Valor Coffee Podcast
A podcast and video show hosted by seasoned coffee pros and Valor Coffee founders Ethan Rivers, Ross Walters and Riley Westbrook where they discuss coffee, starting and running a business, and the specialty coffee industry.
Episodes
How to Grow a Coffee Catering Business (ft. Flashquotes) – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 179
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep179A very special thank you to Justin Goodhart for joining us on the pod!A year after Justin first helped us decide whether to even try it, our catering program has grown from about 10 events a month to 38, and we brought him back to tell
How to Actually Build Core Values Your Team Will Live By – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 178
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep178A very special thank you to Chris for joining me on the pod!Why do your baristas stare at customers instead of engaging with them? Ross sits back down with Keys to the Shop founder Chris Deferio (almost 10 years into coaching coffee sho
Why We Celebrate When Great Employees Leave – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 177
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep177Tuesday POD!! Let's get it.We want our best employees to eventually quit, and we mean that. In this episode, we sit down with two former Valor baristas turned coffee shop owners and talk through why losing a great employee to their
The Biggest Divide In Specialty Coffee – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 176
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep176Why does the exact same Instagram Reel, like "don't be on your phone behind the bar" or "give guests water during a rush," get read by one barista as empowering and another as exploitative? We dig into the abunda
Answering YOUR Toughest Questions About Your Coffee Shop's Instagram – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 175
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep175How do you actually find time to post on Instagram when you're running a coffee shop? We sat down again with our social media manager Lynden to break down what's really working: time-blocking, why your logo isn't your brand,
Specialty Coffee’s Biggest Lie: Co-ferments – Valor Coffee Podcast BONUS Episode
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep174What if the thing making your coffee taste like watermelon or peach isn't fermentation at all? I sat down with my business partner Ethan, our green coffee buyer, to talk through what might be specialty coffee's biggest lie right
How to Run a Coffee Shop Instagram – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 174
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep174Lynden is the mastermind behind our social media at Valor, and this episode she finally breaks down how she does it. From posting store hours as an unpaid intern to building a brand that's pulled in 26k followers, Lynden shares what
Every Reason to NOT Start a Coffee Shop – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 173
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep173So you want to open a coffee shop? Before you sign a lease, let us try to talk you out of it, or at least make sure you know what you're actually signing up for. In this episode we play devil's advocate on our own dream job: man
How Our Coffee Cart Exploded in 2025 – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 172
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep172Joey's been running our catering operation for a year and a half and has somehow not quit. In that time we went from 3 events a month to 30, hit $239k in revenue, and learned basically everything the hard way. We're breaking dow
What Eleven Madison Park Taught Us About Running a Coffee Company – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 171
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep171We just celebrated 10 years of Valor Coffee with a trip to New York and dinner at Eleven Madison Park AKA the restaurant behind two of the most talked-about hospitality books in the industry. In this episode we break down the full exper
Is Specialty Coffee Ready for Automation? (w/ Project Zero) – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 170
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep170What happens when two specialty coffee companies from opposite sides of the world sit down to talk about the future of coffee? In this extended episode, we're joined by Kirk Pearson from Project Zero in Australia to unpack one of th
Is Automation Killing Specialty Coffee? – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 169
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep169Is automation helping specialty coffee or slowly replacing the craft that made people fall in love with it in the first place? We explore the growing trend of pre batched espresso, automated milk systems, and what these changes could me
Why Most Coffee Shops Need to Raise Their Prices– Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 168
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep168Running a coffee shop in 2026 is more complicated than just making great coffee. In this episode, we talk about the real challenges behind raising prices, understanding margins, and building a coffee business that can actually survive l
Do Toxic Guests Deserve Great Hospitality? – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 167
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep167Most people get into coffee because they love coffee, but what keeps you in it is learning how to truly care for people. In this episode, we sit down with our baristas to talk honestly about burnout, difficult guests, and what it takes
Is Going to World of Coffee Really Worth It? – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 166
