Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

There are an incredible number of tasks associated with running a coffee roastery. The busy work of keeping things going often gets in the way of working on the main areas that will actually move the needle and build a successful operation.  Today's guest comes to us with a lot of experience working in roasteries and consulting operators in the areas that he has identified as "The Core 7" essential areas of roastery operations. I  fact, he has written a whol book about it!  Today on this 34th episode of Rate of Rise, brought to you by our friends at Mill City Roasters, we are talking with Luke Waite of Pomelo Coffee Consulting!  Luke Waite is the founder and principal consultant of Pomelo Coffee Consulting and the creator of the Core 7, a framework designed to help coffee roasters achieve lasting success. His background includes transforming struggling cafés, cold brew companies, and coffee roasters into efficient, profitable, and sustainable businesses. In 2024, he launched Junto, a peer-driven coaching group for roastery owners that fosters growth through camaraderie, feedback, and accountability. Luke is a seasoned public speaker, regularly presenting at the Specialty Coffee Expo, regional coffee festivals, and to groups of international coffee professionals. He also serves on the management committee for the Coffee Writers Guild, advocating for writers' ethics and journalistic integrity in coffee writing. His book on the Core 7, offers a practical guide to help roastery owners effectively manage their businesses. Endorsed by industry veterans, the book is set for a summer 2025 release and is available for pre-order!   Links: https://www.pomelocoffeeconsulting.com/   Related episodes:  416 : People-First Principles for Growing Your Shop w/ Mike McFall of Biggby Coffee 361: Managing Roastery Relationships and Logistics w/ Corey Turner of Andytown Coffee Roasters 328 : Relationships and Resiliency w/ Xavier Alexander of Metric Coffee   Our Sponsor for Rate of Rise! www.millcityroasters.com  

When you onboard baristas, the work is just beginning. Part of the privilege of leadership is to provide ongoing coaching and training to all staff. This creates the kind of quality and excellence we want customers to experience and the kind of ongoing education you give to staff will determine if they are well equipped to serve.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the two kinds of ongoing training and education and why having the proper order and emphasis on each is critical.    Related episodes: 536: What It Means to Set Up Staff For Success SHIFT BREAK! The Necessary Death of the Superstar Barista SHIFT BREAK! How Not To Be a Jerk When Training Baristas HIRE KTTS 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Thank you to out sponsors! Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/   The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

The world of cafe management is full of great ideas that, if applied well, would indeed change things for the better. The idea around leader ship role being primarily about "setting people up for success" is one of those principles. The trouble is it often stops with just the idea and is not as often applied in a tangible way. Today we are going to explore what it really means to set your staff up for success in the daily operations of the café in a way that is helpful for the business, customer service, and the barista themselves.  Related Episodes:  437 : The New Age of the Barista: Mindsets + Habits for Success 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team INTERESTED IN 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!  www.arto.com Visit @artobrick The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com

Simplicity, focus, community, and legacy. These are some words that I feel apply to the steady and excellent service of Hyperion Espresso these last 30 years of operation. When you can measure your business in decades and look back with pride and a full heart, you now you have crafted something lasting and valuable. Today we are going to explore the story of Hyperion Espresso in Fredricksburg, VA w/ co-founder Ana Brugos Born in Madrid, Spain Ana got a degree in Advertising at Universidad Complutense. Moved to Seattle, WA to study art in 1992. She met Dan Peterson and, with his friend Steve Sollien, decided to move to Fredericksburg, VA to open a coffee shop, Hyperion Espresso, in 1994. Dan and Ana married that fall. After 5 years, Steve moved west while Dan and Ana continued and grew with the business. Over the years they expanded the seating and serving area, tried a satellite location that didn’t work, increased revenue as the area developed. In the last 20 years they were able to detach somewhat from the business thanks to GM, Amanda Jones.  In 2024, after successfully overcoming set backs like lack of employees and economic downturns, particularly COVID 19, they sold Hyperion Espresso to Jack Scholl owner of Roadmap Coffee.  I am thrilled to get to look back in time with Ana and Amanda and learn what great things can be accomplished when you have clear focus and a simple goal to serve you community well! We discuss: How Hyperion was born Cultural Influences on Coffee Community Building and Customer Engagement Transitioning Roles and Responsibilities Core Values and Business Ethos Navigating Industry Trends and Changes Creating a Unique Customer Experience Focusing on Core Offerings Building a Strong Team Culture Navigating Employee Dynamics Sustaining Passion and Community Engagement Links: www.hyperionespresso.com   Related episodes:  380 : Founder Friday! w/ Cary and Cindy Arsaga of Arsaga’s Coffee Roasters 320 Founder Friday! w/ Francesco Sanapo of Ditta Artigianale, Florence, Italy 081 : Founder Friday w/ David Schomer of Espresso Vivace 205 : Inside Caffe Florian, the World’s Oldest Coffee Shop ! | Venice, Italy   INTERESTED IN 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!  www.arto.com Visit @artobrick The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com

