Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

In our pursuit of optimization, analysis, scientific rigor, and financial success, we may find ourselves wondering, "where is the life in all of this?" Could it be that in dissecting every inch of our business, we have inadvertently killed it? Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the need to remain connected to and act from the heart. Why we might feel a collective burn out and misery in what we are doing, and how, perhaps we can reclaim some joy amidst the frenzy of the shop.    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 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:  485: Your Shop vs The Industry – How to Free Yourself From Dependency 317 : Encore Episode: Death by Comparison 227 : Connecting with Hearts and Minds 566: The Problem With Systems

Coffee shop insights and resources abound! We have innumerable platforms, tools, and ideas that all have a certain amount of value...if only they are adopted and applied well and consistently to your shop On today's episode, we will be talking about the steps that owners and operators should take to go from revelation to realization when they get insights that can help their business. Too many people stop at the "aha" moment and lose the potential for lack of application. Let's fix that.  Related episodes:  330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop 566: The Problem With Systems   Sign up for the February 11th Webinar all about PRINCIPLES FOR CAFE SUCCESS!  https://keystotheshop.com/principles-for-cafe-success/   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 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min   

The experience of the customer day-in and day-out is often treated as a given. Something that is expected, but not something that is earned. We work to The real focus of our efforts should be on training and resourcing our staff to deliver a consistently excellent product, space, and hospitality experience every time. Are we truly doing that? Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how training not only needs to be harder than the work we are training for, but that training, coaching, and continued support needs to emerge as the calling card of specialty coffee or else we will continue to be known as people who talk a big game in our marketing, but miss the mark in the real world.   Sign up for the February 11th Webinar all about PRINCIPLES FOR CAFE SUCCESS!  https://keystotheshop.com/principles-for-cafe-success/     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 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    Related Episodes:  SHIFT BREAK! The Urgent Need for Training in Today's Coffee Shop SHIFT BREAK! You Need to Avoid This HUGE Training Mistake! 527: Thoughts on How to Approach Training and Onboarding You Need to Prioritize In-House Training!

When we think about dialing-in, we automatically think about coffee. Changing the grind, the recipe, and other inputs and variables all to obtain an ideal outcome. Your coffee shop is not just about coffee though, and that means that other areas of the cafe need to be dialed in in order for the product of the cafe experience to be great.  On today's episode, we will be talking about the three areas of product, people, and place and how you can think about and take action to dial in each one effectively. Now is the time in our history as an industry to start truly finessing the details of what we offer in our shops so we can slowly start rebuilding the coffee bar's reputation as a great good place, a spot for consistently excellent coffee, a spot that you love serving in and love to be served in. It all starts with dialing-in.  Related episodes:    Taste the Rainbow! : Menu knowledge, tasting, flavor, coffee cupping approach to your offerings SHIFT BREAK! How Well Do You Know Your Business? 406 : Five Ways to Immediately Improve Your Coffee Quality 498: 10 Small Things to Fix in Your Coffee Shop This Week SHIFT BREAK! Is That Character or Neglect? 453 : The Craft of Operations Sign up for the February 11th Webinar all about PRINCIPLES FOR CAFE SUCCESS!  https://keystotheshop.com/principles-for-cafe-success/   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 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min   

This Founder Friday we feature a couple who has been focused on giving their community excellence and warm hospitality for 13 years! Scaling deeper not wider, Tara and Martyn Knight have steadfastly cultivated something truly beautiful in Southsea Coffee  Tara and Martyn Knight are the co-founders of Southsea Coffee in Portsmouth, UK. A community-rooted coffee shop known for speciality coffee, chef-led brunch and warm, inclusive hospitality. Over 13 years, they've focused on building a business that scales deeper, not wider with strong standards, strong people, and a place where locals genuinely feel at home. Tara and Martyn sit down with me to recount their history from day one, to present day and all the growth, lessons, principles, and philosophy that have guided their operation of Southsea for over a decade.  It's very refreshing to find gems like Southsea Coffee and even more life giving to know that those behind it shine just as brightly as the business itself.  Related episodes:  542: Founder Friday! w/ Nori and Tin Burmudez of Corridor Flow, Lomita, CA 535: Founder Friday! 30 Years of Coffee! w/ Ana Burgos and Amanda Jones of Hyperion Espresso, Fredricksburg, VA 380 : Founder Friday! w/ Cary and Cindy Arsaga of Arsaga's Coffee Roasters     Sign up for the February 11th Webinar all about PRINCIPLES FOR CAFE SUCCESS!  https://keystotheshop.com/principles-for-cafe-success/   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 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min   

