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How Coffee Shop Owners Handle Difficult Conversations

Pulling Shots

Release Date: 10/21/2025

Are you growing or just distracted? show art Are you growing or just distracted?

Pulling Shots

This episode breaks down what actually drives growth, consistency, and profitability for coffee shop owners. If you run a cafĂŠ, this will challenge how you think about your menu and operations.

info_outline Maximize profit at your farmers market show art Maximize profit at your farmers market

Pulling Shots

Sam and Kailee talk about the 5 years experience at farmers markets, what we've learned and what would would suggest coffee shop owners do to get started.

info_outline First, Second, Third Wave Coffee Explained show art First, Second, Third Wave Coffee Explained

Pulling Shots

We break down first wave, second wave, and third wave coffee—what they actually mean, where they came from, and how each wave impacts profitability, customer behavior, and coffee shop growth. We discuss whether third wave coffee is earned or chosen, why convenience often beats values, how second wave systems scale better for most owners, and what coffee shops can learn from gas stations. Plus, a bonus debate on toothbrush etiquette. This episode is for coffee shop owners, cafĂŠ owners, and anyone opening a coffee shop who wants to build a real business—not just an identity.

info_outline Don't Make These Hiring Mistakes at Your Coffee Shop show art Don't Make These Hiring Mistakes at Your Coffee Shop

Pulling Shots

In this episode of Pulling Shots Podcast, Sam and Kailee from Friedrichs Coffee break down real-world coffee shop hiring, barista hiring mistakes, and staffing problems café owners face every day. We react to controversial coffee shop hiring hot takes including: – Hiring baristas too fast – Whether barista experience actually matters – How many candidates coffee shop owners should interview – Hiring friends and family in a small business – Why coffee shop training systems matter more than resumes – Why most staffing issues start during onboarding – Why you should never hire...

info_outline We Need to Talk About Coffee Flavor Manipulation… EP:30 show art We Need to Talk About Coffee Flavor Manipulation… EP:30

Pulling Shots

Are co-fermented and infused coffees the future of specialty… or are we going too far with flavor manipulation? đŸ¤” In this episode of Pulling Shots, Sam and Gary dive into a Coffee Intelligence article on “coffee flavour manipulation: what’s acceptable and who decides?” and break down the hot topic from farmer to cafĂŠ to consumer. We talk through the four major stages of coffee flavor manipulation: Co-fermented coffees at the farm Barrel-aged / infused green coffee at the roastery Traditional flavored coffees (hazelnut, vanilla, caramel, etc.) And finally… syrups in lattes at...

info_outline The 80/20 Rule That Will Fix Your CafĂŠ Menu show art The 80/20 Rule That Will Fix Your CafĂŠ Menu

Pulling Shots

What if 80% of your café’s profit is coming from just 20% of your menu? 👀 In this episode of Pulling Shots, Kailee and Sam sit down to talk menu simplicity and the 80/20 rule—using real sales data from their three shops to expose what actually sells, what just clutters the menu, and how a bloated menu hurts baristas, customers, and margins. We cover: Why vanilla and caramel lattes quietly crush all the “fun” drinks How many syrups and SKUs you really need Why blenders and “just one more special” can wreck your morning rush How to use the 80/20 rule to simplify your café menu...

info_outline Coffeefest Orlando Recap EP:28 show art Coffeefest Orlando Recap EP:28

Pulling Shots

Trends, Takeaways & What We’re Changing in Our Cafes In this episode we’re recapping CoffeeFest Orlando – what actually mattered for café owners, what felt overhyped, and what we’re going to do differently in our own shops because of it. We talk through: The booths & brands that stood out (hello Florida Coffee Culture + functional drinks 👀) New milks & “health” products that are cool but not always realistic for a single-location shop Why location still beats social media virality for most cafés The push toward $7 average tickets and how to do it without feeling...

info_outline Specialty Coffee Just Passed Regular Coffee—Here’s Why That Matters EP: 27 show art Specialty Coffee Just Passed Regular Coffee—Here’s Why That Matters EP: 27

Pulling Shots

Specialty coffee just hit a new high in the U.S.—46% of coffee sold is now specialty grade—and we unpack what that really means for cafĂŠs, roasters, and everyday drinkers. 

info_outline Running a Coffee Business With Family EP: 26 show art Running a Coffee Business With Family EP: 26

Pulling Shots

Family Business: The Real Talk About Working With Your Spouse, Parents & Siblings What’s it really like to run a family business? Sam and Kailee from Friedrichs Coffee share the real behind-the-scenes of mixing marriage, parenting, and ownership in a 35-year-old family-run coffee company. From boundaries to trust, leadership to legacy—this episode dives deep into what makes family-owned businesses work (and what makes them hard). 🎙 Topics Covered How Friedrichs Coffee became a multi-generation family business  Balancing marriage, parenting, and leadership at work Setting...

info_outline How Cold Brew has changed the industry EP: 25 show art How Cold Brew has changed the industry EP: 25

Pulling Shots

Gary and Sam talk there experience with cold brew over the last 9 years and how the industry has changed What you’ll learn:   Light vs. dark roast for cold brew (and why light is tricky) Nitro coffee: what it did well, why costs & ice ruined it in many shops The “all-cold” future: energy drinks, cold-foam, and whether cafĂŠs even need espresso for iced menus How to start cold brew cheaply (pitcher + filter + overnight) and how we scaled with bright tanks 

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More Episodes

🚀Upgrade you coffee game➡️https://friedrichscoffee.com/

☕️ Own a Cafe?➡️https://www.skool.com/coffee-shop-pros-7971

🗣️To be unclear is to be unkind🗣️

Owning a café means having tough conversations—late shows, bad attitudes, write-ups, and sometimes letting people go. In this Pulling Shots episode, Sam & Kailee share real stories and practical frameworks for handling difficult conversations in a coffee shop setting without killing morale.

You’ll learn:

When to address an issue vs. when to let it go 

Why “to be unclear is to be unkind” (and how to be direct)

Paper trails & write-ups that protect you and coach fairly

Gen Z vs. Millennials: giving feedback that lands

Manager first, friend second—without losing heart

Why customers forgive quickly when you fix the team

👇 Helpful links • Try our premium Origin Stories coffee subscription: https://friedrichscoffee.com/product/limited-reserve-subscription/ • Wholesale coffee for cafés: https://friedrichscoffee.com/wholesale/ • Our café app / order ahead: https://friedrichscoffee.com/order/ • Podcast on Spotify/Apple:https://podcasts.apple.com/de/podcast/pulling-shots/id1785396010