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 …
Having an engaged staff that are motivated and inspired to not just get through the shift, but to truly invest into the cafe and help improve things is a dream shared by many owners. This culture where each individual team member takes ownership and finds creative ways to refine the operations, quality, and hospitality does not have to be just …
So many things vie for our attention in the day-to-day work of the coffee shop. In the midst of the fires we need to put out, questions that need answers, and ideas everyone has (both good and bad) we have a general idea of what we are aiming for but…
Managers hold the key to the success of the shop. They are tasked with taking all the people, place, and processes and making them work well together day to day. When a manager is correctly supported by the owner then they are able to do a great job and your whole business benefits. Without proper support, operations, morale, and the …
It is easy to get discouraged in running a cafe. There are a million things to do and the temptation to despair becomes worst when we hold an idealized version of ourselves and our work in our heads everyday. What are we working for and what are we…
When it comes to our training and resourcing of staff we often have a desire for people to “get it” and to be detail oriented, but fail to give them much to “get” or to orient them to the details. This results in inconsistency and frustration in both customers and staff as baristas fill in the blanks that management should …
I am so excited to present this Founder Friday with two people who are doing amazing things in coffee! I met them in the first year of their business in 2018 as clients and they have done a great job of growing their business with excellence and care. Today we get to talk with Danny and Michelle Quiroz of Reserva …
Everyday we make decisions about both small and large things in the coffee shop. Often those decisions are made in a reactive way that is more born from a sense of urgency and FOMO than intentionality and right fit. Today on Shift Break we…
Roasting for espresso is a tricky business. Not only are there multiple variables that inherently complicate the extraction process but there is also a wide variety of opinion is and preferences for what the final flavor experience should be like. On this Rate of Rise episode we will be talking about how one world renowned roastery roasts for espresso and …
One of the best options for getting started in coffee without as much risk is a coffee truck. Especially emphasized post-pandemic, mobile concepts like coffee trucks have grow exponentially and with it the need for reliable information on how to become successful in that context. Today we will be talking with one the go-to coffee truck authorities, Vincent LaVolpa of …
