Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Every Coffee Fest we get to sit down with some very cool presenters to chat about their businesses, area, of expertise, and insights that will help you run a better cafe. The last show of the year took place in Minneapolis, MN and was a wonderful time of sharing, community, and value. Even though my equipment decided (after 8 years of service) to die on the spot of my first interview, we got to catch up with two presenters over Zoom and have some very helpful conversations.

Today we are presenting to you my interview with Jaime Becker-Finn of Makwa Coffee and Frederick Dubose of Sun Bean Coffee!

We start with Jaime Becker-Finn

Jamie Becker-Finn is the founder and owner of Makwa Coffee, a community centered craft coffee shop that opened in Roseville, MN in 2022. Jamie is a descendant of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and named the shop after her clan - "makwa" is the Ojibwe word for black bear (pronounced "muck-wuh"). In a sea of suburban chain stores, Makwa Coffee is proud to be a unique and values-driven space where queer folks, Native folks, and the entire community is welcomed.

In addition to running the shop, Jamie is an attorney and is also wrapping up eight years of service in the Minnesota House of Representatives, where she chaired the House Judiciary Committee. Jamie grew up on the rez near Cass Lake and goes home often. She loves her people, her dogs, live music, books and soccer.

Links

Instagram: @makwacoffee

https://www.makwacoffee.com/

Next up we have Fredrick Dubose

After dedicating over 20 years to mentoring and supporting young people, Fredrick recognized that creating a physical space where the community could gather and engage was the next step in his mission to foster connection and growth. This vision became a reality when he opened SunBean Coffee Shop.

His experience in youth work taught him the value of creating safe, inclusive environments where people can thrive. SunBean became that space for not only young people but for the entire neighborhood. Fredrick saw an opportunity to continue his mentorship by hiring local youth, offering them not just employment but life skills, a sense of responsibility, and a platform to contribute to their community.

SunBean is a local institution known for its welcoming atmosphere and positive impact.

His coffee shop has become a space for conversation, creativity, and collaboration, hosting community events and offering a venue where people from all walks of life can connect.

Fredrick's transition from youth work to business ownership is a testament to his belief that community service and entrepreneurship can go hand in hand, each reinforcing the other to create lasting change."

Links

https://sunbeancoffeemn.com/

Instagram: @sunbeancoffeemn

INTERESTED IN 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

For this last Founder Friday of 2024 we are featuring a story that I believe really embodies the spirit of entrepreneurship that fuels so many coffee shops. From a cart in the pandemic, to a thriving cafe and catering business, Thrd Coffee, Lead by Raoul Adwan, has shown what is possible when you build with passion and focus.

Raoul Adwan is a Chicago native of Mexican and Bolivian descent who turned a passion for coffee into a thriving business.

Raoul launched his venture during the pandemic with the help of a stimulus check, starting off with a single coffee cart offering street-side brews.

What began as a humble pop-up operation quickly gained traction, and within four years, Raoul's business expanded to a brick-and-mortar location (currently in the works for his second shop) , complemented by multiple carts equipped with top-tier coffee gear.

Today, Raoul leads one of Chicago's top coffee catering operations, serving corporate spaces and buildings across downtown with full-service coffee bars.

His innovative approach and commitment to quality have positioned his business for rapid growth, with projected 2024 sales of over $600K and total gross revenue (starting from 2020 to now) hitting $1.15M. Raoul's journey is a testament to entrepreneurial spirit and community-driven success.

Links:

https://www.thrdcoffee.com/

@THRDCOFFEECO

Related episodes:

• 453 : The Craft of Operations

• 432 : How to Win in Specialty Retail Coffee

• Creative Avoidance : Thoughts on Long-game Management

• 169 : Designing the Guest Experience w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman

• 115 : Finding Success in Mobile Coffee w/ Tim Cox / Communion Coffee

• 422: Coffee Truck Success w/ Vincent LaVolpa of Green Joe Coffee School

• 384 : How to Run a Successful Coffee Cart w/ Sarah Naylor of Daybreak Coffee Cart

• 385 : Founder Friday! w/ Arick Davis and Sarah Laman of Last Mile Cafe, Grand Rapids, MI

• 187 : A Conversation with Nikki Outlaw of Anecho Coffee

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

Follow on Instagram! @Artobrick ....

and tell them Chris sent you!

Labor cost is probably the number one most worried over metric in the cafe. Of course, like any other metric that signifies the health of the business, your labor cost needs to be something you pay attention to and control. But the way many cafes approach labor cost can be akin to sawing off the branch they sit on. Short term gain, long term detriment. In a time where the need for talent acquisition and wages are on the rise, it is time we take a fresh look at ways to grow and maintain profitability.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about ways to view your labor cost in light of the whole business, how to prioritize your focus and energy, and why your investment into labor may not need to be as tightly controlled as you have been led to believe.

