Make Everything Like Latte Art

Chris DeferioPodcast

Baristas are obsessed with it! The question we have to ask is, why?Most of us don’t need to get people interested in latte art. In fact many of you probably wish your baristas would focus on other things. Contrary to what we might assume, baristas…

303 : Create Authentic Partnerships w/ Marc Gessler of Cat & Cloud Coffee

Chris DeferioBusiness, Leadership, Podcast, Training

Ideally, the nature of your relationship with your wholesale customers is less like a transaction and more like a partnership. How do we approach caring for those who have decided to serve our coffee in a way that is true to our values, supports their success, and creates growing trust and mutuality? In this episode these questions and more are …

Study the Rules

Chris DeferioPodcast

If you want to do well in competition you have to study the rules. Without this you are flying blind and will probably get a less that stellar result for your effort. The same thing is true for your career.  Today on Shift Break  we will be…

The Quality Standards Equation

Chris DeferioPodcast

If your shop does not have specific standards for the products your serve and the way you serve them, then you are leaving a lot of the success of your coffee shop up to chance. Question is, how do you go about setting standards? Where do the…

301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence

Chris DeferioLeadership, Management, Podcast, Training

These are the two most important and intensive processes in the cafe yet they often are the most rush and poorly thought through. The preparations we make and the actions we take when hiring and training staff will and does create a ripple effect that is felt by everyone who interacts with your business for years to come. Maybe more …

Hard Work is Hard

Chris DeferioPodcast

At work there is unnecessary difficulty and then there is just…necessary difficulty. The trouble is that sometimes we can blur the line between the two and generally will default the thinking all difficulty is to be avoided or is a sign of something…

299 : 5 Rules for a Successful Coffee shop

Chris DeferioBusiness, Podcast

What makes a successful coffee bar? This whole show is dedicated to exploring the depths of the question and yet there are a few fundamental elements that, if practiced, will greatly help your coffee bar succeed. Were are not going to be talking about the common things you might associate with success such as location, Cost of Goods, and great …

Care Assurance is the New Quality Assurance

Chris DeferioPodcast

Quality control and assurance is common in most well established coffee shops. Even if it is not a dedicated position, it at least is an area where we invest a lot of time and effort. What we don’t see very much of is a focus on care. How do the staff…