In this time we need to take a good look at ourselves and how we are using the power we have been given. In the cafe, authority and power is a gift that is meant to be you used for the benefit of others. Yet, just we have seen in recent days, power often corrupts and is used as a weapon against those for whom it was supposed to benefit. What is the purpose of the authority we have been given? How do we view and use the power we have in the cafe? Today I am re-airing an episode called "6 Truths about Power" from 2018 that I believe will help set us on the right course. The principles here are applicable both in the shop and beyond.  My hope is that we can refine our approach and actions to build a better future.    Related Episodes: The Broken Chair Systems as Care The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli Example > Words The Power of Good Authority w/ Jonathan Raymond Exploring Diversity w/ Phyllis Johnson Founder Friday: Kusanya Cafe     Elevate your to-go coffee! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve! BARATZA GRINDERS      

Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Retail Professionals

Encore Episode : 6 Truths about Power

We are in the people business. Having a great people program is a critical part of being able to thrive as a small business since the degree to which you care for your people, and they feel cared for, directly impacts how they care for the business and its customers. Now, more than ever, we need to lean into creating a people-first strategy for doing business in the future and today we will be learning from one of the best in HR the foundational elements that contribute to a great people program in your shop.  Dana Goodwin is an HR consultant working with clients in specialty coffee, food service, and retail. She partners with leaders to create intentional people programs and help find solutions to HR challenges. Her specialties include workplace culture, recruiting operations, and retention strategy.  Dana has been working in retail and hospitality for over 20 years. She holds a master's degree from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Colorno, Italy and has led teams and recruiting and HR operations at Eataly, Dickson's Farmstand, and Blue Bottle Coffee.  This is a very good conversation the covers a wide range of HR related strategies, and concerns. I hope this empowers you in your efforts to truly care for your people in a systematic and intentional way.  You will learn about: Communication and transparency   Leading while being vulnerable Approaching your staff in a crisis Creating space for focusing on people Asking questions and listening  The power of consistency and follow up Managing the tension of the employer-employee relationship  Setting expectations and giving clarity Planning and systems Tracking  Navigating legalities    Links:  Dana is offering the KTTS audience free 30 minute advisory calls! Contact her here: LinkedIn Dana@danazgoodwin.com More resource: EEOC Website   Related Episodes: 123 : The 10 Essentials of a Barista Manual 104 : How to Deliver Difficult Feedback w/ Tom Henschel 151 : How to React and Respond to Negative Feedback The Affirmation Vacuum Feedback Culture 194 : Encore Episode! Leadership in the Cafe 213 : Coping with Corona using Emotional Intelligence w/ Andrea Hoban   Join the community! Keys to the Shop on Mighty Network     The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service        

221 : Building your People Program w/ HR Consultant, Dana Goodwin

This Founder Friday is a wild, unique, and refreshingly honest experience. Today we are going to be talking with the one and only  Sarah Barnett Gill, the owner of Mama Mocha's in Auburn, AL. Sarah has been in coffee since 2003 and for the last 7+ years has been operating one of the most unique, authentic, and welcoming coffee shops around. Mama Mocha's is a beacon of diversity, love, and simple honest enjoyment of people and coffee. In the pursuit of this Sarah has worked hard to grow her business from a small roastery in a $200/mo room of a bookstore to an established community icon of great coffee and charming hospitality that wins peoples hearts and taste buds.  This conversation covers a wide range of topics from the expected to the quit un-expected. Sarah is not afraid to take bold stands and is equal parts serious business woman, and fun loving protector of the marginalized. Plus, like me, she loves a good dark roasted coffee.  So, buckle up, this is going to be a refreshing and wild ride.    You will lean about: Starting small and building slowly  Facing initial challenges Rejecting the 3rd wave Taking bold stances  Diversity and Inclusivity   Fighting cultural ignorance  The balance between love and ass kicking Establishing a Unique Culture Dark roast revival  Dealing with COVID and caring for your people Links: www.mamamochas.com Instagram    Related Episodes: 183 : Exploring Diversity w/ Phyllis Johnson   108 : Founder Friday w/ Dorian Bolden of Beyu Caffe, Durham, NC   155 : A Conversation w/ T. Ben Fischer of Glitter Cat Barista 159: Addressing Unconscious Bias w/ Lauren Lathrop 116: Understanding Gentrification w/ Dr. Stacey Sutton 139: Founder Friday w/ Phil Sipka, Kusanya Cafe 067: 6 Truths about Power 165 : The Art of Deep Listening w/ Oscar Trimboli   Join the community! Keys to the Shop on Mighty Network     The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service            

