Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Latest Episodes:

Why "Next in Line" promotion Might be a Bad Idea Sep 30, 2021

Show notes

The question of who to promote to available positions is one that coffee shop operators wrestle with a lot. As with any hiring decision, we can make great choices based on solid reasons or we can make a choice we will regret later that was based on shaky reasoning. One of those not so great reasons to promote someone is that they are "next in line"

Today on Shift Break we will explore the idea of "next in line" promotion, why it may not be a great idea, and what to do to make the best decision for your baristas, the customers, and the cafe.

Related episodes:

172 : Why Tracking Performance is a Must!

Blog: Good Communication is "For Here"

232 : Rebuilding your Staff with Excellence w/ Dave Stachowiak

301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence

278 : Making great Hiring Decisions

Visit our awesome Sponsors!

Elevated batch brew and so much more!

Ground Control Cyclops Brewer

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

306 : A Conversation w/ 2004 U.S. Barista Champion, Bronwen Serna! Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

Today we get to chat with 2004 U.S. Barista Champion and legend, Bronwen Serna! Bronwen has been a practicing Coffee Professional since 2000, a Professional Barista, Roaster, and Barista Trainer, a Certified Instructor and Assessor with the Specialty Coffee Association. Her love of coffee precedes her experience, where she manages to frequent many coffeehouses all over the world and became a Barista after having drunk many cups of coffee and inspired by a trip to Italy.

What has driven her all these years has been her love coffee and people. Bronwen is currently working with Counter Culture Coffee in LA, as she continues to build excitement and knowledge for clients and coffee professionals in the Specialty Coffee scene.

This is quite a special episode. I have known Bronwen since the early 2000s. Having both grown into our careers during the same era of specialty coffee and in the same professional barista community I have witnessed first hand Bronwen's dynamic and inspiring impact in the industry and it is a tru privilege to welcome her to the podcast to share her story and wisdom with the KTTS audience!

In our conversation today we will be exploring Bronwen's early years in coffee, and by default the early years of the 3rd wave that she was helping to shape. We talk about training, education, hospitality, business models, and how all these things have developed and what she believes are the timeless truths that contribute to a thriving community and career in coffee.

I hope you enjoy this episode and that it helps you mindfully pursue building a great future coffee history with what you presently set your hand to.

We cover:

Formative years in coffee and 3rd wave
Being a life long learner
Roasting as a career springboard
Competition and expanding horizons
Tailoring education
Evolution of the industry
Universal truths and practices of barista and coffee work
How to best serve our customers
Simplicity as a virtue
Biggest needs in the industry

Links:

Bronwen on Instagram

www.bronwenserna.com

Counter Culture Coffee

Visit our amazing Sponsors!

www.prima-coffee.com/keys

www.pacficfoodservice.com

www.coffeefest.com

305 : Founder Friday! w/ Andrew Sinclair of MadLab Coffee, Los Angeles, CA Sep 24, 2021

Show notes

Boy do we have a Founder Friday for you! Today we get to talk with the founder of MadLab Coffee in L.A., Andrew Sinclair.

Andrew has been in coffee for over a decade going from an enthusiast to barista, head barista, manager, then owner and operator all before he started MadLab in 2015.

Mad Lab's mission is to love people a whole lot more, instead of a whole lot less and to push everyone that encounters our coffee, to be the person they needed when they were younger. These mantras are the compass for how they present themselves and practice business with their everyday customers and thier partners that become our friends and family.

In today's conversation we will be exploring Andrew's unique path into the coffee world and the peaks and valleys that mad him and his company what they are today.

This is one of the most encouraging, passionate, and genuine interviews to date and serves as a real dose of inspiration to put integrity and people at the center of all we do.

We cover:

The difficulty of being in hospitality in LA.
Becoming a barista, manager, owner
Looking after people first
Viewing things as opportunities
Serving the needs of the neighborhood
Flag planters vs hometown roasters
Adventures in learning to roast
Our hospitality and staff care mindset
Taking over an existing space at the right time
How the homeless community saved MadLab Coffee
MadLab service mantras and the importance of mentorship
Why it's not about money

Links:

www.madlab.co

MadLab on Instagram

Related Episodes:

045 : Simple, Powerful Hospitality w/ Philip Turner

232 : Founder Friday w/ Blew Kind of Fanny Lou's Porch

129 : Founder Friday w/ Casey & Jeremy Miller of The Mudhouse, St. Louis, MO

075 : Founder Friday w/Jill Killen of Cloud City Coffee, Seattle Washington

107 : Kyle Glanville & Charles Babinski of G&B Coffee and Go Get em Tiger

Visit our amazing Sponsors!

www.prima-coffee.com/keys

www.pacficfoodservice.com

Small Steps = Big Impact Sep 23, 2021

Show notes

Looking out into the world of specialty coffee and the sheer number of complex problems both locally and globally that need to be addressed, it is easy to get overwhelmed. The question of, How can I make a difference? Is often left unanswered because the opportunities for contribution seem too small. Or we try to answer the question in with unsustainable efforts that fizzle out and make us worry of trying again.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how small steps toward a goal can bring about massive change and bring consistency to how we walk out our values in our daily business for the benefit of all our staff, customers, and the greater community.

