Shows / Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
A coffee podcast providing coffee shop owners and leaders, with insights, inspiration, and the tools you need to grow and advance your coffee business. We learn from experts both in and outside the coffee industry as they deliver specific, practical, and actionable advice about ownership, optimization, profitability, barista work, employee culture, management, scaling, leadership, personal development, and anything else that will help you achieve success in the coffee shop.
Episodes
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
250 : Planning better Events w/ Steven Moloney of The Barista League
These days community and connection are needed more than ever. There can be many hurdles to creating opportunities for having events whether in-person or…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Just re-make it!
There comes a time in every service encounter where we need to decide to take the high road. Re-making a drink when there is a mess-up is one example of many…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
249 : The Path to Cooperative Ownership w/ Christopher Feran and Shane Hinde of Phoenix Coffee
When we think about cooperative ownership related to the coffee shop we tend be fairly unsure what to think of it. Even though we tend to fear it as an…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
The Neighbor's Tree
As the saying goes, "The grass is always greener on the other side." We all know this to be true in one or more areas of our lives. In the coffee bar we can…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team
The main job of leadership is to give people the resources they need to do the work. Generally speaking, I have simply stated that staff need the tools to do…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Special: Grossest Stories from the Bar
Part of the work we do entails some pretty gross things. In today's episode I will be reading 8 selected stories submitted by listeners about the grossest…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
247 : Founder Friday! w/ Ritesh Doshi, of Spring Valley Coffee, Kenya
The best Kenyan coffee tends to be exported to other countries. Spring Valley Coffee flips this on its head by sourcing, roasting, and serving the best for…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
The Dark Roast Night of the Soul
Stay in coffee long enough and it will happen to you. The assumptions and dogmas we make when we first get into coffee are challenged or destroyed, and we are…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
246 : Selecting a Wholesale Coffee Provider
Your business is built on partnerships. One of the most critical is the relationship between you and the coffee roaster you select. Entering into this…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Promotion Commotion
BOGO! 10% off! Get any item of equal or lesser value free! We love to offer promotions and discounts in the coffee retail space. When numbers are down we go…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
245 : A Conversation with the World's Youngers Q Grader, Frankie Volkema, Founder of Joven Coffee
What an interesting and inspirational episode this was! Frankie Volkema, at just 14 years old, is the world's youngest Q Grader and the founder of Joven…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Good Baristas aren't born, they're Made
"I wish they would just get it!" Does this sound familiar? Whether you have said this out loud or just ruminate on this and similar ideas, the frustration is…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
Now ore than ever coffee shops should be building stable and resilient teams to give them the best chance at success in an unstable market. Unfortunately there…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Keeping it Real
The truth can hurt. In our minds, when we thing about "keeping it real" we are usually about to engage in some form of uncomfortable, confrontational…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
243 : Encore Episode! "The Sleepwalking Barista (Owner)"
I am excited to re-share this oldie with you. Mainly because it has a ton of very useful insights that I think we all need to ponder these days. Life (aka…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Lack of-Self-Awareness
One of the main ways that coffee shops fail has a lot to do with the level of self awareness leaders. So many issues we experience can be traced back to this…
Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders242 : A Conversation with James Hoffmann
OK! Today we get to talk with coffee legend James Hoffmann! On top of being the 2007 World Barista Champion and Co-owner of Square Mile Coffee Roasters, a…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
241 : Founder Friday! w/ David Morris of Dillanos Coffee Roasters
Today on Founder Friday we get to explore the Coffee Maverick himself, David Morris! David J. Morris is Founder and Co-CEO of Dillanos Coffee Roasters, based…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Prep for Performance Reviews
Performance reviews have become a place where we tend to unload on the barista all the issues we have been seeing over the past months. They tend to be…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
240 : What to do before you Build your Bar
Designing a coffee bar requires a lot of forethought and attention to detail. Unfortunately, it is often he case that bars are designed for looks and not…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
SPECIAL: Stories from the Ground #3 w/ Chi Sum Ngai of Coffee Project NY!
Here we go! Stories from the Ground is a series of interviews that are designed to give you insights and guidance on how to thrive in the midst of the COVID…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Poaching and Hiring from other Shops
It can sometimes be hard to find qualified employees and when we see great baristas at other shops we "can't help" thinking of offering them a job in our…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
239 : 5 Best Practices for the Best Small Business w/ Henry Lopez
The sheer number of things we need to focus on in small business is overwhelming. Amidst the sea of tips, tricks, and tools we know we "should" utilize there…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
SPECIAL: Stories from the Ground #2 w/ Jay Sanders of 392 Caffe
We are back! Stories from the Ground is a series of interviews that are designed to give you insights and guidance on how to thrive in the midst of the COVID…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Shifting the Shadow Shift
When we onboard new baristas we usually schedule them for a "Shadow Shift". he intent is that they are to learn the ropes, observe and absorb how things are…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
238 : Leading, Hiring, and working with your Coffee Tech w/ Hylan Joseph of Espresso Partners
Whether you employ in-house techs or you need to work with outside coffee tech services, today's episode is a must listen! The cafe is a complex mix of many…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
SPECIAL: Stories from the Ground #1 w/ Scott Carey of Sump Coffee
Stories from the Ground is a series of episodes that are designed to give you insights and guidance on how to thrive in the midst of the COVID crisis by…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
My #1 Interview Mistake
Hiring is already a daunting process. There is a lot at stake for both the employer and prospective employee. That said, we tend to find ways to make make it…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
237 : Thoughts on Post-COVID Coffee
There are a ton of opportunities to create resiliency and a better normal through how we approach out our mindset, leadership, staff, business, and customers…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
236 : Founder Friday! w/ Miel Castagna-Herrera & Curtis Herrera of Cafe Corazon!
