Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Knowing all the information and having all the coolest and best gear does not means your shop will succeed. For the purpose of todays conversation let's just say all the things we assemble under the roof of out shop are just the bricks. What's the mortar that holds t all together? People!

Today we get to chat all about how to focus on people to fuel the best retail experience for both staff and customers alike w/ Mike Cosentino!

Mike Cosentino, CEO of Big Peach. Big Peach is one of the largest and most recognized specialty retailers in North America, with business units spanning the Specialty Running (Big Peach Running Co.) and Bicycling (Big Peach Ride + Run) retail segments. Headquartered in Atlanta, the company serves athletes and fitness enthusiasts of every level beyond its brick-and-mortar locations through a dynamic e-commerce platform (BigPeachRunningCo.com) and innovative mobile retail experience (Big Peach On-Wheels).

His new book, It's Not the Bricks, It's the Mortar: Optimize Your Retail Business for Lasting Success offers a battle-tested framework for service-driven retail organizations… from a current operator. No formalities. No fluff. This is not content from an academic researcher, industry consultant or ghostwriter. This is entrepreneur Mike Cosentino sharing powerful lessons from decades of experience, while still leading his own retail enterprises.

Whether accelerating growth or withstanding the unexpected, his systems favor the confident empowerment of others – – while disfavoring the constant oversight often required by most leaders. The book includes two life-altering personal events that every reader will relate to, reminding us that success in this industry can't be achieved on hustle alone.

• Related episodes!
• 446: Building a People-First Coffee Tech Culture w/ Jason "Double J" Johnson, Black Rabbit Service Co.
• 416 : People-First Principles for Growing Your Shop w/ Mike McFall of Biggby Coffee
• 394 : Happy Coffee People w/ Wendelien van Bunnik
• 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017
• People…not Objects
• 430 : Embracing "Unreasonable Hospitality" w/ Will Guidara | Thank You NYC + The Welcome Conference

KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

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]

of 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

Roasting excellent coffee should not be relegated to only one finish temp or level of roast. For a significant portion of our history we have favored the lighter and lower temps in specialty coffee. But recently roasters have begun to full embrace more full developed roast profiles in a pursuit of brining that specialty excellence to a wider range of consumer.

Today's guest is all about this way mindset and has a specific way to communicate it to his customers.

For this month's RoR to talk with Erik Johnson of Thinkwell Coffee!

Erik Johnson is a founder and the roaster behind thinkwell.coffee. He began as a barista in 2006 and has roasted professionally since 2012, working as head roaster for regional brands. He has worked across the supply chain—from producers to millers, from villages to importers. Now, he runs a production roastery that opens to the public, offering beans (not lattes) for people who value beauty, balance, and brewing at home. He believes that coffee is art, and great coffee is built on harmony: between people, the earth, and the roast itself.

Related episodes:

• ROR #23 : How to Close the Industry-Consumer Flavor Gap w/ Phil Beattie, Dillanos Coffee Roasters
• RoR #5: Time and Color in Roasting w/ Morten Munchow of Coffee Mind
• RoR #31 : Improve your Roasting Range by Focusing on the Fundamentals w/ Willem Boot of Boot Coffee

Our Sponsor for Rate of Rise!

www.millcityroasters.com

We all want to make a difference with our work. The trouble is that the busyness of a coffee shop tends to pull our attention in a million different directions and we rarely get an opportunity to see if indeed we are making that difference. This leads to a lot of stress, burn out, and a demoralization that can easily shut down a business by first shutting you down as the leader.

Today on shift break, we are going to be talking about some mindsets and strategies you can use to checkin in on and stay connected to the truth of the situation. The truth is you are doing better than you think and your continued work, when done in honor of your existing good work, is way more sustainable. Times are tough, it's time that you carved out time to see the truth and discipline yourself to reflect on the good as you go.

