Entering the New Year is always seen as a time to make good on our intentions that got put on the back burner. Many of those intentions, if acted upon, would absolutely transform our cafes and the relationships in them. What keeps us back from acting upon the things we know to do and following through to see greater fruit from our labor?
Today on the podcast we will be talking about 4 mindsets that help deepen your roots as a leader and create habits that allow you more room and clarity to make great decisions and cultivate the thriving culture of excellence and hospitality you set out to create with your team.
We discuss:
Related Episodes:
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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
We all want to see positive growth and good numbers in our cafe. We also want to see the ROI for the effort we put in to generate those numbers. For many, to look at the reports and see profit and everything looking healthy is a sure sign that all is well and we are doing the right things. The issue is that even with a growing profitable business, the numbers don't tell he whole story and can lull you into a false sense of confidence.
Today on shift break we will be talking about the difference between the numbers and quality numbers. Quality meaning that behind that number we know is a happy and enthusiastic customer. We will also discuss why your efforts contribute to that quality and ultimately an ROI you actually can have confidence in.
Related Episodes:
CONSULTING + 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
How we care for people through our work should be the primary focus. From healthy and strong relationships and systems the help support them, we get healthy and strong businesses and a real chance at a long term sustainable operation.
Today we will be talking about some substantive ways that you can care for yourself, the staff, and your customers in ways that create a culture of excellence and mutual support. This has the added benefit of truly helping the people who came before you in the value chain as we will have a shop that represents their work very well.
Related Episodes:
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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Do you feel the pull, the itch, the compulsion to add more, buy more, and create specials and new things for your customers all the time? You are not alone. The industry is filled with cafe that are stuck in a never ending cycle of making, buying, and adding new things so they do not fall out of favor or relevance as though any and every customer or barista is only a hairs breadth away form leaving and like the Keanu Reeves movie Speed, if you slow down, the whole business will explode.
Today on Shift Break we will be discussing this mindset trap that snares many owners and operators and what you can do to truly gain relevancy and loyalty in your customer base. The key we will talk about lies in you ability to focus on the right things and stay the course
Related Episodes:
CONSULTING + 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
I love an origin story where the pluck, confidence, and unwavering belief of the founders for each other and their idea is met with the support, enthusiasm, and positive feedback of the community they set out to serve. They say your calling is where your talents intersect with what people need and today we get to talk with people who have been authoring a story just like that.
Very happy today to feature the story of Matt and Elise Higgins of Origin Coffee Bar!
Elise and Matt Higgins are the husband-and-wife founders of Origin Coffee Bar, with cafés in Savannah and Hilton Head Island. Creative and entrepreneurial at heart, they launched Origin in 2020 with a focus on generosity, community, and excellent coffee. Elise, originally from Michigan, oversees social media, the food program, and guest experience, while Matt, a New England native, leads roasting, coffee quality, brand, and wholesale.
In today's episode we will be taking you from the first inkling that coffee was the path they should pursue, -through to today where they now have an 2 established cafes and a roasting operation that are continuing to grow.
We discuss:
* Life as design students, craft entrepreneurs, and the idea for coffee
* The lessons from the Mobile Coffee Bar
* Navigating Opportunities + The Power of Intuition
* The Importance of Culture and a Great Team
* Balancing Work and Relationship
* Secrets of Partnership
* Establishing Standards
* The Role of Systems in Growth
* Learning from Customers and Team
* Quality Control at Scale
* Why Entrepreneurs Need Confidence and Generosity
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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
A listener asked me a question recently about how to approach operating a coffee shop in a rural setting versus a larger city. After a short exchange over email I decided it was some thing that we should probably chat about here on the show. After all, specialty coffee shops are popping up more and more in suburban and rural settings, and there may be some key distinctions to consider.
Today we will be talking about some different differences between the two settings and how you as a professional or an operator manager or owner can approach hospitality and business in each of these settings in a way that best serves the people in those communities.
We will also talk about the limits of those differences and turn to how they are not too dissimilar, and give you a frame work that will help you ask the right questions before making decisions around menu, style, and approach.
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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
The life of your business is going to be determined by how easily and frequently you and your staff can identify, during the workday, behaviors and events that represent the values of your company. The problem is that because we are so busy with the tasks of the work, it makes it difficult for us to identify those times in the work that can help motivate nourish and sustain us.
