Coffee is from Africa, yet the way we think of and enjoy coffee today is largely separated from the roots that produced that original fruit. The disparity we see in the value stream today, where those growing coffee do not receive the fruit of their labor, is the consequence. Today we get to talk with someone who has been laboring …
It is assumed that we should constantly be growing our businesses and looking to expand, scale, and add-to what we have now. Trouble is that, in today’s abundantly resourced and optimized environment, we may actually be able to do so at rates that out…
Every day in the cafe we are called on to communicate “in the moment”. Whether we are baristas, trainers, managers, or owners ; how effective we are in those moments determines the culture and effectiveness of our business. Wouldn’t it be great if there were tools and methods formed specifically to help you not freak out under the pressure of …
Every day in the cafe we are called on to communicate “in the moment”. Whether we are baristas, trainers, managers, or owners ; how effective we are in those moments determines the culture and effectiveness of our business. Wouldn’t it be great if…
Seeing results form your efforts is what motivates most all of us. In the coffee shop you are engaged with a dynamic intersesion of moving and living communities that take your efforts and reward you with sometimes obvious and sometimes not-so-obvious…
One of the most heartbreaking things I see is when an established cafe is forced to upend everything due to changes to the cost or use of a space that they do not own. All the dreams, emotions, investment in the space itself, and developing a customer bases habits around that location are all up in the air. While renting …
Managing in a cafe is one of the ultimate forms of leadership. Part of leading as a manager is planning for, responding to, or avoiding altogether, problems with people, operations, and quality. But instead of spending our best energies in prevention…
The Industry. What does that even mean? Owners and professionals use this term as though it has specific power to give clarity or meaning to the work they do, when in fact it is merely the most readily observable manifestation of millions of…
Hiring is probably the most important decision you make in your coffee shop. As important as it is to choose the right people, we often are at the mercy of bad habits or are missing key practices we need to make that decisions and end up making too…
In the the coffee industry, we all need help and we can all give help. In order to truly advance our own careers and those of others we want find success we need plan for and practice mentorship. The trouble is that the need we have for help also…