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep166We just got back from World of Coffee in San Diego and honestly tried to answer a simple question: was it actually worth it? This episode is an honest breakdown of what the event is really like, from walking the show floor and testing g
Is Third Wave Coffee Cooked in 2026? – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 165
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep165What happened to third-wave coffee? Today, we unpack how the industry has shifted: from purist pour-overs and strict “rules” to flavored lattes, matcha, and a reality that most cafés are just elevated versions of Starbucks. We talk thro
How to NOT Get Screwed Signing a Coffee Shop Lease – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 164
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep164We’ve signed five commercial leases since starting Valor Coffee in 2016 – and we’ve learned (painfully) how lease terms can make or break a café. In this episode, we break down the lease language that confuses everybody (CAM/TI, gross v
The Power of Investing in your Baristas – Maker’s Cafe – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 163
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep163Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Caleb and Haley from Makers Café (Pensacola, FL) are in the studio, and we’re talking about what hap
How to Take Your Coffee Shop From 6 to 7 Figures – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 162
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep162Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!What does it actually take to take a coffee shop from six figures to seven? In this episode, we brea
3 Expensive Coffee Shop Mistakes No One Warns You About – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 161
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep161Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Your coffee shop can survive a lot, but these three mistakes will straight-up bury you if you make t
What We Learned in 2025 – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 160
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep160Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Back to back episodes? Happy Holidays. This final episode of the year is coming at you from our new
Is Coffee Becoming Just an Ingredient? – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 159
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep159Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!The podcast is BACK. This episode was recorded on a 7-hour drive through the mountains of Colombia w
Do Specialty Coffee Drive-Thrus Actually Work? – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 158
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep158Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Third-wave coffee and drive-thrus don’t usually mix, so we rolled across Atlanta to see how our frie
74 Minutes of Unfiltered Business Advice – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 157
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep157Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Join us behind the scenes of Valor Coffee's 2025 Nashville owners retreat where we get honest about
Labor Percentages for Our Coffee Shop – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 156
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep156Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Time to spill the beans on our labor costs from the first five months of 2025 – we're showing you th
How We Made Our Coffee Shops Busier: Becoming a High Volume Cafe – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 155
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep155Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Most coffee shops struggle to grow, but we share how we went from $87 pop-up days to cafés on track
Why We Love Starbucks – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 154
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep154Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!In this week's episode, the boys take a little detour to Starbucks before hitting the studio. They t
Why Your Coffee Shop Line Backs Up (And What to Do About It) – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 153
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep153Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Ethan and Ross answer the age old café question: Why is there always a line out the door at your cof
What Our Mentor Taught Us About Coffee Shops - Roy Keely – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 152
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep152Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We had the pleasure of welcoming our longtime friend and mentor, Roy Keely, to the podcast this week
Ultimate Coffee Brewing Methods Tier List (Pour Over, AeroPress, Espresso & More!) – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 151
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep151Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Which brew method reigns supreme? In this episode, we go full coffee nerd and build the ultimate cof
Budget to Baller - How to Design Your Home Coffee Setup – Valor Coffee Podcast Ep. 150
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep150Thanks 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 dove in on how we would build out a home brew setup, with three tiers of budget – $500,
Cost of Goods Sold for a Coffee Shop – Valor’s Numbers Analyzed – 07/09/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep149Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Our two cafes made a million bucks cumulatively from January to June — but where did it all go? In t
Ep. 148- How this Coffee Startup Grew Their Instagram to Over 63k Followers - Poorboy Coffee
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep148Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Brandon Sardi built Poorboy Coffee from a $500 pop-up into a brand with 63,000+ Instagram followers
