I spent 1.5 years over 23 podcast episodes talking about what we did at Cafe Chocolat and how we did it. Meanwhile the 800 pound gorilla was sitting right next to me staring at me — Cafe Chocolat had been shut down. I wasn’t podcasting about a wildly successful shop, or some chain that I grew and sold off. For all intents and purposes it was a failed business — regardless of how and why. But here’s the reality — most businesses fail. Yours will probably, as well. In this BONUS podcast episode I revisit the last days of Cafe Chocolat, and what shutting down a coffee shop I loved meant to me (and still does). RistrettoTime.com
I have been thinking about doing this interview for months! Ryan and Jamie are the founders of The Nest Family Cafe in Londonderry, NH. They -- just like me -- started without having any coffee or ...
I have gotten a few emails with listeners asking what books I recommend. I email each person individually, but decided it would be more beneficial if I just record a Bonus episode. I broke the list in...
In this episode, I talk a bit about POSes, but spend a good amount of time talking about various aspects of working with cash and how to protect your business or coffee shop from scammers. I share som...
In this episode I share a personal story of a childhood book/character that I always think of when I run into something that looks hard and scary, and how I use that to dive in the many directions my...
Yes, FREE Wifi is nice, it’s convenient, it’s fun, but it’s not a right. Should you offer it at your coffee shop? Should you not? Let’s discuss! Ristretto Time: Starting and Running Your Coffee Shop b...
In this Episode I talk about the importance of treating customers like patrons first, and friends second. Just because they’ve been coming to your shop for years, it doesn’t mean you can take libertie...
In this episode I talk about the 3 attributes that make for an outstanding barista. At Cafe Chocolat, I only spent about 5 min interviewing each candidate. I didn’t need more time, because I was not i...
In this episode I talk about how to hire the right employees. What to be aware of. I share the hiring process we had at Cafe Chocolat. Also, things you can do to develop your staff. http://www.ristret...