Valor Coffee Podcast

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! This week we field a few questions, including helping one listener choose between stepping forward as a barista or making a move to roasting operations and answering another listener's question about firm "must work weekend" policies for baristas. Thanks for listening! *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* Huge thanks to our partner Third Wave Water for sponsoring this episode! TWW enhances our brews by getting our water perfect for our coffee. Use code VALOR at checkout for 10% off your purchase! https://thirdwavewater.com We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Introduction 01:14 Our new partnership with Third Wave Water 09:08 Does the importing of coffee differ depending on the location of your roastery? 13:16 Q: I have two opportunities to advance my career, which should I take? 24:28 Contrasting a secure, boring job vs a lower paying, engaging career 30:46 Q: Do you have policies that require baristas to work certain schedules? 43:55 Q: Do you have advice about implementing big changes? 51:02 The hardest part of our jobs right now, as owners 01:06:42 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Wait... 100 Episodes?! Who knew this little podcast would make it this far? This week we share stories from our first SCA Expo experience, drink the most expensive coffee we've ever purchased, and chop it up in this laid back episode. *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Introduction 04:10 Q&A: Which Valor coffee should I try first? 11:32 Is mold free coffee a thing or just a marketing pitch? 18:14 We’re tasting some high level coffee today 25:39 What our experience was like in the city of Chicago 37:32 Our first impressions & experience at the SCA Expo 41:18 Recalling some of our favorite moments 54:48 Wrapping up our recap of the weekend 01:02:33 Coffee Review: MAME Coffee Abu Lot 7 01:08:12 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We were stoked to have the opportunity to take a break from the action at SCA Expo 2024 to sit down with a true veteran of the coffee industry, Chris Deferio. Chris has 20+ years of experience in specialty coffee, ranging from working behind the bar to where he is now, consulting and podcasting through his business, Keys to the Shop. KTTS has released hundreds and hundreds of podcast episodes with many high profile guests and leaders in the industry, and Chris is a fount of knowledge. We were honored to chat for an hour about a fun topic: barista wages and how cafes can implement certain things to give their people better pay. For those of you looking for consulting for your coffee business, Chris is your guy. Hope y'all enjoy this one, we sure did! Follow all things Keys to the Shop: Website: https://keystotheshop.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keystotheshop/ Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3oo9RbKT8tXmEDsXezeKje?si=4858ad750e224836 Email Chris: chris@keystotheshop.com *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Introduction 06:21 Why today’s topic is important to us 12:59 Should owners sacrifice their income? 17:36 Be transparent with employees about what they should expect 25:56 Discussing different leadership models for cafes 35:49 How to make a smaller team more efficient, for everyone’s benefit 40:49 Discussing robotics & automation in cafes 48:06 Can a decentralized leadership model work? 55:24 How many baristas are asking for raises rather than waiting? 59:00 One on Ones with employees build trust & improves culture 01:03:41 Balancing baristas admin responsibilities 01:09:46 Taking care of your staff won’t break your business 01:13:34 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! This week we're in a different room because of roast shifting, but we still dish out some straight fire. Ethan and Ross chat about building a culture that thinks it's cool to give a crap and how that stems from owners and leadership. We're hiring in the roastery and in Dunwoody! Email us at hiring@valor.coffee for more information. We will be attending the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago and we want to meet up with you! Send us an email at info@valor.coffee with your ideas. *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Intro 01:34 How the Ground Control brewer works 05:47 How we find employees that care as much as we do 09:37 Translating core values to new hires 17:42 Train your employees with values rather than policies 21:01 How to figure out if an interviewee will truly care about their role 31:43 Build a culture of feedback & open communication 45:00 How to handle giving feedback to an employee 47:08 Culture starts with the owner and grows in the team 55:41 When was the last time we received feedback as leaders & owners? 