220 : Founder Friday! w/ Sarah Barnett Gill of Mama Mocha's in Auburn , AL

Everyone in the shop is on high alert! Updates and changes to rules and regulations are happening almost daily and we are, as staff, very tuned into to the landscape of how things should be done in the shop. What about the customers though? Should we expect them to be just as vigilant and aware? How do we empathetically enforce the new normal with our patrons? Today we will be talking about the COVID communication bubble and how we can get out of it when our customers come back in.    Related Episodes: Communicate, Duplicate, Repeat : Key habits that make information stick Being the Point of Clarity   Elevate your to-go coffee! Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve! BARATZA GRINDERS  

The COVID Communication Bubble

Coffee shops are not necessarily known for having the best food in town. That is the way it has been for a very long time. Recently though, we are seeing in increase in the number of coffee shops investing time, money, and passion into their food programs and customers are taking note. It is so critical, especially now to create a food program that is marked by intentionality and excellence. To help us develop a winning food program we are talking to Marilei Denila, the Culinary Research and Development Manager for the amazing Go Get em Tiger in Los Angeles ,CA. GGET has become the standard bearer for high quality coffee and food in the specialty coffee world and their menu items are frequently winning top spots in "Best of" lists in LA. Marilei's leadership and discipline have played a huge role in this process and in this conversation she will be sharing with us a ton of foundational insights that will equip you in creating a next level food experience at your cafe.  You will learn about: Community specific menu design Systems for inventory and Quality control Staffing and scheduling  Being creative and still relatable Should you chase trends?  Managing the financial realities  Smart product ordering and use   Links: www.gget.com Instagram   Related Episodes: A Conversation w/ Kyle Glanville and Charles Babinski of G&B and Go Get em Tiger Coffee and Cocktails Coffee and Chocolate Systems as Care Communicate, Duplicate, Repeat Feedback Culture Working Clean  Your Inventory Counts           The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service        

219 : Building a Winning Food Program w/ Marilei Denila, Culinary R&D Manager, Go Get em Tiger

As shops slowly start to open to customers there are a ton of things to keep in mind and manage. Many of those things we have covered through other episodes or interviews some of which are available below. This time I want to cover 3 things that will be crucial to get right to welcome back those customers and take advantage of this 2nd chance to make a first impression.  We will be talking about why cleanliness, clarity, and creativity are crucial to the success of your business and how to execute on them to make lasting impact.    Related Episodes: Elevating Cold Brew/Matt Bushman Coping w/ Corona using Emotional Intelligence w/ Andrea Hoban Harnessing your Emotions at Work 10 Essentials of a Barista Manual Working Clean Simple, Powerful, Hospitality  SOPs 10 Reasons to Love the Customer     Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS

2nd First Impression : Tips for Welcoming Customers Back

Not all bold brew is created equal! The difference between offering your customers an average experience vs an outstanding one comes down to basics, attention to detail, creativity, and a craft mindset toward the liquid juggernaut that is cold brew. As the cold brew season ramps up we need to elevate our cold brew offerings and boy do we have just the person to help us do it.  Matt Bushman is the Co-Founder of Alto Cold Brew, a company whose mission is to help shops elevate their cold brew through innovative products, unique perspectives, shared knowledge, and events. In the years since founding the company Matt and his business partner Joey Ruiz have not only created a great product but they have also created a robust and growing bank of resources to help their customers raise their cold brew game.  Today we get tactical and practical as we talk with Matt all about the basics of good cold brew, the overlooked essentials of execution, creativity, pit falls to avoid, sanitation, and solids steps you can take today to bring your cold brew to a higher level.  Summer is almost here. As economies begin opening back up, and people start heading back out to their local coffee shop, NOW is the time to take stock of how your cold brew program and really take it to the next level.  You will learn about: How Alto was created  What makes quality cold brew Sanitation concerns Creative menu ideas Logistics and operations that scale How to approach cold brew as a craft Offering more to your customers The importance of systems Cold brew in the time of COVID Links: www.altocoldbrew.com Instagram    Related episodes: 6 Tips for Cooler Cold Brew w/ the Cold Brew Chick, Rachel Dillon 175 : How to Keep your Cool : An Ice Machine, and Cooler Maintenance Master Class w/ Luke Peterson of The Maintenance Department Coffee and Cocktails w/ Amanda Whitt   The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service      

