Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Do you feel the pull, the itch, the compulsion to add more, buy more, and create specials and new things for your customers all the time? You are not alone. The industry is filled with cafe that are stuck in a never ending cycle of making, buying, and adding new things so they do not fall out of favor or relevance as though any and every customer or barista is only a hairs breadth away form leaving and like the Keanu Reeves movie Speed, if you slow down, the whole business will explode. Today on Shift Break we will be discussing this mindset trap that snares many owners and operators and what you can do to truly gain relevancy and loyalty in your customer base. The key we will talk about lies in you ability to focus on the right things and stay the course

Related Episodes:

• SHIFT BREAK : Trends You Can Ignore
• 550: Replace These Distractions and Watch Your Cafe Grow!
• 545: Breathing Life Into Your Coffee Shop
• 485: Your Shop vs The Industry – How to Free Yourself From Dependency

CONSULTING + COACHING

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

of book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

I love an origin story where the pluck, confidence, and unwavering belief of the founders for each other and their idea is met with the support, enthusiasm, and positive feedback of the community they set out to serve. They say your calling is where your talents intersect with what people need and today we get to talk with people who have been authoring a story just like that. Very happy today to feature the story of Matt and Elise Higgins of Origin Coffee Bar! Elise and Matt Higgins are the husband-and-wife founders of Origin Coffee Bar, with cafés in Savannah and Hilton Head Island. Creative and entrepreneurial at heart, they launched Origin in 2020 with a focus on generosity, community, and excellent coffee. Elise, originally from Michigan, oversees social media, the food program, and guest experience, while Matt, a New England native, leads roasting, coffee quality, brand, and wholesale. In today's episode we will be taking you from the first inkling that coffee was the path they should pursue, -through to today where they now have an 2 established cafes and a roasting operation that are continuing to grow. We discuss: * Life as design students, craft entrepreneurs, and the idea for coffee * The lessons from the Mobile Coffee Bar * Navigating Opportunities + The Power of Intuition * The Importance of Culture and a Great Team * Balancing Work and Relationship * Secrets of Partnership * Establishing Standards * The Role of Systems in Growth * Learning from Customers and Team * Quality Control at Scale * Why Entrepreneurs Need Confidence and Generosity

• SHIFT BREAK: Reassessing Growth
• 362: How to Handle Growth in Your Coffee Shop
• 514: Founder Friday! w/ Raoul Adwan of Thrd Coffee in Chicago, IL!
• 518: How to Run a Coffee Shop w/ Meaningful Hospitality

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

or book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

SPONSORS

Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!

www.arto.com

Visit @artobrick

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!

www.pacificfoodservice.com

A listener asked me a question recently about how to approach operating a coffee shop in a rural setting versus a larger city. After a short exchange over email I decided it was some thing that we should probably chat about here on the show. After all, specialty coffee shops are popping up more and more in suburban and rural settings, and there may be some key distinctions to consider. Today we will be talking about some different differences between the two settings and how you as a professional or an operator manager or owner can approach hospitality and business in each of these settings in a way that best serves the people in those communities. We will also talk about the limits of those differences and turn to how they are not too dissimilar, and give you a frame work that will help you ask the right questions before making decisions around menu, style, and approach.

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

or book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

SPONSORS

Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!

www.arto.com

Visit @artobrick

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!

www.pacificfoodservice.com

The life of your business is going to be determined by how easily and frequently you and your staff can identify, during the workday, behaviors and events that represent the values of your company. The problem is that because we are so busy with the tasks of the work, it makes it difficult for us to identify those times in the work that can help motivate nourish and sustain us.

Today on shift break, we will be talking about your role as a leader to help identify values on shift. This practice will result a team of people ready to not only recognize the difference between bad and good behaviors and situations on bar, but it will create staff who then independently pursue furthering the good.

Related episodes:

329 : How to Teach Company Values to Your Staff

Scaling Values

Bridging the Values-Actions Gap

CONSULTING + COACHING

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

of book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

Many owners struggle to make a profit and to pay themselves. This inevitably will lead to burn out and disillusionment and sadly for many closing down the shop before ever really seeing what it's potential could have been. Making money in your cafe has a lot to do with how well you track and manage what you already make. Enter the Profit First system and the coach who helps apply it to the world of coffee shops, Kim Logsdon! Kim Logsdon is a long time CFO and financial consultant who has worked with business owners and entrepreneurs for the past 30 years. She started her consulting journey in banking working with entrepreneurs and private equity advisors providing them with financial services and credit facilities to grow and expand their businesses organically and through acquisitions. Kim has also had substantial personal experience as an entrepreneur and business leader where she further deepened her expertise that her clients today rely on to help them navigate their own journeys.

