Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

What do customers love and hate about coffee shops? It feels like a question that is too easy to answer and as a result I believe we do not spend nearly enough time researching it.

This past weekend I spoke in Chicago at Coffee Fest. In preparation we analyzed the most positive reviews and negative reviews of the worst rated and best rated cafes on Google and Yelp in the Chicago area. The results fell in line with some assumption I had based on what I have seen from my own years in coffee and consulting. In addition though, when compiled and organized, there were a few things that I found very interesting that we all need to think deeply about.

So today we are going to be going over the list of things that people love and hate about coffee shops from this research and how this speaks to the greater issues in how we approach running our shops and the the path forward from here.

1:1 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:

• SHIFT BREAK! How To Keep Your Customers Excited
• SHIFT BREAK! Why Won't My Baristas Engage Customers The Way I Want Them To?!
• SHIFT BREAK! Every Customer is a Judge
• 480: Focus on What Your Customers Love
• SHIFT BREAK: Make Customer Feedback a Priority
• 151 : How to Respond and React to Negative Feedback : 5 Step Process
• 340 : Encore Episode of "10 Reasons to Love the Customer"!

In too many cafes we find staff trained only in the areas they work in with minimal to no knowledge or understanding in other parts of the business. This derails a cafes growth and effectiveness. Staff in the front are not equipped to speak with understanding and confidence to customers and those those who work in the back or in production areas are isolated from the up-steam results of their work.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why cross training staff is the way forward for fostering understanding between departments, effective sales and hospitality, and a deeper bench of talent to draw from across your employees.

This is especially important for FOH staff as they are the ones representing all you offer to the customer.

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:

424: Developing Menu and Hospitality Guides

Taste the Rainbow! : Menu knowledge, tasting, flavor, coffee cupping approach to your offerings

Taste the Rainbow! : Menu knowledge, tasting, flavor, coffee cupping approach to your offerings

582: Maximizing Existing Opportunities in Your Cafe

The Key to Up-Selling

583: Unifying Teams Across Multiple Cafes

SHIFT BREAK! How to Have Healthy Communication Between your Cafe's Departments

More than just a 3rd space, some cafes are platforms for ideas, catalysts for change, and a space specifically organized and designed to grow and nurture their communities.

Led by people with deep convictions and a vivid vision for what can be, these spaces transform and help support the community beyond the coffee.

Today we get to catch up with someone who has spend decades pouring into her community and has learned a lot of very valuable lessons to help you do the same.

Inspired by her afro-indigenous lineage, Blew kind creates transformational experiences where folks can connect deeper within themselves and each other toward their highest self. She offers moments of pause, conversation, and discovery where we can experience daily magic, while being open to heal individually and collectively. Her play involves poetry, crafting, dance, listening to stories, and community space making.

Blew kind has developed multiple cultural community organizations in Philadelphia including Franny Lou's Porch cafe, Koku-Roko Learning Co-operative, d'griot café & gallery, and rad.Love; a non-profit fiscally sponsored by the Painted Bride Arts Center to support community programming.

Grateful to be involved in the good work, Blew also supports other black, brown, and community leaders on their journey through public speaking and coaching.

We discuss:

• Journey from Franny Lou's Porch to D'griot
• The Meaning of D'griot and Its Cultural Roots
• Pandemic Impact and Business Growth
• Overcoming Resistance and Building Resilience
• Wealth, Value, and Community Support
• Community Heart and Giving Back
• Balancing Personal Fulfillment and Community Service
• The Value of Humility and Collective Effort
• Community Collaboration and Unexpected Opportunities

KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS

1:1 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:

• 232 : Founder Friday w/ Blew Kind of Fanny Lou's Porch
• 380 : Founder Friday! w/ Cary and Cindy Arsaga of Arsaga's Coffee Roasters
• 602: Renata Henderson | Cxffeeblack | Putting The Heart Back Into Coffee
• 367 : Designing Your Coffee Shop for Community w/ Dr. Lisa Waxman
• 230 : Making room for Community in your Shop

We have heard this phrase before and, if we are honest, we have said it a couple times too. The statement is problematic since it assumes that the world around us is the reason we can't seem to find the help we want.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why it seems like we can't find good help, and the reality of how our own behaviors, lack of preparation, and well thought through systems related to hiring and leader support are the real cause behind this illusion.

