Some interviews we have on the show touch on so many deep, important, and impactful subjects that it is hard to stop the conversation. This was one of those. I wanted to talk about our guests’ career and then see where it led us and indeed we ended up discussing an assortment of issues that are sure to inspire and …
366: A Conversation w/ Chris Baca of Cat and Cloud Coffee
We all want leadership and cafe culture that inspires. Through personal and professional development we can learn how to create an environments where our values and core beliefs are lived out in real time. In spite of the inevitable challenges, set backs, and failures that come with entrepreneurship and leadership, when we bring our true selves to work in good …
363 : Setting Boundaries in the Coffee Shop w/ Tom Henschel
Working in a coffee bar means working in close quarters with your fellow baristas, managers, and owners. In this daily work we will eventually begin to feel the tension and start to wonder about how we can set boundaries for ourselves so we can continue to work and still take care of ourselves. The subject of boundaries may be ruminated …
347 : Brewing Coffee and a Career w/ U.S. Brewer’s Cup Champion, Elika Liftee
Brewing a great cup of coffee is like crafting a career in coffee, it take intentionality, consistency, and a humility that keeps in mind the end goal of all your efforts. These are some of the qualities that make today’s guest, Elika Liftee, not just a brewing champion, but an example of professionalism we can all be inspired by. Elika …
346: Connecting People Through Coffee w/ Celeste Wong of The Girl in the Cafe
We take for granted the kinds of interactions and connections we make in the course of our daily professional barista lives. An incredible variety of people with unique and interesting stories and perspectives pass through our doors daily. Coupled with the story of coffee itself, this business is a rich and fascinating one. Those are the motivations that led today’s …
331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career
We all make mistakes. It’s part of the learning and growth process for everyone. As you go in your career you will find that there are certain types of mistakes that are worse than others in that they have a greater negative impact on you and those around you. I have been doing this coffee thing long enough to have …
328 : Relationships and Resiliency w/ Xavier Alexander of Metric Coffee
Navigating our way through the coffee industry can be a daunting task. Especially if you want to make a difference. As you go you are confronted with many challenges that threaten your stability and test both your resolve and faith in the reasons you began the journey in the first place. Through it all though, there is a kind of …
323 : Reflecting on 5 Years of Keys to the Shop w/ my Wife Lynnsy Deferio
Welp, KTTS is now 5 years old! In this time KTTS has aired 560 episodes and is closing in on 2 million downloads around the world and it simply feels surreal. I have been so blessed by the guests on this show, you the audience, and most of all, my biggest supporter, my wife. SO…on this episode my lovely wife …
322 : A Conversation w/ LaNisa Williams of Barista Life L.A.
Creating a path forward and up in the coffee industry sometimes requires we take matters into our own hands and build the opportunities for ourself and others that we don’t see. This is exactly what today’s guest, LaNisa Williams did with Barista L.A. LaNisa Williams has been in coffee over 14 years as a barista, manager, trainer/educator, and all around …
315 : Growing and Connecting w/ Stephen Zinnerman of The Coffee Enthusiast!
Back in 2018 at a Coffee Fest in Baltimore I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing Stephen Zinnerman, owner and founder of (along with his wife Natasha) The Coffee Enthusiast: A Brewing Company (TCE). Back when we first met on the show floor, he was just starting TCE and since then they have experienced A LOT of growth both …
