A listener asked me a question recently about how to approach operating a coffee shop in a rural setting versus a larger city. After a short exchange over email I decided it was some thing that we should probably chat about here on the show. After all, specialty coffee shops are popping up more and more in suburban and rural …
The life of your business is going to be determined by how easily and frequently you and your staff can identify, during the workday, behaviors and events that represent the values of your company. The problem is that because we are so busy with the tasks of the work, it makes it difficult for us to identify those times in …
Many owners struggle to make a profit and to pay themselves. This inevitably will lead to burn out and disillusionment and sadly for many closing down the shop before ever really seeing what it’s potential could have been. Making money in your cafe has a lot to do with how well you track and manage what you already make. Enter …
You read this kind of question mostly from nervous owners who are glued to their screen and anxiously review every data point with bloodshot eyes. Like a nervous flyer, ever bump on the plan is a sure sign of an imminent crash, but here’s the thing, it’s not. Today on shift break we will be talking about why these kind …
For the last 10 years The Barista League has been putting on competition/events that tap into the culture of the working barista and offers a fun environment that also showcases and celebrates the skills of the people who serve customers globally. In the current landscape where competition is increasingly isolated from reality and can easily be seen as a place …
If you want to run a great coffee shop, loving people is one of the most important things to have at the foundation of all you do. It is also sometimes the hardest and requires intentional pursuits of a visions and a tenacity that always seeks out ways to improve communication, service, hospitality, and quality to make sure both staff …
It is that time of year here in the U.S. where many will reflect on what they are thankful for. In this current age where bad news and reasons to despair abound, it is even ore important to fight for and seek out the good and positive in our lives. But even for those of us who see value in …
And we are back with the second part of our exploration of common barista myths! I have to say, the main point for both the owner and barista episodes is to encourage everyone to exercise a patience, humility, curiosity, and a sense that there may be more to a story that what we initially see. The culture of coffee shops …
I was invited to speak recently to a group of coffee professionals on the state of the industry based on what I have experienced through my consulting, career, and interviews. One of the main things I shared was that coffee quality in roasted form is at an all time high. But quality is embarrassingly low. The issue is not the …
Water for coffee. This is the biggest area of quality control focus that we must always monitor and check to provide constantly excellent coffee. Learning about water can come from various sources and for many busy operators it is tempting to learn a couple things and use that knowledge forever vs continually learning and gaining just as thorough an understanding …