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:

• SHIFT BREAK: Three BIG Hiring Mistakes (and how to avoid them)
• SHIFT BREAK! With or Without Experience? Hiring the Best Baristas
• Raising Your Hiring Standard
• Hiring for Future Leadership
• 301 : Hiring and Training for Excellence

Our businesses are the results of the small and large decisions we make over the years. It is our behavior in the business that ultimately determines the success and Impact we can realize. Some have said that the 4th wave is ,marked by more passionate coffee balancing that passion with good business practice and strategy.

Today will be talking with someone who has been hugely influential in teaching solid and sustainable business behavior to countless coffee professionals and companies world wide.

I happy to welcome Tracy Allen to the show!

Tracy Allen founded Brewed Behavior, a global consulting and education firm dedicated to advancing the specialty coffee industry worldwide in 2008.

Through Brewed Behavior, Tracy has trained and advised hundreds of coffee professionals, roasters, café owners, and organizations across multiple continents. His consulting work focuses on elevating bean quality, optimizing operations, developing world-class training programs, and preparing teams for top-level competition.

With more than 30 years of hands-on experience, Tracy brings unmatched depth to his clients. His journey began as a passionate home roaster in the 1990s, followed by roles as Beverage Specialist at Procter & Gamble (Millstone and Folgers), Operations Manager for a Kansas City roaster, and Co-Owner of Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company in Seattle. At Zoka, he helped establish the company as a leader in both quality and barista training — with its baristas consistently ranking among the top in U.S. Barista Competitions.

Today, Tracy channels this extensive expertise through Brewed Behavior to help clients worldwide achieve excellence. He is the last full-term President of the SCAA and Founding Chair of the WBC Rules & Regulations Committee. He has been a certified U.S. and World Barista Competition judge, an SCA Certified Cupper, a certified Q Grader and Instructor, and a three-time "Super Taster." Through Brewed Behavior, Tracy Allen continues to shape the future of specialty coffee on a global scale.

We Cover:

• Understanding Business and Passion in Coffee
• The Importance of Financial Discipline
• Navigating Growth and Corporate Culture
• Consumer Behavior and Coffee Trend
• Best Practices for Long-Term Success
• Developing Financial Acumen
• The Importance of Financial Discipline
• Navigating Projections and Inventory Management
• Understanding Market Dynamics and Unique Value Propositions

Links:

www.brewedbehavior.com

KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS

1:1 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:

576: Financial Stability Using Profit First for Coffee Businesses w/ Kim Logsdon of Caffeinate Your Cash

447: Understanding the Business of Coffee w/ Maxwell Colonna-Dashwood

022 : Founder Friday w/ Colin Harmon of 3fe Coffee, Dublin Ireland & Author of the new book, "What I know About Running Coffee Shops"

283 : 5 Bad Reasons to Open a Coffee Shop

SHIFT BREAK! Become Immune to Fear-Based Coffee Marketing

327: Founder Friday! w/ Phuong Tran of Lava Java

489: Tips for Creating a Resilient Cafe

223 : Building a Financially Resilient Business w/ Andrew Carroll

The best coffee businesses are built on solid values, local community, and small consistent steps taken toward deeper connection through hospitality and excellence in the product. The story of Wheelhouse Coffee is one that demonstrates the power of intentional people-first work over time and what happens when you make growth a conversation with those your serve.

I am thrilled to get to talk with the founder of Wheelhouse Coffee in Nova Scotia, CA, Amos Gillespie!

Wheelhouse Coffee began with an eight-year-old Amos sharing morning coffee with his dad. By 17, that simple joy had grown into a coffee dream. After an espresso machine, a barista job, and a life-changing Portland coffee show, Amos launched Wheelhouse in 2018.

