551: Encore: Designing the Guest Experience w/ Doctor Lisa Waxman!

551: Encore: Designing the Guest Experience w/ Doctor Lisa Waxman!

Author: Chris Deferio July 21, 2025 Duration: 53:38

Designing the experience is pretty much all we focus on. From the colors, textures, sounds, layouts - to the drinks themselves, people's experience is something that is born from design. If we want it to be a good one, we need to put in specific effort across many different areas. One of the areas today' encore episode guest focuses on is the building and space itself where guest drink their coffee and form opiniions that build our business or erode trust. 

Today we are re-airing a wonderful episode about designing the guest experince with Dr. Lisa Waxman PHD. 

Dr. Lisa Waxman, Ph.D. is an award winning professor and chair of the Interior Architecture + Design department at Florida State University. Her research includes topics related to the design of spaces that foster community, sustainable design, and design for special populations. She also serves on the board of directors for the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA).

Dr. Waxman has many scholarly and creative works to her name but we will be focused on one particular study "The Coffee Shop: Social and Physical factors Influencing Place Attachment"

She also has written the book, Designing Coffee Shops and Cafes for Community

Please enjoy this episode and make it your goal to take action on utilizing these insights in your cafe! 

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If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email 

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Running a coffee shop is about so much more than pulling great shots. It's a complex dance of craft, culture, and commerce that demands a unique kind of leadership. That's the space where Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders lives. Hosted by Chris Deferio, this podcast digs into the real, often unspoken challenges faced by owners, managers, and aspiring leaders in the specialty coffee world. Each conversation moves beyond abstract theory to deliver concrete, usable strategies you can apply directly to your operation. You'll hear from a diverse range of voices, including seasoned coffee professionals and insightful experts from other fields, all focused on the practicalities of building a thriving business. Episodes tackle the full spectrum of running a shop, from daily systems and financial health to fostering a positive team environment and developing your own skills as a leader. The aim is to provide a genuine resource for growth, whether you're looking to refine your barista program, improve your shop's profitability, or scale your vision thoughtfully. Tune in for honest discussions that equip you with more than just inspiration-they offer the tangible keys to building a better, more sustainable coffee business. This podcast understands that your passion is for coffee, but your success depends on mastering the craft of leadership.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders
Podcast Episodes
SHIFT BREAK! Refreshing the Owner's Soul [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:01
We all want to make a difference with our work. The trouble is that the busyness of a coffee shop tends to pull our attention in a million different directions and we rarely get an opportunity to see if indeed we are mak…
563: Founder Friday! w/ Jared Linzmeier of Ruby Coffee Roaster [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:43
Jared Linzmeier is the co-founder of Ruby Coffee Roasters, based in Nelsonville, Wisconsin. After getting his start in specialty coffee with Intelligentsia in Los Angeles and later working in Portland and Seattle, he ret…
562: Encore Episode! The 10 Essentials of a Barista Manual! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:09
I love getting to re-air classics. This one on barista manuals is a great one because it provide a structure for essentials that you can build on. Here is the truth though, manuals do not magically create a difference in…
SHIFT BREAK! Is That Character or Neglect? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:34
The difference between dirty, dysfunctional, or neglected, and something that is maintained but has character, is the level of intentionality given to it. In many shops, we find broken and dismal conditions that really s…
561: How to Motivate Baristas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:00
This is a question that seems to be answered by many with desperate incentives and what amounts to just brute force to get their staff to do the things they want them to do in the way they want them to do it. In many way…
SHIFT BREAK! What Customers Value and How to Deliver It [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:10
We always talk about adding value to the customer experience. In the coffee shop this is usually focused on things like the look, flavor, price, and service rendered. But I believe it goes a level deeper than that. In fa…
SHIFT BREAK! Taking the First Steps Toward Change in the Cafe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:52
So you have come to the conclusion that things need to change in your coffee shop. Maybe it is something related to systems, schedules, training, culture, or a host of other things you might want to take action on. But w…