Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Opening a running a successful cafe is no easy task. I requires passion as well as attention to the details around systems, relationships, and being able to grow yourself as a leader in that environment. Today we are going to be exploring one owners journey who not only has done this well, but has just published a book about her experience that gives others insights and tools to find success in their shops!

Erin Young is the founder and CEO of Red Buffalo Cafe in Silverthorne, CO. A passionate small business owner and advocate, Erin has actively worked to build kind, conscious, and responsible communities. She has experienced the challenges and opportunities faced when considering improvements to business planning, recruitment and hiring, and other features that contribute to long-term business success. In addition to being a business owner, Erin is an active community leader who has served on several local non-profit boards and as a local elected official for various jurisdictions. Erin loves the outdoors and spending time with her family. Erin holds a master's degree in public administration from the University of Colorado Denver, School of Public Affairs.

Erin's new book, The CEOwner, is the chronicle of Red Buffalo Cafe from inception to today. Additionally, it is a checklist for starting and succeeding in a small business. The CEOwner will approach business ownership using the lens of conscious business techniques and community improvement. In it she also covers the process of building and planning your business profile from the very beginning; moves along to suggestions in ethical business management; and finishes with how to create a legacy beyond you as the business owner.

In this conversation we talk about Erin's journey and dive into the books main message and insights. I know this will be an encouraging episode!

Links:

https://redbuffalocafe.com/

https://redbuffalocafe.com/order-shipped-1/ols/products/the-ceowner

IG: @redbuffalocafe

Related episodes:

• 239 : 5 Best Practices for the Best Small Business w/ Henry Lopez
• 387 : Innovation and Building a Better Coffee Business w/ Miranda Caldwell
• 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak
• 416 : People-First Principles for Growing Your Shop w/ Mike McFall of Biggby Coffee
• 414: Secret Ingredients for a Successful Coffee Shop

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Once we see that there are changes that need to be made tyo improve our shops, we can tend to either freeze under the enormity of the task, or we can respond by going all out in a fast and intense bid to fix that area. In reality, neither of these approaches lead to great results.

On today's Shift Break we will be talking about how we should be approaching making changes in the cafe by making Minimum Viable Changes over time and in the direction of our goals.

Related episodes:

• 399: Encore Episode! How to Change Things in the Cafe
• 307 : 10 Simple ways to Level Up your Coffee Shop
• 291 : What to do if Your Baristas Wont Listen to You
• Embrace the Fallout
• Turning Radius
• Limiting New Things

The best espresso machines in the world!

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Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co.

What does it take to be successful as a barista or even just a coffee professional today? I believe the main differentiator for cafes is the experience and the main differentiator for baristas is how they approach their role. This will determine what they can glean from their current position and who they become in the process of carving out a career in coffee beyond the barista role.

In this episodes I will be exploring some critical habits, attitudes, and mindsets that baristas must embrace to be successful and fulfilled as baristas in today's cafe landscape. Owners, managers, and leaders take note, even though I believe we all must hold ourselves accountable, the things we discuss are 100% things that your can help facilitate.

Related Episodes:

• 031 : Essential Advice for New Baristas : Tips to help you successfully navigate and thrive in your new coffee career
• 162 : Discussing "Baristastainability" w/ Jenna Gotthelf of Counter Culture Coffee
• 347 : Brewing Coffee and a Career w/ U.S. Brewer's Cup Champion, Elika Liftee
• 331 : The 7 Deadly Sins of my Career

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As we focus this week on balance and taking stock of the levels of energy and effort we put into our cafes, we must also consider the type of work we are taking on and how it alligns with our values and how we find meaning in it.

On today's Shift Break we will be talking about the place rest and meaningful work has in helping us find fulfillment in the midst of the efforts

Related episodes:

• 111 : Self Care 101: Taking care of yourself while taking care of others
• 224 : Essentialism: Focusing on what truly Matters w/ Greg McKeown

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co.

How many times have we heard that we are supposed to give work our all? Give 100% or even 110%? And then we wonder how it is that professional baristas, managers, and owners burn out on a regular basis. I'd say it is high time we look at how we take on the work of the cafe work so that we can care for the health of ourselves, our people, while at the same time achieve even greater results. Too good to be true? Well today we will be talking with returning guest, author, speaker, and the world's leader in the subject of meaningful work, Greg McKeown!

