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!

This episode is a wide-ranging conversation about how coffee businesses support people at different stages, from new partners to experienced teams. Marc joins the show to talk about wholesale, training, and why the goal isn’t to force one “right” way of doing things, but to help partners find systems that actually work for their reality. Along the way, the conversation touches on craft, technology, and hospitality — how simplicity can be more empowering than complexity, why consistency matters more than perfection, and how good tools and thoughtful training help teams take better care of guests. At its core, the episode is about meeting people where they are and building coffee programs that balance quality, accessibility, and real-world execution. 🔗 Links – Marcs clown nightmare fule: https://catandcloud.com/pages/podcast-show-notes 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!

This week is a classic “how did we get here?” episode — starting with the pain of losing a recording, then jumping into what’s been happening in our world, from a surprise New York Times mention to a hospitality-heavy event with Mazzer at Sightglass. We talk about what makes coffee service feel special without getting stuck in inside-baseball language, and how energy, flow, and intention can shape the whole experience. From there we spiral into specialty coffee in places built for speed, using Downtown Disney as the example: expectations, wait times, identity, and why “special” has to be obvious and deliver fast if it’s going to work in high-volume environments. We close out nerding on espresso size and extraction trends — how coffee’s swung from tiny ristretto culture to modern big shots — and what all of that says about where coffee (and our own work) is headed. 🔗 Links – New York Times, 5 Podcasts to Help You Savor Coffee: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/29/arts/podcasts-coffee-cuppings-brewing.html Reuters, Nestlé explores sale of Blue Bottle Coffee: https://www.reuters.com/business/finance/nestl-explores-sale-blue-bottle-coffee-sources-say-2025-12-01/ 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!

This episode explores how company culture is shaped by the balance between craft and hospitality. We talk about what happens when standards exist without care, and when care exists without standards — and why both extremes create problems for teams and guests alike. Culture, in this sense, becomes the set of signals that tell people how to make the right call in real moments. At its core, the conversation is about clarity and support. When leaders clearly communicate what matters and back it up through consistent decisions, teams don’t have to guess whether perfection or people come first. The goal isn’t choosing one over the other, but building a culture where craft and hospitality work together to create experiences that feel both thoughtful and human. 🔗 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!

This week’s episode is all about culture — what it is, why it matters, and how it actually shows up in the day-to-day. We talk about how culture isn’t a slogan or a vibe; it’s the collection of choices, habits, and behaviors that shape how a team works together. From communication to expectations to how people support each other, culture becomes real through what consistently happens inside the business. At the core of the conversation is the idea that culture isn’t fixed. It has to be built, protected, and sometimes rebuilt. When leaders set clear examples, hold standards, and create space for honest conversation, culture becomes a tool that helps everyone thrive. When they don’t, it drifts. This episode is a look at how to be intentional about the environment you’re creating — and why that intention makes all the difference. 🔗 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!

This week we talk about what it really looks like to think ahead in a business. Instead of getting stuck reacting to today’s problems, we look at how small, intentional planning can make everything smoother — from scheduling and staffing to equipment, goals, and long-term projects. It’s about choosing direction instead of drift. The big idea is simple: forward thinking isn’t fancy. It’s noticing what keeps tripping you up, fixing it before it becomes a pattern, and giving yourself space to plan for what’s coming. When you do that consistently, the future gets a lot easier to manage. 🔗 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!

This week we dig into The Predictive Index and how tools like it can help leaders better understand the people on their team. Instead of guessing at strengths, motivations, or communication styles, PI creates a clearer picture of how someone naturally works — and how to set them up for success. We talk about why these insights matter, how they can guide hiring and coaching, and where they fit alongside culture, values, and real-world performance. At its core, this episode is about using data to support people, not define them. PI isn’t a shortcut or a replacement for good leadership; it’s a way to communicate better, set clearer expectations, and build teams that function with more empathy and alignment. When leaders combine tools like this with strong values and intentional culture, they create workplaces where people actually thrive. 🔗 Links – The Predictive Index: https://www.predictiveindex.com/ 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!

This week we’re doing something special: sharing an episode from Good Folks Doing Good Work that dives deep into branding, clarity, and the heart behind the work we do. It’s a conversation about understanding who you are, what you’re trying to say, and how the choices you make — from design to customer experience — shape the way people connect with your brand. At its core, this episode is a reminder that branding isn’t about trends or aesthetics. It’s about intention. When you know your values and you communicate them clearly, you build something people can feel. We loved this conversation, and we’re excited to pass it along because it captures the kind of thoughtful, purpose-driven creativity we believe in. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 intro 02:04 First coffee you remember 03:57 Most memorable coffee 06:03 Consistent coffees are the goat 10:20 Marketing for your audience 16:20 Approach for established vs new brand 31:12 Key things in the marketing space 48:55 What trend in coffee design should go away 01:03:26 Book Recommendations 01:07:21 Dream house followup 🔗 Links – Pomelo Coffee Consulting: Good Folks, Doing Good Work Podcast open.spotify.com/show/0BY3tPEogHxfqTenU1p4qJ?si=6730f165aa434a25 Website www.pomelocoffeeconsulting.com/ Instagram www.instagram.com/pomelocoffeeconsulting Lukes New Book www.pomelocoffeeconsulting.com/pomelo-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!