Today on shift break, we will be talking about your role as a leader to help identify values on shift. This practice will result a team of people ready to not only recognize the difference between bad and good behaviors and situations on bar, but it will create staff who then independently pursue furthering the good.
Related episodes:
329 : How to Teach Company Values to Your Staff
Bridging the Values-Actions Gap
CONSULTING + 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
Many owners struggle to make a profit and to pay themselves. This inevitably will lead to burn out and disillusionment and sadly for many closing down the shop before ever really seeing what it's potential could have been.
Making money in your cafe has a lot to do with how well you track and manage what you already make.
Enter the Profit First system and the coach who helps apply it to the world of coffee shops, Kim Logsdon!
Kim Logsdon is a long time CFO and financial consultant who has worked with business owners and entrepreneurs for the past 30 years. She started her consulting journey in banking working with entrepreneurs and private equity advisors providing them with financial services and credit facilities to grow and expand their businesses organically and through acquisitions.
Kim has also had substantial personal experience as an entrepreneur and business leader where she further deepened her expertise that her clients today rely on to help them navigate their own journeys.
Among the entrepreneurs Kim works with, she has a particular focus on coffee shops and coffee roasters to help them with cash flow issues and achieve financial stability through here personal caching using the Profit First methodology. She also help streamline operations with Pumpkin Plan business strategies and is launching the Money Habit Mentor program to help owners and team achieve financial freedom in their personal lives.
In todays episode we will be discussing:
Links:
Related episodes:
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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
You read this kind of question mostly from nervous owners who are glued to their screen and anxiously review every data point with bloodshot eyes. Like a nervous flyer, ever bump on the plan is a sure sign of an imminent crash, but here's the thing, it's not.
Today on shift break we will be talking about why these kind of questions, while cathartic, actual reinforce a mindset that will rob you of the peace you seek and what you should do instead.
Related episodes:
Click here to register for our new webinar!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
Tickets are limited and you will want to secure your seat soon!
CONSULTING + 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
For the last 10 years The Barista League has been putting on competition/events that tap into the culture of the working barista and offers a fun environment that also showcases and celebrates the skills of the people who serve customers globally. In the current landscape where competition is increasingly isolated from reality and can easily be seen as a place to conform, perform TBL is a needed balance.
Now they are taking the next step in their evolution and introducing a newer format and judging criterial born from their ten years of conversations with he baristas they hope to serve. and we are going to talk all about it with the founder, Steve Moloney!
Steve is a long time coffee professional, barista, and 2x Swedish Barista Champion who for the last tan years has been leading the event and competition The Barista League. Criss crossing the globe every year Steve and the team get to see a wide variety and sampling of the various barista cultures that make coffee a wonderful and diverse landscape.
Today we are going to talk with Steve about:
Links:
Related Episodes:
Click here to register for our new webinar
on December 5th 2025!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
If you want to run a great coffee shop, loving people is one of the most important things to have at the foundation of all you do. It is also sometimes the hardest and requires intentional pursuits of a visions and a tenacity that always seeks out ways to improve communication, service, hospitality, and quality to make sure both staff and customers consistently feel the love.
I am happy that we get to chat with someone whose cafe and pursuit of what coffee service and community can look like has been making an big impact in a small eastern Washington town.
Today we will be talking with the founder of Kittitas Cafe, Mackenzie Cohen!
After working in the food and beverage industry in the U.S. and in Australia for over a decade, Mackenzie found her love for coffee, food, and people was so overwhelming she needed to make it her career!
The Kittitas Cafe’s unofficial motto is, “love on people so much, they can’t help but love us back.” So far, it’s worked pretty well for them!
Kittitas Cafe has formed an incredibly loving community, introduced people to coffee and food they otherwise may never have tried, and has provided careers for people that offer growth and fulfillment.
Some things we will cover:
Links:
Click below to register for our new webinar!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
It is that time of year here in the U.S. where many will reflect on what they are thankful for. In this current age where bad news and reasons to despair abound, it is even ore important to fight for and seek out the good and positive in our lives. But even for those of us who see value in this tradition of listing what we have to give thanks for, it often remains only a once per year thing.