The #1 Thing Holding Coffee Shop Owners Back – 06/25/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep147Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We’ve worked in coffee shops, started a coffee cart, and now run multiple cafes, a roasting operatio
How We Built Our $1 Million Coffee Shops – 06/11/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep146Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Both of our cafes are on pace to hit $1 million in revenue this year, and we believe we could do it
Second Wave vs Third Wave Coffee Shops: How To Evolve Your Cafe – 06/04/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep145Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Jacob Honescko of Filtered Coffee in McKinney, TX joined us to talk through what it’s like to take o
Why Coffee Shop Owners HATE Baristas
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep144Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We took on a spicy one this week — the complicated (and sometimes strained) relationship between caf
Why Baristas HATE Coffee Shop Owners – 05/21/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep143Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We’ve heard it all—baristas don’t trust their owners, owners feel misunderstood, and coffee shop cul
Don't Hire A Manager For Your Coffee Shop – 05/14/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep142Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We get it — you’re running your coffee shop, wearing every hat in the place, and wondering if the ne
How to Soft Launch your Coffee Shop – 05/07/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep141Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Opening a cafe soon? The first few days can make or break your first year in business. In this episo
Specialty Coffee Expo 2025 Recap ft. THE WHOLE VALOR SQUAD – 04/27/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep140Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We’re back from Houston with hearts full, minds buzzing, and feet absolutely destroyed—but it was so
The Most Impactful Trip of our Careers: Valor’s Colombia Trip – 04/16/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/landing-page?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep138Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We just got back from one of the most impactful trips in the history of our company — a
SEO for Coffee Companies | Website Changes You Need to Make Today – 04/09/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/landing-page?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep138Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We had the pleasure of sitting down again with our buddy Kent from LocalEyes, our go-to
How to Make Excellent Coffee Cocktails at Your Coffee Shop – 03/19/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/landing-page?utm_source=spotify&utm_campaign=ep137Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!We’re diving deep into the world of seasonal coffee cocktails—how to make them, why they
Q&A: Should I Buy a Turn Key Cafe, Scheduling Apps and More! – 03/20/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29BThanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!Should you buy a turnkey café? What’s the best way to schedule multiple cafés in one app? We’re tackling your coffee bu
How Many Hours per Week Do Coffee Shop Owners Work? – 02/26/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29BThanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way!How much do coffee shop owners actually work? If you’re thinking about opening a cafe, you might be wondering: Is this a
Douglas Weber of Weber Workshops – 02/19/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! I (Riley) was stoked to sit down with Douglas Weber, the mastermind behind Weber Workshops, a brand known for designin
Coffee Prices Just Hit Record Highs Here’s What You Need to Know – 02/12/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B 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 joined by Lucas Cuadros (Unblended Coffee) and Ricardo Pereira (Purity Coffee, Age of Coffee) to break it all do
Everything Wrong with Your Business is Your Fault – 02/05/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we dive deep into the concept of extreme ownership and how it can completely change the way you lead
This Coffee Cart Business Booked Over 3,000 Events in 2024 – 01/29/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! 🔗 Check out Flash Quotes here: https://flashquotes.com/valor Booking over 3,000 coffee catering events in 2024 sounds
Software We Use To Run a Coffee Company – 01/15/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we dive into the nitty-gritty of running a coffee business by breaking down the software and tools w
Essential Barista Tools for Your Coffee Shop – 01/08/2025
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we dive into essential barista tools for coffee shop owners and enthusiasts. From must-have milk pit
Conical vs Flat Burr Grinders for Coffee Shops – 12/18/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we dive deep into the great debate: conical vs. flat burr grinders. We share our experiences with di
Don’t Start a Coffee Shop, Grow a Coffee Catering Business Instead – 12/11/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We’ve all dreamed of starting a cafe, but what if we told you that growing a coffee catering business could be a smar
The Most Overlooked Aspect of Specialty Coffee: Water – 11/19/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we sit down with Taylor and Charles from Third Wave Water to dive deep into one of the most overlook
We Tier Listed Every Coffee Drink – 11/20/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this oh-so-serious episode, we take on the ultimate challenge: tier-ranking every coffee drink we could think of!
