Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

SHIFT BREAK #29 : On the road to starting a shop there are things you must learn and experience that will help you get established. Today, Tim Jones, Founder of Liturgy Beverage Company, joins us on the show for a quick look into the 5 most significant factors that helped him go from a barista to a business owner. Enjoy! If you'd like to contribute to Liturgy's Kickstarter click the link below: https://twitter.com/LiturgyBeverage Also find Time on Social media at the links below: Facebook Instagram Twitter

The Barista Manual, The Book of Knowledge, That Binder That Never Gets Updated...whatever you call it there is usually some assortment of documents lurking in the cafe that is meant to be a resource but is more a source of frustration. Writing a high quality manual for the shop is absolutely critical to establishing a baseline of expectations nd equipping the staff and leadership to successfully operate the business day-in and day-out. Today we will be going over the top 10 things your manual must have to truly be useful as well as actually used. I cannot overstate the importance of having a great barista manual. I hope this episode sets you up to write one that serves your cafe well! Please visit the links below for further learning! For resources on harassment and discrimination visit: The Coffee Too Project Related Episodes: 4 Keys to an Effective Checklist 6 Truths About Power SOPs FTW 10 Steps to Being a People First Leader

SHIFT BREAK #28 : On this years Thanksgiving I am so grateful for all of you listening to this show and for the amazing guests who have shared their knowledge and wisdom with us all! This is simply a note to remember gratitude as it is key to a fulfilling career. Links: Self Care 101 Finding Joy in Coffee w/ Nathanael May

Working the cash register is not often seen as legit barista work. We'd rather be on the machine because we are closer to the actual product. Fact is, the register is perhaps more important than the machine as it sets up the entire experience for the guest. Either they will get a great first impression or they will have a disappointing and frustrating one that colors the remainder of their visit. As a result of our view toward this section of the bar, baristas, managers, and owners alike, under-invest in it in favor of machine and drink training. There is a real opportunity to level up your shops service and quality by re-prioritizing the register to a place of honor. Today we will discuss these things plus 6 skills that should be taught and practiced at the register to ensure the guest gets a fantastic experience and that the shop runs smoothly and delivers a truly special experience. Enjoy! Links: Episode 45: Simple. Powerful. Hospitality. w/ Philip Paul Turner

SHIFT BREAK #27 : When people come in to our shops they have certain expectations shaped by experiences in restaurants, bars, and other cafes. The average experience is not so great and we have an opportunity to exceed expectations. One way we do this is but the quality of attentiveness and attention we give. Today we will talk about one way to help ensure that you are always focused on the needs of the customers first and foremost. Enjoy!

We really do tend to put too much emphasis on what is wrong with us and others. We focus on our weaknesses and simply overlook our strengths. This missing a huge piece of what makes a successful and fulfilling career. Do you want to be able to identify your strengths and use them at work? Would you like to be able to spot the strengths of the people on your team and help them view their roles through the lens of their natural talents? Then today's episode is for you! We are exploring all of these things with Strengths Finder guru Lisa Cummings of Lead Through Strengths. We cover details of what Strengths Finder assessment is and then talk about practical ways to understand and apply it in the cafe that will unlock new levels of morale and productivity for you and your staff. Don't miss this one! LINKS: www.leadthroughstrengths.com Lead Through Strengths Podcast! The Assessment : www.gallupstrengthscenter.com List Of Adjectives – Lead Through Strengths – StrengthsFinder

SHIFT BREAK #26 : Gossip, we have all done it and in the moment it feels good to commiserate, but gossip is a poison that destroys culture and relationships in the cafe. When things annoy you and the opportunity arises to participate in tearing down a co-worker, what should you do instead? How should we be investing into building community in the cafe by building each other up? Today we talk about this very critical issue and I hope it helps you address it with your staff and in your own career. Link: Ep 52 : Solving Coworker Conflict w/ Tom Henschel

SHIFT BREAK #25 : When the weather turns cooler and the holidays get closer, business gets busier. Ironically, at the same time as our shop pick up steam, we seem to lose it. Our capacity to show hospitality tends to drop in the presence of heavy traffic but it is precisely these times where great hospitality is most needed. On this edition of Shift Break we talk about this issue and some solutions to implement as we enter into the busy holiday season. Need training or consultation? Email: Chris@keystotheshop.com

Social media is a vast landscape filled with both great and terrible representations of people's brands. At best we enhance a customer's view of us and create an even bigger fan -At worst we introduce confusion, boredom, or anger into the relationship and drive people away. In order to give customers a truly excellent representation of your business on-line you need to know the fundamental best practices that lay the foundation for success. In today's episode we chat with coffee marketing professional, Jenn Chen Jenn guides us through several critical areas that we need to be on top of with our company's social media. When should you outsource? What are the absolute no-no's of social media? How do you engage with people online? All of these and more are answered by one our industries brightest and most sought after media pros. Enjoy! LINKS: www.jennchen.com Twitter: @THEJENNCHEN IG: @THEJENNCHEN Airline Study Brands That Take a Stand When to Outsource Blog Posts

Training baristas effectively is a hugely important task. When done well, it sets them up for long term success in the cafe and in their career. When done poorly, it leaves them without essential tools for understanding the nature of coffee and the work of a barista which leads to frustration and stagnation. If you want learn to excel as trainers then look no further because we have the privilege of talking with 2009 WBC Champion and barista trainer, Gwilym Davies! In this episode we talk about his hospitality based training, the evolution of training approaches over the years, why we should check our ego, needs vs. wants, how to structure your training sessions, preparing yourself to train others, and many other very helpful and practical insights that will help you become a great and effective trainer! LINKS: www.gwilymdavies.cz Instagram @gwilymbarista Twitter @gwilymbarista