Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Hospitality, patience, and giving grace to others and yourself are lessons we can learn from many areas of life. The coffee shop presents a unique opportunity for us to exercise those character traits as we serve customers along side our fellow staff members in the often pressured and fast paced day-to-day cafe work. There will many mistakes made, but in those mistakes lies opportunity for growth and re-affirming a people first focus.

Today's guest, David Foster, wraps all this up in an awesome new children's book called "Jett Goes to Work With Dad"!

David Foster is a co-owner at Kiln Coffee in Grand Junction, Colorado. He is passionate about promoting intentional hospitality and his love for the coffee industry.He is also the author of this new book that teaches lessons that young and old can all learn from.

In our conversation we talk a lot about hospitality in all its iterations in the cafe business, how David got into coffee, why he wrote the book, and his insight into how we can serve others well through coffee.

Links:

https://www.kilncoffeebar.com/

https://www.instagram.com/jettgoes/

Related episodes:

• 323 : Reflecting on 5 Years of Keys to the Shop w/ my Wife Lynnsy Deferio
• 328 : Relationships and Resiliency w/ Xavier Alexander of Metric Coffee
• 367 : Designing Your Coffee Shop for Community w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman
• 331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career

KTTS LINKS:

Apply for the next Key Holder Coaching Group!

Want to run an amazing coffee shop?

Hire Keys to the Shop Consulting to work with you 1:1 to transform your coffee shop operations, quality, and people.

Custom consulting for your unique business.

Schedule a free discovery call now!

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to our amazing sponsors!

Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!www.pacificfoodservice.com

Marketing can be good, and bad. At it's best it exposes you to resources that help you mindfully build your business. At its worst it takes advantage of your insecurity and fear of not know how to build that business and turns your dream into nightmare of chasing the "next" and the "new" just to try to succeed.

Today on Shift break we will be talking about a healthy way to interact with the ever expanding universe of options, data, sales people, and stats so that you can be decisive and be confident that your decision was a well considered one.

Listen to these related episodes next:

• SHIFT BREAK: Make Customer Feedback a Priority
• Menu Simplicity as Hospitality
• The Myth of Hands Off / Automated Leadership
• Imperfect Action and Finding Time
• Icing on the Cake: Competitions vs. the Shop

Owners need community too!

Want to be a part of a dynamic group of fellow coffee shop owners all working together for each other's success?

Apply for Key Holder Coaching Group today!

Would you like to work with me 1:1 to help you thrive in coffee?

Click below for a discovery call and lets have a conversation!

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Custom branded apps for your coffee shop: www.espressly.co

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

Roasting has historically been shaped by the experiences of crafts people and their experiments with what works, or does not work, in their roastery. These days we hav many people entering into the industry to affirm, challenge, and explore those dogmas in an effort to find the "why" behind the assumptions we have. Today's guest, Mark Al-Shemmeri is one of those people challenging dogma with data.

Mark is a chemical engineer who spent four years as a doctoral researcher (EngD) in the UK figuring out how to simulate coffee roastingin-silico, creating a digital twin of a coffee roaster. The data-driven approach meant a lot of roasting, analysis of the process and product and coding up of simulations to predict how different green coffees, in different roasters with different process conditions, transform during roasting. Mark also operates a nomadic roastery under the pseudonym 'dialect' - a name befittingfor his engineering approach to coffee and his efforts to challenge the complexitiesentrained in the industry.

In this episode we talk with mark about how as a chemical engineer he ended up also in professional coffee work, how his expertise has shaped his own approach to roasting, and a look into the experiments he has been running to explore the variables of coffee roasting in a quest to simplify the overly complex.

Links:

• https://www.instagram.com/kramalshemmeri/
• https://medium.com/@markalshemmeri
• https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark-Al-Shemmeri
• https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=H-A07IcAAAAJ&hl=en

Related episodes:

• RoR #2: Exploring Quality Control w/ Spencer Turer of Coffee Enterprises
• RoR # 21 : Data, Community, and the Art of Roasting w/ U.S. Roasters Champion Andrew Coe of Elevator Coffee
• RoR #20 : Challenging the Status Quo w/ David Lalonde of Rabbit Hole Roasters, Montreal, Quebec

Visit www.roastertools.com for the best software to help you run a roastery!

