Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Seemingly in balance to our episode with Kwame Christian on big swings, we need to talk about small starts!

Making decisions about size, scope, and scale of our cafes can set us up for success or it can set us up for disappointment. I see this play out time and time again where people over commit to something and bite of more than they can chew. This leads to al sorts of downstream issues. Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the mentality of starting small in all aspects of your business and why it makes all the difference for the sustainability of what you create.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Great coffee shops don't happen by accident. They are built by hiring the right people, training them well, and leading them with clarity and consistency.

In this live three-part Summer Webinar Series, Chris Deferio shares the practical systems and coaching insights that have helped coffee businesses build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more resilient operations.

Each webinar includes:

• Live instruction and Q&A
• PDF workbook
• One hour of virtual consulting for each live attendee
• Lifetime access to the recording

Register for the individual sessions that fit your current needs, or scroll down to save 20% when you bundle the last two in our series.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Sign up for 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 to talk about working together

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

Related episodes:

• 443: Keep Your Communication Simple! w/ Author Ben Guttmann
• Keep Systems Simple!
• SHIFT BREAK! The Best Strategy is Simplicity

There is wisdom in taking well considered steps in your life and business. The trouble is that sometimes, when the best move is a big one, we can write it off as unwise or reckless. How can we overcome what holds us back from making the right big moves?

Well I am pleased to welcome back to the show someone who has lived out and navigated this problem. My friend and world renowned expert in communication and negotiation, Kwame Christian!

Kwame Christian, Director of the American Negotiation Institute. He is the author of two bestselling books: Finding Confidence in Conflict and How to Have Difficult Conversations About Race

He is a highly sought after keynote speaker and was a recent featured guest on the Mel Robbins Podcast.

Kwame is dedicated to empowering others and has helped countless individuals overcome the fear, anxiety, and emotion often associated with difficult conversations through a branded framework called Compassionate Curiosity.

As an attorney and mediator with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology, a Master of Public Policy, and a Juris Doctorate (Law Degree), Kwame brings a unique multidisciplinary approach to making difficult conversations easier.

We discuss:

• Big swings mentality and its impact on success
• The role of identity in behavior change
• Overcoming fear and limiting beliefs
• Practical strategies for habit formation
• The concept of strategic luck and positioning
• The importance of honesty and self-awareness
• Playing small is often rooted in limiting beliefs and fear.
• Adopting an identity-based approach can accelerate behavior change.
• Small, consistent actions lead to big ripple effects over time.
• Practicing identity shifts through experiments and reminders is effective.
• Embracing uncertainty and adaptability is crucial in a changing world.

Links:

www.kwamechristian.com

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Great coffee shops don't happen by accident. They are built by hiring the right people, training them well, and leading them with clarity and consistency.

In this live three-part Summer Webinar Series, Chris Deferio shares the practical systems and coaching insights that have helped coffee businesses build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more resilient operations.

Each webinar includes:

• Live instruction and Q&A
• PDF workbook
• One hour of virtual consulting for each live attendee
• Lifetime access to the recording

Register for the individual sessions that fit your current needs, or scroll down to save 20% on the complete Summer Webinar Series.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

[email protected]

of book a free call now:

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

Related episodes:

• 222 : How to have Difficult Conversations about Race and Justice w/ Kwame Christian
• 125 : Confidence in Conflict w/ Kwame Christian : A framework for Compassionate Curiosity
• 496: Hard Decisions and High Standards
• 184 : Making Great Business Decisions w/ Dave Stachowiak

I had a conversation with a successful cafe and roastery client recently. We talked about delegation and what was standing in the way of them giving tasks and authority to others. It came out that they were worried about relinquishing control and that they want things to be perfect. Of course this owner is in good company, we all have this feeling that ultimately holds things back.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how we can not just let go of the limiting beliefs preventing us from empowering others, but how we can reframe how we talk to ourselves about giving up control so our people, and out business can grow more fully into what it needs to be.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Great coffee shops don't happen by accident. They are built by hiring the right people, training them well, and leading them with clarity and consistency.

In this live three-part Summer Webinar Series, Chris Deferio shares the practical systems and coaching insights that have helped coffee businesses build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more resilient operations.

Each webinar includes:

• Live instruction and Q&A
• PDF workbook
• One hour of virtual consulting for each live attendee
• Lifetime access to the recording

Register for the individual sessions that fit your current needs, or scroll down to save 20% when you bundle the last two in our series.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Sign up for 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 to talk about working together

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

Related episodes:

• 528 : Growing Yourself and Your Cafe Through Delegation
• SHIFT BREAK: The Delegation Dip
• 267 : The Power of Delegation
• SHIFT BREAK! Holding Baristas (and Yourself!) Accountable

Boardgames and coffee! The two were meant for one another. Gathering around a table to share an experience with your friends and family is core to how community happens.