Greg McKeown has dedicated his professional life to uncovering counterintuitive ways to be very successful–without burning out.

In this pursuit he has written two New York Times bestsellers, "Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less", which has sold over one million copies and been voted by Goodreads as "The #1 Leadership and Success Book to Read in a Lifetime" and "Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most". Together they have been published in 37 languages.

McKeown is an exceptional public speaker and has spoken to hundreds of audiences as he has traveled to 40 countries around the world, including Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft and Nike as well as TED Fellows, SXSW and more

He's the host of The Greg McKeown Podcast which has been ranked in the Top 5 of all Self Improvement podcasts and Top 10 in all Educational podcasts

His work has been covered in print media including in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Time, Fast Company, Fortune, Politico, Inc., and Harvard Business Review. It's been covered on NPR, NBC, FOX and many times on The Steve Harvey Show.

McKeown served for 7 years as a Board Member for Washington D.C. policy group Resolve and as a mentor with 2 Seeds, a non-profit incubator for agricultural projects in Africa. He has also been a speaker at non-profit groups including The Kauffman Fellows, Net Impact and Stanford University where he co-created the popular class, Designing Life, Essentially.

He serves as a Young Global Leader for the World Economic Forum. He recently moderated a session at the Summer Davos in China called, Unpacking Social Innovation Models for Maximum Impact, and served as a panelist at the Sharpening Your Creative Edge working session at the Forum.

McKeown did his Masters of Business Administration at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, his Global Leadership and Public Policy certificate at Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government and is currently doing doctoral research at the University of Cambridge.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why we burn out at work
• The revolutionary 85% rule and why margin matters
• Trust as the engine of business
• Identifying the priorities and taking first steps
• Case studies in effortless thinking across time
• Focusing on the lighter way vs the heavier way
• An incredible personal story from Greg's own family
• How we can lead others into effortless work

Related episodes:

• 224 : Essentialism: Focusing on what truly Matters w/ Greg McKeown
• 111 : Self Care 101: Taking care of yourself while taking care of others
• 420: Design Meaningful Roles in the Cafe
• 380 : Founder Friday! w/ Cary and Cindy Arsaga of Arsaga's Coffee Roasters
• Prioritizing your Work
• The Power of "No"

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Whether or not you are familiar with the 80's anti-pot commercial this episode references or not, the fact is that those who we lead are looking at the example we give them in our own performance. Even if we are not doing the same work. It is the way we conduct ourselves in any work that will influence the way others do their work.

On today's Shift Break we will be exploring why your example is the primary way we can either inspire people to excellence, effectiveness and growth, or give them permission to allow low performance and standards for themselves and their work.

Related episodes:

• 427 : Encore Episode: What you MUST Know About Employee Culture w/ Stan Slap
• 291 : What to do if Your Baristas Wont Listen to You
• 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team
• 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co.

Fully stepping into your authority is an act of service. Your position as a leader is meant to serve those you lead. But if you do not think it is ok to be the boss, you will simply be a bad an ineffective boss vs one that takes a strong, caring, and clear approach to the position.

One of my favorite authors on management is Bruce Tulgan who wrote the book "It's OK to be the Boss. We had him on the show back on episode 28 in 2017 and I believe his work and message is an absolute must for us in specialty coffee retail.

Bruce is the founder of Rainmaker Thinking and the author of more than 20 books including the best selling "It's OK to be the Boss" and "The 27 Challenges Managers Face" He is regarded the world over as a leading authority on management and leadership and is a regular contributor to Harvard Business Review and many other international publications.

In this encore episode you will here both the original episode from 2017 as well as som commentary from myself on how to digest and apply these principles.

Links:

www.rainmakerthinking.com

Bruce on LinkedIn

Related episodes:

• 226 : The Art of being Indispensable at Work w/Bruce Tulgan
• 141 : The 27 Challenges Managers Face w/ Bruce Tulgan
• 378: 5 Areas to Develop in Managers
• 261 : The Basics of Managing Managers
• 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees

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www.coffeefest.com

Tanzania is well known the world over for growing and exporting wonderful and iconic coffees. Mostly every coffee professional has enjoyed a Tanzania Peaberry coffee. Yet, much like most coffee farming countries, Tanzanias internal consumption nd availability of great roasted coffee to locals was limited at the very best. Enter Leo Ferreira and Puzzle Coffee Shop.

