Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Even though you might want to, you can't just chuck items in the garbage willy-nilly. I have been there, done that, and suffered the wrath. There is a better way to keep the menu fresh and get rid of items humanely and with deference to the customer and the staff. Today we will discuss this important part of curating a great menu. Interested in consulting or coaching? chris@keystotheshop.com Related episodes: 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 191 : Retraining your Staff on new Standards 080 : Changing things in the Cafe : A workflow for Refinement Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com

How we respond to negative feedback will have a big impact on how our business grows. The trouble is that we tend to not take kindly to negative feedback and respond with either dismissiveness, avoidance, or defensiveness. We leave a lot of value on the table when we don't embrace critique and use it to our advantage. Today we are re-airing an episode from 2 years ago that takes you through my 5 step process for responding and reacting to negative feedback in a way that opens up lines of communication, builds good will, and actually strengthens your business in the process. Let's dig in! We cover: Why we get defensive The value of our staff and customers Deciding your response ahead of time Humility and self-reflection Refining the feedback Filling in missing info Responding with generosity Recommended episodes: Building a Feedback Culture Coffee Compass Article: The Wrath of the One Star Review Shift Break: Stop Lying Shift Break: Creating a Feedback Culture VISIT OUR SPONSORS! Pacific Barista Series Prima Coffee

In conversation with employees we are often too quick to accept the first answer or the first explanation of and issue. In order to help we need to have the right information. Unfortunately, often due to the power difference between boss and employee, the information only scratches the surface. Today we will be discussing how exercising positive doubt and being curious can help open people up as well as open more solutions to the issues being communicated. Related episodes to listen to after: Toxic Vulnerability 074 : The Life Changing Power of Good Authority w/ Jonathan Raymond 229 : 7 Tips for New Managers 104 : How to Deliver Difficult Feedback w/ Tom Henschel 052 : Solving Coworker Conflict w/ Tom Henschel 151 : How to Respond and React to Negative Feedback : 5 Step Process Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com

Welcome to the last episode in the "Thinking Differently" series brought to you by Ground Control! We are ending on an amazing episode this week as we are going to be talking with the amazing, James Combs of Combs' Coffee in Corinth, Texas! James Combs founded Combs' Coffee in 2013 by visiting East Africa on a sourcing mission with a friend that he met while working in the finance industry. He fell in love with tea and coffee while visiting the birthplace of coffee and seeing how incredibly difficult it is to produce. Upon the arrival of the first shipment of coffee James began roasting coffee with arguable the worlds smallest solar powered coffee roasting operation at his house in Corinth, Texas. Fast forward 8 years and James is now operating the worlds largest solar powered coffee roasting operation with a 30 KW solar array and 3 commercial machines housed within a 100+ year old Coca Cola bottling facility. He currently imports tea & cacao as well as offers local wine and craft beer. James is also a Q-Grader, COE judge, and certified Wine Taster. In our conversation with James we are going to be covering a lot of ground as we explore his tenacious pursuit of building a highly sustainable and quality focused coffee business that also gives back to his local and global community. Fittingly, James has a boundless energy to offer all the current and future projects at Combs' Coffee. Whether we are talking about building a hydro battery, the virtues of mason jars for whole bean coffee, or creating platforms for other businesses to thrive and be sustainable, Combs' Coffee is anything but your typical coffee company, they are the epitome of thinking differently! We cover: Discovering coffee and tea Pusuing Q grader His radical commitment to sustainability Scaling sustainable values First impressions of the industry and early challenges Learning roasting and embracing challenges Creating structures and project to serve the community Building a legacy Running sustainable cafes Upcycling, recycling, eliminating waste Amazing future plans Facilitating opportunities for others Be sure to check out the bonus content only available on www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts as we continue the conversation with James and talk about: How do we start out pursuing sustainability on our business? Doing more with less Embracing the hard way Being consistent with your business path Hopes for the future of coffee Links: https://www.combscoffee.com https://combscoffeeorigins.com http://cabstation.net Related Episodes: Special! "Thinking Differently" Series | Filipino Coffee w/ Ron Dizon of Teofilo Coffee! Special! "Thinking Differently" Series | 1% Better w/ Paul Magda of Pause Coffee House Want to brew things differently? Visit our Sponsor! www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts

How do I make more money? Which areas of the business can I adjust to increase my profitability? These are the questions on the minds of most coffee entrepreneurs. Running a coffee bar means you make your money via low profit margins that compound when scaled. It is not as easy as simply introducing a new flavor, choosing the right rewards program, or offering tempting discounts and deals. In fact, a lot of the usual tactics are money drains not money makers and are definitely not sustainable. Many of the ways to make more money are hiding in plain sight. In today's episode we are going to talk about six proven methods for increasing your shop's revenue that are both achievable and sustainable. Not to mention they offer the benefit of strengthening your companies foundations and culture in the process. We will cover: Service + Speed Well curated specialty item programs Cost + Inventory Retail placement Getting out of your shop Investing in culture Related episodes to listen to next: 223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll 211 : Straight Talk from the Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers 160 : The Smart Way to Approach Money w/ Jill Schlesinger The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoodservice.com