Related episodes:

• 341: How to Think About Success

• 009 : How to Approach Data and Metrics w/ Simon Ouderkirk : Simon shows us how we should be thinking of numbers and their relation to our shops, baristas, and businesses

• 302 : Data's Roll in the Success of your Shop w/ Mark Calhoun and Jim Strarcev of Perfect Cube

• 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees

INTERESTED IN 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

Music and coffee seem to just go together. If you are into one, the other is not far behind. Both coffee and music inspire and create community that fuel's our lives.

Today's guest began his coffee journey as a full time touring musician and was immediately hooked. His journey took him from e-commerce and pop-ups, to now his own brick and mortar store. Today we are chatting with Acey Slade of the weird and wonderful, Cat Fight Coffee!

Catfight Coffee was formed in 2020 by career musician Acey Slade (Dope, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Til Lindemann of Rammstein) and his wife Meiling (a Taiwanese native) when both saw their respective careers put on hold due to Covid Lockdown. Acey, having had a previous background in the coffee industry and Meiling having a successful career in beauty industry.

They put their experience to work and Catfight Coffee was born as e-commerce business.

Today Catfight Coffee is available in over 80 retail outlets across North America. Roasting and distribution in the UK will begin in early 2023 as will the first retail outlet in Asia.

We cover:

• From Music to Coffee: The Birth of Catfight Coffee
• Pop-Ups and Community Engagement
• Balancing Personal Taste with Customer Preferences
• Branding and Marketing Strategies
• Creating a Welcoming Coffee Shop Environment
• Building the Brick and Mortar: Challenges and Insights
• The Importance of Customer Experience
• Learning from the First Week of Operations
• Hiring for Success in the Coffee Business
• Personal Growth as a Business Owner
• Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Links:

https://www.catfightcoffee.com/

IG : @catfightcoffee

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

Follow on Instagram! @Artobrick ....

and tell them Chris sent you!

There is no doubt about it, having a training lab is a wonderful asset to have for elevating the quality of your training...until it isn't. Truthfully, much like any tool, it depends on how it is used and whether it is part of a bigger picture.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the good and the bad of training labs. You don't necessarily need one, but if you do have a lab or are wanting to create one, then this episode will help you create it and use it in a way that produces more than just classroom knowledge, but real world skill.

Related episodes:

505: Maintaining Excellence in the Everyday Work of Coffee Shops w/ Maxwell Dashwood

SHIFT BREAK: Minding Our Business

SHIFT BREAK: Detail Oriented Staff Starts With You

You Need to Prioritize In-House Training!

INTERESTED IN 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

Ideas are like green coffee seeds. They are bundles potential cultivated by earnest hands that are then received by others who take them and develop them further. The final rendering of that seed can and does often result in something beautiful.

This is how I think of mediums like podcasts, videos, and, of course, books.

Today I want to share with you 5 books that I believe speak to areas of our lives and businesses that will bring inspiration, perspective, comfort, and growth. They are all special and I hope you take the time to dive into one or all of them sometime soon so you can see what grows from the seed of those ideas in your life.

Links:

• Celebrating the Third Place
• Shopkeeping
• What to Remember When Waking
• Unreasonable Hospitality
• The Art of being Indispensable at Work
• The Practicing Mind

Related episodes:

• 083: 6 Essential Books for your Professional Growth
• 137 : Essential Books for your Professional Development vol.2 : Five books to help you grow

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

Follow on Instagram! @Artobrick ....

and tell them Chris sent you!

The title of today's episode sounds like a no brainer, but you may or may not be surprised to know that it is way easier than you think to be this way when traIning baristas. It is not something that we set out to do, but is born from a confluence of insecurities, myopic focus, passion, and assumption. I say this as someone who has certainly lived it and wants to help you avoid making the same mistake.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how you can approach training in a way that lessens or avoids entirely the things where you are perceived as a jerk, in favor of being seen as an advocate and resource for success. It can be done!

Related episodes:

• SHIFT BREAK! How Long Should it Take To Train a Barista?
• You Need to Prioritize In-House Training!
• 331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career
• 074 : The Life Changing Power of Good Authority w/ Jonathan Raymond
• 067 : 6 Truths About Power : The Responsible Approach to Power Dynamics in the Cafe

INTERESTED IN 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

I feel as though this question is constantly on the mind of owners. It is a question born from a desire to have a well trained staff that makes the quality of the work more consistently great, as well as a desire to be an effective trainer and have the staff "get it" quickly. Throw in a little bit of owner insecurity as they are learning all this stuff themselves too, and you get a recipe for miscommunication, assumption, and frustration that seems to be in the background of the question.

Trouble is we often will default to assuming that the manor and amount of training we are doing is surely not the issue, and instead the issue lies with the staff. Truth is a little less straight forward.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how long you should expect to train staff, and how to know that you have truly put in a good and appropriate amount of planning, structure, and effort before seeking to address the one being trained.