On today's Shift Break we will be chatting about what truly being thankful should lead to in the way we live and act toward the people we have in our lives and businesses and even to ourselves when the opportunities and challenges that make up daily work life arrive. When we really believe and know that we are thankful, and we allow ourselves to be impacted by it, great things are more likely to happen and to be recognized when they do.
Click here to register for our new webinar!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
Tickets are limited and you will want to secure your seat soon!
CONSULTING + 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
And we are back with the second part of our exploration of common barista myths! I have to say, the main point for both the owner and barista episodes is to encourage everyone to exercise a patience, humility, curiosity, and a sense that there may be more to a story that what we initially see. The culture of coffee shops is shaped on aspirations and passion, but also on assumptions that can damage, hold back, and make toxic an otherwise promising career or cafe.
So with all that said I want to cover another set of myths that baristas (ie: future managers, owners, trainers etc) believe and what might be a better way to address what the myth is based on. We cover: Don’t expect much from your boss
We will cover:
Links:
Click here to register for our new webinar
on December 5th 2025!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
I was invited to speak recently to a group of coffee professionals on the state of the industry based on what I have experienced through my consulting, career, and interviews. One of the main things I shared was that coffee quality in roasted form is at an all time high. But quality is embarrassingly low. The issue is not the coffee, equipment, access to information, or even money. It is a refusal to train staff and continue investing in their abilities to deliver quality.
Today on Shift Break we will be discussing the urgent need for today's coffee shop to invest in and develop their staff with relevant and effective training. This has to be a priority and we are seeing the consequences across the industry as customers faith in our ability to deliver continues to decline and convenience innovations continue o go up. The solutions to your problems are not in tech, finance, or sourcing. It is in relationships, personal growth, and a culture of training that maximizes the value of each opportunity to represent the coffee well and serve the guest with excellence.
Related episodes:
Click here to register for our new webinar!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
Tickets are limited and you will want to secure your seat soon!
CONSULTING + 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
Water for coffee. This is the biggest area of quality control focus that we must always monitor and check to provide constantly excellent coffee. Learning about water can come from various sources and for many busy operators it is tempting to learn a couple things and use that knowledge forever vs continually learning and gaining just as thorough an understanding of water as you do with coffee.
Thankfully we have a resource like the book Water for Coffee that has been created and is now in production of the 2nd edition! Today we talk with returning guest and co-author of Water for Coffee, Maxwell Dashwood!
We will cover:
Links:
Get the new book: Water For Coffee
https://www.instagram.com/mcolonnadashwood/
Click here to register for our new webinar!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Here is why I am thrilled to be launching this live webinar called "The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success".
The more conversations and exchanges we have where we get to clarify, fortify, and focus on excellence in things that matter, the better all our businesses become.
In the last almost 9 years KTTS has offered free content in the form of the 2x per week podcast to help operators steward and grow their business by focusing on people, operations, and quality.
Now we are prod to announce a new accessibly priced webinar that will specifically address those three areas and deliver insight, tools, and methods to achieve excellence so you and your people thrive in the running of your shop.
The Keys to the Shop: Principle For Cafe Success
Webinar Date: December 5, 2025 at 12:00PM EST
Length: 90 minutes (60 min teaching + 30 min live Q&A)
Investment: $99 (includes workbook + 1:1 consultation for all who attend)
Here is what you will learn:
Link to sign up:
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER WHILE THERE IS SPACE!
I hope to see you on December 5th!
-Chris
If you listen to every well meaning linkedIn post or biz hack YouTube video you can stand out so much that you actually lose touch with he foundation of your business.
Today on shift break we will talk about ways to pursue more customer attention but in a way that reinforces your roots and foundations vs pulling you aways from them.
CONSULTING + 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
Time for our last installment of live interviews from Coffee Fest 2025. This time from Orlando, FL USA!
We are talking with four awesome professionals about everything from training and tasting, Florida coffee culture and barista work - to career dreams coming true through hard work and faith, and empowering your baristas with distributed management!
First we are talking with Claudio Martinez!