Designing a Cafe When You Can’t Afford an Interior Designer – 11/13/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Opening a coffee shop likely means sacrificing the option of working with an interior designer. In this episode, we s
Q&A: Competition in Coffee, Steps to Opening a Coffee Shop And More – 11/06/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we break down the complex dynamics of growing a coffee business, from securing funding for a new caf
We Threw Out Our Core Values... – 10/30/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! We just had a big moment at Valor Coffee: we changed our core values! In this episode, we talk about how and why we w
Q&A with Valor’s Cafe GM – 10/23/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we sit down with Savannah Grace Lyle (aka Savvi), Valor's GM in Dunwoody, for a Q&A filled with
Three Changes That Will Take Your Mobile Coffee Cart to New Heights – 10/16/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! This ep we dive into carts, sharing lessons learned from years of catering experience. From undercharging and overcha
The Story of Valor Part 3: Opening Our Cafes and Roastery – 10/02/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we dive into the third and final part of the story behind Valor. Join us as we discuss opening our f
The Story of Valor Part 2: Booking Events, Permanent Pop-up, Going Full Time – 09/25/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, we dive into some of our most memorable early events, like surprising the Church of Scientology with
The Story of Valor Part 1: Creation, Kickstarter, Cart Buildout – 09/11/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode of the Valor Podcast, we dive into Part 1 of The Story of Valor, where it all began. From friendships
Introducing Our Online Platform, The Valor Coffee Community – 08/28/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! When we started our company, we'd often be faced with problems we'd just have to figure out ourselves, mainly because
Splurge on These Things When Building Out Your Coffee Shop – 08/21/2024
JOIN THE VALOR COFFEE COMMUNITY – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://community.valor.coffee/invitation?code=E3A29B Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! In this episode, Riley and Ethan dive into a crucial topic for anyone looking to open or improve their coffee shop: t
Q&A – How Much Are Coffee Shops WORTH …and More! – 08/07/2024
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! In this episode, we dive into the nitty-gritty of evaluating a coffee shop acquisition, discussing
Opening a Coffee Shop for Less Than $100k – 08/01/2024
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! In this episode, we dive deep with Elijah Knapp, a seasoned coffee professional, former Valor Pit C
Keeping Veteran Baristas Invested – 07/24/2024
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! In this episode, we delve into the heart of staying passionate and committed as a veteran barista.
Consistency is Everything – 07/17/2024
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, it’s just Riley and Ethan diving deeper into our service philosophies. We explore the cr
Three Service Philosophies That Built Our Business – 07/10/2024
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! In this episode, we dive into the service philosophies that have shaped our company, discussing how
What Does It Even Mean To Break Even? – 06/28/2024
Sign Up for Alerts About Our Community (coming soon) – Courses, Exclusive Videos, PDFs, Spreadsheets and more: https://mailchi.mp/018d9c38a953/valorcafecommunity DOWNLOAD THE CAFE VIABILITY SPREADSHEET: https://mailchi.mp/valor/viability-spreadsheet Thanks for listening, following/subscribing, giving us a good review, and sharing with your friends on social media. It goes a long way! Ever wonde
Running a Business As a Parent – 06/21/2024
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 we started Valor, we had all the hours in the world to put towards building our business, but
Why Your Coffee Shop SHOULD Start Roasting – 06/12/2024
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! The boys sit down and have a continuation of last episode's topic of why you shouldn't start a coff
Why Your Coffee Shop SHOULD NOT Start Roasting – 06/05/2024
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 Riley and Ross chop up something we here from sooooo many wholesale partners: "Yeah, we'l
Cat & Cloud x Valor Coffee: Burn Out, Human Dignity, Tacos & Dunking – 05/28/2024
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 credit a lot of our success to the Cat and Cloud Podcast, where we learned so many things about
This Episode Has No Topic – 05/22/2024
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! Well...Ross sat down with Jared Truby for this week's planned episode and was met with technical is
Tips to Prevent Employee Turnover at Your Coffee Shop – 05/15/2024
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 episode is a continuation of our previous episodes of the epidemic of high turnover within the
Why Coffee Shops Have Terrible Turnover – 05/08/2024
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! The coffee industry is one of notoriously heavy turnover, something we've experienced at our busine
Q&A: Barista vs Roasting Job + Should Baristas Have to Work Weekends? – 05/01/2024
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