Changing things in the cafe tends to focus on image and expression. Maybe we upgrade branding, focus our menu, change lighting, furniture etc. But what is even more important in the quest to make positive changes as your grow, it to pay attention to the heart of the operation that supports everything else.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how to make sure you are growing both the heart and the outward aesthetics of your shop over the years. This is a great framework for those of you who feel it is time to level up or expand but want to also maintain and even improve the integrity of the cafe.  Related episodes: SHIFT BREAK: Reassessing Growth 492: How to be The Best Coffee Shop SHIFT BREAK: Are You Growing With Your Business?   Sign up for the February 11th Webinar all about PRINCIPLES FOR CAFE SUCCESS!  https://keystotheshop.com/principles-for-cafe-success/     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 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min   

In coffee shops, we don't just sell coffee. We sell a variety of retail items that are related to, support, and go with coffee and with our brand. But are we doing as good with our retail as we can be? Are leaving money on the shelf or losing opportunities to serve our guests more with truly well considered, sourced, displayed, and sold retail?  Today on the show we have retail coach Wendy Batten! Wendy Batten is a retail coach and business strategist for independent small business owners and the host of the Creative Shop Talk podcast. With nearly 30 years of hands-on experience, she helps retailers grow profitably while designing a life they actually want. Known for grounded strategy, honest leadership, and a belief that success doesn't have to come at the cost of joy, Wendy coaches clients around the world from her tiny crooked cottage by the sea in Nova Scotia.  We discuss:  Wendy's Coffee Shop Genesis Lessons from the Coffee Shop The Emotional Toll of Entrepreneurship Designing a Business for Life Intentional Retail Strategies Understanding Customer Needs The Importance of Presentation Customer Psychology in Retail Training for Effective Retail Setting Boundaries While Being Kind Wendy's website:  https://wendybatten.com/   CAFE OWNERS! KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS ARE BACK!  Spring 2026 Applications are now open! Become a part of a small focused group of experienced coffee shop owners in this powerful mastermind cohort hosted by Keys to the Shop! APPLY HERE!  Learn more at this link:  https://keystotheshop.com/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  chris@keystothshop.com or book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Related episodes:  432 : How to Win in Specialty Retail Coffee Soul Searching in the New Landscape of Retail 211 : Straight Talk from the Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers The Hospitality Paradox : Preparing for the most critical & perplexing time in retail   SPONOR The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com

There is far more going on behind the scenes of your numbers than just meeting your metrics. The money that flows in and out of the business is the life blood that represents health, trust, activity, and the growth of the whole. Trouble is we either focus on it alone, or we try not to focus on it at all. The best path is the integrated one.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how we can think, talk, and act around the subject of money in the cafe in a healthy way, by embracing the meaning it has and tearing down ours and other's misconceptions about it.  Related episodes: 160 : The Smart Way to Approach Money w/ Jill Schlesinger SHIFT BREAK! Why The Best Hospitality Starts With The Transactional! 576: Financial Stability Using Profit First for Coffee Businesses w/ Kim Logsdon of Caffeinate Your Cash Building Trust-Credit 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 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min   