For Claudio, coffee has never been just a drink, it is part of his soul, rooted in his family’s 70-year heritage in Honduras. That connection was reignited in Thessaloniki, Greece, where, under the mentorship of Tony Sebastian of I Heart Coffee Roasters, he embraced the beauty, tradition, and community that coffee represents.
His first hands-on experience came in a small drive-through coffee shop in Ellendale, North Dakota, owned by a close friend. As a young barista, Claudio discovered the joy of serving others one cup at a time. That spark guided him forward, leading to opportunities with global icons such as Lavazza, where he worked as a trainer and educator, and later with List + Beisler, where he shared exceptional coffees as a green trader with roasters across the country. Each step nurtured his gratitude and reinforced his belief in coffee as a bridge between cultures and communities.
Today, as the driving force behind Golden Bush Coffee, Claudio channels that lifelong passion into supporting food and beverage communities throughout Florida and beyond. His mission is grounded in humility and purpose, guided by the belief that coffee is never just about what’s in the cup—it is about people, stories, and the connections it creates.
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/goldenbushcoffee/
Next up we feature Vanessa Jaramillo!
Vanessa Jaramillo is the Regional Events & Operations Coordinator for Florida Coffee Culture, where she helps connect and celebrate the people behind Florida’s growing specialty coffee scene. As a Colombian-American, Vanessa’s connection to coffee began long before she became a barista — she visited origin before ever working behind a bar. After discovering specialty coffee in Australia during her gap year, she returned to Florida with a deep passion for community and storytelling.
With three years in the coffee industry, Vanessa has immersed herself in every part of the craft — from cuppings and throwdowns to competitions and community events. She’s driven by the belief that coffee is a universal connector that brings people together from all walks of life.
Links:
https://www.flcoffeeculture.com/
https://www.instagram.com/floridacoffeeculture/
We then turn to chat with Maria Esther Lopez Thome!
María Esther is the Co-Founder and Co-Creator of Coffea School, a Coffee & Tea Training Center located in Miami Gardens, Florida. Lawyer, with Master in Tax and Administrative Law. Q-Instructor. SCA Authorized Trainer in the entire Coffee Skills Program, from seed to cup. SCA-ReCo Fellow. SCA Technical Standard Committee Fellow, 2016-2018. CQI Q-Processing Professional. CQI Quality Evaluation and Post-Harvest Processing Assistant Instructor. CVA Program Trainer. Has traveled the world teaching about coffee: Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Chile, Ethiopia, United States. Passionate about coffee and the incredible relationships that growth in within. A sustainability believer, always willing to learn more.
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/coffeacompany/?hl=en
Finally we round off the episode with a wonderful conversation with Katherine Morris!
Katherine Morris is the Owner and CFO of Cherry Coffee Company in Fort Worth, Texas, which includes Cherry Coffee Shop, a values-driven neighborhood café, and Novel Coffee Roasters, a specialty roastery with a focus on intentional sourcing and private-label partnerships. With over 18 years of experience across finance, nonprofit, and hospitality, Katherine blends operational know-how with a people-first approach to leadership.
At Cherry, she introduced a shared management model that empowers baristas to lead key areas of the business — from coffee development to inventory — helping create a resilient, collaborative team culture.
Links:
https://www.instagram.com/cherrycoffeefw/?hl=en
Click here to register for our new webinar!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
CHECK OUT FUTURE COFFEE FEST SHOWS!
In my live workshops with owners and teams, coaching calls with clients, and even in interviews here on the show run into many go-to habits that are replacements for healthy leadership.
Today we are going to be discussing a few of these mindsets and habits that can easily be a sort of counterfeit for the real deal. The real nefarious thing about each of theses habits is the confirmation bias that makes them habits in the first place.
It is my hope that, if you are practicing these things , you get to step away and see clearly the pattern and replace them with the genuine article.
We cover:
Related episodes:
Encore Episode : 6 Truths about Power
Empowering Staff to make the right Call
074 : The Life Changing Power of Good Authority w/ Jonathan Raymond
Why You Need to Back up Your Policies
184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak
Click here to register for our new webinar!
"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
or book a free call now:
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
In our world of coffee shops we feel if we can get through the day without too many disasters or fires that we are doing well. The people we put into various roles adopt a similar mindset of avoidance of bad is equal to accomplishing good. but when you reflect back on your day and even career, when you have this mindset you are left with a bag full of air. No substance to show you did a good job because none of us were identifying and work toward specifics, we were working to avoid problems and accept vague generalities.
