Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders

Knowledge about coffee is one thing, but wisdom and true expertise? Well, that is quite another. While knowledge is widely and cheaply available and true wisdom and expertise that makes a business effective is only attained after living and experiencing the realities of the coffee industry over time. 

The difference is important because it means the difference between effective operations and solutions and just guessing. Coffee and coffee people deserve better.

Today we are talking with a man who has lived enough coffee experiences for a few lifetimes and applies his hard earned insights to clients globally.

I am honored to be talking with the one and only John Gordon of Silverback Coffee Solutions!

John Gordon is an industry-leading coffee professional with almost three decades of experience spanning every facet of the global specialty coffee sector. He currently serves as the Director of Silverback Coffee Solutions, providing comprehensive coffee business consulting, project management, equipment design and development, roastery technical services and roaster training.

A distinguished competitor and coach, John is a three-time UK Barista Champion (2010, 2011, 2013) and 2009 UK Latte Art Champion and the 2018 New Zealand Barista Champion. He has reached the finals of the World Championships multiple times ( 2009 WLAC 6th, 2011 WBC 6th, 2013 WBC 10th, 2018 WBC 6th ) and has coached highly successful competitors, including 2015 World Barista Champion Sasa Sestic and 2019 New Zealand Champion Dove Chen.

Beyond the competition stage, John brings extensive technical expertise as a roaster technician and research and development specialist. His background includes serving as Production & Innovation Manager at Coca-Cola Amatil NZ and Operations Manager at Square Mile Coffee Roasters in London. He has held significant R&D consulting roles for major equipment manufacturers, including Sanremo Coffee Machines and Heylo/Carimali, where he managed engineering teams, directed 3D and mechanical design, built prototypes, and implemented Lean manufacturing principles.

With a unique blend of high-level coffee experience, architectural and mechanical 3D design skills, and deep knowledge of roastery operations from green bean importing to production equipment installation, John continues to shape the future of coffee equipment and roastery workflows worldwide.

Today we discuss:
How Johns Curiosity and Technical Exploration Shaped His Career
Innovations in Coffee Technology over the Years
The Importance of Technical Knowledge
John's Take on Balancing Taste and Technology
Why We Should be Building Institutional Knowledge in Coffee
Understanding Roaster Maintenance and Operations
Enhancing Roastery Efficiency through Lean Practices
How John Uses Time and Motion Studies for Improvement
John Reflects of the Future of Coffee Roasting and Industry Trends 
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 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]
of book a free call now: 
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min 
 
Related episodes: 
RoR # 22 : Master Insights on Roaster Maintenance and Care w/ Doug Graf, Vintage Coffee
RoR Live! #9 : Roasting Innovation and Consistency w/ Scott Rao
478: Building Efficiencies Into Your Roastery w/ Scott Stouffer of Probat Coffee

Employee turnover in specialty coffee shops is the most talked about and difficult issue deal with, it has been for a long time. There are many causes for high turnover and sadly owners and managers frequently try to lower turnover with methods that are not effective. This is mostly because the cause specific to your shop has not yet been identified.
On today's episode we are going to explore seven different reasons why you might be experiencing high turnover and what you can do to address each of those areas.
It's important that we are very curious and pursue understanding about the root causes of issues that come up in our coffee shops because a good solution applied to the wrong problem will not prove effective. It's my hope that this episode helps you get a handle on turnover in the café and is another step toward you. building a coffee shop that Has a thriving people first culture than keeps the best people on as long as possible 
We discuss:
Pay
Culture Issues
Clarity
Progressing  
Leadership 
Normal Life
Business limitations 
 
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 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]
of book a free call now: 
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min 
 
Related episodes: 
244 : Top 10 Ways to Lose Employees
179 : What you MUST Know About Employee Culture w/ Stan Slap
067 : 6 Truths About Power : The Responsible Approach to Power Dynamics in the Cafe
Bridging the Values -Actions Gap

Leadership and management are things we talk a lot about, but what does it take to actually make them a real process in the cafe? Most of what is in a job description is either unreasonable and poorly though through, or it is good but there is no real commitment from owners to see that it takes place.

Today on Shift Break we will be talking about how we can we make it more than an aspiration and take action to give clarity and apply, and support others we delegate into leadership.
 
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 
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min 
 
Related Episodes: 



SHIFT BREAK! Don't Overwhelm Your Managers
How Should Managers be Appraising Staff?
141 : The 27 Challenges Managers Face w/ Bruce Tulgan
SHIFT BREAK! How Does Your Staff Know They Are Doing a Good Job?
 
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 an excellent cafe experience is a work of commitment and dedication to caring for both the staff and the community that you serve. The coffee shop functions as a cornerstone of a healthy social structure in any city and advocating for it needs to sometimes go beyond the operations of the shop itself but extend into action taken to change the civil environment a cafe operates in. 
Today I am very pleased to welcome to the show, Co-Founder of Kaffeine in London, UK, Peter Dore-Smith
Kaffeine is an award winning coffee shop business with 2 locations in London, UK whose stated aim is to be the one of the best coffee shops in the UK through tireless attention to every detail in quality and service. Peter Dore-Smith (originally from Melbourne) has been owner operator of the Kaffeine since its founding it in 2009. It stands today as a foundational cafe in the London coffee scene being one of the first to introduce customers to Aussie style coffee. 
Today with two stores, Kaffiene is focused more than ever on the constant pursuit of excellence in the details and especially on making the work of the bar and the experience customers have, something transformative and beneficial to each persons life. 
Recently Peter has been active in campaigning to lower VAT in the UK as the tax rate in harming coffee shops, pubs, and other shops similar.
This is the activism born from a desire to create better conditions to sustain the great difference coffee shops make in communities. 
We cover: 
The Genesis of Caffeine and Coffee Culture
Planning and Opening Caffeine
Challenges in the Early Days
Systems and Processes for Success
Maintaining Quality and Brand Identity
The Importance of Attention to Detail
Navigating Trends and Staying Relevant
Challenges Facing Small Coffee Businesses
Grassroots Advocacy for Coffee Shops
The Business of Coffee: Balancing Passion and Profit
Links: 
Change.Org Petition to Lower VAT
https://www.instagram.com/indycoffeeguide/
Kaffeine on IG: @kaffeinelondon 
 
 
KEYS TO THE SHOP ALSO OFFERS 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]
of book a free call now: 
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min 
 
Related episodes: 
The Power of Questions and Connecting with Community
352: Music, Culture, and Coffee w/ Hip Hop Artist, Propaganda
Four Steps to Inspiring Your Staff
563: Founder Friday! w/ Jared Linzmeier of Ruby Coffee Roaster

I can hold an average weight business card in the furrow of my brow. Kinda proud of that. However in my career my natural resting face has inspired a lot of "interesting" assumptions.
Now, to some degree, there is a limit to what I can do, but in my work I want to make sure that what I want to communicate and display is actually clearly seen and felt. 

Today on Shift Break we will not just discuss my face, but we will discuss the importance of optics in the cafe and how each professional who desires to show hospitality should be open to adjusting how they present themselves in order to, like our friend Tom Henschel say on his podcast, be perceived in the work place the way we want to be perceived.
 
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]
of book a free call now: 
https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min 
 
Related Episodes: 
 
SHIFT BREAK: Are You Open?
 



SHIFT BREAK! The Trend of Backwards Hospitality
 
SHIFT BREAK! Why The Best Hospitality Starts With The Transactional!