Leadership in the coffee shop can either be the glue that holds it together and nurtures its growth, or it is the force that tears it apart and depletes it of vitality. In order to make sure it is the former we need to make certain that we, and those placed in leadership possess key traits and qualities that …
Being a manager in a coffee shop may be one of the most difficult jobs in the cafe. Not only do you bear the responsibility of the daily operations, you also have the expectations from the owners as well as your barista team. Most managers are barely making is through. Much of the stress experienced can be avoided when we …
When we think of the craft of coffee we tend to think only in terms of the bean and beverage itself. The whole value chain of coffee has benefited greatly from continued emphasis on transparency and today we have the ability to track down almost every detail and variable of a coffee to accurately determine what went into the resulting …
A coffee shop cannot survive without having excellent operational systems and tools that bring together and make consistent all the craft, values, and magic we want from a cafe experience Just like the work of a barista, 75% of what we do in ownership and leadership has to do with the things that happen off bar. The foundations of business. …
Opening a running a successful cafe is no easy task. I requires passion as well as attention to the details around systems, relationships, and being able to grow yourself as a leader in that environment. Today we are going to be exploring one owners journey who not only has done this well, but has just published a book about her …
How many times have we heard that we are supposed to give work our all? Give 100% or even 110%? And then we wonder how it is that professional baristas, managers, and owners burn out on a regular basis. I’d say it is high time we look at how we take on the work of the cafe work so that …
Fully stepping into your authority is an act of service. Your position as a leader is meant to serve those you lead. But if you do not think it is ok to be the boss, you will simply be a bad an ineffective boss vs one that takes a strong, caring, and clear approach to the position. One of my …
How do I find loyal staff and win loyal customers? This question and many like it has been asked thousands of times as we deal with incredible amounts of turn over in our shops. We have tried tricks, incentives, benefits of all kinds but they never seem to quite do the trick. Same with customers, we offer deal, discounts, and …
It is a new era is specialty retail coffee. Great coffee can be found very easily in most major cities and people are making better coffee at home than they ever have. Add to this the ubiquity of RTD (Ready to Drink) coffee and a wide variety of convenience products. The retail coffee shop, with baristas making drinks and serving …
While culture is a needed focus, today it has become the hottest buzz word that can mean almost anything. What is most useful these days as we rightly focus on culture is a lens through which to view it that brings clarity and helps guide us to take action in ways that serve our staff and ultimately the business. Way …