In the last decade we have seen an explosion of gaming and coffee cafes meeting a need for connection over shared dice, boards, cards and cups.

Todays guest has been a pillar in this community for over 7 years and brings an incredible depth of knowledge and skill in hospitality, leadership, and culinary to the gaming table.

We are talking with Kevin Kerkhof of Hitherto Coffee and Gaming Parlour in Greenfield, IN!

Kevin J. Kerkhof is an entrepreneur, hospitality executive, educator, and culinary professional with more than 30 years of experience in foodservice, specialty coffee, retail operations, business development, and hospitality management. Throughout his career, he has built a reputation for combining operational excellence with a passion for culinary innovation, hospitality, team development, and creating exceptional guest experiences.

Since 2019, Kevin has served as the Founder, Principal Owner, and General Manager of Hitherto Coffee & Gaming Parlour in Greenfield, Indiana. Under his leadership, Hitherto has grown into a unique community-focused destination that blends specialty coffee, food service, tabletop gaming, retail, and events.

Prior to founding Hitherto, Kevin served as the Founding Chef and General Manager of Greyhouse Coffee & Supply Co. in West Lafayette, Indiana. During his tenure, he helped shape the organization's culinary and operational vision while providing leadership and oversight for hundreds of employees throughout the years. He played a key role in concept development, menu creation, facility design, budgeting, organizational leadership, and operational growth.

Kevin earned a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Purdue University and an Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University.

He has worked with and supported organizations including McDonald's, Whole Foods Market, Ecolab, Tyson Foods, Purdue University, the Culinary Institute of America, and the Specialty Coffee Association.

In our conversation about his career and boardgame cafe concept we discuss:

• Journey into Hospitality and Culinary Arts
• The Influence of Agriculture on Culinary Pursuits
• Transitioning to Coffee and Greyhouse
• Leadership Lessons from Greyhouse
• The Evolution and Financial Challenges Starting Hitherto
• Navigating the SBA Loan Process
• The Concept of a Board Game Cafe
• Creating a Unique Customer Experience
• Selecting Games for the Community
• Staffing for a Dual Concept Cafe
• Managing a Board Game Cafe
• Event planning and managing game and coffee events
• Advice for Aspiring Cafe Owners

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Great coffee shops don't happen by accident. They are built by hiring the right people, training them well, and leading them with clarity and consistency.

In this live three-part Summer Webinar Series, Chris Deferio shares the practical systems and coaching insights that have helped coffee businesses build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more resilient operations.

Each webinar includes:

• Live instruction and Q&A
• PDF workbook
• One hour of virtual consulting for each live attendee
• Lifetime access to the recording

Register for the individual sessions that fit your current needs, or scroll down to save 20% on the complete Summer Webinar Series.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

[email protected]

of book a free call now:

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

Related episodes:

• 609: Lessons On Running a True Community Space w/ Blew Kind of D'griot Cafe | Philadelphia, PA
• 230 : Making room for Community in your Shop
• The Power of Questions and Connecting with Community
• SHIFT BREAK! How to Have Healthy Communication Between your Cafe's Departments
• 225: Encore Founder Friday! Dorian Bolden of Beyu Caffe, Durham, NC

We serve 2 types of customers. External and internal. The external customer is the one that comes in for a coffee and spends money and time with us as guests in the cafe. The internal customer comes in for a job and spend their energy and time helping us serve the first customer well. In this environment, managers are critical leaders in caring for both groups. Not only this, managers are under pressure to serve the big vision of the business and those who own it. No wonder management burns out as much as they do!

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about serving your managers. The servant leadership model is one that fits neatly in coffee and we will discuss how to adjust our mindsets and schedules to properaly and actually care for those who care for others. This shift makes all the difference.

I have noticed a lot of noise in the industry. The coffee shop and its owner are the targets of a crushing and never ending stream of marketing that does not care about your success, but only moving units. The uncertainty that was supposed to be solved, is made worse, and the simple desire to serve coffee professionally, gets over complicated. No wonder we burn out so often.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how simplicity is the best strategy for any coffee shop and is worth establishing as a central pillar of the business so you can navigate the pressured environment of entrepreneurship and build something on a stable foundation.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Great coffee shops don't happen by accident. They are built by hiring the right people, training them well, and leading them with clarity and consistency.