When we serve coffee, who are we serving? If you were to listen in on many conversations about coffee over the counter you would think we are just serving ourselves based on the narrow range of coffees we tend to favor as professionals. We serve both the customer and the farmers interest and how we do or do not cultivate enthusiasm for all the coffees we offer has huge implications for our industry's future not to mention the health and sustainability of your own business. On today's shift break we are going to chat about cultivating a new mindset that will help us show up at work ready to serve our customers both in our communities and on the farm. Related episodes: Building an Accessible Coffee Menu w/ Joe Marrocco How to talk to Customers about Coffee The Dark Roast Night of the Soul 270 : A Conversation w/ Mark Michaelson of Michaelson Consulting! Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com sb

Welcome to the next episodes in the "Thinking Differently" series brought to you by Ground Control! On today's episode we are going to be talking with the co-founder of Pause Coffee House in Sacramento California, Paul Magda! Paul and his business partner Edward are 1st generation immigrants who for the past 6 years have worked diligently to create Pause Coffee House and have learned and grown an enormous amount in the process. Their background is primary in construction and fabrication with a dash of medical experience but they entered the coffee space with a dedication to making Pause Coffee House the best experience for their staff and customers possible. Their story is one of managing incredible amounts of change with the mantra of being 1% better everyday. In today's conversation with Paul we will be discussing their start-up story, their personal and operational challenges taking on and changing an existing business, and how they have thrived through partnerships, teamwork, and a focus on the operations of the business. We cover: Opening the business and early mistakes Being creative in problem solving Change management Growing as leaders Testing vision for authenticity Leaning on other people for help Learning the coffee business while dealing with cover Being 1% better daily Developing the operations Be sure to check out the bonus content only available on www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts as we continue the conversation with Ron and hear some pretty amazing advice for operators and owners who also want to make a difference with their business! Links: www.pausecoffee.house Instagram Related Episodes: Special! "Thinking Differently" Series | Filipino Coffee w/ Ron Dizon of Teofilo Coffee! Want to brew things differently? Visit our Sponsor! www.groundcontrol.coffee/ktts

Markets shift and trends change, impacting how we do business as retailers and also how consumers perceive and interact with what we offer. In the last few years there have been incredible amounts of change taking place that we would do well to both pay attention to and embrace as we strive to meet the consumer where they are as well as do our part to help shape the market. To help us wrap our heads around what is happening now in the landscape of cafe spaces and global trends is past guest and researcher Dr. Jennifer Ferreira! Dr Jennifer Ferreira is a Research Fellow in the Centre for Business in Society (CBiS) at Coventry University. She is an active member of both the Economic Development and Inclusive Economies cluster and the Sustainable Production and Consumption cluster within CBiS. A large part of her research interest is in the expansion and development of the coffee and coffee shop industries, in particular the role of coffee shops and coffee shop cultures in different locations and economies, the importance of sustainability, and the role of the circular economy. She has publish many studies as well as articles the you can find on her website www.cafespaces.wordpress.com. In our conversation today we are going to discuss the most relevant movements in the market that impact both consumers and brick and mortar retailers. We cover: Chain stores and growth trends Customer education in coffee Cafes reactions to COVID The spread t suburbia Home coffee brewing Sustainability and the story of coffee Digital interactions Markets to pay attention to Best next steps for coffee retailers Related Episodes: 090 : Researching the Cafe w/ Dr. Jennifer Ferreira 206 : The Emotional and Social Impact of the Cafe Space w/ Noa Berger 198 : The Evolution of the Coffee Shop w/ Prof. Jonathan Morris 140 : A conversation w/ Erika Vonie, Director of Coffee at Trade Coffee The BEST in commercial coffee equipment! www.prima-coffee.com/keys Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks? www.pacificfoodservice.com

Candice Madison, a seasoned expert in specialty coffee with over a decade of experience and the Director of Roasting at The Crown, shares her insights on thermodynamics in coffee roasting. She explores the crucial relationship between heat transfer and flavor development, particularly around the first crack. Candice emphasizes the blend of art and science in roasting, encouraging roasters to trust their intuition while also leveraging community support to bolster their confidence and skills. Valuable resources for continuous learning in the craft are also highlighted.

When we want to delegate authority, install a manager, or hire a barista we rely on a job description. We know the power a well formed and detailed job description has for setting up expectations and communicating clearly the what and why of the work, but what about owners? Today we will chat about how a job description is not just good for your staff, but vital for you as well. Related episodes: Tips on Job Descriptions Systems as Care Should You be Behind the Bar Right Now? 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team 267 : The Power of Delegation Visit our Sponsors! Elevated batch brew and so much more! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer The best espresso machines in the world! www.lamarzoccousa.com