Don't do anything drastic, being slow at this time of year could be perfectly normal. Let's talk about some of the reasons why I noticed my coffee stand was slow.

After your employee has been let go how do you manage the staff and customer left behind? Especially if these employees or customers have become friends and fans of the person who is no longer there? What can you tell employees after someone is fired? What can you not tell them? Drew Pond from Stone Creek Coffee isn't a lawyer but he does have some incredible advice for all of us.

After you come to the conclusing that an employee must be let go, here are some steps to take to ensure you maintain the best relationship with them as possible. Huge thanks to Drew Pond from Stone Creek Coffee in Milwaukee Wisconsin for sharing his advice on the subject.

The topic of letting someone go is very hard in a small business or retail environment. Hopefully you can mend the relationship and help your employees find the best fit possible within the company. Before deciding to fire that employee or friend, here are some practical steps for unlocking their potential.

GordieBufton.com joins us to share his own insights from years in hospitality.

Gordie (GordieBufton.com) used to valet expensive cars and had to make his customers feel safe instantly. Here he is to share examples to help us all do better at the drop of a hat.

This is an interview with a real Portland Oregon family that has spent the last 2 years selling their three cafes and trading them for a life on the road in a 21 foot RV criss-crossing the United States and visiting cafes. Living the DREAM! Here they share about why they wanted to do this, some of their favorite places, the upsides and draw backs, and what a 'typical day' looks like for these RV cruisers. After listening to this interview if you're excited by what they are doing I suggest you check out their website (www.DonNiemyer.com), then watch the documentary Tiny House.

As always you can reach me on Twitter @Boyrista or at the homestead: www.Boyrista.com

Surround yourself with experts, but make sure they don't tilt your vision too far. Remember, its you who has to visit that cafe over and over again, not them. Listen to advice, but also listen to your gut.

David Donde is on the quest for the perfect coffee while mainting an authentic and generous livestyle. Inspirational interview from someone who lives every moment.

From helping his mom close two businesses, to saving a coffee stand by purchasing it in 2010 and selling it in 2012 - Levi has learned first hand what it means to be an owner. Here Levi shares why he works so hard to help business owners make great drinks and build their profits.

Recently I was bummed out about missing a test, I've been working hard at several projects. It's perfectly fine to realize you're tired, but don't let that stop you.

One way to connect with customers and grow your business that many owners overlook. Yet it is another way to standout from the crowd and get attention. If you have a great landmark you will even be able to leverage social media as customers take pictures outside your cafe. These could be customers who don't even 'Like' or 'Follow' your company on social media. Think of the oportunities, now get out there and do something!

I am a big fan of employing reliable systems, but sometimes you need to take a look at what you are doing and find a better way. This episode is your inspiration. More info at www.AudioCafePodcast.com/28

For full show notes visit www.AudioCafePodcast.com/27 or wwwBoyrista.com

My challenges to you:

• Be proud of all the tasks you do, even if its cleaning a bathroom. You are serving as a member of the team to make the cafe better at serving more people. If you aren’t willing to help the team (even if that is cleaning a bathroom), then you aren’t cut out to be working in my cafe in any role. If you complain about anything seen under the Twitter hashtag #BaristaProblems you should re-evaluate if you’re cut out to be working with coffee or in customer service at all.
• Be proud of how you do what you do. The protocol may be to set up cups a certain way, and you think it should be some other way. First perfect the way your management wants you to do it, then figure out a better way, practice it, and show it to your boss. Anyone can complain, but a valuable team member makes an improvement and change to the system.
• Be proud of what you sell and who you partner with. Someone out there loves what you’re selling. Don’t complain to customers about what you don’t like. Know the stories of the people who bring your products.
• Be proud of your competitors. Do you recognize how your competitors are pushing you to do a better job?
• Be proud of your customers. Respect and care for them before they aren’t yours anymore.
• Celebrate with your peers. Take the time to recognize what your co-works, partnering companies, and everyone in the industry is doing to make our industry better.