When you think about quality coffee and what it takes to help usher in change in both how it is rendered and then how it is perceived globally, you would likely be overwhelmed with the notion. It is a lifelong vocation that requires not only personal commitment, but a large team of people to accomplish it Toady we get to talk with the new World Barista Champion Boram Um, who's family has been on this quest since his father moved to Brazil from Korea to begin his second professional life as a coffee farmer.

Boram graduated in Business in Boston University and joined his father in the world of coffee in 2014 being certified as a Q-grader. With the desire of an entrepreneur he founded Um Coffee Co. in 2016 and in 2017 achieved best coffee shop in Sao Paulo.

Since 2019 he began competing in Barista Competitions and for 3 years straight was crowned national champion in Brazil. In 2023 for the first time in history of Brazil Boram achieved 1st place in the World Barista Championship.

Boram has been traveling the globe speaking and presenting to audiences of coffee professionals in places like Leaders Forum at the Cafe Show in Korea, Hotelex 2023 in Shenzhen China, and Coffee Fest Madrid, and many others.

Today we get to talk about Boram's career, competition, and the business of rewriting the script for coffee in Brazil and achieving higher quality in coffee.

In this episodes you will learn about:

• Boram's Journey in Coffee
• Managing People and Quality Control
• Impact of Coffee Shops on Farming Practices
• Winning the World Barista Championship
• Focus on People and Coffee
• Um Coffee Co.: From Farm to Cafe
• Sustainable Practices in Coffee Production
• Building Relationships with Coffee Producers
• The Importance of Training and Education
• Expanding Um Coffee Co.'s Reach
• The Global Coffee Community
• Um Coffee Co.'s Future Plans

Links:

Instagram: @boramum

@umcoffeeco

@fazendaumcoffeeco

https://www.umcoffeeco.com.br/?lang=en

WATCH Boram Um's Performance

Related episodes:

• 452: CHAMPIONING THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE IN COFFEE W/ 3X SA BARISTA CHAMPION, WINSTON DOUGLAS THOMAS OF CEDAR COFFEE
• 451: BUSINESS GROWTH, INTEGRITY, AND COFFEE FARMER EQUITY W/ MARTIN MAYORGA OF MAYORGA COFFEE
• 444: FOUNDER FRIDAY! W/ JULIA PEIXOTO PETERS OF PEIXOTO COFFEE, ARIZONA
• 061 : You Don’t Know Beans about Brazil w/ Kelly Stein, Coffea Podcast
• 255 : The Triumph of Black Brazilians in Coffee w/ Phyllis Johnson
• Sustainability Series #1 : The Farm

OWNERS!

Want to be a part of a dynamic group of fellow coffee shop owners all working together for each other's success?

Apply for Key Holder Coaching Group today!

Hire Keys to the Shop Consulting to work with you 1:1 to transform your coffee shop operations, quality, and people.

Custom consulting for your unique business.

Schedule a free discovery call now!

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to our amazing sponsors!

Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!www.pacificfoodservice.com

Last year we did many interviews live at Coffee Fest. I got to chat with Ian WIlliams of the famed sneaker/coffee concept Deadstock Coffee in Portland Oregon while on the show floor.

In this brief conversation Ian shared some very helpful insights around marketing, entrepreneurship, and staying true to values and culture while growing a business.

Deadstock began as a cart and has operated a sneaker-themed coffee shop in the Old Town Chinatown neighborhood since August 2015. Since then the company has won numerous accolades.

Ian and his team have steadily grown the business through genuine hospitality, unique partnerships, and establishing themselves as a leading voice for black owned coffee shops.

Ian has been speaking on coffee, marketing, diversity, and business around the country for a while now and you can find him on the Coffee Fest circuit this year again doing just that.

I hope this interview helps you greatly and stay tuned for more interviews like this soon as we get ready to go to the first Coffee Fest show of 2024 in NYC!

Links:

Ian on IG: @eeweezie

https://deadstockcoffee.com/

Related episodes:

• SPECIAL: Coffee Fest Live! Chicago 2022 Part 2 w/ Marissa Childers, Jess Gulino, and Tony Dreyfuss
• SPECIAL! Part 1| Coffee Fest Anaheim 2023 w/ Kenneth Davids and Madeleine Longoria Garcia
• SPECIAL: Coffee Fest Live! Chicago 2022 Part 1 w/ Luke Waite, Kris Christian, and Perfect Cube

Sponsor:

www.coffeefest.com

Use code KEYS15 to get 15% off your General Admission!