01:01:37 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! It’s been a year since we opened the doors of our second cafe, so we do some reflecting on what we’ve learned and whether or not we’d do it all again. We're hiring in the roastery and in Dunwoody! Email us at hiring@valor.coffee for more information. We will be attending the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago and we want to meet up with you! Send us an email at info@valor.coffee with your ideas. *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Intro 02:27 April 3rd marks our Dunwoody cafe’s 1st birthday 12:22 We will be at SCA in Chicago & we want to meet you 14:53 Q&A: How did you go about picking up your first wholesale accounts? 26:11 Q!&A: How did you market your cart when you first started out? 29:58 Is it worth it to open a second cafe? 44:13 The difficulties of expanding 01:00:32 The benefits of expanding 01:13:46 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! When you're running a coffee shop or looking to start one, it's easy to look around at other companies and wonder whether they're taking a slice of a pie. Is that true? If so, should you care? How should this influence your decision making? This week we chop all this up AND MORE...well, not much more, but we do try a wild coffee from Plot and take a question about growing a coffee shop in a small town. We're hiring in the roastery and in Dunwoody! Email us at hiring@valor.coffee for more information. We will be attending the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago and we want to meet up with you! Send us an email at info@valor.coffee with your ideas. *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Intro 01:14 Today’s coffee tastes like... basil ? 03:10 We will be at SCA in Chicago & we want to meet you 06:00 Can a specialty coffee shop keep growing in a small town? 14:28 Competition - how much should you care? 26:20 Focus on being your best, rather than comparing to others 38:18 The Rude Radius - How close is too close to open a competing coffee shop? 46:18 Coffee Review: Plot Colombia Geisha White Honey 56:51 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Uh Oh! We're going in this week on our PAST SELVES, dishing out the mistakes we've made throughout our careers that we see as trouble spots for many people jumping into owning a cafe. Our reason for having this podcast in the first place is to talk about what we've learned so you can have a head start in your journey of opening a coffee business, so we hope our mistakes mentioned in this progrum can inform and guide you towards having an incredible business. We're hiring in the roastery and in Dunwoody! Email us at hiring@valor.coffee for more information. We will be attending the Specialty Coffee Expo in Chicago and we want to meet up with you! Send us an email at info@valor.coffee with your ideas. *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Intro 01:49 This coffee is crazy! Kos Rodrigo Sanchez Mojito Co-Ferment 05:07 Are co-fermented coffees cheating or creative? 10:01 Q&A: How we handle our cafes ordering coffee from our roastery 17:32 Which roasters we’d use if we didn’t roast our own coffee 20:19 Never fail again (...not guaranteed) with our top tips for new coffee shop owners 22:11 Tip #1 - Know when to fire someone 36:11 Tip #2 - Inventory Management 50:00 Tip #3 - Budgeting, Bookkeeping, & Financials 57.54 Bonus Tip #3.9 - Learn how & when to say No 01:05:20 Coffee Review: Kos Rodrigo Sanchez Mojito Co-Ferment 01:12:07 Exciting Valor news: We’re hiring at the roastery and Dunwoody! 01:12:48 We will be at SCA in Chicago and we want to meet you!

