Cat & Cloud Podcast

Cat & Cloud

Chris Baca and Jared Truby are professional Baristas and are here to introduce the world to Specialty Coffee! From placing in the finals of the United States Barista Championship multiple times, winning regional competitions, to leading training and education for some of the most progressive coffee companies around - these two have learned a ton about coffee and want to share it with you. Tune in for weekly interviews, tutorials, and general mayhem from the brothers from different mothers: Truby & Baca. Learn more at catandcloud.com

  1. 4 小時前

    On-Stage, Off-Stage: Why Owners Stand in Line (And Other Hospitality Go’s & No-Go’s) - Ep# 439

    Cat & Cloud Podcast  Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/ On-Stage, Off-Stage: Why Owners Stand in Line (And Other Hospitality Go’s & No-Go’s) – Ep #439 Summary In this episode, Jared, Chris, and Casey riff on authenticity and then dig into hospitality as “on-stage vs off-stage” work—treating a café like a live performance where everything guests see, hear, and feel (cleanliness, order, smell, noise, staff energy) shapes the experience before they even taste the coffee. They unpack “clubhousing” as a major no-go—when staff get lost in their own conversations or tasks and fail to include guests—and argue that the goal isn’t robotic service but a shared framework that helps people be more present and human. A key leadership practice is cafe/restaurant owners standing in line and experiencing the business like a guest to spot friction and keep perspective. Chris closes with his biggest hospitality deal-breakers: letting the register conversation drag while a line builds, ignoring “hovering” guests who need help, and creating perceived unavailability—because being seen and acknowledged is often the difference between a tense room and a great one. Chapters 00:00 Cold Open 05:00 On-stage vs off-stage behavior in service 08:00 First impressions: cleanliness, orderliness, and “do they care?” 17:30 Club Housing: what it is and why it’s toxic to guest experience 26:30 Loving something vs Loving it and acts of service 30:30 Leadership Habits: Witness user touch-points, and Standing in Line 36:40 Remember to Place yourself in Guest Mindset 42:40 Hot Takes and Hospitality No Goes! 46:45 Perceived unavailability + the easiest fix: acknowledge people 52:30 Strong Opinions matched with Empathy and a Growth Mindset Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscriptions Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Become a Wholesale Partner! Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first. Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them.  The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations.  Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby Produced by Casey Ryan Feb 2026

    57 分鐘
  2. 2月20日

    Specialty Coffee Ambassador: Meeting Guests Where They Are - Ep# 438

    Cat & Cloud Podcast Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/ Specialty Coffee Ambassador: Meeting Guests Where They Are - Ep# 438 EPISODE SUMMARY Chris, Jared, and Casey dig into a classic specialty coffee problem: the gap between “coffee nerd language” and what customers actually need to have a great experience. They unpack why trust and hospitality come before origin stories and point scores, and how to guide people with simple, confidence-building choices instead of overwhelm. Along the way they riff on the limits of the 80+ point mindset, why the market ultimately decides what’s valuable, and how cafés can create “stair steps” that help guests level up over time. The thesis is simple: make it welcoming, make it relatable, and help people win on their first step. CHAPTER TITLES 00:00 Cold Open: Fruit and Chocolate, and Casey on the Mic 05:00 Scrum Boards and the “Smallest Viable” Way to Improve 15:00 Sharing in Specialty Coffee: Engage and Build Trust 21:00 It’s a Party not a Club. Welcoming others into Specialty Coffee 26:00 Specialty Scores, Coffee Assessment, and What “Value” Really Means 35:00 Specialty Coffee Industry Shifts 45:00 Knowing and Responding to the Guest Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ We LOVE our Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/pages/wholesale Links – The Home of Scrum: scrum.org Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time - by Jeffrey Sutherland and J.J. Sutherland (book) Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first. Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations. Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby Produced by: Casey Ryan Feb. 2026