218 : An Expert's Guide to Elevating your Cold Brew w/ Matt Bushman of Alto Cold Brew

Alternative forms of income have been helping keep many of you in business during the crisis. The grocery/pantry model has been a very interesting and successful pivot that allows you to continue serving the needs of your community beyond coffee.  One of the best examples of this model is being conducted by Penstock Coffee out in Highland Park, NJ. Penstock is a Good Food award winning roastery established in 2009 by Ben and Jessica Shellack. These are some of the best people you will meet in coffee and their commitment to do right by all the people involved in the supply chain shows in all they put their hands to, including how they have responded to the current crisis.  Today I sit down with Ben to get the details of their very successful grocery program. How did they start? What are the logistics and legalities? How did they set it up and how do they manage it? What are their quality control measures? These are some of the many questions answered in this in depth look at the grocery/pantry model.  As we are still very much in the middle of this mess, I hope this episode helps equip and empower you to perhaps take on a similar project in your business.  Links: www.penstockcoffee.com Penstock on IG   Complete list of COVID-19 related past episodes: On a Resilient Coffee Community Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano General Guidance on Talking with Banks and Landlords w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law Erica Escalante, The Arrow Coffeehouse Karl Purdy, Coffee Angel in Dublin, IrelandÂ  The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens Impact on the Supply Chain w/ Ricardo Pereira, COO, Ally Coffee Straight Talk for Coffee Retailers w/ The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer,Â Atlanta, GA Refining your Leadership and Systems in a Crisis Shift Break: Development in a Crisis Shift Break: Grace and Hight Standards Shift Break: Keep or Throw Away Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian JNP Coffee, Burundi John King of Walkie Talkie Coffee   Remote coaching and consultation: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting  

COVID-19 Focus : Starting the Grocery / Pantry Model in your Shop w/ Ben Shellack of Penstock Coffee Roasters

Joe is back! This time for a shift break episode focused on building a coffee menu from the ground up that is tuned in to meet your customers, and their taste buds, where they are on their coffee journey.  NOW is the time to really drill down and focus on customizing your offerings for accessibility, ease of use, wider availability, and thinking through how you will set the customer up to thoroughly enjoy the roasted coffee you sell on the shelf.  In this shift break we discuss the mentality, tools, and actions needed to build a great coffee program for the people!  Links: www.list-beisler.coffee Joe on Instagram Joe on Twitter List and Beisler on Instagram   CLICK TO JOIN THE MIGHTY NETWORK!    Related episodes: 026 : What Your Roaster Wants You to Know w/ U.S. Roasting Champion Mark Michaelson 063 : What Your Roaster Wants You to Know w/ Rob Hoos Joe gives Career Advice 20 : Transparency and Origin Knowledge in the Cafe w/ Joe Marrocco   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS

Building an Accessible Coffee Menu w/ Joe Marrocco

Ah roasting coffee, many shop owners are planning what they want their business to look like in the future and how they can make it more resilient and roasters/retailers seem to have some more flexibility in what they can do in this crisis. the idea to roast coffee for yourself can seem fairly simple but there are more issues to consider than one may think. What is the case for and against roasting your own coffee and how can you make the right choice for your business? What are the key considerations to work through that determine if you will be a good roaster or a bad one? Today we get to really explore this subject and generally the art of being a great roaster with the ever insightful, Joe Marrocco! Joe is heading up the U.S. division of German based green coffee importer List and Beisler and has been an accomplished coffee professional since 2005. Joe has been a barista, a café manager, a roaster, an educator, a leader in the Barista Guild of America, and a barista competitor. Prior to List and Beisler he was the long time Sr. Sales Associate and Director of Education at Café Imports, and Educator in collaboration with Mill City Roasters and is widely considered the go-to guy in the industry for deeply useful and practical knowledge in all things roasting.  I am thrilled to have Joe back on the show to explore the subject of becoming a roaster and whether it is the right move for you to make or the worst move you could make. In typical Marrocco fashion, Joe lays out several well reasoned approaches to both sides of the issue and we leave having gained clarity and direction.  In this episode you will learn: Why you should or should not start roasting The logistical concerns behind the scenes Do you save actually money? The metric of joy and health Questions and Factors in profitability Benefits of retail before wholesale  Manual vs automation in roasting equipment Tips for being a good roaster and avoid being a bad one  Trends vs authenticity Links: www.list-beisler.coffee Joe on Instagram Joe on Twitter List and Beisler on Instagram   Related episodes: 026 : What Your Roaster Wants You to Know w/ U.S. Roasting Champion Mark Michaelson 063 : What Your Roaster Wants You to Know w/ Rob Hoos Joe gives Career Advice 20 : Transparency and Origin Knowledge in the Cafe w/ Joe Marrocco     The BEST in commercial coffee equipment www.prima-coffee.com/keys   Want the best plant based beverage for your coffee drinks?  www.pacificfoods.com/food-service    

217 : Should you Roast your own Coffee? w/ Joe Marrocco

Operations, People, and Quality. These are three areas I focus on with all of my clients. Each on contains a myriad of subjects and components that we explore in detail to bring the whole business to a higher level. Today I want to discuss a few ideas within each of these categories that I believe are critical for you to pour energy into right now so you can enter into post-COVID business better than when this all started.  I cannot stress enough how important I think this particular conversation is and I hope it helps your thrive well into the future.    Related Episodes: One-on-ones Filtered Thoughts Podcast interview about "The Future of the Coffee Shop"  http://keystotheshop.com/employeeculture/ http://keystotheshop.com/organizationalknowledge/ Changing things in the Cafe The Life Changing Power of Good Authority SOPs FTW   Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS

3 Keys to Building a Better Normal

 Walkie Talkie Coffee was founded by Lindsey and John Kind in the Summer of 2019. The result of a ton of planning, dreaming, and raising support, the shop was an immediate hit offering coffees from Heart in Portland , OR, amazing service and hospitality, and a goal to create great social and coffee experiences for their neighborhood. Not even a one year in, Walkie Talkie is now facing what is arguably our industries most challenging time. In spite of this, Lindsey, John, and crew have been handling this with grace and a positive outlook that is rooted in their mutual concern and care for one another and the people they serve.  In this conversation I sit down with John King to hear how this all unfolded, the challenges of being a first year business going through this crisis, what they have done, how they keep going, and what they see for the future.  If you are in Canton, OH definitely swing by Walkie Talkie. I hope you enjoy this conversation.    Links: Walkie Talkie Coffee Instagram All COVID-19 Focus and Relevant Episodes: On a Resilient Coffee Community Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano General Guidance on Talking with Banks and Landlords w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law Erica Escalante, The Arrow Coffeehouse Karl Purdy, Coffee Angel in Dublin, IrelandÂ  The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens Impact on the Supply Chain w/ Ricardo Pereira, COO, Ally Coffee Straight Talk for Coffee Retailers w/ The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer,Â Atlanta, GA Refining your Leadership and Systems in a Crisis Shift Break: Development in a Crisis Shift Break: Grace and Hight Standards Shift Break: Keep or Throw Away Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian JNP Coffee, Burundi   Keys to the Shop Consulting: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting chris@keystotheshop.com    