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We welcome our Director of Roasting Operations, Sam Smith, back for his third round on the progrum to discuss all things BLENDS. In our opinion, blends get more hate than they deserve, so we press into the topic and discuss why and how blends can be an awesome addition to a coffee menu, along with how we approach onboarding new blends and keeping a menu slot dialed year-round. *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Introduction and some football chatter 06:04 Welcoming Sam back to the progrum 06:58 Honey Processed coffees 08:22 Details about our box colors & why we want to expand our coffee menu 12:22 Why can’t we serve certain coffees all year? 16:15 On our seasonal blend, Swoon 22:52 Take us through the process of planning to make a blend, start to finish 28:12 Sample roasting 38:14 Dissecting the narrative that single origin coffees are better than blends 51:12 How we are brewing Swoon and what our team & guests are saying 58:39 How we keep coffees stocked year round as we grow 01:05:16 What is your favorite coffee you’ve ever roasted? 01:09:36 Shout out to Sam’s Dad 01:10:46 Conclusion

DOWNLOAD THE CAFE VIABILITY SPREADSHEET: https://mailchi.mp/valor/viability-spreadsheet Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Today we’re joined by three of our incredible baristas – Lillabea Goins, Paul Judy, and Joey Cristofanelli. Ethan converses panel-style, throwing out questions about the squad’s history in the coffee industry, the romantic and dirty parts of the job, and more. We’re blessed by the folks who work with Valor, and we think this episode really shows that! *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Introduction 02:27 Welcome to the Barista Q&A 04:45 Joey introduces himself 06:17 Paul introduces himself 08:32 Lillabea introduces herself 12:02 What’s one of the most romanticized aspects of being a barista? 19:07 Is it hard to remember all of the guests’ names? 20:34 What do you say to the haters who say you’re just in it for the tips? 27:36 What do you say to the person that says “Your job looks fun!” 32:14 How do you handle the role of being the “host of the party” rather than the guest? 37:35 What are your most favorite coffee drinks to make as baristas? 44:11 What are your least favorite coffee drinks to make as baristas? 49:10 Let’s talk about the magic of the Valor experience 53:38 If you like hosting people at your house, you may like being a barista 01:00:56 Coffee review: Tandem Ecuador Melida Alverca 01:15:46 Conclusion

DOWNLOAD THE CAFE VIABILITY SPREADSHEET: https://mailchi.mp/valor/viability-spreadsheet Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Side Track in Opelika, Alabama is one of our favorite places in the world. Period. What David Bizilia has built in this incredible place is truly unmatched by many service experiences we've seen, and it was all accomplished by one of David's core philosophies: serving his guests in a cafe format the same way he would if they walked through the door of his home. We welcome David back to the progrum for a second time to talk hospitality and service, and we gush over how awesome he is...just a little. *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00 Introduction 08:04 Side Track's Story 19:59 Lessons from the early days 26:56 How do you translate the culture of sidetrack to your employees? 35:35 Pay What You Want 40:10 Saying "No" 46:39 Raising Leaders through instilling values 53:13 The little things 57:50 Hiring regulars only

DOWNLOAD THE CAFE VIABILITY SPREADSHEET: https://mailchi.mp/valor/viability-spreadsheet Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! This week, we dive into the question so many folks jumping into this industry have: how much can I make as a coffee shop owner? We revisit our Cafe Viability Spreadsheet (linked above) and punch in some test numbers to see if it’s even possible to make a livable wage running a more-than-slow-but-not-crazy-busy cafe. Heck, we even tell you how much money we make in this one, so listen through to get those juicy details. Thanks for listening! *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00:00 Introduction 00:15:09 An update on how we’re feeling about our roles and responsibilities 00:24:51 Make sure you’re organized so you can get the best results from your time and effort 00:28:24 A Note on Owners/Managers + Tips 00:34:46 Punching Numbers in the Spreadsheet 00:39:00 Ethan and Ross talk about the coffee that (was) up for review this week 00:45:33 Completing the Cafe Viability Spreadsheet to see what a solo owner can make 00:51:21 How much coffee do we go through each week at Valor locations? 00:53:40 Let’s look at another viability scenario - A husband & wife team 00:59:23 What WE make as owners of Valor 01:03:39 There can be difficulties, but we are so grateful for what we have and what we do

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Riley fell ill this week, so Ethan and Ross sit down together and really just lay into some topics, including questions about one of our favorite books, and "business smart" things we've had to implement. Then they dive into crafting a specialty focused menu that still meets guests where they are. Thanks for listening! *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:17 What's up with different roasters having the same coffees? 00:09:00 Q&A - From your time reading Unreasonable Hospitality, what do you think impacted each of you most? 00:16:34 Q&A - What are some of the main themes of the “Old Valor” and what “Business Smart” things have we had to implement? 00:25:32 Latte Art - is it a prerequisite to become a barista? How hard is it to learn? 00:36:35 Coffee Shop Menus - What should be included, how should it be laid out? 00:43:35 Differentiating between different coffees and gauging customer expectations 00:55:07 Seasonal espresso options and the Coffee Nerd Experience (8th wave, baby!) 00:59:02 How should a menu be structured to avoid confusing guests? 01:01:15 You should have syrups! 01:05:00 Our approach to crafting a seasonal menu 01:17:30 Coffee Review: Bellwood Kenya Kamwangi 01:21:42 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We had a whole dang episode planned out, but we had so many solid questions that we decided to pivot.! We cover a few really awesome topics like: how do you know who to go into business with? What should your values be? And whenever the three of us are disagreeing on something in our company, how do we debate that? Thank you as always for submitting your questions, and keep them coming. *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00:00 Introduction 00:11:04 Q - How do you make decisions as a group and decide when to move forward? 00:23:57 Q - If you were to open a cafe with a completely different service model than the two that you have, what would you want it to be like? 00:32:12 Q - How do you know who you should go into business with, what values should align, and how long of a commitment should people be willing to make? 00:40:41 Q - What machine do you use for frozen slushy drinks? Does it work well or has it been a dud? 00:45:08 Q - What's the best method for changing grind size on espresso or other brewing devices? I don't want to go finer, but sometimes it feels like I have no choice. 00:57:50 Q - How much in line training do you do? Once an employee is quote up to speed and quote, how do you go back and reinforce? 01:05:37 Coffee Review: Little Wolf Ecuador Angamaza 01:15:33 Conclusion

