Spiders !
SHIFT BREAK #13 : What can we learn about hospitality from spiders? Today on Shift Break we talk about just that.
The Barista Slump : Thoughts on how to deal with times of love-loss, uncertainty, hardship, and weariness in your coffee career
SHIFT BREAK #12 : It is bound to happen. One day we are inspired, passionate, and the wind is in our sails , but the next we are down, weary, questioning our choice of career, and generally in a slump. The good news is that this is a normal occurrence…
Don’t Just Do It! : Delegation, Burnout, facilitating skills development, mistakes coffee shop managers make, teaching and coaching for future return
SHIFT BREAK #11 : When it comes to work that needs to get done in the shop the default for a manager can be to just do it ourselves. It’s faster and at least we know the job will get done correctly. This, however, is a mistake and will ultimately lead…
Taste the Rainbow! : Menu knowledge, tasting, flavor, coffee cupping approach to your offerings
SHIFT BREAK #10: We take our coffee very seriously. We obsessively taste, cup, evaluate, and discuss all to perfect the way we extract and serve it to the guest. Not so, however, for the rest of the menu that is not a small milk drink or straight…
Fix the Small Stuff! : Management, Morale, Coffee Bar Culture
SHIFT BREAK #9 : One of the best ways we can make a big difference in the cafe is by taking care of the small stuff. Unfortunately we all know that the small problems like broken timers, leaky sinks, and rotting sponges tend to accumulate quickly and…
Laziness & the Most Important Decision
SHIFT BREAK #8 : We all have a bit of laziness in us. Throughout the day there are dozens of opportunities to make decisions that will either pave the way to excellence or to compromise and mediocrity. Who we become as people and an industry is built…
The One-on-One : How one meeting can dramatically impact your coffee shop’s culture and morale.
SHIFT BREAK #7 : At the heart of every health organization is a prioritized and regular system of communication that gives a voice and an ear to their staff. The one-on-one meeting is a very powerful tool to bring cohesion, give clarity, and increase…
Gentrification 2 Ways : Exploring a mentality practiced in cafe leadership that is a microcosm of gentrification / staff culture /neighborhood needs / conversation not monologue
SHIFT BREAK #6 : Today we are exploring a mentality practiced in cafe leadership that is a microcosm of gentrification. Changing this behavior and mindset can stop coffee shops from being forces that aid in cultural displacement and turn into spaces…
The Power of Questions and Connecting with Community
SHIFT BREAK #5 : Conferences, trade shows, and podcasts all bring together people and ideas that help us grow and get answers to questions we have that unlock new levels in our careers. The question is, why wait until a conference comes around or an…
Making the Customer the Enemy
SHIFT BREAK #4 : We are in the hospitality business and we recognize that the guest experience hinges on how they are treated. There is, however, a pervasive mindset and set of behaviors that make the customer an enemy in our minds and colors the way…
