177 : Founder Friday w/ Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer in Atlanta, Georgia

Chris DeferioFounder Friday, Podcast

  Coffee! Beer! Founder Friday! Today we get to talk with founder and owner of Taproom Coffee and Beerin Atlanta, GA. Jonathan founded Taproom in 2014 and since then has seen great success creating amazing coffee and beer experiences for both his staff and customers. As an Atlanta native he and the shop have been embraced by the community very well …

Should You be Behind the Bar Right Now?

Chris DeferioPodcast

There is a little problem we need to talk about that may not seem like a biggie but can wear away at morale and breed needless frustration. The bar area can sometimes attract a variety of staff members who are not on shift or are from other…

The Counterbalanced Barista

Chris DeferioPodcast

When it comes how we divide our attention and energy we can tend to skew to one side or another. This leaves us with too much focus on one area and not enough in another which ultimately makes a sustainable coffee job impossible. Today on Shift Break…

175 : How to Keep your Cool : A Fridge, Cooler, and Ice Machine Masterclass w/ Luke Peterson of The Maintenance Department!

Chris DeferioBusiness, Coffee Tech, Podcast

When the fridge goes down, the ice machine is not making ice, and the display case is making weird sounds…it’s time to call a tech ASAP! Well that is exactly what we did in this episode. Today we get to talk to master refrigeration technician, Luke Peterson of The Maintenance Dept. The point of this conversation today is to give …

I’ve Got Your (bar) Back

Chris DeferioPodcast

Bar backing is one of the most important roles in the cafe. Either as a dedicated position or as a set of responsibilities shared, when it is embraced and executed well, it makes the whole shift successful.  Today we chat about this critical part…

Your Customer’s Relational Baggage

Chris DeferioPodcast

Customers impression of your business is going to be filtered through the lens of their past experiences in coffee.  Unfortunately that is too often a bad thing and the memory of bad experiences far outlasts the memory of a good one. Today we…

173 : 5 Areas of Focus for Retailers

Chris DeferioBusiness, Leadership, Podcast

  To be successful in retail coffee today you need to be able to give your time and attention to the things that will truly make a difference. The standards for what makes a truly great and sustainable shop is as high as it has ever been. Today we are going to be talking about five areas that are critical …

Your Peers are not your Customers

Chris DeferioPodcast

It is easy to be so focused on comparing yourself and your business to what you see in the industry that you end up ignoring your customers and the community your shop serves. Today we are chatting about this all to common mentality and what it looks…