DOWNLOAD THE CAFE VIABILITY SPREADSHEET: https://mailchi.mp/valor/viability-spreadsheet Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We're live just 42 minutes from Six Flags Over Georgia to answer a very common question: are coffee shops profitable? We take a look at our Cafe Viability Spreadsheet (link to download above!) and go on a hypothetical new cafe's first year. We'll be talking about the terms used, filling out the spreadsheet together, sharing insights we've learned over the years, and ultimately arrive at an answer of whether a standard-ops cafe can make a buck! Thanks for listening, y'all :P *If you purchase something through one of our links, we may be entitled to a share of the sale* We're partnered with Clive to bring you sweet deal at a discounted rate! Use Discount Code VALOR5 at checkout for 5% off Lucca and Eureka products! Shop Clive products here: https://clivecoffee.com?sca_ref=5315485.6axWuRlcEr Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00:12 Introduction 00:04:27 Why do people open coffee shops as their first business? 00:11:52 Spreadsheet and Terms Overview 00:22:52 Different size spaces and physical locations affect viability 00:31:09 This is not a profit and loss statement 00:31:41 What is “Cost of Goods Sold” + other terms 00:34:15 Talk to your accountant! 00:39:40 Let's fill in the spreadsheet 00:46:45 Rent Calculator 00:50:27 Staff and Wages Calculator 00:58:25 Paying Yourself a "Base Wage" as an Owner 00:59:59 Multiple other categories, rapid-fired for your listening pleasure (and show length) 01:06:05 Cost of Goods Sold, Transactions per Day, and Average Transaction. 01:11:34 Is this cafe profitable? 01:14:48 How would a hypothetical year two look? 01:19:50 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We welcome Valor Alpharetta's Head Coach, Lillabea Goins, back for her third round on the podcast to discuss all sorts of fun with Ethan, including the joys of feedback and failure, the power of cafe in a community, how to be a leader at Valor, and what it's like to be a woman working for three dudes. Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00:00 Intro 00:01:06 Use Discount Code BELOVED for 30% off your order of Pageturner 02:06 Welcome Lillabea. Tell us about your role at Valor and a bit about the culture here. 00:03:46 You have a book in front of you today, what is it about? 00:11:42 How do you balance the nostalgia for the original team and the people in your care now? 00:23:33 Can you describe what it’s like to be a woman in a leadership role in specialty coffee? 00:28:33 How has it been leading a team lately? 00:39:29 Lillabea and Ethan explore the differences between male and female leaders in the workplace. 00:52:11 Lillabea’s 12th takeaway from the book and how she applies it in her role. 00:59:07 Our mission is to uplift people through coffee. It starts with the team first, then extends to the guests 01:05:17 Lillabea explains how being vulnerable with guests leads to a deeper connection and better service. 01:12:33 Lillabea asks Ethan: What is your proudest moment as a leader? 01:18:16 There is so much value in serving and cultivating a personal experience. 01:21:20 Your work does not define your worth. 01:28:51 Coffee review - M&M Las Nunes from Rum Baba 01:41:50 We’re grateful to have people send/bring us coffee from all around the world. 01:44:49 Do you have any final words for the Valor Coffee Podcast Community?