    57 分鐘
  3. 2月14日

    The Evolution of Leadership - From Barista to Business Owner - Ep#437

    Cat & Cloud Podcast The Evolution of Leadership: From Barista to Business Owner - Episode #437 Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/ Summary In Episode #437, Chris and Jared explore the real shift that happens when you move from barista to business owner. What once felt like fast-paced camaraderie and clear wins on bar becomes a slower, more complex game of systems, sacrifice, and long-term responsibility. They talk through the hidden cost of leadership, the tension between collaboration and independence, and why owners often see a hundred problems before they see progress. The takeaway: leadership evolves, satisfaction changes, and the key is choosing agency—building momentum on purpose instead of drifting through the role. Chapters 00:00 “Is Someone Dead?”: Walking Into a Silent Roastery Meditation 06:00 Love and Hate with Chris Baca 14:00 From Barista to Boss 20:00 The Cost of Leadership, Herb Brooks and Miracle:The Boys of ‘80 26:00 Where do you find satisfaction? 31:00 Business owners often only see what needs to be done 41:00 Agency: Stop Drifting and Choose Your Next Season Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ We LOVE our Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/pages/wholesale Links – Miracle: The Boys of '80 | Official Trailer, Netflix 2026 Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first. Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations.

    47 分鐘
  4. 2月7日

    What Matters Most When Opening a Coffee Shop - Ep #436

    What Matters Most When Opening a Coffee Shop- and Where to Spend Your Money - Episode #436 Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/ Summary Thinking about opening a coffee shop? Here’s where your money actually matters—and where it doesn’t. In this episode, Chris Baca and Jared Truby…aka Dale ;) unpack what actually matters when you’re opening (or refreshing) a café: create a real feeling of place without overspending on flashy build-out, “blow the bag” on the essentials (espresso machine, grinders, and water filtration), and don’t get distracted by optional prestige projects like roasting, direct trade, or origin travel before the core experience is dialed. They also zoom out on how café design has evolved since early third-wave homogeneity and land on a grounded definition of “sustaining excellence”: either innovate with intention or “plus the show” by obsessively maintaining the details that signal care—because culture is what people learn to accept as normal. Chapters 00:00 Monterey and Coffee 07:00 Opening a New Coffee Shop? 13:30 Business reflects the people who started it 21:00 Should I Roast Myself? 29:00 Homogeny in Coffee Shop Design 33:20 What’s Worth It vs. What’s Hype 42:00 Plus the Show Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ We LOVE our Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/pages/wholesale Links – Six Over Coffee https://www.instagram.com/sixovercoffee/?hl=en Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first. Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations.

    50 分鐘
  5. 1月31日

    Scaling Excellence Without Losing the Soul of Your Company

    Scaling Excellence Without Losing The Soul of Your Company In this episode, Jared, Chris, and Charles wrestle with the challenge of scaling excellence while protecting culture. Drawing from a recent leadership offsite, they explore why growth doesn’t dilute a company’s soul—unprotected culture does. The conversation breaks down the role of founder-led vision, repeatable systems, and strong local leadership in turning values into daily behavior, while addressing hiring, pruning, and the real costs of doing things well. At its core, this episode is about choosing intentional growth, aligning people and purpose, and doing the hard work required to scale with integrity. Chapters: 0:00 – Cold Mornings, Ramen Bars, and Pajama Parties
 5:00 – The Core Question: Can You Scale Without Losing Your Soul?
 11:30 – Scaling Culture, Not Just Stores
 15:30 – Founder-Led Vision and Intentional Obsession
 22:30 – Systems Don’t Kill Culture—Neglect Does
 29:30 – Hiring and the Cultural Fit
 36:30 – Can Excellence Be Scaled at All?
 45:00 – Growth as a Choice, Not a Requirement
 50:00 – Final Reflections: Protecting the North Star
 Links – Bici Coffee @ Rosewood Hotel https://www.rosewoodhotels.com/en/sand-hill-menlo-park/dining/bici-coffee Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ We are Cat & Cloud Coffee. Started by three friends trying to pursue their passions with the mission to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences, and we created this podcast to continue forming those connections inside and out of our cafes. The Cat & Cloud podcast was created as a space for us to share our experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week we sit down to talk about new challenges as business owners, how we utilize our mission and values to make decisions, and answer questions from our listening community. If you’re looking to expand your coffee knowledge, get some advice for your own small business, or just like the vibes, give us a listen! Enjoy!