When you have multiple cafes and a distributed staff, getting everyone on the same page in the operations can be very challenging. In fact, it happens to be the number one reason why businesses with 2+ locations start to see a downturn in quality of product, culture, and guest experience.  Today on the show we will be answering a question from the KTTS listening audience about how to unify teams across multiple cafes. These tips come from a lot or personal experience doing things well and not so well, in addition to the lessons learned from our guests on the show and lessons learned through KTTS consulting.  Your Standards Leadership Distribution Supporting Leadership Tracking and addressing issues with frequency and intention  Communication and Accountability  Meaningful all staff meetings KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS ARE BACK!  Spring 2026 Applications are now open! Become a part of a small focused group of experienced coffee shop owners in this powerful mastermind cohort hosted by Keys to the Shop! APPLY HERE!  Learn more at this link:  https://keystotheshop.com/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  chris@keystothshop.com or book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    SPONOR The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com   Related Episodes:  SHIFT BREAK! How to Have Healthy Communication Between your Cafe's Departments SHIFT BREAK! The Urgent Need for Training in Today's Coffee Shop SHIFT BREAK: Reassessing Growth Scaling Values 507: How High-Level Systems Help Your Cafe Thrive w/ Preston Lee, The 30% Rule

Quality of the coffee, experience, service, and just about anything else in the cafe will always be something an owner and leader focuses on. These days we tend to concentrate our efforts on the acquiring of quality, instead of the creation of it. All the potential those great beans, your wonderful staff, and even our space have, is just potential until you take action and render, create, and realize that potential in the cup, in the moment, in the real life of the business. Today on Shift Break we will be talking about some ways that we should be thinking about quality, the need for constant focus, maintaining excellence, and the dangers of the claim that quality is something we have already achieved and can move on. Related episodes: 533: Principles of Quality Control SHIFT BREAK: Quality Still Matters 406 : Five Ways to Immediately Improve Your Coffee Quality   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 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  chris@keystothshop.com of book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min   

Making your cafe run better, improving service, increasing profitability, and leveling up quality and value for your guests naturally brings to mind a host of new and different services, products, and strategies that we believe we need to employ. But the truth is that we often only need to look deeper into the existing opportunities we have to find the solutions we seek.  Today on the show we will be discussing a few areas of your shop that deserve a deeper look and more focus. Before you assume you have done all you can with what you currently have, listen to this episode and let it inspire you to maximize your existing opportunities! We will discuss: Your Community Your Current Menu Your Drink Quality Service + Hospitality Local Business Networks   KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS ARE BACK!  Spring 2026 Applications are now open! Become a part of a small focused group of experienced coffee shop owners in this powerful mastermind cohort hosted by Keys to the Shop! APPLY HERE!  Learn more at this link:  https://keystotheshop.com/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  chris@keystothshop.com or book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min    SPONOR The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com   Related Episodes:  SHIFT BREAK! The New Classic Cafe: An Era of Understated Excellence 505: Maintaining Excellence in the Everyday Work of Coffee Shops w/ Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood Defining Excellence and Success  

It seems like the conversation we have around what can be done for staff to create more value, longevity, etc never gets around to a place where you can look at what you are doing and have done and say, you know what, that's pretty good, that is enough. Honestly it feels weird even typing it because we do want to be always maintaining and cultivating value. Today on Shift Break we will be chatting about when it is ok to look at the things you offer to your staff and say it is enough, when to pick back up the search for more value, and how not to let that natural tension drive you and your business into the ground with fear. Related episodes: SHIFT BREAK! Engaging in the Right Conversations (or how not to accept undue guilt) SHIFT BREAK! Why Following Through is the Key to Better Coffee Shops SHIFT BREAK! Holding Baristas (and Yourself!) Accountable SHIFT BREAK! Adding Value in the Cafe SHIFT BREAK: Adjusting Our View of Labor Cost CONSULTING + 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    