Related Episodes:

Sustainability Series #1 : The Farm

Sustainability Series #2 : Importing & Roasting

Sustainability Series #3 : The Cafe

Sustainability Series #4 : Consumer

Visit our awesome Sponsors!

Elevated batch brew and so much more!

Ground Control Cyclops Brewer

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

Sustainability Series #4 : Consumer Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

Consumers. What we assume to be the end of the value chain in coffee, may in fact be the the beginning. In reality, as we will learn today, coffee is more a circle than a straight line, and in many ways it begins and ends with the consumer.

How we serve, market to, and communicate with the consumer, literally shapes the industry through curating the demand that we then supply.

The question for all of us who have influence in creating the expectations, and therefore the demands and behaviors of consumers, is, how do we build guide them to options and habits that create long term sustainability?

With the help of some of the most incredible and influential people we dive deep into the world of the consumer to discover what makes them tick, what part we play, what makes sustainability movements sticky, how to create a narrative and supply options that encourage mass change through local effort, how farmers are creating direct to consumer models, and where we can start in our own businesses to create sustainable change.

As we end the series on this episode I hope you take these ideas and find a way to start applying them as soon as possible. The road to sustainability is being built by many hands around the world working together for a common goal.

Let's make sure we join hands with them.

Our Guest for this episode include:

Erika Vonie: Coffee Consultant at Erikavonie.com
Felipe Croce: Farm manager for F.A.F. Brazil
Heather Ward: Content Strategy Director for the SCA
Spenser M. Ross PHD: Assistant Professor of Marketing at University of Massachusetts Lowell's Manning School of Business.
Dr. Sukhbir Sandhu: Senior Lecturer in Sustainability and Ethics at the University of South Australia Business, and researcher w/ Centre for Workplace Excellence (CWeX)
Thaleon Tremain: CEO and co-founder of Pachamama Coffee Cooperative

Guest Links:

Show Links:

Related Keys to the Shop Episodes:

Remember!

Visit www.biocaf.com for more resources on sustainability!
Visit www.keystotheshop.com for hundreds of episodes focused on helping you and your coffee business thrive!
Follow @keystotheshop on Instagram!

Sustainability Series #3 : The Cafe Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

As we have explored all that has gone into the product of coffee and the many ways that sustainability can be achieved in farming, Importing, and Roasting. Now we come to the place where coffee's potentially is ultimately on display. The cafe.

Next to the farm, the cafe has been the focus of much of our sustainability efforts, and with good reason. The cafe is hands down the most wasteful link in the value chain in product, materials, energy, and even in potential as businesses often cannot sustain themselves longer than a few years.

In this episode we will be talking with some brilliant minds whose work and ideas have created seismic shifts in the way coffee shops can view and pursue sustainability in an accessible and effective ways.

As we talk about everything from shifting our mindsets, zero-waste initiatives, and energy saving innovations --to navigating social pressure, communicating values to customers/staff, and committing to small steps and building simple systems, I believe this episode will stoke your desire to start or continue your own shop's sustainability efforts.

Our Guest for this episode include:

Cosimo Libardo: CEO, La Carimali Group
Karen Lickteig: Marketing & Sustainability Director for Nossa Familia Coffee
Umeko Motoyoshi: Author, Not Wasting Coffee, Host, A Better Table Podcast

Guest Links:

Show Links:

Related Keys to the Shop Episodes:

Remember!

Visit www.biocaf.com for more resources on sustainability!
Visit www.keystotheshop.com for hundreds of episodes focused on helping you and your coffee business thrive!
Follow @keystotheshop on Instagram!

Sustainability Series #2 : Importing & Roasting Sep 22, 2021

Show notes

Sustainability is a collaborative effort that relies on solid networks, relationships, and communication. This is mainly the responsibility of importers and roasters whose job it is to provide connection, accurate representation, and to realize the potential of the now harvested coffee and the farmers who grow it.

While providing these platforms to those they serve, importers and roasters must also look out for the stability and sustainability of their own businesses in order to make progress long-term.

In this episode we will be talking with some seriously inspiring importers and roasters to discuss their practices, perspectives, accomplishments on what it means to be holistically sustainable.

From commited importing relationships, balancing the needs of roasters and farmers, and exploring the roasters role in the value chain -- to roaster cooperatives, creating values based culture, and navigating supply challenges, there are some incredible points and actionable insights in these conversations.

I hope this inspires you to take consistent action, even in small ways, to add to the positive momentum!