    58 分鐘
  6. 1月24日

    Belief Beats Compliance: Getting Team Buy-in on New Systems

    In this week’s episode, Jared and Chris explore the difference between creating procedures people follow and building systems people believe in. They explore New Zealand’s coffee culture, why team buy-in matters instead of just compliance, and what happens when employees are asked to adopt systems they didn’t help create. Along the way, they discuss how strong teams embrace challenges during change — and why respected long-term employees often become the key stewards of lasting system improvement. (00:00) Coffee Culture on the other side of the Planet (05:00) Kiwi Coffee Organizations (11:25) Buy-in vs Compliance (19:25) Employee Ownership of a System They Didn’t Create (23:00) Teams Embracing Challenge During Change (34:00) Veteran Employees as System Stewards 🔗 Links – Brenè Brown - Dare to Lead (2018) https://brenebrown.com/book/dare-to-lead/ Bob Chapman - Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for you People Like Family (2015) https://www.barrywehmiller.com/bobchapman/book Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ We are Cat & Cloud Coffee. Started by three friends trying to pursue their passions with the mission to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences, and we created this podcast to continue forming those connections inside and out of our cafes. The Cat & Cloud podcast was created as a space for us to share our experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week we sit down to talk about new challenges as business owners, how we utilize our mission and values to make decisions, and answer questions from our listening community. If you’re looking to expand your coffee knowledge, get some advice for your own small business, or just like the vibes, give us a listen! Enjoy!

    40 分鐘
  7. 1月12日

    Get Away From It All – How putting things down and stepping away can help

    This week on the podcast we are chatting about what could be in the new year and ultimately touch on a few things that could go a long way to help – Getting away from it all. From things like vacations all the way to just not having your phone on you, especially during a shift behind the bar, there are a lot of things you can do to make sure your perspective is refreshed and ready for what’s next. Ultimately we are just excited about things to come. This new year has a lot of opportunities for us and we are excited to go into it with the best mindsets. Our heads are clean, clear, and under control. 🔗 Links – Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ We are Cat & Cloud Coffee. Started by three friends trying to pursue their passions with the mission to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences, and we created this podcast to continue forming those connections inside and out of our cafes. The Cat & Cloud podcast was created as a space for us to share our experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week we sit down to talk about new challenges as business owners, how we utilize our mission and values to make decisions, and answer questions from our listening community. If you’re looking to expand your coffee knowledge, get some advice for your own small business, or just like the vibes, give us a listen! Enjoy!

    44 分鐘
  8. 1月5日

    More Than One Way to Help – Different ways to assist those around you

    In this episode, we explore the collaborative spirit of the coffee industry and why we value sharing knowledge even with our peers and competitors. We discuss how adopting standards and certifications helps us evolve and allows us to better serve large-scale partners. Throughout the conversation, we reflect on the importance of community connection and the unique local culture that defines how we live out our business. We also address the challenges of "craft under pressure," focusing on how leaders can navigate financial stress and industry disruptions with resilience. We share our thoughts on the necessity of unlearning old habits to adapt to a changing environment and avoid the trap of burnout. Ultimately, we encourage you to approach your career and leadership with intentionality, balancing achievement with a sustainable focus on self-care. 🔗 Links – Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ We are Cat & Cloud Coffee. Started by three friends trying to pursue their passions with the mission to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences, and we created this podcast to continue forming those connections inside and out of our cafes. The Cat & Cloud podcast was created as a space for us to share our experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week we sit down to talk about new challenges as business owners, how we utilize our mission and values to make decisions, and answer questions from our listening community. If you’re looking to expand your coffee knowledge, get some advice for your own small business, or just like the vibes, give us a listen! Enjoy!

    51 分鐘

簡介

Chris Baca and Jared Truby are professional Baristas and are here to introduce the world to Specialty Coffee! From placing in the finals of the United States Barista Championship multiple times, winning regional competitions, to leading training and education for some of the most progressive coffee companies around - these two have learned a ton about coffee and want to share it with you. Tune in for weekly interviews, tutorials, and general mayhem from the brothers from different mothers: Truby & Baca. Learn more at catandcloud.com

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