How do we help? A few thoughts have been swirling in my mind since the SCA expo in Chicago, and one of them has to do with the best contribution we can make to help each other in the industry with our respective parts of the supply chain. It seems that many are majoring in things that are not directly related to their business, and therefore letting their business slip into disrepair.   On this Shift break episode we will be talking about the power of tending to the effectiveness of our businesses, in particular, the café, as a means to truly help the farmer, and everyone in between ..read more

When we read about amazing hospitality stories in restaurants, it can (and should) inspire us to pursue hospitality in our our coffee shops. Trouble comes though, when in our pursuit of the next level hospitality experience we can easily start to generate an unhealthy fascination  with singular experiences at the expense of celebrating and maintaining good and normal, maybe even "unremarkable" moments of hospitality that make up much of our day. In addition to this, there is a push for cafe owners to build their spaces according to the market vs their environment and context. There is wis ..read more

Today, if you are a roaster, you need to be able to navigate a pretty wide range of options in equipment, varieties of coffees and processes, as well as being able to roast a wide range of styles from light, dark, blends and everywhere in between.    Thankfully technological resources abound, but the fundamentals of taste and skill in knowing the coffee as a crafts person remains a cornerstone of what will enable you to truly roast well across the ever expanding spectrum of specialty coffee.    Perhaps no professional knows this better than today's Rate of Rise guest, the l ..read more

In order to progress, you need to let go. For coffee shop owners this is hard to do because so much on the initial business is based on personal work and many "firsts" that bring with them a sense of nostalgia and preciousness that can actually hold you back. The struggle to let go and allow for an evolution and progression might be behind why we can sometimes fail to see things through that we know are good but encounter some deeper personal resistance.  On this Shift break episode we will be talking about why letting go is key for allowing the business to grow beyond the initial stages ..read more

The Shift Lead position is one of those roles that is very misunderstood. Often a title given to baristas for whom the boss wants to retain or established as a position to police a shift that has problems thsat run deeper than mere adheranse to standards, a shidft lead can feel confused, forgoten about and conflicted due to a lack intentionality in establishing this role in the cafe.  Today we are going to talk to owners and baristas alike. For owners, about how to determine is a lead role is needed, how to establish it well if it in fact is necessary, and what you need to follow through ..read more

The wonder and beauty of coffee is a catalyst for countless career coffee professionals and customers alike. The flavors and creation of special moments that draws us in, satisfy some sense of adventure as well as nurtures a need for belonging. On the business side of coffee it can be very easy for those elements to be lost and replaced with conformity, safety, and a sole focus on numbers that sucks the life out of what was once a joyous thing.  For today's guest, reanimating the industry with creativity, passion, and the joy of telling stories through drinks has been a 7 year long pursui ..read more

The craft of coffee and cafes is as much a personal pursuit as it is a service to others. Providing a remarkable coffee experience to guests through coffee is what initially inspired Frank La to begin a career in coffee. Since then his dedication to exploring service, mentorship, business operations, and coffee itself has been guided by the Japanese philosophy of "Kodawari" or, the relentless pursuit of perfection.  Before launching Be Bright Coffee, Frank La developed his skills and became a coffee professional in LA in 2010. La has held jobs at notable coffee companies acros the city in ..read more

Creating a fine dining level experience in a coffee shop is no easy task. I requires discipline, focus, and a view of coffee that assumes that it is not just a beverage but that it is truly a culinary art. This is the disposition and mission of of today's Founder Friday guest, John Piquet of Caffe d'bolla in Salt Lake City, UT. For nearly two decades, John Piquet has crafted his expertise as a coffee professional, roaster and siphon brewing specialist. As owner and operator, caffe d'bolla has won 7X Best of State, 3X Best of the Beehive, Zagat's Top 50 coffee shops in the United States. Les Ro ..read more

Being detail oriented is one of those traits we look for in baristas as proof that they are the right for our coffee shop. What we don't think about very much is that a good bit of what a barista gives to a business is based on what has been invested into them. In other words, you get out what you put in.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why this desired behavior and disposition of staff is largely up to you and how you go about orienting them to the details that matter.  Listen to these related Shift Break episodes next: You Need to Prioritize In-House Training! Are Y ..read more

There is no time where it is more critical to make a good impression than when you have a full and busy cafe. One of the main ways our coffee shops get filled is when groups meet at the shop. When groups of people come in to order, they bring with them a certain level of distraction and chaos that can easily slow things down and frustrate the staff and the customer.  In today's episode we are bringing back a classic KTTS episode from year one that addresses what originally was a listener question regarding the tension and confusion around groups in the cafe. Originally aired in 2017, this ..read more