Embrace the Fallout

Chris DeferioPodcast

It is not so much the fear of change that keeps us from moving forward in the areas we know are necessary. It is the fear of what will happen when we implement the change. The fall out, we imagine, is too much to handle and so we stay where we…

409 : The Science of Optimizing Your Espresso w/ Samo Smrke

Chris DeferioPodcast

One of the hardest things to make consistent in the coffee shop is your espresso. There are so many variables that contribute to the final product, not to mention the number of different baristas tasked with making coffee daily. can be very…

Avoid These Cafe Meeting Mistakes

Chris DeferioPodcast

Like you, I have been to and conducted my fair share of cafe meetings. And also like you, I have seriously questioned the effectiveness of these get togethers. In fact, in many cases meetings can hurt more than help. How do we avoid this?  On…

408: Coffee Tools, Music, and Serving the Community w/ Anita Tam of Slow Pour Supply Co.

Chris DeferioBusiness, Leadership, Podcast

The world of coffee is saturated with suppliers of tools and equipment. Most are seeking the transaction and chasing the opportunity the current market has afforded them. Precious few  suppliers are truly passionate about their customers in a meaningful way that results in the love and respect of the barista community. Slow Pour Supply is one such company, because Anita …

RoR # 21 : Data, Community, and the Art of Roasting w/ U.S. Roasters Champion Andrew Coe of Elevator Coffee

Chris DeferioPodcast, Roasting

On this Rate of Rise episode I am thrilled to get to have a conversation with the new U.S. roasting Champion, Andrew Coe of Elevator Coffee in Portland, OR Andrew Coe is the owner and roaster at Elevator Coffee in Portland, OR, founded in 2016. Andrew launched his professional roasting career by winning the first Cascadia Cup roasting competition at Buckman Coffee …

Coffee, Integrity, and A.I.

Chris DeferioPodcast

Today we have an incredible number of options to increase efficiency and outsource everything we do, including the things that people would normally assume come from you as a creator. This presents a problem that I believe is based either upholding or…

406 : Five Ways to Immediately Improve Your Coffee Quality

Chris DeferioBarista Craft, Podcast

Out of all the reasons that may be contributing to customers either loving or avoiding your shop, the quality of your drink beverages actually ranks pretty high. The trouble is, we all tend to assume that we have pretty much achieved a level of quality that “should” be sufficient to attract and keep customers and in that assumption we are …

Things the Owner Can’t do for You

Chris DeferioPodcast

When it comes to leadership, the power and authority that is inherent in the position creates a need for higher degrees of responsibility to facilitate and support those being led. Be that as it may, for those who are being led, this is not a reason…

405: Beyond the Schedule w/ Wil Brawley of Schedulefly

Chris DeferioPodcast

Technology and tools are meant to serve people, not the other way around. As we multiply apps, software, snd services in the name of optimization and ease, it can become harder to truly connect as we begin relying on these innovations to replace the very relationships that will sustain our coffee shops. The tech for making the schedule in your …