For the past 8 years now Leo, his wife, and team have been running and growing Puzzle Coffee as a hub of coffee education, excellence in roasting, quality, and hospitality. In those years Puzzle has been a catalyst for change in Tanzania as they source great local coffee, and origins beyond to expand horizons invest in the community.

Leo is a certified AST in both roasting and Barista, a Q-Grader, a post graduate of the Coffee Excellence Program, and a sought after consultant/trainer.

In this discussion we talk about the journey of putting it all together, lessons learned, keys to success, and what pieces of the puzzle Leo and the team are currently working on putting together.

Links:

Related episodes:

• 247 : Founder Friday! w/ Ritesh Doshi, CEO of Spring Valley Coffee, Nairobi, Kenya
• 332: Founder Friday! w/ Iman Kusumaputra & Putri Yulandari of Kopikalyan, Jakarta, Indonesia
• 289 : Founder Friday w/ Ochen Simon Eidodo of Chariots Coffees, Uganda!
• 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe: 10 Steps to being a People First Leader | Aired January 17 2017
• 066: Shaping and Developing your Team w/ Beth Garrison

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Fine robusta has been the hot topic of conversation in the specialty industry these last few years and for good reason. What was once relegated to the sidelines has been showing up on offering sheets and coffee menus of some of the world's best importers and roasters.

With this in mind, knowing how to approach and roast this species of coffee is critical. As robusta secures its place in specialty coffee we need to do our part to do it justice when we bring it into our roastery and offer it to our customers.

On this Rate of Rise we will be talking all about fine robusta with Cleia Junqueira!

In 2005, Cleia's coffee passion ignited in Brazil, as she owned and operated her independent café training baristas. She partnered with the Beehive Institution Young Service, offering training to underprivileged youth and later produced an educational coffee DVD. Joining the Brazilian Association of Coffee Baristas (ACBB) in 2007, she judged barista championships and enhanced her coffee knowledge until late 2012. Cleia then coordinated at the Coffee Preparation Centre at Sindicafé-SP, earning a CQI Licensed Q-Grader Certificate in 2012 and becoming a Q-Robusta Grader in 2017.

From 2017 to 2019 Cleia served on the SCA-UAE board of directors and spent six years, as a WCE Certified Judge. As Coffee Planet's Head of Coffee, she managed quality control and became well-versed in Middle East Coffee Industry Trends and Consumption while actively supporting the International Women's Coffee Alliance (IWCA).

In this conversation we talk about our changing perceptions of robusta, how does it behave differently from arabica, what goes into roasting it well, and how can we ensure we are doing it justice with the tools at our disposal both in the roastery and the shop.

Links:

www.cleiajunqueira.com

Cleia on LinkedIn

Related episodes:

• ROR #24 : Perspectives on Roasting for Espresso w/ Jaroslav Tuček of Doubleshot, Czech Republic
• RoR #16 : Ideal Resting Times for Roasted Coffee w/ Joey Stazzone of Cafe Kreyol
• 196 : Understanding Customer Preferences w/ Peter Giuliano Transcript

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We love to talk about setting each other up for success and pursuing excellence in what we do. In some ways we are like the person trying to order food in english to a server who does not understand the language, instead of translating, we think we should just say it louder and slower. Which makes things way worse. They are fine words, but without telling people what they mean, they become meaningless.

On today's shift break we will be talking about why defining these terms before we use them in the shop is necessary for buy-in, good communication, and to achieve a specific level of excellence and success.

Related episodes:

• 424: Developing Menu and Hospitality Guides
• 123 : The 10 Essentials of a Barista Manual
• 167 : Handing off the Shift : 4 Tips to Avoid Chaos
• 057 : SOP's FTW! Success through Standard Operating Procedures

The best espresso machines in the world!

www.lamarzoccousa.com

Custom branded mobile apps for your shop!

www.espressly.co.