“Just show them the ropes” is a phrase we use when giving baristas the extra responsibility of helping bring up a new hire. This usually is done with little warning and almost never with any extra compensation for the barista who now must work twice…
We all want to extract the most out of our coffee. There are many methods and tools used to achieve maximum flavor but only a few machines offer innovation in a way that creates a substantial jump forward in brew quality and consistency. The Ground Control brewer is one of those machines and today we get to talk with the …
It’s easy to write off someone and treat them in a way that dehumanizes for the sake of convenience. We tend to make ourselves out to be better, and others worse. Today we chat about treating people you work with in the cafe with like they are…
Roasting is a hard job that happens behind the scenes. Even the championship itself is somewhat isolated from view! That is why I am so excited to share this talk with you. Not just because we get to learn more about roasting but because we get to learn from the Champ herself, Shelby Williamson of Huckleberry Roasters, Denver, CO! In …
With an abundance of available resources we tend to horde knowledge and never truly apply it to our lives. Is our quest to learn getting in the way of our growth? Today on Shift Break we talk about how to learn and grow in a way that truly makes a…
Want to know what goes into hosting a killer throwdown that energizes your baristas and brings the community together? Well your in luck because today we are talking with the creator of one of the nation’s biggest and most successful throwdowns, Justin Shepherd! Justin owns Spencers Coffee in Bowling Green, KY and has been hosting the “My Old Kentucky Throwdown …
Today on Founder Friday we get to hear from Haden Polseno-Hensley, Co-Founder of one of my favorite coffee companies, Red Rooster Coffee Roasters in Floyd, Virginia! The values that drive the company, the quality of the people, the way they invest in their community and staff, and the quality of their coffee… all reasons why I admire Red Rooster and …
When we think of the work we do on a daily basis we are not typically prone to describing it as “fascinating”. For many of us it is a mundanity that we want to escape from. Today on Shift Break we are chatting about how a shift in perspective in the…
The Champ is in the house! 2019 U.S. Barista Champion, Sam Spillman of Dillanos Coffee Roasters joins me for this very special episode. In our conversation we discuss the evolution of her coffee career, her love for the community, what drives her as a professional, competition, challenges she has faced developing as a competitor, her first origin trip, balance in …
Professionalism is a loaded word that has been discussed a lot lately. It is a trait many of us want to be perceived as having but are sent mixed signals from bosses or judges as to what is, or is not, professional. Today we chat about professionalism…
