Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Everyday we have the opportunity to act on thoughts we have that would benefit others and never follow through. There is a whole world of encouragement lying dormant inside each of us that could greatly contribute to harmony within the bar and ease the relational tension that is such so prevalent in cafes around the world. Today we discuss the concept of self-betrayal and how not engaging in it can bring everyone to a higher level. www.keystotheshop.com chris@keystotheshop.com

Being a manager in coffee ain't easy. There is no end to the number of different issues vying for your attention on any given day and it can seem like you are constantly trying to keep your head above water. Managers are the most important leaders in specialty retail and in order to do our best work we need to learn from the example of others. Today get to learn from the experiences of someone who has seen great success in cafe management, Jon Felix Lund. Jon has been in coffee for close to 15 years and Currently VP Of Operations for Coava Coffee Roasters in Portland, OR where he has spent the last 6 years. He started as a trainer and quickly moved into management from there. With an emphasis on developing his team, constantly improving communication, and deftly planning for the future the things that he will need to succeed, Jon is the perfect person to help us learn in this management masterclass Some of the things you will learn: Relying on your team Delegating responsibly Focusing your time Good communication Planning out your time Coddling vs challenging staff Vulnerability as a manager Finding system solutions. Embracing confrontation Advancing as a barista Where ever you are in your journey as a manager you are sure to get something useful and empowering from this conversation. Enjoy! LINKS: www.coavacoffee.com www.thegreatnorthpdx.com Have questions or comments? Want training or consultation? chris@keystotheshop.com www.keystotheshop.com

Sometimes we can give ourselves a pass when it comes to being the type of professional that we want employees to be. Practicing self-awareness is tricky when the work continually distracts you but it is necessary in order to not become a hypocrite at work. Today we talk about why it is important to ask yourself this question and what to do once you have answered.

The beautiful thing about coffee is getting to explore the stories of all the wonderful individuals who make up the specialty community. Today we we do just that. In this series of four short interviews from the show floor at Coffee Fest Indianapolis we get to sit down with Stephen Garcia, General Manager at Commissary Barber & Barista, Indianapolis, IN / Andy and Sarah Hassler, Owners of Blue Mind Roasting, Indianapolis, IN / Lizath Zorrilla, Co-Owner of La Finca Coffee House, St. Francis, WI / Natassa Contini, Owner of the nations first dog cafe, Chateau Le Woof in Astoria, NY As we dive into their stories we get to hear about the pressures of ownership, self-care, team management, pursuing opportunities operating a hybrid model cafe, delegation, confronting racial bias in the shop, growing a business sustainably, managing power dynamics between boss and employee, and a whole heck of a lot more. I hope you enjoy getting to know these folks. I definitely think you will find something that will encourage, inspire, or equip you for the road ahead no matter where you are in your coffee journey. LINKS: Commissary Barber & Barista Commissary IG Blue Mind Roasting Blue Mind IG La Finca Coffee House La Finca IG Chateau Le Woof Chateau Le Woof IG WWW.COFFEEFEST.COM Need consulting or training for your shop? Lets talk! chris@keystotheshop.com

"Like walking into your granny's kitchen." That's the goal Andytown Coffee Roasters founders Lauren Crabbe and Michael McCrory have for what people experience when they walk into their shops in the Outer Sunset of San Fransisco. Starting as a single 600 sq ft shop, Andytown currently employs 49 people over 5 locations— four public-facing coffee shops and one private office cafe. All pastry, baking and coffee roasting is done in-house and they have a thriving wholesale business as well. Today we get the honor of sitting down with co-founder, Lauren Crabbe to hear a detailed account of the founding, evolution, and the values that drive Andytown Coffee Roasters. This is sure to inspire! In this episode you will learn about: The challenges and pleasant surprises that arose when Lauren and Michael first opened. The value of starting small Connecting with customers Delivering genuine hospitality even when busy The importance of delegation How they have grown their business Lauren's metrics for business success Links: WWW.ANDYTOWNCOFFEESF.COM INSTAGRAM

Tracking staff performance can be difficult when you are putting out fires and being pulled in a thousand different directions. Things fall through the cracks and that means we miss growth opportunities with staff who end up feeling forgotten about and not noticed. Today we talk about this issue and how to take action so you can track progress and deliver specific and meaningful feedback that will bring clarity for yourself as well. Links: Shift Break: Leadership Abandonment Syndrome Do you need help in your shop? Reach out! chris@keystotheshop.com www.keystotheshop.com/consulting

Less Bitter, More Glitter. That is one of the mottos for Glitter Cat Barista, a new barista competition training program designed to give marginalized and underrepresented communities the resources to shine on the competition stage and address the problem of representation in the USBC. In it's first year Glitter Cat has made substantial impact on the diversity seen in barista competitions with four of the ten participants advance from qualifiers to nationals where two first time competitors made it to semifinals and one third-year competitor made it to finals. All of this is the brainchild of today's guest, T. Ben Fischer. T. Ben is a 6 year coffee industry veteran and has placed 2nd and 3rd in the USBC (2018, 2019) He is currently based in New York City as a Coffee and Retail Trainer for Blue Bottle Coffee. He joins us today to talk all about Glitter Cat's founding, the journey he has been on, and the lessons learned along the way. In this episode you will learn: T.Ben's professional history and the catalyst for Glitter Cat What Glitter Cat does, and how it addresses the problem of representation in competitions, what it has accomplished in the 1st year. What support and resource can do Lessons for how to organize and take action on what is important to you Being prepared for the ups, downs, and nitty gritty tasks What owners can do to open their doors to and support underrepresented people. Plans for year 2 at Glitter Cat I am so glad we got to have T. Ben on the show. He is a great example of what one person with a vision and the willingness to act can do to make a difference. Enjoy! LINKS: WWW.GLITTERCATBARISTA.COM Instagram www.keystotheshop.com/glitter chris@keystotheshop.com

Communication is the cornerstone of a harmonious team. Problem is that we tend to see things that need correction and don't feel comfortable bringing them up to each other. Today we chat about how a mutual agreement between coworkers can help propel growth and prevent strife. Links: Shift Break on Gossip Solving Co-Worker Conflict w/ Tom Henschel

Mike Strumpf from Swiss Water Decaffeinated Coffees sheds light on the evolution of decaf coffee, Swiss Water's quality control measures, reasons to embrace decaf, and practical tips for roasting and brewing decaf in specialty coffee shops.

Expanding to a second shop is exciting but it can complicate things when the move to grow is not based on a solid foundation. Today we are chatting about some helpful things to consider before you decide to make the leap.