"The little cafe, with a big heart." These words were spoken by Curtis Herrera who, along with his wife Miel, own Cafe Corazon in Kansas City, MO. Cafe Corazon…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
You are not your Competition
" Hey! Did you see what so-and-so is doing?" "Oh! look at what _______ is starting to sell?" It's comments like these that are often a sign that we are a bit…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
235 : 4 Tips for Training your Staff
How do you ensure that what you teach in training is effective for both the employee and the business? Well, there are many different elements but amongst…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Your Employee Handbook is Worthless
We have developed a mentality that if we can just get the right manual, the best onboarding, the most effective hiring process then all will be well and staff…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
234 : Actions and Strategies to Improve your Messaging w/ Garrett Oden
You are unique, but are you just marketing everyone else? How do you differentiate yourself as a business when the market has become so saturated with everyone…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Bridging the Values-Actions Gap
We have a problem. Dreaming up a vision and writing out our list of core values, missions, etc. is an exciting and crucial part of any business. The problem is…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
233 : A Conversation w/ Anthony Ragler, Black and White Coffee
Humility, serving wholesale clients, accessibility, and creating an inclusive community. These are some of the many topics discussed in this fantastic…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Tips on Job Descriptions
Writing a job description is the first step in getting the right people in the right positions in your shop. They seem pretty straight forward but there are…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
232 : Rebuilding your Staff with Excellence w/ Dave Stachowiak
As we seek to rebuild our staff in the midst of the pandemic, many different questions come up about re-hiring, deciding who not to bring back, how to decide…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
231 : Founder Friday! w/ Blew Kind of Fanny Lou's Porch
When is comes to community and serving the neighborhood well through the cafe, you'd be hard pressed to find a better example than Franny Lou's Porch, in…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Don't fall into FOLO! (Fear of Limited Options)
You've heard of FOMO, but what about the insidious FOLO? This is the Fear of Limited Options and is a big mental hurdle that most coffee bars have to leap…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
230 : Making room for Community in your Shop
This is going to be a deep dive into some foundational ideas related to your shop and the way it exists in your community. I wasn't planning this episode but I…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Don't Stress about Stress
There is an abundance of stress to go around right now. I'd say it is likely the most tense and uncertain time I have seen in coffee in my 20 years of working…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
229 : 7 Tips for New Managers
Entering into a new role, or even just taking over a new cafe or team, is a daunting challenge. Many burn out and the experience leaves a bitter taste in their…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Work Alchemy
Not everything we do is fun. Actually, there are a lot of dirty, time-consuming, repetitive tasks that we have to do everyday on order for the cafe to…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
228 : Cracking the Leadership Code w/ Alain Hunkins
Leadership is a HUGE topic and it is easy to get overwhelmed with the never-ending opinions and techniques that are available these days. It is cruel in a way…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
No News is Bad News
We assume that if nobody is complaining and life seems to be going along smoothly that all is well. We enact the popular mantra of "Well, no news is good…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds
More than communication, we need connection! As we move forward through the current retail landscape the currency of connection with our guests and also our…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Long-game Management
Nobody likes to feel bad. In fact in management we are somewhat obsessed with avoiding negative emotions, confrontation, and challenging our staff out of a…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
226 : The Art of being Indispensable at Work w/ Bruce Tulgan
Are you a "go-to" person? How do you show up at work in a way that gains trust and makes you an essential and indispensable member of the team? These are…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
225: Encore Episode : Founder Friday w/ Dorian Bolden, Beyu Caffe, Durham, NC
As we struggle through COVID and seek also to care for our staff, show hospitality, and address the needs of our community around racial justice, we need to…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Who you are & What you Do
We all can have a difficult time with serving the public. These days we may be putting on a literal mask, but if we are honest, we have been wearing a…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
224 : Essentialism: Focusing on what truly Matters w/ Greg McKeown
What is essential? Many of us have been forced into a place of asking this question for the sake of survival and are now looking to create a new way forward…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
The Right People?
Making hasty decisions about who you put into what position has always been the Achilles heal of the cafe. As we work to put our shops back together we are…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll
Oh boy is this a critical episode! Which one of us does not want to have more financial security? Especially these days? It is not an understatement to say…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Higher Degrees of Imperfection
You won't get it right...at least not right away. This is the nature of our pursuit in coffee and the relationships we have within it. These days we are…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
222 : How to have Difficult Conversations about Race and Justice w/ Kwame Christian
Throughout history the coffee shop has been a catalyst for conversation. The subject of that conversation is as wide and varied as your clientele and your…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Encore Episode : 6 Truths about Power
In this time we need to take a good look at ourselves and how we are using the power we have been given. In the cafe, authority and power is a gift that is…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
221 : Building your People Program w/ HR Consultant, Dana Goodwin
We are in the people business. Having a great people program is a critical part of being able to thrive as a small business since the degree to which you care…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
220 : Founder Friday! w/ Sarah Barnett Gill of Mama Mocha's in Auburn , AL
This Founder Friday is a wild, unique, and refreshingly honest experience. Today we are going to be talking with the one and only Sarah Barnett Gill, the owner…
- Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
The COVID Communication Bubble
Everyone in the shop is on high alert! Updates and changes to rules and regulations are happening almost daily and we are, as staff, very tuned into to the…