We talk about how we want to provide an experience for the guest, to connect with them, to make a positive impact. The way to get there though is through embracing what may seem like the opposite of what we want, the transactional. Gasp!

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why the transaction between you and the customer, the ordinary exchange of money for goods, is the gateway and foundation to building a truly remarkable business and hospitality experience!

Related episodes:

In Praise of the "Transactional"

518: How to Run a Coffee Shop w/ Meaningful Hospitality

505: Maintaining Excellence in the Everyday Work of Coffee Shops w/ Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood

SHIFT BREAK: Back to the Basics

SHIFT BREAK: Is Your Love for Coffee Sabotaging Your Success?

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

On average, when I look into a cafe's operational materials and systems, one of the main things that is either not developed well, developed but not updated, or just not there at all, are job descriptions.

For many coffee businesses, there is a default to describing their growth and thus operation as "organic" and as a result, while some progress is made, they can tend to find themselves hitting a wall where everyone feels a constant sense of uncertainty that impact the business.

Today we will be talking about the good and the bad ways we create and utilize job descriptions in the cafe and how you can approach the use of them to serve your staff and customers well.

As always, I hope you gain one or a few insight from this episodes that you put into practice to make a positive difference in the shop!

Related Episodes:

• 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
• 373 : The Owner’s Role: 5 Behaviors for Effectiveness
• 301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence

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

Who we are when nobody s looking is really who we are. There are variations of this phrase and for most it is convicting and motivates us to increase the integrity of how we move in life and work. In the cafe, we talk a lot about hospitality regarding guests and more recently we have talked about hospitality for the staff. But what about the people that support and are vested in your businesses through services and products?

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the importance of extending our hospitality to vendors like delivery drivers, bakeries, service companies, and others. Whether in-person or over the phone, how we treat people matters and either builds relationships or erodes them.

As goes the relationships, so goes the business.

Related episodes:

Service, Spite, and Compromise

133 : 5 Keys to Successful Wholesale w/ Sarah Richmond

Are We Giving our Best to the Least?

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

• 333: Bridging the Professional and Home Barista Gap w/ Lance Hedrick of Onyx Coffee Lab
• 216 : Helping your Customers Brew at Home w/ Brian Beyke , I Brew my own Coffee Podcast
• 432 : How to Win in Specialty Retail Coffee
• Sustainability Series #4 : Consumer
• 360: Encore Episode! Hosting Consumer Coffee Classes: 7 Tips for Success

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

Being a manager in a coffee shop is not just about extra administrative tasks, its about leading and guiding people well through the work of the cafe. Many managers in bars around the world are kept buried in tasks and don't have a clear view of the landscape in front of them. This leads to avoiding essential conversations and a lack of growth in both the manager and the staff.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about a great tool developed by Bruce Tulgan in his book "It's OK to be the Boss" called "The Manager's Landscape". I will go through the framework and show how you can utilize it to know how to effectively lead and manage the people you have best tasked with serving.

It only takes a moment to get this started so I would encourage you to take action after this episode and start applying these principles today!

Related episodes:

• 435 : Encore! It’s OK to be the Boss, w/ Bruce Tulgan
• 378: 5 Areas to Develop in Managers
• 181 : Organizational Self-Knowledge
• 483: Encore: 6 Essential Qualities of Coffee Shop Leaders

KEYS TO THE SHOP®

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

Coffee shops are dynamic places that require a ton of focus on what seems like an endless sea of urgent things. Some are actually more important than others and learning what they are and training yourself and your staff to focus on and cultivate them from the start can help set the next years of your businesses life up for healthy operation and growth.

Today we are going to explore what areas you need to be focused on int he first year in order to make best use of your time. Areas that, if given serious investment, will make everything else work together.

This is not just for new businesses though. If you have been open a while and want to recalibrate, simplify, focus, and refine, this one is for you too.

Related Episodes:

• 317 : Encore Episode: Death by Comparison
• 436: Stop Burn Out! and Make Work Effortless w/ Greg McKeown | Best Selling Author “Effortless”
• 269 : What to Focus on after you Launch
• 224 : Essentialism: Focusing on what truly Matters w/ Greg McKeown
• 432 : How to Win in Specialty Retail Coffee
• 173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers

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

Once we get a little bit of authority as a trainer, manager, or leader in the coffee shop we tend to dream about and focus on all the things we want to change. Unfortunately the projects that we know will improve things often do not get the reception we want from the boss and we feel dejected and frustrated.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the need to have patience and to prioritize the right work and projects in order to gain trust so the good things you want to do in the future are better received.

Related episodes:

SHIFT BREAK: Setting Staff Up For Success

SHIFT BREAK: Making Minimum Viable Changes

SHIFT BREAK: Managers, You Don't Need To Do It All

Flexibility for Owners and Managers

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

We are back with anew round of show floor interviews from Coffee Fest! This time we were in NYC at the Keys to the Shop booth and got four wonderful presenters and experts to chat about training, entrepreneurship, and trademarking law!

First up to talk about effective barista training strategies we have our friend Antoine Franklin!

Antoine Franklin (better known as “Twizz”) born and raised in Cleveland, OH has 19 years of experience working in the coffee industry. Having many different job titles from barista to operations partner, to wholesale manager, LAWCO judging panel he’s got a ton of experience and knowledge doing almost everything in the industry.

Instagram: @Twizz_3seas

Next we are chatting about training across multiple cafes with Mo Hashmi!

Mo Hashmi works at Hidden Grounds Coffee as their Director of Coffee & Education. Since beginning his career in coffee, Mo has trained countless baristas in advanced coffee brewing techniques across New Jersey and New York. Currently Mo leads the roasting operation of Hidden Grounds Coffee and is in charge of sourcing, profiling, and quality control. In 2023, Mo received his SCA Roasting certification.

https://www.instagram.com/momakescoffee/

https://thehiddengrounds.com/

Now we get to dive into the history and lessons learned from one of the founders of famed NYC coffee company, Cafe Grumpy!

Caroline Bell is the Co-Founder and CEO of Café Grumpy, a specialty coffee company founded in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, in 2005. A Certified Q Grader and PCQI, Caroline leads the green coffee buying and fosters relationships with coffee producers, with a focus on Central America. Since its launch, Café Grumpy has expanded to 11 locations across New York City, Miami, and New Jersey. Passionate about quality, sustainability, and community, Caroline is dedicated to building a supportive team and fostering a positive work environment. Through her continued work, she is helping to shape the specialty coffee industry—one cup at a time.

https://cafegrumpy.com/

https://www.instagram.com/cafegrumpy

Lastly we get into the land of trademarks and the legal protections your brand needs with Maria Sinatra!

Maria Sinatra focuses her practice on offensive and defensive Lanham Act and Copyright Act litigation in federal courts throughout the country. Maria has experience with disputes involving anti-counterfeiting actions, trademark and trade dress infringement actions, trademark dilution claims, false advertising issues, and copyright infringement litigation. She regularly advises clients on brand management issues, including how to secure, protect, and police trademark rights.

Reach out to and follow Maria on Linkedin:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-sinatra-86b851163/

All these interviews took place at Coffee Fest and you should a trade sho you should seriously consider attending!

www.coffeefest.com

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