It is a common weakness of hiring managers and desperate owners alike. We hire people that are not the right fit and spend most of our time trying to get them to change once they are working in the cafe. This leaves us burned out, it leaves the employee frustrated, and the business suffers in the process.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how e can avoid hiring the wrong people for the shop by focusing our effort away from trying to conform people that should not have been hired to begin with, and instead spend our energy identifying what is needed and who the right fits are before hiring.  If we could just solve this one thing, coffee shops would drastically change for the better.    Related episodes: SHIFT BREAK! Adding Value in the Cafe 496: Hard Decisions and High Standards SHIFT BREAK: Why You Need Exit Interviews SHIFT BREAK: Respecting Your Barista's Professional Boundaries   INTERESTED IN CONSULTING AND COACHING? If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email  chris@keystothshop.com 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

Once you hire the right people for your cafe you move on to the next decision, how to work with them to give them to set them and the business up for success. Too often the way we place and lead people is based on their job description and not so much based on their individual characteristics. How much better would your shop run if your team was given the opportunity to work in areas where they were strong and their weaknesses were not our dominant pre-occupation? Today we are goin to dive into this subject with a re-airing of a classic episode for 2019 all about working through strengths with my friend, Lisa Cummings!  Lisa Cummings is the founder of Lead Through Strengths, a firm dedicated to helping people use their strengths at work. Lisa and her team serve large teams and organizations to help them leverage the results of the CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder) assessment. She is also the host of the popular Lead Through Strengths podcast. In this episode we are going to talk about the ways in which we can focus on and utilize our own strengths and facilitate the same opportunity for those we lead in the coffee shop.   Related episodes:  248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 472: Why Technical Skill as a Leader is Not Enough w/ Jonathan Raymond, Refound, Author: Good Authority 415: The Best Lessons On How to Listen w/ Listening Expert, Oscar Trimboli 373 : The Owner’s Role: 5 Behaviors for Effectiveness INTERESTED IN 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!  www.arto.com Visit @artobrick The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com

Why does it feel so awkward and difficult to take action the way we know we need to as leaders in the coffee shop? If you are human, you feel a kind of resistance when it comes to making decisions, having those conversations, and generally taking decisive steps into leadership. What are we worried about? Well, there surely are some things we can fall prey to and need to guard against when using the authority of the role to serve others, but unless we get over the awkward first steps, we cannot truly serve well.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how you can plan on this awkwardness and how you can overcome it so you can be the effective owner, manager, trainer, and leader your baristas and customers need you to be.  Related episodes:   368 : Walking the Line Between Leadership and Friendship 336: A Cafe Leadership Masterclass w/ Selina Viguera of Blue Bottle Coffee 109 : Leadership Abandonment Syndrome : Lack of development in senior staff and what to do about it 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017   INTERESTED IN CONSULTING AND COACHING? If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Thank you to out sponsors! Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/   The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

The quality of your product matters. Some might get the idea that if only we are kind and hospitable then all will be forgiven or overlooked when it comes to quality fumbles. Actually, quality and the delivery of excellence in the product is part of how you show kindness and hospitality. Therefore how we approach it must be with a mindset that starts with the customer and ends with a structure of applied standards that respects the person, the coffee, and ourselves. Today we will be talking about some principles you tips you can apply in your cafe that will help improve the quality and consistency of your product as well as the skills and confidence of your staff.  Related episodes:  406 : Five Ways to Immediately Improve Your Coffee Quality RoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee Enterprises 030 : Casey Underkofler : Matching Your Service to Your Quality : How to Manage and Control the critical details of service so both the experience and product are excellent   INTERESTED IN 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!  www.arto.com Visit @artobrick The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com

"I cannot open a coffee shop because my market is too saturated!" Does this sound like something you have heard or even said yourself?  Today there are indeed a LOT of coffee shops. Way more than there ever have been. But does that mean the market is really saturated? Today on Shift Break we will be talking about a different way to view market saturation that will challenge you and open you up to the possibilities that are all around your community. There are more opportunities than meet the eye.  Related episodes: 523: Encore: How We Ruin Specialty Coffee Experience SHIFT BREAK! Every Customer is a Judge 518: How to Run a Coffee Shop w/ Meaningful Hospitality SHIFT BREAK: Back to the Basics     INTERESTED IN CONSULTING AND COACHING? If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Thank you to out sponsors! Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/   The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

The question we sometimes ask interviewees is, "What is more important, quality, or hospitality?" Spoiler, it's a trick question and the answer we like to hear usually is "Both".  Well, today on the show we will dive into why the answer should actually be hospitality and how our approach to this question and the order in which we pursue things actually can limit our potential or set us up for massive impact and growth.  Related episodes:  Embracing Unreasonable Hospitality w/ Will Guidara 424: Developing Menu and Hospitality Guides 421: Encore Episode: Simple, Powerful, Hospitality w/ Philip Paul Turner   INTERESTED IN 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!  www.arto.com Visit @artobrick The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com