Introduction to cold brew coffee and how to make it on tap!

I appreciate Laila's honesty and sharing her mistakes as a younger barista. It takes determination to win the United States Barista Championship but it also takes humility to admit you wish you had trained someone a different way. Many lessons and takeways from a very successful and respected barista. More at www.AudioCafePodcast.com/24

Jack from Dead Rabit (www.DeadRabbitNYC.com) really inspired me to share what he did with his menu. Of course a cafe and cocktail menu are different, but you'll be inspired to hear what he and others are up to.

Also, thanks to Ken Burgin from Profitable Hospitality for having me as a guest on episode 89 (http://ht.ly/zmxx4)

If you're like me you like to eat food and drink coffee. Do you expect to wait longer for one item over the other? Should somone warn you how long a wait is? Let's discuss.

How nice do you dress for work? This episode is in a direct response to under-dressed baristas. You know the kind, the kind who look like they just rolled out of bed. Here are some lessons I learned the hard way so you don't have to. Short, sweet, and helpful.

Share your thoughts vie twitter @Boyrista, or in the comments on www.AudioCafePodcast.com/21

We get too familiar with our own shops and ignore the imperfections like smudges on the wall or a squeaky door. But how often to we look outside of our own business and to our competition for inspiration?

For a full list of the challenges visit http://boyrista.com/2014/06/07/competition/

Just like hand writing a letter, an email, over the phone, or face to face conversations all have different tones and way to convey a message - so do different social media sites! It it time to talk about what tone of voice you should have on Twitter vs Facebook. Did you know this is important? Did you also know this is a HUGE opportunity for you?

To everyone out there who has a dream to one day own a coffeehouse I give you this small piece of advice: start small.

Here are my favorite quotes from talking with Scott:

"The biggest thing is what you do outside of work." Don't force your way into a new position, rather  "Nobody becomes a rockstar by trying to be a rockstar" you need to instead be a person of value.

"Coffee beginning to end is just community"

"Coffee is wine of the morning. Its not the thing that gets me caffeinated and jacked up for the day, it does get me firing on all cylinders but at the end of the day its mainly just that delicious thing that you get to drink and enjoy the profile and taste of it. And that's the most important thing to me."

My personal challenge to you:

"Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean" - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

If you listened to the interview you heard at the 38 minute mark I gave a big compliment to Scott about being at my shop and how he provided me value and didn't treat me like I had to buy from him. How do you view every relationship in your business? From your baristas to your milkman? Is there something you can learn from Scott's example of helping me learn a little more about espresso, rather than telling me all the reasons why I should buy Caffe Vita? Come to think of it, I don't remember him making a hard sales line about why I need to buy his coffee and immediately switch.

Start by adding value after hours, if you want to roast coffee, what does your current roaster/barista/manager/owner need help with or not love to do?

For a transcript and PDF file of the content we covered visit www.AudioCafePodcast.com/16

Thank you to Todd Janes fro the intro music (Free Drip Friday's), and to @MenasheDIsrael from @JungleFires for the outro music.

Audio Cafe podcast is the brainchild of Levi Andersen, from Boyrista.com. Levi has been making coffee since he came to career-day and made a latte for his teacher. Levi owned and later sold a drive-thru in Maple Valley, WA. Levi serves DaVinci Gourmet, Big Train, and Oregon Chai as their Beverage Product Specialist.

Jordan was kind enough to join me and share two kettles of tea and share his experience and also concerns or thoughts about tea vs coffee. Consider this a tea 101, or two pals sharing conversation.

There are some things we don't think about in our business, but we notice when they are missing or have changed. Lids on drinks are one of those odd necessities. But did you know there were more than just one type of lid? Its worth considering and that is what this episode is all about, cheers! More at www.AudioCafePodcast.com/14

Full show notes at www.AudioCafePodcast.com/13
Please visit and share your thoughts and your journey through coffee. What would you add to Jonathon (or my) advice?