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! JP is a dear friend and owner of Meadowlark, a beautiful sub-500 square foot cafe in Gainesville, GA. This is JP's second time on the progrum, and it was a joy to talk about all sorts of stuff, mainly centered around his cafe now that it's been in operation for a minute. We also touch on Thermoplan at the WLAC, drink a coffee from Noeo Coffee, and more. Thanks for listening! Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00:00 Intro 00:06:21 Thermoplan at WLAC 00:10:42 A Convo About Starbucks Criticism 00:23:47 Do You Analyze Your Numbers? 00:31:01 Being Open On Holidays 00:34:59 What's It Like Being a Trailblazer of Third Wave Coffee? 00:36:37 What's It Like Having a "Family Business"? 00:40:40 Do You "Bring Work Home"? 00:44:44 What's Harder: Working for Someone OR Calling the Shots? 00:54:15 What's It Like Carrying Soooooo Many Roasters? 00:59:48 When Did You Know You Wanted to Start a Coffee Shop? 01:01:35 What Did You Think Your Shop Would Be Like / What is it ACTUALLY Like? 01:04:12 What Would You Tell Someone Looking to Start a Coffee Shop? 01:10:13 What Would You Ask Other Cafe Owners? 01:12:57 Cross-Cafe Shift Covers 01:13:51 Coffee Review: Noeo Coffee Prelude Blend 01:23:12 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We gather around the table and talk about where we think the industry might be heading this year, including commercialized bean spritzing, low caff varietals and more. We also taste a yum coffee from Process out of Belfast and talk just a little bit about football (at the end). Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We're often contacted by folks asking us our suggested first steps in their journey towards opening a coffee shop? Our first question... "Have you ever worked in coffee before?" Ethan and Riley discuss whether it's possible/important to work as a barista before you make the jump to running your own cafe. We also take a few questions, including Linea Mini vs GS3 for home use, whether or not owner pay should be included in labor percentage, and more! Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00:00 Intro 00:05:12 Q&A: Include Owner Compensation in Labor Percentage? 00:11:10 Q&A: Where to Store Espresso Machine During Freezing Temps? 00:13:33 QA: Linea Mini w/ Brew by Weights vs GS3 AV for Home Setup? 00:19:23 Q&A: Gicleur Clogging 00:21:14 QA: Mahlkonig E80 Alternatives 00:29:22 Should You Start a Coffee Shop If You Have No Coffee Experience? 00:49:25 Coffee Review: Cultivar Colombia Santa Ana Anaerobic Natural 01:00:16 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! David LaMont has been in the coffee industry in Atlanta/the Southeast for the past 20 years, filling roles from barista, to wholesale sales, and now as the Southeast Sales Manager of La Marzocco. We talk to him about how he has built a career in coffee, discuss best machines depending on use case, and ultimately just have a dang good time. Thanks so much to David for coming on the progrum! Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777 00:00:00 Intro 00:09:29 Valor's Year in Review 00:28:05 Favorite Coffee WE Released in 2023 00:41:04Our Favorite Brew Method of 2023 00:44:07 YOUR Favorite Brew Method of 2023 00:46:44 Our Favorite Coffee of 2023 00:49:58 YOUR Favorite Coffee of 2023 00:53:01 YOUR Favorite Cafes of 2023 00:54:51 YOUR Favorite Packaging Design of 2023 00:56:46 YOUR Vote for Most Underrated Roaster of 2023 00:58:59 Coffee Review: Obadiah Fuyan China 01:10:00 Our Goals for 2024 01:13:29 Conclusion

Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! David LaMont has been in the coffee industry in Atlanta/the Southeast for the past 20 years, filling roles from barista, to wholesale sales, and now as the Southeast Sales Manager of La Marzocco. We talk to him about how he has built a career in coffee, discuss best machines depending on use case, and ultimately just have a dang good time. Thanks so much to David for coming on the progrum! Buy Valor Coffee: https://valor.coffee/shop Watch on Youtube: https://youtube.com/valorcoffee16 Want to become a Wholesale Partner? Email us at wholesale@valor.coffee to set up an account! Want us to review your coffee? Have a question you want to answer on the show? Send us an email to info@valor.coffee Follow the Valor Coffee Podcast on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valorcoffeepod Follow Valor on Instagram: http://instagram.com/valor.coffee ____ Subscribe to Riley's YouTube Channel: https://youtube.com/@rileywestbrook Follow Riley: https://instagram.com/rileywestbrook Follow Ross: https://instagram.com/rosswalters Follow Ethan's Parody Account: https://instagram.com/ethanrivers777