In this live three-part Summer Webinar Series, Chris Deferio shares the practical systems and coaching insights that have helped coffee businesses build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more resilient operations.

Each webinar includes:

• Live instruction and Q&A
• PDF workbook
• One hour of virtual consulting for each live attendee
• Lifetime access to the recording

Register for the individual sessions that fit your current needs, or scroll down to save 20% when you bundle the last two in our series.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Sign up for 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 to talk about working together

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

Related episodes:

• 109 : Leadership Abandonment Syndrome : Lack of development in senior staff and what to do about it
• 475: Essential Tools for Cafe Management
• 419: Behaviors That Establish Excellent Management Culture
• Proactivity in the Owner – Manager Relationship

In the world of specialty coffee, the relationship between roaster and cafe is one of the most vital. In a healthy relationship, there is a support for the client that mirrors the hospitality and quality that the roaster hopes the cafe produces using their coffee.

There may be nobody more qualified to speak to both side of this relationship of mutual support than today guest, Sam Lewontin!

Sam is a veteran coffee professional whose nearly 30 year career has taken him from barista in many small and obscure shops, to owning and growing one of NYC best Cafes Everyman Espresso along with Sam Penix. Sam Lewontin carved out a niche for himself as one of coffee's most thoughtful, clear, and intentional operators as well as decorated barista competitors.

After a long career in barista work and cafe hospitality and ownership, Sam took the listening, communication, and service skill he honed in th shop, and applied it to the world of sales and wholesal support for Stumptown Coffee Roasters and now most recently is representing Counter Culture Coffee!

Literally every time you interact with Sam, he is not just enthused to see you, but in genuinely interested in your good. This is why we are talking with him today to learn about how we can develop our hospitality approach in like fashion, but take a page from him play book in sales to truly help our clients solve problems and thrive in their business.

We discuss:

• The evolution of Sam's career from hobby to professional and the importance of continuous learning how friend and mentors shaped his world.
• Creating accessible and welcoming coffee experiences through thoughtful design and hospitality
• The role of networking, community building, and trust in growing coffee businesses
• Meeting customers where they are: making coffee approachable and familiar
• Practical tips for supporting wholesale clients with streamlined resources and support
• Prioritizing high leverage support tools instead of generic offerings
• Facilitating connections between wholesale customers, tech support, and global producers
• The philosophy that the core value of cafes is delivering an approachable, memorable hospitality experience

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Great coffee shops don't happen by accident. They are built by hiring the right people, training them well, and leading them with clarity and consistency.

In this live three-part Summer Webinar Series, Chris Deferio shares the practical systems and coaching insights that have helped coffee businesses build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more resilient operations.

Each webinar includes:

• Live instruction and Q&A
• PDF workbook
• One hour of virtual consulting for each live attendee
• Lifetime access to the recording

Register for the individual sessions that fit your current needs, or scroll down to save 20% on the complete Summer Webinar Series.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

[email protected]

of book a free call now:

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

Related episodes:

• 246 : Selecting a Wholesale Coffee Provider
• 473: A Master Class in Wholesale Coffee w/ Honor Forte of Olympia Coffee Roasters
• Be honest with your Wholesale Accounts
• 133 : 5 Keys to Successful Wholesale w/ Sarah Richmond

I have noticed a lot of noise in the industry. The coffee shop and its owner are the targets of a crushing and never ending stream of marketing that does not care about your success, but only moving units. The uncertainty that was supposed to be solved, is made worse, and the simple desire to serve coffee professionally, gets over complicated. No wonder we burn out so often.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how simplicity is the best strategy for any coffee shop and is worth establishing as a central pillar of the business so you can navigate the pressured environment of entrepreneurship and build something on a stable foundation.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Great coffee shops don't happen by accident. They are built by hiring the right people, training them well, and leading them with clarity and consistency.

In this live three-part Summer Webinar Series, Chris Deferio shares the practical systems and coaching insights that have helped coffee businesses build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more resilient operations.

Each webinar includes:

• Live instruction and Q&A
• PDF workbook
• One hour of virtual consulting for each live attendee
• Lifetime access to the recording

Register for the individual sessions that fit your current needs, or scroll down to save 20% on the complete Summer Webinar Series.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Sign up for 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 to talk about working together

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

Related episodes:

• 421: Encore Episode: Simple, Powerful, Hospitality w/ Philip Paul Turner
• Keep Systems Simple!
• Founder Friday! w/ Amos Gillespie of Wheelhouse Coffee, Kentville, Nova Scotia, CA
• Menu Simplicity as Hospitality
• Building your Coffee Shop's Capacity from Simplicity

A cafe's culture is built by intentionally investing in values, hiring, training, and leadership structures and behaviors. These areas are integral to any cafe's success. The issue is that for many, they tend to be rushed or even afterthoughts, leaving the people part of our coffee shops under developed and the resulting culture fragile.