Our Guest for this Episode include:

Jeanine Niynzima-Aroian: Owner of JNP Coffee / Founder of Burundi Friends International
James Tooill: North American Sales Manager, Ally Coffee
Joe Marrocco: VP of Coffee Sourcing and Product Development at FairWave Coffee Collective
Monica Firl: Director of Sustainability, Coop Coffees
Lee Wallace, CEO, Peace Coffee
Andi Trindle Mersch: Director of Coffee, Tea, and Sustainability with Philz Coffee

Guest Links:

Show Links:

www.biocaf.com

Download the Free PDF Program Guide

Series Link:

All Episodes of The Sustainability Series

Related Keys to the Shop Episodes:

Remember!

Visit www.biocaf.com for more resources on sustainability!

Visit www.keystotheshop.com for hundreds of episodes focused on helping you and your coffee business thrive!

Follow @keystotheshop on Instagram!

Sustainability Series #1 : The Farm Sep 21, 2021

Show notes

Welcome to the Sustainability Series from Biocaf and Keys to the Shop!

To kick off this series we will be exploring sustainability where all the potential of a coffee and the foundation of our industry is concentrated. The farm.

How we define and understand sustainability here creates a ripple effect that impacts every action we take along the value chain.

As we explore sustainability on the coffee farm we will be discussing everything from organic production, farmer cooperatives, and climate change - to legacy, genetic/crop diversity, and organic production. All of this with the aim to create clarity on the issues and highlight the movements currently making positive change that we can be inspired by, work along side of, and support in their big for sustainability on the farm.

Our Guest for this Episode include:

Marcos Croce: Owner of Fazenda Ambiental Fortaleza (FAF) Brazil
Esperanza Dionisio: General Manager of the Pangoa Cooperative in Peru
Erika Koss : SCA instructor and Sustainability Consultant at "A World in your Cup"
Kim Elena Ionescu: The Chief sustainability Officer for the SCA
Vern Long: CEO of World Coffee Research
Stefanie Tye: Climate Resilience Researcher with The World Resources Institute

Guest Links:

Show Links:

www.biocaf.com

Download the Free PDF Program Guide

Series Link:

All Episodes in this Series

Related Keys to the Shop Episodes:

Remember!

Visit www.biocaf.com for more resources on sustainability!

Visit www.keystotheshop.com for hundreds of episodes focused on helping you and your coffee business thrive!

Follow @keystotheshop on Instagram!

304 : Inside the Coffee Data Trends Breakout Report w/ Katie Von Der Lieth of the SCA Sep 20, 2021

Show notes

How do we gauge the markets our coffee shops serve? On top of being engaged in our own local ecosystems we must also pay attention to large scale trends as they influence the perception and habits of our customers. The SCA and NCA have recently teamed up to produce a robust, first of its kind report called, "The National Coffee Data Trends Break Out Report" that is free to the public and chock full of very useful and actionable information.

Today we will be discussing many of this reports findings and how they impact our shops with the SCA's Katie Von Der Lieth!

Katie von der Lieth is a Research Program Manager at the Specialty Coffee Association and Coffee Science Foundation, where she supports and grows the coffee research program. Prior to joining the SCA, Katie earned master's degrees in International Agricultural Development and Agriculture Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis. She also helped design and teach an undergraduate course about coffee and has conducted small-scale coffee research projects in Brazil and Ecuador.

In this conversation we will cover:

The making of the report and its goal
Defining specialty and non-specialty
Exposing customers to options
Definitions and How report was compiled
Trends in socio-economic, ethnicity, geographic distribution
Surprising results of the study
Relationship of consumers to home vs cafe experiences
Discussing causes, impact, and customer trust
Reason for the study
Implications of the findings on marketing

Links:

SCA.COFFEE

Download the free Report!

Related Episodes:

Visit our amazing Sponsors!

www.prima-coffee.com/keys

www.pacficfoodservice.com

www.coffeefest.com

Announcing: "The Sustainability Series" Brought to you by Biocaf ! Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

Exciting news! On Wednesday, September 22nd, Keys to the Shop along with Biocaf, will be releasing a 4 part narrative series focused on exploring sustainability all along the value chain.

Throughout the series will be talking to 20 of the most inspiring farmers, roasters, managers, importers, thinkers, and academics to both understand what real sustainability looks like, and how their ideas and work is making an impact.

We will be focused on:

The Farm
Importing and Roasting
The Cafe
The Consumer

Through this journey of arranging, conducting, compiling, and editing these interviews into their final form, this much is clear - This is just the tip of the iceberg.

I hope that what you hear is surprising, encouraging, educational, and ultimately inspires you to dive deeper yourself into how you and your company can continue to pursue and refine what it means to be a sustainable specialty coffee industry.

You can download a PDF program guide that highlights all of the guests that are featured on the series.

A huge and humble thank you to my friends Jesse Hartman of The Coffee Podcast and Kojin Tashiro for their priceless help on the storyboarding and editing respectively.

This series will be release in total on Wednesday the 22nd at 12am EST

Visit Biocaf for more valuable content on sustainability and be sure to tune in on Wednesday the 22nd for the Keys to the Shop Sustainability Series!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected