Advertise on podcast: Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

The hustle of business creates a fear culture where operators worry about their productivity at a near constant rate. We scratch our heads over how to prevent burn-out and talk about work life balance, but what about having a balanced perspective on work? Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how you can shift your view of productivity through clear definitions, willingness to recognize success, and the balance needed to not be constantly worried about how productive you are, but rather, if you produced something of value that you have the ability to stop and enjoy.   KEYS TO THE SHOP®  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 [email protected] OR... book a free call now  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:  Sacrificing Productivity 3 Keys for Work-life Balance SHIFT BREAK: Rest and Meaningful Work   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 education is essential for a professional to not just have knowledge needed for their current job, but to add depth, appreciation, motivation, and to prepare them for possible futures in the coffee industry beyond their role today. The next step is to find a place that can supply you with that knowledge in a way that not only delivers facts, but breeds understanding and growth. Today we get to sit down with the Head of Coffee Education at Cafe Imports, Dylan Siemens to talk about the newly released free educational resource, ED+U! Dylan Siemens is the Head of Education at Cafe Imports and the creator of ED+U. He began his coffee career in 2012 as a barista and then Head of Education at Onyx Coffee Lab, where he trained hundreds of baristas and competed nationally, winning the U.S. Brewers Cup in 2017. Over that decade, he gained firsthand insight into how difficult it is for small businesses to maintain high-quality training and how much young professionals benefit when knowledge is made available to them. Dylan joined Cafe Imports in 2022 to help revitalize the company's education program. Building on Cafe Imports' extensive knowledge library, he created ED+U, a platform designed to make professional coffee education accessible to everyone. He doesn't think of himself as the source of ED+U's material, but as the collector and organizer of knowledge from countless people across the supply chain and within Cafe Imports who helped build it. We discuss: How coffee retail, competition training, and the transition to green coffee shaped his world view on coffee education Systemized coffee education and workflows Understanding the coffee supply chain and green buying The role of education in industry growth and retention How the baseline knowledge of coffee advances individuals, companies, and the industry as a whole The platform of ED+U and how it engages the student to encourage understanding Applying education in the real world Links:  ED+U Educational Platform www.cafeimports.com   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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related episodes:  020 Joe Marrocco : Transparency, Origin Knowledge,and Your Shop : How to approach and apply coffee origin information to enhance, not detract, from the cafe experience 481 : Exploring Sensory Analysis Using "The Coffee Rose"/ Ian Fretheim, Director of Sensory Analysis at Cafe Imports You Need to Prioritize In-House Training!

We talk a lot about engaging our customers and spend time, money, and effort to try to capture their attention in a crowded market. With so many things competing for their attention, what can a coffee shop do to keep their customers excited and loyal? Today on Shift Break we will be talking about ways that you can keep your customers excited and engaged without losing sleep or your identity in the process!    KEYS TO THE SHOP®  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 [email protected] OR... book a free call now  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:    591: The Problem w/ Focusing On The Numbers vs The Guest Experience   525: Encore: Focusing on What is Essential w/ Greg McKeown SHIFT BREAK: Focusing on the Whole, Not the Part   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        

Quitting a job is a normal part of any career. Problem is that sometimes we don't know when to quit and hang on too long to ours and even the cafe's detriment. When should you as a staff member quit? What does positive quitting look like? What does recognizing and quitting a bad situation look like?  Today on the show we will talk about some of the things to look out for in a coffee shop and in setting goals for your career, that will allow you to make that sometimes necessary decision to quit and move on. We will also talk to owners about what they can do to make sure that if a staff member does quit, it is not because of negative reasons, but because of life events, opportunities, and pragmatic career decisions.    Today we discuss: Toxic bosses and bad situations Values misfit Checking yourself first, then evaluating What normal hardship and challenges are and why you should not quit because of them.  Quitting do to positive reasons and why it is a good thing What baristas can do to chose better cafes What owners can do to build better cafes and be better leaders 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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related episodes:  On "Quiet Quitting" 291 : What to do if Your Baristas Wont Listen to You 355: Baristas! 6 Essential Qualities to Get Yourself Hired 570: Myths Baristas Believe Part 1 556: Myths Coffee Shop Owners Believe Part 1 SHIFT BREAK: Managers, You Don't Need To Do It All SHIFT BREAK: Don't Give Up Hard Work is Hard

Knowledge about coffee is one thing, but wisdom and true expertise? Well, that is quite another. While knowledge is widely and cheaply available and true wisdom and expertise that makes a business effective is only attained after living and experiencing the realities of the coffee industry over time.  The difference is important because it means the difference between effective operations and solutions and just guessing. Coffee and coffee people deserve better. Today we are talking with a man who has lived enough coffee experiences for a few lifetimes and applies his hard earned insights to clients globally. I am honored to be talking with the one and only John Gordon of Silverback Coffee Solutions! John Gordon is an industry-leading coffee professional with almost three decades of experience spanning every facet of the global specialty coffee sector. He currently serves as the Director of Silverback Coffee Solutions, providing comprehensive coffee business consulting, project management, equipment design and development, roastery technical services and roaster training. A distinguished competitor and coach, John is a three-time UK Barista Champion (2010, 2011, 2013) and 2009 UK Latte Art Champion and the 2018 New Zealand Barista Champion. He has reached the finals of the World Championships multiple times ( 2009 WLAC 6th, 2011 WBC 6th, 2013 WBC 10th, 2018 WBC 6th ) and has coached highly successful competitors, including 2015 World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic and 2019 New Zealand Champion Dove Chen. Beyond the competition stage, John brings extensive technical expertise as a roaster technician and research and development specialist. His background includes serving as Production & Innovation Manager at Coca-Cola Amatil NZ and Operations Manager at Square Mile Coffee Roasters in London. He has held significant R&D consulting roles for major equipment manufacturers, including Sanremo Coffee Machines and Heylo/Carimali, where he managed engineering teams, directed 3D and mechanical design, built prototypes, and implemented Lean manufacturing principles. With a unique blend of high-level coffee experience, architectural and mechanical 3D design skills, and deep knowledge of roastery operations from green bean importing to production equipment installation, John continues to shape the future of coffee equipment and roastery workflows worldwide. Today we discuss: How Johns Curiosity and Technical Exploration Shaped His Career Innovations in Coffee Technology over the Years The Importance of Technical Knowledge John's Take on Balancing Taste and Technology Why We Should be Building Institutional Knowledge in Coffee Understanding Roaster Maintenance and Operations Enhancing Roastery Efficiency through Lean Practices How John Uses Time and Motion Studies for Improvement John Reflects of the Future of Coffee Roasting and Industry Trends  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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related episodes:  RoR # 22 : Master Insights on Roaster Maintenance and Care w/ Doug Graf, Vintage Coffee RoR Live! #9 : Roasting Innovation and Consistency w/ Scott Rao 478: Building Efficiencies Into Your Roastery w/ Scott Stouffer of Probat Coffee    

Leaders have authority to make decisions, guide, delegate, affirm, coach, and grow the business and those they serve. The presence of a leader is only a benefit when that leader sees their authority as a tool for serving others and embraces a planned approach to using their presnce in the areas of the company that need it the most Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the practical ways you should be distributing your energy, attention, time, and presence in the cafe to serve the most people with the role you have been given.  Owners, this is a critical conversation to help you plan for both your own, and your management staff's presence and weekly work.    KEYS TO THE SHOP®  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 [email protected] OR... book a free call now  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:  583: Unifying Teams Across Multiple Cafes 582: Maximizing Existing Opportunities in Your Cafe SHIFT BREAK! How to Have Healthy Communication Between your Cafe's Departments 520: Tips For Great Workflow and Bar Presence 4 Steps to Investing in Affirmation 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    

Leadership and management are things we talk a lot about, but what does it take to actually make them a real process in the cafe? Most of what is in a job description is either unreasonable and poorly though through, or it is good but there is no real commitment from owners to see that it takes place. Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how we can we make it more than an aspiration and take action to give clarity and apply, and support others we delegate into leadership.   KEYS TO THE SHOP®  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 [email protected] OR... book a free call now  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:  SHIFT BREAK! Don't Overwhelm Your Managers How Should Managers be Appraising Staff? 141 : The 27 Challenges Managers Face w/ Bruce Tulgan SHIFT BREAK! How Does Your Staff Know They Are Doing a Good Job?   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

Employee turnover in specialty coffee shops is the most talked about and difficult issue deal with, it has been for a long time. There are many causes for high turnover and sadly owners and managers frequently try to lower turnover with methods that are not effective. This is mostly because the cause specific to your shop has not yet been identified. On today's episode we are going to explore seven different reasons why you might be experiencing high turnover and what you can do to address each of those areas. It's important that we are very curious and pursue understanding about the root causes of issues that come up in our coffee shops because a good solution applied to the wrong problem will not prove effective. It's my hope that this episode helps you get a handle on turnover in the café and is another step toward you. building a coffee shop that Has a thriving people first culture than keeps the best people on as long as possible  We discuss: Pay Culture Issues Clarity Progressing   Leadership  Normal Life Business limitations    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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related episodes:  244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees 179 : What you MUST Know About Employee Culture w/ Stan Slap 067 : 6 Truths About Power : The Responsible Approach to Power Dynamics in the Cafe Bridging the Values -Actions Gap      

Creating an excellent cafe experience is a work of commitment and dedication to caring for both the staff and the community that you serve. The coffee shop functions as a cornerstone of a healthy social structure in any city and advocating for it needs to sometimes go beyond the operations of the shop itself but extend into action taken to change the civil environment a cafe operates in.  Today I am very pleased to welcome to the show, Co-Founder of Kaffeine in London, UK, Peter Dore-Smith Kaffeine is an award winning coffee shop business with 2 locations in London, UK whose stated aim is to be the one of the best coffee shops in the UK through tireless attention to every detail in quality and service. Peter Dore-Smith (originally from Melbourne) has been owner operator of the Kaffeine since its founding it in 2009. It stands today as a foundational cafe in the London coffee scene being one of the first to introduce customers to Aussie style coffee.  Today with two stores, Kaffiene is focused more than ever on the constant pursuit of excellence in the details and especially on making the work of the bar and the experience customers have, something transformative and beneficial to each persons life.  Recently Peter has been active in campaigning to lower VAT in the UK as the tax rate in harming coffee shops, pubs, and other shops similar. This is the activism born from a desire to create better conditions to sustain the great difference coffee shops make in communities.  We cover:  The Genesis of Caffeine and Coffee Culture Planning and Opening Caffeine Challenges in the Early Days Systems and Processes for Success Maintaining Quality and Brand Identity The Importance of Attention to Detail Navigating Trends and Staying Relevant Challenges Facing Small Coffee Businesses Grassroots Advocacy for Coffee Shops The Business of Coffee: Balancing Passion and Profit Links:  Change.Org Petition to Lower VAT https://www.instagram.com/indycoffeeguide/ Kaffeine on IG: @kaffeinelondon      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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related episodes:  The Power of Questions and Connecting with Community 352: Music, Culture, and Coffee w/ Hip Hop Artist, Propaganda Four Steps to Inspiring Your Staff 563: Founder Friday! w/ Jared Linzmeier of Ruby Coffee Roaster

I can hold an average weight business card in the furrow of my brow. Kinda proud of that. However in my career my natural resting face has inspired a lot of "interesting" assumptions. Now, to some degree, there is a limit to what I can do, but in my work I want to make sure that what I want to communicate and display is actually clearly seen and felt.  Today on Shift Break we will not just discuss my face, but we will discuss the importance of optics in the cafe and how each professional who desires to show hospitality should be open to adjusting how they present themselves in order to, like our friend Tom Henschel say on his podcast, be perceived in the work place the way we want to be perceived.   KEYS TO THE SHOP®  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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:    SHIFT BREAK: Are You Open?   SHIFT BREAK! The Trend of Backwards Hospitality   SHIFT BREAK! Why The Best Hospitality Starts With The Transactional!  

Roasting and brewing creates opportunity for mentorship and relationships that last longer than the sensory experience of the cup. Seriously pursuing technical excellence is a part of securing this opportunity and today's guest has been on a journey to bring both to the table. On this Rate of Rise we are talking with Purefi Coffee Roasters, Chris Johnson! Chris is the lead roaster and co-founder of Purefi Coffee Roasters in Spring, TX where they use the service of specialty coffee roasting to mentor the next generation and to partner with local and global initiatives that create positive change in the world.  He enjoys roasting coffee and aims to excel at highlighting the quality and consistency of each coffee sourced, roasted, and brewed by his hands.   We discuss: - His beginnings in coffee - How his story informs the vision and mission of Purefi - Highlighting the unique characteristics of each coffee - Why feedback from customers is crucial - Mentorship and relationship in the business - Sourcing simplicity - Having a wider variety for more customers Related episodes:  RoR #39: Making Big Impact with Small Batch Roasting w/ Adrian Seligman Founder of Scandinavian Alps Coffee Roasters! RoR#38 : A Better Way to Think About Roasting Dark, w Erik Johnson of Thinkwell Coffee RoR #34: Roasting for Different Cultivars w/ Rob Hoos | Rob Hoos Coffee Consulting RoR #30 : Challenging Dogma With Data w/ Coffee Roaster and Chemical Engineer Mark Al-Shemmeri Our Sponsor for Rate of Rise! www.millcityroasters.com  