Related episodes:

• Insecurity in Management
• SHIFT BREAK: Evil Owners and Lazy Baristas
• 330 : Establishing Systems in Your Coffee Shop
• 506 : Critical Workflows Every Coffee Shop Needs
• 496: Hard Decisions and High Standards
• 235 : 4 Tips for Training your Staff
• 339 : What Good Barista Training Produces
• SHIFT BREAK: Respecting Your Barista's Professional Boundaries
• Reasonable Expectations

INTERESTED IN 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

Creating a cafe space is about finding a fitting home for the equipment and people behind the counter who will use it. It is about finding a synthesis, a flow, and a feeling that is functional and remarkable all at once. The life of the business is either helped or hampered by the decisions we make in designing the space. In the many choices and acts of creation we engage in, both in opening, and then in tending to our shops, we bring forth something unique for us and our guests to partake in.

Today's guest has designed some of the most unique spaces and coffee shops and is here to share his wisdom!

Scott Magic is an award-winning and published architect whose principles lie in strong detailing, room making and using materials to bridge the past with present. While primarily working in the Hospitality and Beverage sector, his expertise includes retail, office spaces, historic renovations, adaptive reuse projects and unique single-family homes.

Prior to founding MAGIC, he helped grow the acclaimed architecture firm, Michael Hsu Office of Architecture and the worked for architect-developer Jonathan Segal.

Scott holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Oregon. His Austin-based firm is purposely kept small, to maintain quality and engagement in all aspects of the work. The firm's current projects are scattered throughout Texas, California and the Saudi Arabia.

He has designed many amazing cafe spaces including the groundbreaking, Meteor Cafe, Fox Trot, Intelligentsia Austin, and Proud Mary Portland, Congress

In this episode you will learn about:

• The Journey into Architecture
• Understanding Coffee Shop Functionality
• How flow and layout impact customer experience.
• Designing Unique and Memorable Spaces
• How lighting plays a crucial role in the ambiance of a coffee shop.
• The Importance of Human Connection in Design
• Creating Iconic Spaces with Intentionality
• Future Trends in Coffee Shop Design

Links:

www.scottmagic.com

Related episodes:

• 367 : Designing Your Coffee Shop for Community w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman
• 169 : Designing the Guest Experience w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman
• 448: Founder Friday! Part 1 "Switching Gears" | w/ Doug Zell of Intelligentsia and The Meteor!
• 448: Founder Friday! Part 2 "Switching Gears" | w/ Doug Zell of Intelligentsia and The Meteor!
• 240 : What to do before your Build your Bar
• Embrace Your Space
• SHIFT BREAK : 2 Tips for Bar Design

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

www.arto.com

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com

Follow on Instagram! @Artobrick ....

and tell them Chris sent you!

One of the beautiful things about working in coffee today is the connectivity that is available to players in the value stream. Those who want to make the biggest difference, both use and innovate better versions of these various avenues for connection to build trusting and generous relationships that bring thriving and understanding.

Today's guest live and breaths this mission. I am so honored to welcome to the show, Beamlak Bekele!

Beamlak has experience working as a Green Coffee Export Manager, Logistics and Documentation Supervisor, and Coffee Quality Control Specialist. She is the 2nd-place national barista champion, and currently working as the project coordinator for IWCA Ethiopia. Being raised in a family that has worked in the Ethiopian Coffee industry for decades, Beamlak is interested in learning how to bring origin country perspectives to international coffee dialogues and how to design gender-inclusive and sustainable operational systems in coffee businesses.

Beamlak has also just returned from a tour in the United States after participating in the Cxffee Black barista exchange progam and being a guest at Nossa Familia

In this conversation we explore her upbringing in coffee, career, perspectives on trade, and the importance of better systems and trust in coffee relationships.

You will learn about:

• Family Legacy in Coffee Production
• Education and Its Impact on Coffee Understanding
• Transitioning into Professional Coffee Roles
• Ethics in Coffee Trade and Farmer Benefits
• Empowering Women in the Coffee Industry
• Building Sustainable Relationships in Coffee Trade
• Ethiopian Coffee's Unique Value Proposition
• Connecting Trade and Consumer Experience
• The Role of Baristas in Coffee Culture
• Transforming Consumer Perceptions of Coffee
• Community and Collaboration in the Coffee Industry

Links:

Beamlak on IG @HUMANS_OF_COFFEE

Related episodes:

• 488: Founder Friday! Honoring Coffee's Root w/ Bartholomew Jones of Cxffee Black!
• 451: Business Growth, Integrity, and Coffee Farmer Equity w/ Martin Mayorga of Mayorga Coffee
• 397: Diversity and The Color of Coffee w/ Keith Hawkins, The Color of Coffee Collective
• 413 : Coffee Education and Training at Origin w/ Fabiola Solano of Soy Barista
• 335: A Better Business Model for Coffee Farmers w/ Thaleon Tremain of Pachamama Coffee

Get the best brewer and tool for batch espresso, iced lattes, and 8 minute cold brew! www.groundcontrol.coffee

The world loves plant based beverages and baristas love the Barista Series! www.pacificfoodservice.com

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

www.arto.com

Follow on Instagram! @Artobrick ....

and tell them Chris sent you!