COVID-19 Focus w/ John King, Walkie Talkie Coffee, Canton, OH

Today we are hearing from Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, the Founder and President of JNP Coffee, Burundi Coffee importer and exporter in operation since 2012. Jeanine grew up in Burundi and left to pursue her education earning an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School and had a 20-plus-year international business career that helped her find her way back to Burundi and to coffee. It was at a “Cup of Excellence” competition that she recognized the potential of the exceptional coffees of Burundi. She saw the opportunity to promote these coffees in the global market as a means of helping the farmers, her people. Today JNP Coffee is known for the award-winning specialty coffees they source and the good works and leadership they provide at origin. As a licensed Q grader, she continues to advance the global specialty coffee industry. Her business model is driven by quality coffee and is based on strong producer partnerships, sharing knowledge, promoting gender equality, and supporting education in financial literacy and leadership, all to empower the farmers and their families in her native country.  Today we are talking with Jeanine about how JNP is responding to the current crisis and also how things look on the ground for the farmer she works with in Burundi.  This is a very important discussion as it give perspectives on the relationship between producers and consumers that I believe will inspire how we conduct business as retailers in the future. It's all about empathy, connection, resiliency, and working with each other to increase access to the great coffees our customers have yet to discover.    Links: JNP Coffee Burundi Friends International   All COVID-19 Focus and Relevant Episodes: On a Resilient Coffee Community Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano General Guidance on Talking with Banks and Landlords w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law Erica Escalante, The Arrow Coffeehouse Karl Purdy, Coffee Angel in Dublin, Ireland  The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens Impact on the Supply Chain w/ Ricardo Pereira, COO, Ally Coffee Straight Talk for Coffee Retailers w/ The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer, Atlanta, GA Refining your Leadership and Systems in a Crisis Shift Break: Development in a Crisis Shift Break: Grace and Hight Standards Shift Break: Keep or Throw Away Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee   Keys to the Shop Consulting: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting chris@keystotheshop.com    

COVID-19 Focus: Perspective form Burundi w/ Jeanine Niyonzima-Aroian, JNP Coffee

The way we have seen people rise to the challenge, amp up communication, take on a sense of urgency, solve problems, and create a culture that is agile and empathetic is truly inspiring. It's the stuff that defines being "In this Together".  The question is, where does this all go once the crisis has subsided? Will our urgency, connection, and togetherness fade away?  Today we will be chatting about the need to use this time to craft a future for our shops where these qualities continue in the daily work and fabric of our shops.    Batch Brew like you never thought possible: Ground Control Cyclops Brewer   Amazing grinders making great coffee easy to achieve BARATZA GRINDERS  

In this Together, but for how Long?

As we continue our focus series on the COVID-19 crisis and it's impact on specialty coffee, we get talk someone who has been leading the charge for business agility, staff/customer safety, and creating systems to support it all. Maxwell Mooney is the Owner of the award winning shop, Narrative Coffee in Everette, WA. A past guest on the show, Maxwell consistently brings a clear, level headed, and well thought through perspective to the table. What I enjoy most about Maxwell and his leadership is the integrity that drives what he does and allows him to make tough calls.  In this conversation we will be discussing, from beginning to present day, how the crisis unfolded for him and his team. Among other things we will cover: Not joining the "Cult of hustle"  Creating and executing plans  Hospitality in every context Making tough calls for safety Managing emotional impact on staff  Leading in the midst of exhaustion and hard life circumstances  Links: www.narrativecoffee.com Founder Friday: Narrative Coffee part 1 Founder Friday: Narrative Coffee Part 2   COVID-19 Focused episodes: On a Resilient Coffee Community Hope in Difficult Times w/ Kathy Turiano General Guidance on Talking with Banks and Landlords w/ Marshall Fuss, Attorney at Law Erica Escalante, The Arrow Coffeehouse Karl Purdy, Coffee Angel in Dublin, Ireland  The Future of Retail w/ Doug Stephens Impact on the Supply Chain w/ Ricardo Pereira, COO, Ally Coffee Straight Talk for Coffee Retailers w/ The Retail Doctor, Bob Phibbs Jonathan Pascual of Taproom Coffee and Beer, Atlanta, GA Refining your Leadership and Systems in a Crisis Shift Break: Development in a Crisis Shift Break: Grace and Hight Standards Shift Break: Keep or Throw Away     Keys to the Shop Consulting: www.keystotheshop.com/consulting chris@keystotheshop.com    

COVID-19 Focus w/ Maxwell Mooney, Narrative Coffee, Everette, WA

Keys to the Shop is a podcast designed to provide the coffee retail professional, with insights, inspiration, and the tools you will need to grow and advance your coffee career or coffee business. Together we learn from experts both in and outside the coffee industry as they deliver specific, practical, and actionable advice about barista work, management, leadership, personal development, and anything else that will help you achieve success.

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Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Retail Professionals

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