Among the entrepreneurs Kim works with, she has a particular focus on coffee shops and coffee roasters to help them with cash flow issues and achieve financial stability through here personal caching using the Profit First methodology. She also help streamline operations with Pumpkin Plan business strategies and is launching the Money Habit Mentor program to help owners and team achieve financial freedom in their personal lives. In todays episode we will be discussing:

• What is Profit First and why might you need it
• Why do owners pay themselves last?
• Why managing money well and specifically is the key to stability
• How to go about applying this framework to your business
• How much should you be saving and investing?
• Common hurdles or points or resistance
• The real cost of not managing finances and the real profits to be had

Links:

https://kimlogsdon.com/

Related episodes:

• SHIFT BREAK! The Two Kinds of Margin You Need in the Cafe
• 202 : Mastering your Finances and Accounting w/ Keila Hill-Trawick of Little Fish Accounting
• 223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

or book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

SPONSORS

Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!

www.arto.com

Visit @artobrick

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!

www.pacificfoodservice.com

You read this kind of question mostly from nervous owners who are glued to their screen and anxiously review every data point with bloodshot eyes. Like a nervous flyer, ever bump on the plan is a sure sign of an imminent crash, but here's the thing, it's not. Today on shift break we will be talking about why these kind of questions, while cathartic, actual reinforce a mindset that will rob you of the peace you seek and what you should do instead.

Related episodes:

• SHIFT BREAK! Get Your Cafe to Stand Out Without Losing Your Footing
• Getting Them In By Getting Out!
• SHIFT BREAK: Getting Over the Awkwardness of Leadership
• 453 : The Craft of Operations
• SHIFT BREAK! The Urgent Need for Training in Today's Coffee Shop

Click here to register for our new webinar!

"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"

Tickets are limited and you will want to secure your seat soon!

CONSULTING + COACHING

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

of book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

For the last 10 years The Barista League has been putting on competition/events that tap into the culture of the working barista and offers a fun environment that also showcases and celebrates the skills of the people who serve customers globally. In the current landscape where competition is increasingly isolated from reality and can easily be seen as a place to conform, perform TBL is a needed balance. Now they are taking the next step in their evolution and introducing a newer format and judging criterial born from their ten years of conversations with he baristas they hope to serve. and we are going to talk all about it with the founder, Steve Moloney! Steve is a long time coffee professional, barista, and 2x Swedish Barista Champion who for the last tan years has been leading the event and competition The Barista League. Criss crossing the globe every year Steve and the team get to see a wide variety and sampling of the various barista cultures that make coffee a wonderful and diverse landscape.

Today we are going to talk with Steve about:

• The purpose and evolution of The Barista League
• Why it is important to recognize the real elements of bar work
• Team competition and what it does to enhance professional development
• The need for expression and fun in coffee
• New format and criteria
• Measuring the customer experience
• What should we strive for in shops to push coffee forward

Links:

www.thebaristaleague.com

IG: @thebaristaleague

Related Episodes:

• 250 : Planning better Events w/ Steven Moloney of The Barista League
• SHIFT BREAK! How To Get The Most From a Coffee Event
• 297 : Making Coffee Education Fun w/ Suneal Pabari of Leaderboard Coffee
• 162 : Discussing "Baristastainability" w/ Jenna Gotthelf of Counter Culture Coffee
• SHIFT BREAK! The Urgent Need for Training in Today's Coffee Shop
• 437 : The New Age of the Barista: Mindsets + Habits for Success
• 309 : A Conversation w/ Sarah Allen and Ken Olson of Barista Magazine

Click here to register for our new webinar

on December 5th 2025!

"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"

KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

or book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

SPONSORS

Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!

www.arto.com

Visit @artobrick

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!

www.pacificfoodservice.com

If you want to run a great coffee shop, loving people is one of the most important things to have at the foundation of all you do. It is also sometimes the hardest and requires intentional pursuits of a visions and a tenacity that always seeks out ways to improve communication, service, hospitality, and quality to make sure both staff and customers consistently feel the love.

I am happy that we get to chat with someone whose cafe and pursuit of what coffee service and community can look like has been making an big impact in a small eastern Washington town.