Many years ago in 2012, myself and a small team of people along with Coffee Fest Trade Shows had the pleasure of developing and running a competition called "America's Best Coffee House".  The first of it's kind team cafe competition that was, IMO, the most accurate to real cafe work competition ever made. To this day it remains unmatched in showcasing true-to-life barista skills that working baristas regularly engage in. We shipped and assembled on the show floor a fully functional coffee bar across the country 3x a year. (From POS, pour-over bar, back bar with sinks, front bar etc. the works!) Through a stringent application process including video submissions, written apps, and secret shopping, we invited cafe teams made up exclusively of 3 current baristas from that company to run this bar with a 10 min open shift, 30 min live bar serving actual customers from the show floor who also had weighted judging slips on their receipts, and a 10 min closing shift.  Along with our own standard cafe menu they were required to make, they brought their own coffee, sig drinks, pour over kettles etc. We had 3 judges judging all aspects of the competition and the teams never knew when the drinks they made would be judge by us since secret shoppers in the queue were instructed to deliver a range of drinks at random.   It was fantastic, complicated, effective, and expensive to produce (hence why we closed up shop in 2015) but the lessons we learned from the display of teamwork, cleanliness, communication, workflow, QC, hospitality, and more were incredible.  In this episode I am going to reminisce back to those competitions a bit and talk about the lessons and insights that were drawn from those intense real-life competitions and how they apply directly to your cafe. Will we ever see this competition rise up once more? Maybe not. But we can all raise our own standards and each pursue being the "Best Coffee House" where we are for the people we serve and serve with. Be sure to click the link below for a video produced during that time to see a slice of what we did. (Shout out to Joshua Boyt, Jesse Harriott, Jessica Rice, Terry Ziniewicz, Ryan Soeder, Pete Licata, Danny Loeschen, Aaron O'neal, and the Coffee Fest director at the time, David Heilbrunn.) We discuss: Integrity Real life vs on stage How time finds you out Prepare yourself for the unexpected You never know ow who is judging Team work Having a plan but being flexible Trusting the standards  Links: Video montage of America's Best Coffee House   Related Episodes:  492: How to be The Best Coffee Shop 298 : A Trophy, or Atrophy? SHIFT BREAK! Every Customer is a Judge   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  chris@keystothshop.com or book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  SPONOR The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!  www.pacificfoodservice.com

It could be roasting, kitchen, drive thru, bakery, or any other area of where special focus is required or different systems and staff work all under the same brand and even under the same roof. When you have multiple departments you need to create a plan to bring prevent silos and promote harmony. Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the methods you can adopt to ensure that the different staff and areas of the cafe are able to function harmoniously through empathy, cross training, systems, and a culture of mutual support.  Related episodes: 489: Tips for Creating a Resilient Cafe 507: How High-Level Systems Help Your Cafe Thrive w/ Preston Lee, The 30% Rule 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop   CONSULTING + 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    

Entering the New Year is always seen as a time to make good on our intentions that got put on the back burner. Many of those intentions, if acted upon, would absolutely transform our cafes and the relationships in them. What keeps us back from acting upon the things we know to do and following through to see greater fruit from our labor?  Today on the podcast we will be talking about 4 mindsets that help deepen your roots as a leader and create habits that allow you more room and clarity to make great decisions and cultivate the thriving culture of excellence and hospitality you set out to create with your team.  We discuss: The Reason Mindsets Create Real Change Mindset 1: Practicing Patience and Long-Term Focus Mindset 2: Engaging in Regular Reflection and Accountability Mindset 3: Embracing Imperfection Mindset 4: Maintaining Flexibility in Leadership Related Episodes: 437 : The New Age of the Barista: Mindsets + Habits for Success 253 : Mindsets that Sabotage Success 571: Worrying and Other Deceptive Replacements for Good Leadership SHIFT BREAK! Refreshing the Owner's Soul SHIFT BREAK! Considering the Future You When Making Decisions     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  chris@keystothshop.com or book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  SPONSORS 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

We all want to see positive growth and good numbers in our cafe. We also want to see the ROI for the effort we put in to generate those numbers. For many, to look at the reports and see profit and everything looking healthy is a sure sign that all is well and we are doing the right things. The issue is that even with a growing profitable business, the numbers don't tell he whole story and can lull you into a false sense of confidence. Today on shift break we will be talking about the difference between the numbers and quality numbers. Quality meaning that behind that number we know is a happy and enthusiastic customer. We will also discuss why your efforts contribute to that quality and ultimately an ROI you actually can have confidence in. Related Episodes: SHIFT BREAK: When Numbers Lie SHIFT BREAK: Adjusting Our View of Labor Cost SHIFT BREAK: Want to be Effective? Don't Use Chat GPT   CONSULTING + 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    