Related episodes:

• 111 : Self Care 101: Taking care of yourself while taking care of others
• 318 : Why Your Shop is Key to the Success of Coffee
• 100! Why YOU are the Key
• 545: Breathing Life Into Your Coffee Shop
• 380 : Founder Friday! w/ Cary and Cindy Arsaga of Arsaga's Coffee Roasters
• 111 : Self Care 101: Taking care of yourself while taking care of others
• Emotions, Self-Sabotage, and Telling Ourselves the Truth
• SHIFT BREAK: Owners, It's OK to Make Mistakes
• Higher Degrees of Imperfection
• SHIFT BREAK! The Work of Offering Kindness in the Cafe

APPLY NOW TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

HIRE KTTS 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]

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

Jared Linzmeier is the co-founder of Ruby Coffee Roasters, based in Nelsonville, Wisconsin. After getting his start in specialty coffee with Intelligentsia in Los Angeles and later working in Portland and Seattle, he returned home in 2013 to start Ruby with his wife, Deanna. Named after his grandmother, Ruby has grown from a small garage roastery into a nationally recognized brand known for its vibrant coffees, strong producer relationships, and commitment to community.

Related Episodes:

KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

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]

of 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

I love getting to re-air classics. This one on barista manuals is a great one because it provide a structure for essentials that you can build on. Here is the truth though, manuals do not magically create a difference in your shop. They are only a tools to help you build and are meant to support people in the work toward a common goal.

On today's encore episode we will be diving into the original episode from 2018 to go over 10 essential sections to include in your manual. It is my hope you will also explore the episodes linked in the show notes to really go deeper. Coffee is about serving people through coffee and when we discuss systems, structure, and tools, we must always bear in mind that these are meant to benefit our staff and our customers equally.

Related Episodes:

• Are YOU Using Your Manual?
• SHIFT BREAK: Detail Oriented Staff Starts With You
• SHIFT BREAK! Why Following Through is the Key to Better Coffee Shops
• Defining Excellence and Success
• Why You Need to Back up Your Policies
• 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop

KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

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]

of 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 difference between dirty, dysfunctional, or neglected, and something that is maintained but has character, is the level of intentionality given to it. In many shops, we find broken and dismal conditions that really should have been maintained and fixed, but are often explained away as simply the age of the café itself as though it adds character. Most of the time we're fooling ourselves.

Today on shift break, we are going to be talking about the difference between character and neglect and how to properly give attention to the place that we are welcoming people into so they have fewer distractions from enjoying their experience.

Related episodes:

• 307 : 10 Simple ways to Level Up your Coffee Shop
• 240 : What to do before your Build your Bar
• Working Clean : Tips for keeping the bar looking and working well while you work
• 523: Encore: How We Ruin Specialty Coffee Experience
• SHIFT BREAK: Keeping the Shop

APPLY NOW TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

HIRE KTTS 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]

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

This is a question that seems to be answered by many with desperate incentives and what amounts to just brute force to get their staff to do the things they want them to do in the way they want them to do it. In many ways, it's a favorite past time of owners to just complain about it but how many are taking the time to truly dig deeper and diagnose the cause of the perceived or actual lack of motivation?

On today's episode we will be exploring a few very important ways that will give you a better chance to either motivate your staff, or diagnose ways that you or leaders may have squandered the motivation that was there but never respected and grown.

Related Episodes:

• SHIFT BREAK! Holding Baristas (and Yourself!) Accountable
• SHIFT BREAK! How Not To Be a Jerk When Training Baristas
• Baristas Are Not Magic
• 371: Baristas, Don't Be A Hero
• 291 : What to do if Your Baristas Wont Listen to You
• Good Baristas aren't born, they're Made

KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

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]

of 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

We always talk about adding value to the customer experience. In the coffee shop this is usually focused on things like the look, flavor, price, and service rendered. But I believe it goes a level deeper than that. In fact, in order to truly deliver value, we have to believe in the core thing our service and product symbolizes or else we are less likely to consistently provide it.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how to break down the various components of value, why they, matter, and how to bake them into the operations of your business.

