation about up-charging for alt milk has been going on for a while now with people who feel strongly on either side of the topic.
Today on Shift Break we will be talking about whether or not you should be charging for alternative plant based milk options, how to approach this from a practical business perspective, why it's not a great idea to be so obsessed with what major retailers do, and how not to be bullied or guilted into conforming but rather make sound decisions.
Related episodes:
INTERESTED IN CONSULTING AND COACHING?
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
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
The way customers and staff experience our cafes is based many experiences and moments taken together to form what they know as our culture or brand. Each experience can be broken down into many different parts that happen within even one visit and the smart operator knows that unless there is a plan set up ahead of time for how we want those moments to go, then we will provide less than stellar service. The customer loses out on experiencing our best, and we lose out on keeping good customers and good staff.
Today we are going to be talking about a few critical workflows I believe every coffee bar needs to have detailed nd trained on in order to serve people very well every day. Take this episode as an assignment and go create these for your shop as soon as you can! Include the staff and launch these as guiding processes so your coffee shop will thrive.
In this conversation we layout the plan for:
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
Want a beautiful coffee shop?
All your hard surface, stone, and brick needs!