It is easy to become stuck in the ways that you first learned to do things. Especially if those ways have brought some degree of success. We take comfort in the familiar to the degree that even if it is not working, we will protect the known dysfunction rather than embracing something new better, but not known. Not to mention the fact that we can tend to reject it because we anticipate the resistance from staff. On today's episode we are going back to a very old podcast that addresses how you can successfully retrain your staff on new standards and navigate the change gracefully.   KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS 2026! Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?  Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!  Applications are now open for Spring 2026 Cohort: Click below to learn more:  APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS     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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related episodes:  SHIFT BREAK : Setting and meeting Standards in the Coffee Shop SHIFT BREAK! When Changing Things, Pay Attention to the Heart of the Business SHIFT BREAK! New Managers: Learning Before Changing 080 : Changing things in the Cafe : A workflow for Refinement

I love cupping coffee. It is a great way to assess a coffee and learn how to identify defects, attributes, and nuances that allow you to make decisions about buying coffee and how to maintain consistency in roasting. But the issue we have in a lot of coffee is that cupping, a practice designed for the above scenarios, has been miss used in the front of house customer facing world of retail.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about cupping's place in coffee quality control and what we should be doing instead of cupping to better manage the quality of our coffee and more clearly communicate a coffee's attributes to customers.    APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!  KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS  Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?  Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!  Applications are now open for Spring 2026 Cohort: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS   KEYS TO THE SHOP®  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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:    586: How to Dial In Your Cafe   SHIFT BREAK! How to Think About Quality 533: Principles of Quality Control 406 : Five Ways to Immediately Improve Your Coffee Quality

The favorite past time of many an owner is to gripe about their younger Gen Z staff. Before them it was millennials. Before them it was Gen X, before them...well, you get the idea. For as long as coffee shops have hired employees, leaders have found it challenging to lead and manage a younger work force and the reason given is that there is just something about "That" generation.  Well, I have good news for you! On today's episode we will be talking about why you should not manage these Gen Z people! At least not the way you think you do. We will explore the counterproductive practice of studying cohorts of people vs the productive practice of actually managing the people you have right in front of you. I recently gave a talk about this subject at Coffee Fest and it really hit home to many struggling to find ways to manage their staff. I hope you find this episode to be both a relief and challenging at the same time.    Related Episodes: 558: Digital Natives and the Future of Coffee Shops w/Kosta Kallivrousis 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017 579: How to Really Care For People in the Cafe 588: Prioritizing the Right Things as Your Cafe Grows Growth is Not Just For The Buisiness 415: The Best Lessons On How to Listen w/ Listening Expert, Oscar Trimboli   KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS 2026! Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?  Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!  Applications are now open for Spring 2026 Cohort: Click below to learn more:  APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS     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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min     

"Don't get left behind!" It feels like every post trying to sell you on a product relies on fear in order to make the sale. The idea of marketing to "pain points" as they say in the biz, is not entirely wrong since we do in-fact want to provide solutions for real needs. But where things go a step too far is trying to create problems in order to sell the solution. As a coffee shop, you have an opportunity to build your resiliency toward these tactics to make sober-minded decisions and you also have the opportun ity to apply that same steady and genuine approach to how you see and treat your staff and customers.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how to become grounded and intentional in a sea of marketing so you decide based on knowledge of need rather than imagined fear.  APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN!  KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS  Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?  Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!  Applications are now open for Spring 2026 Cohort: Click below to learn more:  APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS     KEYS TO THE SHOP®  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  [email protected] of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:  SHIFT BREAK: Making Sense of Marketing Promises SHIFT BREAK: The Best Marketing Strategy 485: Your Shop vs The Industry – How to Free Yourself From Dependency