When someone tells me "What my customers want may not be what I want at the moment" I know they are tuning into their business. Look at the next thing Christian said, "We're teaching our customers how to drink light roasted coffee a little bit at a time" this shows me he realizes there is a timeline needed to get t oa goal. This episode we chat about getting your whole team of staff (baristas, roasters, importers, ect) aligned together and communicating one single message to your customers.

"Its amazing how much you learn in just a year's worth of just opening doors and experiences. The more you just pideon hold yourself in the corner the less opportunity you give yourself to learn. The more you're willing to give and say 'let me re-think that' you open another door."

What do Oprah, Bono, Oregon, Dave's Killer Bread and the Himalayas all have in common? Well not a lot, but we talk about them in todays episode! The next 50 minutes are a one-on-one interview with the founder of Oregon Chai. Please sit back, brew a big mug of chai-tea (black tea, cinnamon, ginger, honey, clove = nirvana), and relax.

Who owned the first drive-thru coffee stand? It may have been Terry. Who invented the bottomless portafilter? It may have been his team. Certainly he gave it the push from a modification process to production, now bottomless partafilters are standard in third-wave cafes. This is a spotlight on Terry and where he's been.

I just met up with Christian Ott, the Director of Coffee, Coffee Education, and Green Buyer @StoneCreekCoffee. Wow, what a title. We were talking about the problems of getting information from the corporate headquarters all the way to a barista or customer. This episode is a little sneak peak into the interview we had today that will come out in a few months. Enjoy.

First of all, this episode has the best ending to any podcast I've ever heard (#NotBragginJustSayin). What I like best about this episode is how Jason found a need and used technology to bridge a gap between producers and consumers. I love talking to people who are innovative and change the world.

This episode is about Tracy Allen and what he has seen happening in the Specialty Coffee Industry over the past 25 years. Did you know he was there during the beginning of the United States Barista Championship competitions? Tracy shares experiences like that and tells us what its like living as a certified Super Taster.

How do you enter an existing coffeehouse and change the culture of customer service? What if your manager doesn't see customer service as a high priority? What would you do if you became manager and had to let go the lead barista? Hard questions.

In this episode we will talk about customers like: the guy in the bad mood, the talker or anti-talker, the regular vs the first timer, the coffee geek or professional, the wifi camper, the sleeper, the bathroom with no purchase, the ghetto latte orderer, and the high maintenance customer. It is only a matter of time before these customers find you and your shop, how are you preparing to best serve them? Please share with us your thoughts at www.AudioCafePodcast.com/5

Who's job is it to make sure a barista (or any employee for that matter) is treating their customers the right way? Is it the duty of the business owner, manager, HR team, co-workers, or the solely the employee's job? I submit to you it is all of the above. This two-part episode we will dive headfirst into some practical situations and give you (or your staff) some great pointers from someone who lives off of tips.

Talking about water filtration/quality with @ColeCoffee. Cole McBride is a Coffee Professional & Representative of Speciality Coffee. He is the Director of Education at @VisionsEspresso, started the Northwest Latte Art League (@NWLAL) and serves on the @BaristaGuild Executive Council. Impressive resume if you ask me! He must know a lot about water quality.

Hanging out at a beautiful summer day in downtown Seattle and talking to @ConduitCoffee roasters. They’re a two man company (Jesse Nelson and John Liberty) who bike all their roasted beans to your door (if you’re in Seattle). Listen in as we chat like old friends at a high school reunion. Topics covered: hurdles to jump over when opening a roaster, mixing business with friendship, sourcing coffee, and hustling.

This exact episode is my journey with coffee and where it has taken me. Want to see a picture of me at age 6 making coffee for career day? go to www.Boyrista.com. After recording it I realized how many great stories I have that I didn't make time to tell. Are you looking to get into coffee? Are you trying to turn your barista job into a career? Maybe this episode will inspire you.