Today on shift break we will be talking about how to set up yourself, and everyone else for success by defining the work and what a good job looks like so we can have sustainable work that fills us with the evidence of a good job, not just a bad job avoided.
Related Episodes:
CONSULTING + 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
At this show we believe that the onus for setting people up for success and being the chief servant of those above them is squarely on the leader or owner of the cafe. they have more power, say, and responsibility. With that said we must not pretend that they are the only ones who have power, authority, influence or responsibility. Baristas also have these things and how well they do in their career or how good they feel about the work they do is in no small part based on stewarding the things they have taken on when choosing to represent the coffee, the company, and the well being of their co-workers and guest. How well a barista does here can determine what future leadership in cafes looks like. But there are some beliefs we need to address.
Today on the show we venture into the world of myths that baristas believe and breakdown the nuances surrounding many assumptions that take root that are not always so helpful in producing the kind of positive change we want to see advanced in coffee.
We cover:
Related episodes:
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Being a small roastery is beautiful thing. Agility, lower waste, and a different flavor intentionality and flexibility offer many advantages that can aid in building an engaged community around your coffee.
Today on Rate of Rise, brought to you by our friends at Mill City Roasters, we will be talking with Adrian Seligman whose small batch roastery, Scandinavian Alps Coffee Roasters, has exemplified these traits with a community of customers who have joined him in his coffee journey.
Adrian Seligman is the founder of Scandinavian Alps Coffee Roasters, an independent specialty coffee roastery based in Hemsedal, Norway. Blending his passion for the mountains with a dedication to precision and storytelling, Adrian has built a small-batch roasting company known for its clean, expressive Nordic-style coffees, fun easy going blends, and creative collaborations with brands like Salomon and Blundstone.
His roasting philosophy centers on clarity, terroir, and craftsmanship — treating each batch as a reflection of both nature and discipline. Through Scandinavian Alps Coffee Roasters, Adrian continues to champion quality, consistency, and community from the heart of the Norwegian Alps.
We will discuss:
Related Episodes:
Our Sponsor for Rate of Rise!
It's Founder Friday! I am happy to welcome to the show Kenny Kuk, and Hong Shin of Haan Coffee Roasters in Orlando Florida!
Haan Coffee has been in operation since 2020 starting first as a roastery and quickly a cafe space to showcase the beautiful coffees and hospitality they are known for. The four friends Suzie Shin, Kenny Kuk, Albert Kang that founded Haan had an affinity for business, coffee, and a desire to serve people and honor their shared Korean culture. Haan Coffee Roasters was born as a project to share these things with the diverse guests in their Orlando, FL community.
I have enjoyed their hospitality and coffee several times in recent years and am happy we could sit down with Kenny and Hong to tell the tale.
We discuss:
Related Episodes:
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!
Coffee shops come in all shapes, styles, sizes, and focus on many different aspects of social experience and craft. If we look back we can see that certain themes emerge. Whether it is the 90's coffee shop with bold colors, self serve airpots, lots of sugar, and no wifi, the early 2000's sparse coffee temples with no sugar, or the modern coffee shops that seem to be serving anything but coffee as long as it sells. (that last one is me being cynical)
The cafe will always be a bit of a litmus test for the culture.
In today's Shift Break we will be talking about what I believe is emerging as a new classic coffee shop model and why it just may be the best version to come out yet owing to some timeless traits that may help us make actual progress.
This episode was the response to a question a listener asked me. We exchange a few voice memos on IG and I thought it would make a great subject.
If you have a question, please reach out!
CONSULTING + 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
There are many ways to mess up a perfectly good espresso machine. By contrast, virtually all of them are preventable if you follow only a few specific strategies to care for what is likely to most expensive piece of equipment in your store. Now another question, where can you find these best practices and techniques along with detailed "whys" behind the "whats" of espresso equipment maintenance? Lucky for us, it is not all in one book!
I am thrilled to welcome back to the show long time espresso tech and now author, Jon Ferguson!
https://www.instagram.com/coffeeunderpressure/
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 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
SPONSORS
Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!
The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!