However, being a single owner with a small sample roaster and a full-time job became increasingly challenging.

In 2020, after a beautiful summer wedding, he and his wife set out to grow Wheelhouse together. From basement beginnings to a thriving café, their journey is driven by their love for coffee and the people they serve.

We discuss:

• How Amos Was Introduced to Coffee
• Beginning and Building Confidence in Roasting
• Navigating Stagnation
• The Shift Towards a Coffee Business
• Feedback and Growth in Coffee Roasting
• Understanding Customer Relationships
• The Move To Opening a Coffee Shop
• Balancing Vision with Financial Realities
• Building Relationships with Customers
• Advice for Aspiring Cafe Owners

KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS

1:1 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:

• 476: Founder Friday! The Story of Story Coffee w/ Don Niemyer of Story Coffee Co.
• 391 : Founder Friday! w/ Megan Wilson of Spuds Coffee in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
• 145: Founder Friday w/ Red Rooster Coffee Roasters co-founder, Haden Polseno-Hensley

It may seem unfair, but it is the truth. Customer hold a special place in their brains for negative experiences. Don't we do the same? And when do most of these lower quality experiences tend to take place? Usually when we are the busiest and have the greatest opportunity to build a good reputation. It's diabolical!

On today's Shift Break we will be talking about why you are only as good as your worst drink, worst service encounter, worst whatever! And what we can do to rewire the part of our brains and operations that allow these moments to happen.

Related Episodes:

YouTube:

• SHIFT BREAK! How to Think About Quality
• 533: Principles of Quality Control
• SHIFT BREAK: Quality Still Matters
• 084 : Crushing the Rush : Tips and Best Practices for Busy Times
• 520: Tips For Great Workflow and Bar Presence

Spotify:

• SHIFT BREAK! How to Think About Quality
• 533: Principles of Quality Control
• SHIFT BREAK: Quality Still Matters
• 084 : Crushing the Rush : Tips and Best Practices for Busy Times
• 520: Tips For Great Workflow and Bar Presence

Website:

• SHIFT BREAK! How to Think About Quality
• 533: Principles of Quality Control
• SHIFT BREAK: Quality Still Matters
• 084 : Crushing the Rush : Tips and Best Practices for Busy Times
• 520: Tips For Great Workflow and Bar Presence

Congratulations! You have been made the cafe manager! Now what? Well, you are now occupying one of the most critical roles in all of coffee retail. As a leader you have a lot of growth opportunities and can make a massive difference as you serve the company, the staff, and the customers. The first six months - a year is a pretty critical time where you either build trust and establish healthy outlooks and habits, or you succumb to the dysfunction and stress that management without structure and purpose falls into.

Today we are going to go over practices, mindsets, and approaches to your role and the work of management that are proven to set you and everyone else up for success vs the all too typical burn-out that seemingly is baked it to the manager role. It does not have to be! This episode shows you how.

1:1 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]

Book a free call now:

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

Related episodes:

• 229 : 7 Tips for New Managers
• 248 : The 5 Elements of Resourcing your Team
• 261 : The Basics of Managing Managers
• 226 : The Art of being Indispensable at Work w/Bruce Tulgan
• 179 : What you MUST Know About Employee Culture w/ Stan Slap
• 172 : Why Tracking Performance is a Must!
• 028 : Why it's Ok to be the Boss w/ Bruce Tulgan : A guide to defining and fighting the under management epidemic in your cafe so you can be the manager your staff need
• 018: Hiring, Culture, and the Future of your Shop
• 013 : Leadership & Management Master Class w/ Eva Attia : Leadership | management | hiring | career
• 004: Leadership in the Cafe : 10 Steps to Being a People First Leader
• 258 : Prioritizing your Mental Health in the New Year w/ Dr. Lara Pence
• 244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees

Nothing kills cafe culture like an a staff member who is a bad fit for their role. Often this manifests in work performance issues that are felt by customers, coworkers, and leaders alike. It brings people down.

