Cat & Cloud Podcast

Cat & Cloud
Cat & Cloud Podcast

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. 5D AGO

    Guest Who – Chatting with Benjamin Richardson

    This week, we hang out with Ben Richardson of Sydney’s Made of Many roastery and Brighter cafe, and get into what it really means to build culture in coffee. Ben shares how his journey started not just from wanting to roast great coffee, but from seeing a lack of genuine culture and career paths in many roasteries. He explains how focusing on real relationships and long-term commitment — rather than just chasing perfection or high scores — leads to deeper impact and a more meaningful business overall. We also touch on the philosophy behind Brighter cafe, which intentionally avoids social media marketing and instead thrives on word-of-mouth and authentic community connections. It’s a long, fun conversation, giving more perspective to who makes up the coffee industry, and how we have so much in common. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 Welcome Ben 05:04 Building a Coffee Culture: Insights from Experience 10:01 Career Progression in Coffee: Challenges and Opportunities 15:05 Intentional Roasting: Quality vs. Relationships 20:03 The Importance of Commitment: Investing in Producers 24:58 Storytelling in Coffee: Beyond Quality 29:55 The Experience of Coffee: More Than Just a Beverage 40:54 The Evolution of Coffee Roasting Technology 43:53 Brand Identity and Community Engagement in Cafes 47:14 The Power of Authentic Experiences Over Social Media 53:03 Creating a Unique Cafe Culture 01:00:39 Some bullsh!t 🔗 Links – Connect with Ben: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/benyoman_/ Made of Many Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeofmanycoffee/ Connect more with Cat & Cloud: Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud webstore: catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: chrisbaca.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've 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!

    1h 14m
  2. Source – Audience Q&A from 2025 SCA Expo

    JUN 9

    Source – Audience Q&A from 2025 SCA Expo

    This week on the podcast is part 2 of the event we hosted with Cafe Imports at the 2025 Specialty Coffee Association Expo. In this episode the audience asks the panelist questions that most impact their day to day interaction with the coffee supply chain. Covering topics like communicating the cost of coffee to guest, how roasters come to the prices they set, and how roasters can work together to ensure producers have a place to tell the amazing coffees that they grow. There is a lot to digest no matter what part of the coffee world yo come from. Again, huge thanks to all the panelists who joined us and shared their expertise—and a special shoutout to Cafe Imports for organizing the event and inviting us to be a part of it. Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Links – Connect with Cafe Imports: Website: https://www.cafeimports.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafeimports/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cafeimports2617 Connect more with Cat & Cloud: Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud webstore: catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: chrisbaca.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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’ve 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!

    1h 5m
  3. Source – A green buying panel from 2025 SCA Expo

    JUN 2

    Source – A green buying panel from 2025 SCA Expo

    This week on the podcast, we’re sharing the event we hosted with Cafe Imports at the 2025 Specialty Coffee Association Expo. The event brought together panelists from across the green buying side of the coffee industry to explore the complexities of this essential part of the supply chain. This portion of the conversation focuses on the C market, tariffs, and their impact on all aspects of the industry. Panelists share strategies like price averaging and direct trade contracts as tools for navigating a volatile market—highlighting the real-world effects on producers and roasters, from maintaining quality to managing risk and security in an unpredictable system. Huge thanks to all the panelists who joined us and shared their expertise—and a special shoutout to Cafe Imports for organizing the event and inviting us to be a part of it. Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Links – Connect with Cafe Imports: Website: https://www.cafeimports.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cafeimports/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@cafeimports2617 Connect more with Cat & Cloud: Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud webstore: catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: chrisbaca.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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’ve 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 min
4.9
out of 5
701 Ratings

About

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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