Related episodes:

• 329 : How to Teach Company Values to Your Staff
• Bridging the Values-Actions Gap
• 545: Breathing Life Into Your Coffee Shop
• SHIFT BREAK! What Should Coffee Cost a Customer?
• 480: Focus on What Your Customers Love

APPLY NOW TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

HIRE KTTS 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]

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

So you have come to the conclusion that things need to change in your coffee shop. Maybe it is something related to systems, schedules, training, culture, or a host of other things you might want to take action on. But what is the first action you should take?

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the first right steps you should take when you you want to make meaningful change in your coffee shop. The cafe is busy and the old ways are well worn. Clarity and simple concrete steps are going to be your best friend when it comes to seeing the fruit from your effort to improve.

Related episodes:

• SHIFT BREAK: Making Minimum Viable Changes
• SHIFT BREAK: Finding Time for Change in the Cafe
• 399: Encore Episode! How to Change Things in the Cafe
• SHIFT BREAK! New Managers: Learning Before Changing

APPLY NOW TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

HIRE KTTS 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]

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

The world of coffee shops is fueled by the world of coffee farmers. For as long as coffee has been grown, the people who pursue the cultivation of the product we cultivate community around in the cafe have struggled and survive based on their ability to band together, invest in the land, one another, and innovate methods to secure their future.

Today we get he distinct honor of talk with someone whose efforts have produced many different opportunities to advance the thriving of farmers and provides a model that can be spread to other farms as well.

I am please to welcome, Felipe Sardi!

Felipe is the Founder and CEO of El Green Hub, a business ecosystem dedicated to environmental regeneration, sustainability, and innovation within the specialty coffee value chain. With operations in multiple countries, El Green Hub brings together companies that span coffee production, international trade, retail, and financial services. By empowering small-scale producers across Latin America through sustainable practices and financial inclusion, they drive meaningful economic and social change in rural communities. Their journey began with La Palma y el Tucán, a small farm in Cundinamarca that transformed from degraded land into a thriving ecosystem where specialty coffee flourishes alongside restored biodiversity. This living laboratory proved that regenerative agriculture works—inspiring business models that have since grown into significant enterprises across the coffee and agricultural sectors

Born and raised in Colombia within an entrepreneurial family, Felipe developed a deep appreciation for hard work, innovation, and purpose-driven business. He graduated from Los Nogales High School in Bogotá (1996) and went on to earn a Bachelor's in Finance from Tulane University in New Orleans (2001). His commitment to sustainable agriculture led me to pursue a Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Melbourne and a Permaculture Design Certificate from the Permaculture Research Institute in Australia.

In this episode we will talk about:

• The genesis of Felipe's coffee journey
• De-commoditizing coffee
• The role of terroir, genetics, and processing in coffee innovation
• The bio-innovative process and its impact on coffee profiles
• Responsible innovation and collaboration with farmers
• The lactic acid process and its reception in the coffee world
• The significance of terroir in maintaining coffee's unique identity
• Felipe's vision for co-creating the next wave of coffee with roasters and consumers

Related episodes!

• 477: Inspiring the next generation of Coffee Farmer w/ Yolima Taborda Rojas of Paisa Coffee, Colombia
• 451: Business Growth, Integrity, and Coffee Farmer Equity w/ Martin Mayorga of Mayorga Coffee
• 335: A Better Business Model for Coffee Farmers w/ Thaleon Tremain of Pachamama Coffee
• Sustainability Series #1 : The Farm
• 251 : Fermentation and the Future of Farming w/ Lucia Solis

KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS!

Are you a coffee shop owner looking to join a community of other owners to help bring perspective, insight, encouragement, and accountability in a well curated setting?

Then you need to apply to join Key holder Coaching Groups!

Applications are now open for fall 2025 Cohort: Click below to learn more: APPLY TO KEY HOLDER COACHING GROUPS

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]

of 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