This week’s conversation starts with a late-night rabbit hole on legendary chef Marco Pierre White and turns into a deeper reflection on obsession, mastery, and meaning. We explore the fine line between excellence and excess—how far to push detail before it stops serving the guest—and what that tension looks like in coffee. It’s an episode about passion meeting perspective. From Michelin-level precision to café hospitality, we ask what really defines quality: flawless technique or the feeling it creates for people. In the end, craft only matters if it connects. 🔗 Links – Values Worksheet: https://tinyurl.com/CatandCloud 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!

This week, we dive into how defining your personal and professional values can simplify the choices you make every day. From career goals to family priorities, values act like a compass — helping you decide what to say yes to, what to let go of, and where to focus your time and energy. We explore how setting clear intentions can bring more meaning and alignment to your work, your relationships, and even how you plan for the year ahead. At its heart, this episode is about clarity and purpose. When you know what truly matters to you, decisions get easier, opportunities become clearer, and your sense of fulfillment grows. Whether you’re running a business, raising a family, or just trying to stay grounded in a busy world, leading with your values turns day-to-day choices into something intentional and deeply rewarding. 🔖 Chapters – 00:30 Chucks notebook 04:36 Core Values 14:29 Bacas core values 20:22 what to do with your core values 28:02 chucks plans 35:15 chucks current goals 🔗 Links – Values Worksheet: https://tinyurl.com/CatandCloud 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!

This week, we tackle a listener question about how important brand identity is before opening your first shop. The conversation breaks down what “brand” really means and how it’s not just logos or design, but the promise you make to your guests and how you deliver on it. We emphasize that while visuals can evolve, the essentials of flow, hospitality, and guest connection matter far more than the color of your walls or the font on your cups. Ultimately, your brand starts with your values and how they show up in the day-to-day. Great design might get people in the door, but consistency, care, and clarity in the guest experience are what keep them coming back. It’s not about chasing trends or perfect aesthetics, but rather it’s about building a space that feels intentional, functional, and true to who you are. 🔖 Chapters – 02:34 whats cooking – coferments 12:21 Listener question 20:53 Brand means more 24:08 Look around 🔗 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!

This week we reflect on what it really means to invest in your team—beyond payroll, bonuses, or budgets. From traveling for competitions to origin trips and team dinners, we talk about how creating experiences, connection, and shared memories pays dividends that can’t be measured on a spreadsheet. Investing in people isn’t just money out; it’s energy in, the kind that builds culture, loyalty, and long-term impact. At its core, this episode is about the ripple effect of care. When you show people they matter through opportunity, trust, and small moments of generosity, that energy comes back through better hospitality, stronger relationships, and a deeper sense of purpose. The real ROI isn’t just retention or performance—it’s a team that feels seen, inspired, and proud to carry the vision forward. 🔖 Chapters – 00:47 The Ritual thang 05:55 Where people go after coffee 11:09 How it was – Baca’s dream of the good ol’ days where people just talked sh!t 16:31 Investing vs. money out 29:56 The Payoff 🔗 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!

In this episode, we sit down with Sam Grant, Head of Sales for the Americas at Hemro Group — the company behind Mahlkönig, Ditting, Anfim, and Hey Café — to talk about how technology and craft coexist in modern coffee. We trace Sam’s path from retail to coffee equipment sales, exploring what he’s learned from connecting baristas, roasters, and engineers around the world. At its heart, this conversation isn’t just about grinders — it’s about growth, adaptation, and learning from people who approach coffee differently. From the rise of automation to the art of keeping things human, we unpack how technology can either replace or empower craft, and how curiosity and humility keep you evolving in an industry that never stops changing. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 Intro 01:13 Welcome Sam Grant 01:58 Sam’s journey into coffee 07:15 Settling in to the coffee industry 12:37 Crafting comprehension 15:49 Hemro Group 23:59 EK History 27:02 Grind by Weight 34:00 Preventative maintenance 41:34 Grind by sync 47:01 Automation behind the bar 59:01 Adoption of sync 1:02:17 New things 1:08:54 Bur tangent 1:07:37 Other things in the works 1:08:54 Home espresso market 1:13:25 Love for the work 🔗 Links – Hemro Group: Website: https://www.hemrogroup.com/en Mahlkönig: https://www.mahlkoenig.com/ Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: www.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 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!

