Keys To The Shop : Equipping Coffee Shop Leaders 309 : A Conversation w/ Sarah Allen and Ken Olson of Barista Magazine
Few things are as essential to the global barista community as Barista Magazine. For 16 years they have been "Serving people Serving Coffee" and advancing the knowledge, craft, and profession of the barista with every issue. Barista Magazine gives a platform and voice to the vibrant and amazing people who make amazing coffee and today we get to talk with the founders, Sarah Allen and Kenneth Olsen, All about how it started, grew, and their perspectives on the growth of the industry they have been faithfully reflecting all these years.
Sarah Allen, the editor-in-chief and co-founder of Barista Magazine, has been a driving force in the international barista movement from its outset, writing thoughtfully and compellingly about the barista craft, as well as contributing numerous stories on the subculture of baristas to multiple magazines and newspapers.
Sarah has worked in a variety of editorial positions in her 20 years of professional publishing experience, as a staff writer for The Oakland Tribune in the San Francisco Bay Area; as a staff writer for The Oregonian newspaper in Portland, Ore.; as a freelance writer for such publications as WebMD, The Los Angeles Times Magazine, and The Hollywood Reporter; and as the Editor of Fresh Cup Magazine.
She holds a Master's degree in Journalism from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Ore., and a Bachelor's degree in English from the University of California in Davis, California.
Publisher Kenneth R. Olson has more than two decades of experience working as a writer and editor for both mainstream and specialty coffee publications. Kenneth's work has appeared in a number of publications, including academic journals, Oregon Humanities, and The New York Times.
Kenneth holds a Master's degree in Communications from the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and a Bachelor's degree in History and Communications from the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington.
I am old enough to remember when Barista magazine first came out only 6 years into my own career in coffee and what an impact it made. I have known Sarah and Ken for a good portion of that time and so getting to interview them here on this show feels truly magical.
I hope you enjoy this conversation!
We cover:
- Beginning at the perfect time
- Creating and curating the first issue
- Highlighting baristas and connecting the community
- Listening as essential to serving well
- Providing tools, education and lifting up the barista
- Accessibility of information
- Global spread of barista culture
- Rise of barista in producing countries
- Providing clear learning pathways
- Why there is no "right" answer
- How owners can meet barista's needs right now
Links:
Related Episodes:
306 : A Conversation w/ 2004 U.S. Barista Champion, Bronwen Serna!
305 : Founder Friday! w/ Andrew Sinclair of MadLab Coffee, Los Angeles, CA
294 : At Origin Roasting Revolution w/ Luis Fernando, founder of Amor Perfecto!
252 : Founder Friday w/ Klaus Thompson of the Coffee Collective, Denmark
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