The diabolical thing is that the most common response cafe leadership has is to simply wish it away and let it go on far too long. Meanwhile a toxic or ill fit employee continues (whether unwittingly or knowingly) to do damage to morale, service, and the reputation of the business.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how to approach this "Bad Apple" situation in a way that seeks the highest good for all parties involved and affords you the opportunity to develop more decisiveness and resilience in the face of these unfortunate situations.

KEYS TO THE SHOP® 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:

• Raising Your Hiring Standard
• 496: Hard Decisions and High Standards
• 125 : Confidence in Conflict w/ Kwame Christian : A framework for Compassionate Curiosity

Every Coffee Fest we sit down with presenters and speakers to talk about their field of expertise and learn from their experience in coffee.

This last NYC Coffee Fest we were privileged to get to chat with four dynamic professionals and discuss everything from barista education and community, social media strategy, and how to run a world class bakery and coffee bar. We start with Ivana Chan and Rachel Apple of Raise the Bar! Ivana Chan is a marketing and e-commerce consultant who has spent the last seven years helping specialty coffee brands grow by bringing their hospitality online through thoughtful digital strategy.

She is also the co-founder of Raise the Bar Coffee, a nonprofit focused on accessible coffee education, mentorship, and community-building, best known for organizing Level Up, an event where baristas connect, learn, and build sustainable careers in coffee Rachel Apple is an esteemed figure in the specialty coffee industry, with over 19 years of comprehensive experience. Her extensive resume includes pivotal roles as Quality Control for George Howell Coffee, Coffee Buyer & Global Supply Chain Manager, Roaster, Educator, & Barista in addition to being a Legacy Q Grader. She is also the only woman, globally, who is a Cup of Excellence Head Judge & SET Course Instructor.

Rachel also serves as a US Barista Championship Head Judge, Sensory Lead, and Committee Member, investing years in volunteer work and leadership in the specialty coffee community – which has recently manifested in co-founding an education focused 501(c)(3) nonprofit Raise the Bar.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/raisethebar_coffee/

Next we get to learn about winning social media strategy from Birch Coffee's Jeremy Lyman! Jeremy Lyman is the co-founder of Birch Coffee, a New York City-based coffee company. Since its first store opened in 2009, the company has grown to become one of New York City's premiere and most loved independent coffee shop chains. With more than a dozen locations throughout the city, the focus of Birch is on customer service.

Service is something Jeremy believed was lacking in the Specialty Coffee industry and being that both he and his partner Paul are consumers first and worked in bars and restaurants for years before, they realized that this was what was necessary to stand out in the industry. In order to grow the company, Jeremy has overseen the development of not only a high level of service, but methods in which to hone and develop those skills amongst his teams.

Jeremy, Paul, and their team have also figured out creative ways to stand out. From eliminating wifi and introducing conversation starters to designing extraordinarily unique napkins, they have caught the eye of the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and Forbes who have paid specific attention to these differentiators.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/coffeedogguy/

www.birchcoffee.com

https://www.instagram.com/birchcoffee/

Finally we discuss baking, pastry, and coffee excellence with Lauren Tran! Lauren Tran is the chef-owner of Bánh by Lauren in Chinatown, New York City. She blends her Seattle upbringing and love for coffee culture with a deep-rooted passion for Vietnamese flavors and desserts. After working at fine-dining icons Canlis, Momofuku Ko, and Gramercy Tavern, Lauren started selling pastries out of her apartment during the pandemic.

Bánh by Lauren was hosted for pop-ups for four years before opening a brick and mortar bakery cafe in NYC's Manhattan Chinatown in June 2024. The New York Times ranked her shop among the top 22 bakeries in the U.S., T Magazine named her bánh bò nướng as one of the 25 essential pastries to eat in NYC, and Bánh by Lauren is a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Bakery.

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/banhbylauren/

Go check out Coffee Fest Trade Shows Today!

www.coffeefest.com