This week we look back on nine years of Cat & Cloud. From our earliest days roasting out of borrowed spaces to opening our first café on Portola, we reflect on what it took to build something from nothing—loans, late nights, quirky beginnings, and the people who believed in us along the way. It’s equal parts nostalgia and gratitude, a chance to appreciate how far we’ve come while remembering the scrappy energy that got us started. At the heart of it, this conversation is about growth and evolution. What begins as direct, hands-on creativity eventually becomes leadership, systems, and scaling while still trying to keep the magic alive. We talk about the joys and challenges of balancing small, personal touches with the realities of running a larger business, and what it means to keep creating something fresh after nearly a decade. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 Street Fighter 03:06 Going back into time 05:54 Financial Foundation 07:56 Early coffees of Cat & Cloud 10:57 More early milestones 12:37 I’m just a baby 17:10 Reflections on the early team 25:41 How things grew 35:01 Commitment to what you’re doing 🔗 Links – Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: www.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 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!

Crafting A Class – Working to take our coffee education to the next level by Cat & Cloud

This week we’re hanging out with Kevin and Dulce, owners of Bevel Coffee. We get into their journey of owning a coffee company. How it came from a negative business experience that over time and hard work has grown into an opportunity that fosters life in a community. Ultimately their story shines a light on the power of connections, and what’s possible by showing up and asking questions. They are rad people doing great things! Check it out. 🔖 Chapters – 02:42 Hey Hello 04:30 The Story of Bevel coffee 30:51 Where do you find support 38:37 Considering yourself a professional 47:26 We're all in this together 54:22 being ready for what comes next 1:05:35 Connections with Honduras 1:17:55 Opening plans 1:20:39 Takeaways 🔗 Links – Bevel Coffee: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bevelcoffee/ Website https://bevelcoffee.com/ Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: www.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 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!

This week we talk about fame—how it shapes perception in both pop culture and coffee. From the awkwardness of Will Smith trying to rap again to Hacienda Esmeralda’s Geisha selling for record prices at Best of Panama, we dig into how notoriety creates visibility, drives value, and raises the ceiling for everyone. Fame isn’t always comfortable, but it opens doors. Whether it’s an actor or a coffee producer, once you’re known, you change the market around you. Instead of resenting that spotlight, the challenge is to use it as inspiration—to shine light on others and expand what gets celebrated. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 Will Smith - Hot or not 02:53 Hard to be famous 09:03 Best of Panama Auction results 10:28 The rediscovery of Gesha according to chris 11:49 What are people angry about 13:58 The issue with coffees that sell at auction 20:13 Are auction coffees really a problem? 🔗 Links – Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: www.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 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!

This week we talk about the idea of “plussing the show.” The practice of constantly reinvesting in your space so it feels alive, intentional, and cared for. From small design updates to preventative maintenance, we dig into how these choices impact not just the look of a café but also the energy of the team and the experience of every guest who walks in. At its core, the conversation is about showing your guests and team members that you’re paying attention. Cleanliness, organization, and little upgrades aren’t just details; they’re the signals that a business values quality, consistency, and care. And those signals, over time, become the real difference-maker. 🔖 Chapters – 00:09 Peet's under new ownership 04:27 Ritual’s 20 year reunion 08:21 Improving our space 11:20 Plussing the show 17:49 Lifecycle of a cafe 21:55 Plussing price tag 28:04 Key things to maintain 33:51 The power of a reach out 36:55 Baca's rant on espresso machine Cleanliness 🔗 Links – Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: www.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 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!

In this episode, we sit down with Nick Terzulli, VP of R&D at Fellow. Nick shares how his curiosity and persistence pulled him deeper into coffee culture—as a barista and a tinkerer, and eventually as the engineer behind Fellow’s iconic product, including the new Espresso Series 1. We dig into how engineering and coffee intersect, from the mysteries of burr geometry to challenges in espresso machine stability. At the heart of Nick’s story is a lesson in following passion over paycheck, learning by doing, and embracing failure as part of innovation. It’s a conversation about curiosity, persistence, and the joy of creating products that shape people’s daily coffee rituals. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 intro 02:02 Nick’s background 11:46 Where the interest came from 14:05 Early career in coffee 20:18 The move to Fellow 25:28 Grinder rabithole 38:34 Espresso Series 1 52:58 What makes things happen 01:00:28 Seeing hard work pay off 🔗 Links – Fellow: Espresso Series 1 https://fellowproducts.com/products/espresso-series-1 Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: www.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 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!

This week, we dive into why learning from others is one of the fastest ways to grow. From drawing lessons out of brands like Disney to observing how peers structure their systems, it’s about finding insights that reveal blind spots and adapting them into something true to your own vision. The real value isn’t in copying but in connecting those ideas to your own culture and goals. Whether it’s another coffee shop, a global brand, or even a friend’s workflow, growth comes from taking what resonates and making it authentically yours. 🔖 Chapters – 00:36 A.I. tools at work 07:31 Living in Santa Cruz 21:00 Learning vs being told 🔗 Links – Cat & Cloud: Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore www.catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: www.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 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!