Today we will be talking with the founder of Kittitas Cafe, Mackenzie Cohen!

After working in the food and beverage industry in the U.S. and in Australia for over a decade, Mackenzie found her love for coffee, food, and people was so overwhelming she needed to make it her career!

The Kittitas Cafe's unofficial motto is, "love on people so much, they can't help but love us back." So far, it's worked pretty well for them!

Kittitas Cafe has formed an incredibly loving community, introduced people to coffee and food they otherwise may never have tried, and has provided careers for people that offer growth and fulfillment.

Some things we will cover:

• Inspiration Behind Opening the Cafe
• Influences of Coffee Culture
• What is "The Athleticism of Service"
• What it Looks Like to Love People Well
• The importance of Creating a Supportive Team Environment
• Viewing Management as a continuous learning process
• Challenges, proud moments, and Building Relationships with Customers
• How Balance Staff and Customer Needs
• Menu Evolution From Staff Conversation and Feedback
• Gratitude as a Lifeline to Staff

Links:

• 535: Founder Friday! 30 Years of Coffee! w/ Ana Burgos and Amanda Jones of Hyperion Espresso, Fredricksburg, VA
• 380 : Founder Friday! w/ Cary and Cindy Arsaga of Arsaga's Coffee Roasters
• 480: Focus on What Your Customers Love
• 340 : Encore Episode of "10 Reasons to Love the Customer"!
• 5 Keys to Coffee Shop Staff Retention

Click below to register for our new webinar!

"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"

KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

or book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

SPONSORS

Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!

www.arto.com

Visit @artobrick

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!

www.pacificfoodservice.com

It is that time of year here in the U.S. where many will reflect on what they are thankful for. In this current age where bad news and reasons to despair abound, it is even ore important to fight for and seek out the good and positive in our lives. But even for those of us who see value in this tradition of listing what we have to give thanks for, it often remains only a once per year thing. On today's Shift Break we will be chatting about what truly being thankful should lead to in the way we live and act toward the people we have in our lives and businesses and even to ourselves when the opportunities and challenges that make up daily work life arrive. When we really believe and know that we are thankful, and we allow ourselves to be impacted by it, great things are more likely to happen and to be recognized when they do.

• Thankfulness and Giving Energy to the Positive
• Priorities and Deep Thankfulness
• SHIFT BREAK! Engaging in the Right Conversations (or how not to accept undue guilt)
• Emotions, Self-Sabotage, and Telling Ourselves the Truth
• 100! Why YOU are the Key

Click here to register for our new webinar!

"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"

Tickets are limited and you will want to secure your seat soon!

CONSULTING + COACHING

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

of book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

Thank you to out sponsors!

Everything you need for back of the house operations https://rattleware.qualitybystainless.com/

The best and most revered espresso machines on the planet: www.lamarzoccousa.com

And we are back with the second part of our exploration of common barista myths! I have to say, the main point for both the owner and barista episodes is to encourage everyone to exercise a patience, humility, curiosity, and a sense that there may be more to a story that what we initially see. The culture of coffee shops is shaped on aspirations and passion, but also on assumptions that can damage, hold back, and make toxic an otherwise promising career or cafe.

So with all that said I want to cover another set of myths that baristas (ie: future managers, owners, trainers etc) believe and what might be a better way to address what the myth is based on. We cover: Don't expect much from your boss

We will cover:

• Don't expect much from your boss
• Gatekeeping is always negative
• Being a barista is my only option to work in coffee
• My standing in the community is my significance as a professional
• If I am not happy it is the business fault
• My work as a barista doe not make a difference

Links:

• 570: Myths Baristas Believe Part 1
• 556: Myths Coffee Shop Owners Believe Part 1
• 559: Myths Coffee Shop Owners Believe Part 2
• SHIFT BREAK! Get Your Cafe to Stand Out Without Losing Your Footing
• 331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career
• SHIFT BREAK: Evil Owners and Lazy Baristas
• 531: Why the Rise Convenience Coffee is a Good Opportunity for Coffee Shops

Click here to register for our new webinar

on December 5th 2025!

"The Keys to the Shop: Principles for Cafe Success"

KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING!

If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email

[email protected]

or book a free call now:

https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min

SPONSORS

Want a beautiful coffee shop? All your hard surface, stone, Tile and brick needs!

www.arto.com

Visit @artobrick

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series!

www.pacificfoodservice.com