How we care for people through our work should be the primary focus. From healthy and strong relationships and systems the help support them, we get healthy and strong businesses and a real chance at a long term sustainable operation.  Today we will be talking about some substantive ways that you can care for yourself, the staff, and your customers in ways that create a culture of excellence and mutual support. This has the added benefit of truly helping the people who came before you in the value chain as we will have a shop that represents their work very well.    Related Episodes: 5 Keys to Coffee Shop Staff Retention SHIFT BREAK! How Does Your Staff Know They Are Doing a Good Job? 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017   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  chris@keystothshop.com or book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  SPONSORS 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  

Do you feel the pull, the itch, the compulsion to add more, buy more, and create specials and new things for your customers all the time? You are not alone. The industry is filled with cafe that are stuck in a never ending cycle of making, buying, and adding new things so they do not fall out of favor or relevance as though any and every customer or barista is only a hairs breadth away form leaving and like the Keanu Reeves movie Speed, if you slow down, the whole business will explode. Today on Shift Break we will be discussing this mindset trap that snares many owners and operators and what you can do to truly gain relevancy and loyalty in your customer base. The key we will talk about lies in you ability to focus on the right things and stay the course Related Episodes: SHIFT BREAK : Trends You Can Ignore 550: Replace These Distractions and Watch Your Cafe Grow! 545: Breathing Life Into Your Coffee Shop 485: Your Shop vs The Industry – How to Free Yourself From Dependency CONSULTING + 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    

I love an origin story where the pluck, confidence, and unwavering belief of the founders for each other and their idea is met with the support, enthusiasm, and positive feedback of the community they set out to serve. They say your calling is where your talents intersect with what people need and today we get to talk with people who have been authoring a story just like that. Very happy today to feature the story of Matt and Elise Higgins of Origin Coffee Bar! Elise and Matt Higgins are the husband-and-wife founders of Origin Coffee Bar, with cafés in Savannah and Hilton Head Island. Creative and entrepreneurial at heart, they launched Origin in 2020 with a focus on generosity, community, and excellent coffee. Elise, originally from Michigan, oversees social media, the food program, and guest experience, while Matt, a New England native, leads roasting, coffee quality, brand, and wholesale. In today's episode we will be taking you from the first inkling that coffee was the path they should pursue, -through to today where they now have an 2 established cafes and a roasting operation that are continuing to grow. We discuss: * Life as design students, craft entrepreneurs, and the idea for coffee * The lessons from the Mobile Coffee Bar * Navigating Opportunities + The Power of Intuition * The Importance of Culture and a Great Team * Balancing Work and Relationship * Secrets of Partnership * Establishing Standards * The Role of Systems in Growth * Learning from Customers and Team * Quality Control at Scale * Why Entrepreneurs Need Confidence and Generosity Links:  https://origincoffee.bar/ https://www.instagram.com/origincoffee.bar     Related Episodes: SHIFT BREAK: Reassessing Growth 362: How to Handle Growth in Your Coffee Shop 514: Founder Friday! w/ Raoul Adwan of Thrd Coffee in Chicago, IL! 518: How to Run a Coffee Shop w/ Meaningful Hospitality   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  chris@keystothshop.com or book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  SPONSORS 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  

A listener asked me a question recently about how to approach operating a coffee shop in a rural setting versus a larger city. After a short exchange over email I decided it was some thing that we should probably chat about here on the show. After all, specialty coffee shops are popping up more and more in suburban and rural settings, and there may be some key distinctions to consider. Today we will be talking about some different differences between the two settings and how you as a professional or an operator manager or owner can approach hospitality and business in each of these settings in a way that best serves the people in those communities. We will also talk about the limits of those differences and turn to how they are not too dissimilar, and give you a frame work that will help you ask the right questions before making decisions around menu, style, and approach.       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  chris@keystothshop.com or book a free call now:  https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  SPONSORS 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