It is very difficult to take criticism. Especially when you may be fully aware of the imperfections of those offering the feedback on your performance. Trust me, I have lived the rage of those moments in full, and have come to see how many opportunities I wasted being upset vs taking the feedback and using it to improve and grow.

Today on Shift break we will be talking about how we should take the imperfect criticism and feedback we receive and own our part and our response... especially when we occupy the position of barista and may be young in the industry.

Listen to these related episodes next:

• SHIFT BREAK : The Scourge of Nitpicking Bosses
• SHIFT BREAK : Candid Advice for Baristas, Managers, and Owners
• The Courage to Correct
• Baristas Are Not Magic
• An Essential Habit for Every Coffee Shop Worker

Owners need community too!

Want to be a part of a dynamic group of fellow coffee shop owners all working together for each other's success?

Apply for Key Holder Coaching Group today!

Hey Managers!

In my consulting work through KTTS Consulting,working with managers as a career coach is one of the services I offer.

Would you like to work with me 1:1 to help you thrive in coffee?

Click below for a discovery call and lets have a conversation!

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Custom branded apps for your coffee shop: www.espressly.co

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

Special announcement! Applications are still open for the next round of Key Holder Coaching Groups!

The Key Holder Coaching Group is a select group of coffee shop owners who love coffee, people, and want to see their business and others succeed!

Insights, perspective, accountability, and growth. These are just some of the benefits I have seen change lives through consulting and over my years facilitating workshops and trainings.
​
​I have personally been in a group for podcasters for the last 6 years and have also hired coaches, consultant, and been a part of an online community. It has all been indescribably transformational.
​
​For the last few years I have wanted to bring to more people, that same kind of transformational experience in a small group setting and now we are now ready to launch the second round of peer-to-peer mastermind groups!
​
​About the groups:
​
​🔑 Key Holder Coaching Groups will be hosted by myself and consist of a curated group of 5-6 coffee shop owners.
​
​🔑 We will meet together 2x per month for 2 hours over a 6 month period. 12 calls total!
​
​🔑 This structured group will allow each member to have multiple hot seat opportunities to present specific issues to the group and gain insight, feedback and direction to help them develop themselves, their people, and their business.
​
​🔑 In addition we will be consistently updated on each others progress and have opportunity to speak into each others lives.
​
​🔑 Key Holder Coaching members will have access to each other via the Signal app as well.
​
​I will be keeping applications open for the rest of this month (February)
​
​Selected members will be notified end of February and beginning of March. New rounds of groups will begin in March!
If you have questions or want to reach out for anything else, including one-on-one coaching and special consulting projects then email [email protected].
-Chris Deferio
President | Host
Keys to the Shop

Want to be a part of a dynamic group of fellow coffee shop owners all working together for each other's success?

Apply for Key Holder Coaching Group today!

A couple testimonials: "The most beneficial aspect of the KHCG has been getting the opportunity to explore topics from
multiple perspectives. I have found that even If I am not in the “Hot Seat” I am gaining valuable
information that is relative to my business in some way. KHCG has proven to be a safe space for
me to be vulnerable, increase my self-worth and positively adjust my mindset to get the most out
of the experience. As business owners, we are, without a doubt, our most valuable asset. Investing in ourselves,

stepping outside of our patterns and opening up to fellow business professionals within our field
will absolutely bring fresh perspectives to solve problems and reminders to celebrate wins. You
do not have to do it all or do it all alone, KHCG will be a valuable ally on your journey to
success."

- Sunny Cover Founder ~ The Boss
The Peekskill Coffee House
Peekskill Coffee Roasting Company
Ryze Collective Inc
"I've been part of quite a few different mentorship programs, and coaching programs and the Key holder coaching group has by far provided the most value. I loved being part of a group with businesses that are all so different because you learn so much that isn't just applicable now, but what might apply 1 or 2 years down the road. Chris does a great job facilitating the group in a way that everyone feels comfortable contributing, and can be honest and vulnerable. I'm blown away by the generosity of the group!" -Susannah Winters Hilton Head Coffee

People don't leave jobs, they leave managers. This is an old but still true saying that, for me, underscores the importance of selecting the right person to take on a management role in the cafe. A bad manager makes the work miserable, and a good manager makes the work rewarding and just like a conductor, orchestrates the talents of the players into a harmonious experience. But how do you find this person and what should you be looking for when it is time to put an manager in place?