In this episode we will go over the three areas we are covering in an upcoming webinar series and how each of them factor into your cafe's success.

Today we will discuss:

• Values+ Hiring
• Onboarding + Training
• Leadership + Management

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

Great coffee shops don't happen by accident. They are built by hiring the right people, training them well, and leading them with clarity and consistency.

In this live three-part Summer Webinar Series, Chris Deferio shares the practical systems and coaching insights that have helped coffee businesses build stronger teams, healthier cultures, and more resilient operations.

Each webinar includes:

• Live instruction and Q&A
• PDF workbook
• One hour of virtual consulting for each live attendee
• Lifetime access to the recording

Register for the individual sessions that fit your current needs, or scroll down to save 20% on the complete Summer Webinar Series.

REGISTER NOW FOR THE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES!

[email protected]

of book a free call now:

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

We are notorious in coffee for promoting people into management based only on technical skills or that they might not be quite as unreliable as others on the team. We also rush good people who need more time to develop resilience into the position and set them up for failure. In order to make good decisions, there are many traits we need to look for in a a manager, but one in particular is important enough that I feel every manager should possess at least the beginnings of it.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about the need for a particular kind of resiliency that I have seen the best managers have. If you look for this in your team and in those who apply for roles in the shop it will set them up for success in their technical, admin, and leadership responsibilities well into the future.

Worth a note is the fact that owners are also hugely responsible for how they bring in, train, and provide standards and structures for leadership. You cannot lead based on intuition and some "it" factor. The argument here is not that management make up for and excuse the the lack of systems and structures, but that they would be and can be part of the process of helping lead others in those things and help advance them as well.

Sign up for 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 to talk about working together

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

Related episodes:

• 109 : Leadership Abandonment Syndrome : Lack of development in senior staff and what to do about it
• 419: Behaviors That Establish Excellent Management Culture
• 383 : How to Train a Manager
• Proactivity in the Owner – Manager Relationship
• 314 : The 6 Essential Qualities of Coffee Shop Leaders

Today we have access to information about the world of coffee that is unprecedented. At times it can be overwhelming to consider all the areas of the coffee industry that need fixing while we also work daily to care for those we have immediately with us.

The trick is to tune into sources that convey not just the reality of the problem, but can also feature stories that showcase hope as we work to make progress.

Today we get talk with someone whose work in writing about coffee has helped countless people grapple with and take steps to address our industry's most pressing issues.

Sarah Charles is the founder of Underscore Communications, former Editor of Coffee Intelligence, and Senior Communications Officer at the International Trade Centre (ITC/WTO agency). A principal author of the ITC Coffee Guide 4th Edition, she writes for print and online publications and produces industry reports and books covering coffee trends, trade, and development.

Her work makes sense of the world's messiest systems – climate, trade, culture, food – through sharp storytelling, fresh angles, and analysis. She holds an MSc in Sustainable Development from SOAS, University of London and is a founding member of the Greek IWCA chapter.

Today we will discuss:

• Sarah's start in coffee writing
• Romanticism vs. Reality in Coffee
• The Impact of Writing on the Coffee Industry
• Navigating Challenges and Finding Inspiration
• Hopeful Futures for Coffee Farmers
• The Power of Necessity in Innovation
• Community and Connection in Business
• Hopeful Trends from China's producing Community
• Knowledge as Leverage in Coffee Trade
• The Impact of Consolidation on Specialty Coffee
• Balancing Ethics and Profit in Business

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/unprincipledwriter/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-e-charles/

https://iwcagreece.org/

https://www.intracen.org/resources/publications/the-coffee-guide-fourth-edition

KEYS TO THE SHOP OFFERS

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

Related episodes:

• 451: Business Growth, Integrity, and Coffee Farmer Equity w/ Martin Mayorga of Mayorga Coffee
• 602: Renata Henderson | Cxffeeblack | Putting The Heart Back Into Coffee
• 560: Bio-Innovation and Securing the Future for Coffee Farmers and Their Land w/ Felipe Sardi of La Palma y El Tucan
• 510: Advancing Equity in Farmer-Consumer Relationships w/ Ethiopia's Beamlak Bekele!
• Sustainability Series #1 : The Farm