This week we are going to discus several key character traits and behaviors you will want to make certain are present in the person you have in mind to be a manager. Your coffee shop's future actually does depend on it!

We cover:

• Why we get management wrong
• Your role in a manager's success
• Personal resilience
• Patience with change and trust
• Communication and Self awareness
• Ability to earn trust
• Big big picture + detail focus
• Caring and Kindness

Related episodes:

• 383 : How to Train a Manager
• 261 : The Basics of Managing Managers
• 378: 5 Areas to Develop in Managers
• 229 : 7 Tips for New Managers
• 141 : The 27 Challenges Managers Face w/ Bruce Tulgan

Want to be a part of a dynamic group of fellow coffee shop owners all working together for each other's success?

Apply for Key Holder Coaching Group today!

Hire Keys to the Shop Consulting to work with you 1:1 to transform your coffee shop operations, quality, and people.

Custom consulting for your unique business.

Schedule a free discovery call now!

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to our amazing sponsors!

Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!www.pacificfoodservice.com

When some people see a need or an opportunity, they dream about who will meet it or make it happen. Others, like today's guest on Founder Friday, task it upon themselves to take action and create the reality they want to see for the benefit of others.

Kymme is owner of Bushwick Grind, a speciality coffee shop and cafe, established in 2015. Here she hosts the 2Fish5Loaves community fridge which provides hundreds of pounds of free food to local residents. She is also a technologist with a tenure of over 30 years in theIT sector, employed with Weight Watchers International for 25 years, currently in the role of Principal Technical Project Manager and is a graduate of Hofstra University School of Business , LI NY.

Over the nearly 10 years Bushwick Grind has been awarded 2022 HEINZ Black Kitchen Cast Iron Trophy,1010 Wins Small Biz Pitch Competition, 2018 Brooklyn Cornerstone Biz of the Year, and many more honors due to Kymme and her team's dedication to community, quality, and nourishing others through the companies varied services.

In this episode we will be talking all about how Kymme first started on this journey, what she has learned along the way, and her advice for how to run an impactful people-focused cafe business.

We discuss:

• The genesis of Bushwick Grind
• Learning coffee and focusing on simple offerings
• Community, networking, and taking action to make a difference
• Introducing food and working with other organisations
• The importance of having a strong team that vibes with your vision
• Working full time outside of running the shop. How?!
• Harnessing the power of ideation to unlock possibilities
• Becoming a mentor and paying it forward

Links:

https://www.bushwickgrind.com/

IG: @bushwickgrind

Related episodes:

• 337: Founder Friday w/ Diana Martinez of Cafe Calle, Los Angeles
• 236 : Founder Friday! w/ Meil Castagna-Herrera & Curtis Herrera of Cafe Corazon!
• 316 : Founder Friday! w/ Jim Sanders of Heartwood Coffee Roasters, Cleveland, Ohio
• 359 : Founder Friday! w/ Nigel Price of Drip Coffee Makers NYC

Hire Keys to the Shop Consulting to work with you 1:1 to transform your operations, quality, and people. Schedule a free discovery call now!

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to our amazing sponsors!

Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!www.pacificfoodservice.com

There is nothing as frustrating as working on and getting served from a busy bar that was not designed appropriately. From size, placement, equipment selection, and more, there are many areas to consider when designing a space that runs well. Unfortunately bars get built quickly and without the right kind of thought put in at the start.

Today on Shift break we will be talking a two of the most important considerations you need to make sure you nail if you want your baristas and the business to mitigate stress and be set up for success

Listen to these related episodes:

• 367 : Designing Your Coffee Shop for Community w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman
• The Wrong Way to Improve Morale
• 240 : What to do before your Build your Bar
• 051 : The Power of Design in Coffee w/ Liz Chai

OWNERS! DO YOU NEED HELP AT YOUR SHOP?

In my consulting work throughKTTS Consulting,Layout and design are one of the main conversations we have. Working to create clarity, understanding, and systems for success in leadership has a compound effect on the rest of the business. Would you like to work with me 1:1 to help your cafe thrive in quality, operations, and people?

Click below for a discovery call and lets have a conversation!

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Custom branded apps for your coffee shop: www.espressly.co

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com