Cat & Cloud Podcast

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!

This week, Chuck and I dig into the recent Philz Coffee sale. We break down how venture capital and private equity deals actually work, why common stockholders often walk away with nothing, and the difference between preferred and common shares. We talk about how control shifts once big investors enter the picture, the influence of a board, and how decision-making can drift from a company’s original vision. We also explore the missed opportunity for Philz to take care of employees who invested their own money, even without a legal requirement to do so. From coffee companies as “brand pieces” for investment firms, to the challenges of scaling retail, we compare this sale to deals like Blue Bottle’s. It’s a conversation about money, ownership, and the choices that shape a company’s legacy. 🔖 Chapters – 01:07 Philz Sale 05:06 Common equity overview 10:50 Fluffy words 12:11 The start of philz 14:09 what is venture capital actually getting from cafe purchases 18:38 Philz sale vs Blue Bottle 22:25 Who's getting what and who should have 26:47 ​​Takeaways from this sale 🔗 Links – KQED Philz Article: https://www.kqed.org/news/12051278/no-layoffs-in-philz-coffee-sale-but-stock-owning-former-employees-will-lose-out SF Standard Article: https://sfstandard.com/2025/08/01/philz-coffee-sale-private-equity/ 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!

We cover a lot of ground in this episode — from mentorship and leadership growth to why having a group around you can be so helpful for personal and professional development. There’s also some fun in the mix, like breaking down the NBA salary cap and what it tells us about building sustainable teams, whether in sports or in business. We also rant a bit about mobile ordering and what it’s doing to the coffee experience. And we dream big — talking about storytelling, making documentaries, and chasing the kind of ideas that don’t always make sense on paper, but just feel right. 🔖 Chapters – 03:30 EO vs Vistage 13:49 Chucks insights on the NBA Salary cap 22:50 Chucks rant on mobile ordering 31:08 Bacas documentary idea 36:00 Jared going to honduras 🔗 Links – Entrepreneurs' Organization: Website www.eonetwork.org 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 episode’s more like a stream of consciousness as we go through all the open tabs in our brain than a polished takeaway. We talk about experimenting with roast curves, the balance between juicy acidity and sweetness, and the challenge of making something expressive yet approachable. We touch on espresso ratios, brewing methods, and how taste perception can be wildly different depending on so many variables. We round out the conversation by getting into the Best Friends Club — our hope to expand it beyond our walls without being the gatekeepers. It’s an exciting open tab for us, and we’re dreaming big. Casual Friday energy all the way. We’re tired, inspired, and figuring it out in real time. 🔖 Chapters – 01:16 Visiting mahlköenig in Seattle 04:30 Coffee development 10:45 Coffee for you 21:35 Current events at Cat & Cloud 28:26 The Best Friends Club expansion with Honduras 🔗 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 episode is a full-on field trip as we recap our visit to the Big Face Coffee pop-up in San Francisco. The coffee was solid, the energy was high, and the whole experience sparked a bigger conversation about the promise a brand makes, pop-ups, and the fine line between vibes and substance — and what it really means to create something that’s truly connected to people, not just putting on a show. We touch on what makes a brand experience feel consistent, and how the message you tell in one place has to hold up everywhere else. We talk about where Big Face nailed it, where it felt a little thin, and what it takes to really deliver something people can believe in. Come hang with us — it’s a good time. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 Getting going 00:54 An evening in SF 09:10 Big Face popup experience 13:50 Promise or vibe 17:43 What could be done 25:17 Birthdays 28:05 Our dining experience at Californios 🔗 Links – Big Face coffee: Instagram www.instagram.com/bigfacebrand/?hl=en Website https://www.bigfacebrand.com/collections/coffee?srsltid=AfmBOorSU13HxmUrPUD1fpa2KEEt8CULmmWQzxc3JgYgiB8AmtdRm-dC Californios restaurant: https://www.californiossf.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!

Come along with us on a ride in this episode as we experience the world of Cup of Excellence coffee auctions for the first time. We were chasing a special lot from our Best Friends Club producer, Nelín Guzman, as his coffee took 5th place in his category for all of Honduras. We talk through how these auctions work, why countries like Honduras now use new categories, and how even with categories, varieties like Parainema still command a high price. We also dig into what it means to bring coffees of this caliber back to our guests — using them in competitions and adding them to our menu in a limited quantity. For us, it wasn't about winning the auction – there was a small chance of that happening anyway – but more so about what doors being a part of the COE opens for us in the future. And hey, you need to start somewhere. It was a wild time of an early morning, side bets, and high energy. Buckle up. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 Welcome to the ride 02:40 C.O.E. Auctions 04:32 Categories and Their Impact on Coffee Auctions 11:42 Why are we in the C.O.E.? 23:54 What’s up with Parainema 27:25 A lot to learn about varieties 30:56 How did we set our budget for the auction? 33:36 Where do these coffees fit on our menu 38:20 Jared list off coffee varieties from ethiopia 39:32 Has to end somewhere 🔗 Links – 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 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 shifting landscape of coffee certifications — particularly the recent changes to the Q grader system. With the program moving under CQI, many coffee professionals are now being told their existing certifications no longer count, and that they’ll need to retest under a new system. This sparks a conversation about what certifications really mean in practice. Do they actually make someone better at sourcing or tasting coffee, or are they more about recognition and status within the industry? For seasoned professionals with years of experience, the answer isn't always clear — especially when their day-to-day work remains unchanged by these official titles. We talk about how learned skills typically come not from structured certifications, but from real-world practice. While certifications can offer a shared language and pathway for new professionals, we question whether they should be gatekeepers for credibility. In the end, staying sharp and doing meaningful work comes down to passion, commitment, and community — not just passing a test. It's a reminder that building culture in coffee isn’t about following someone else’s system, but about knowing your values and living them out. 🔖 Chapters – 00:00 Stirring the Pot 01:57 C.O.E. coffees 09:47 Coffee in Competitions 13:43 The Q Grader Certification Debate 17:59 Industry Standards and Their Relevance 30:57 Certification of experience 🔗 Links – Trish Rothgeb - The Sprudge Twenty Interview: https://sprudge.com/trish-rothgeb-the-sprudge-twenty-interview-258811.html Actually Good Coffee Podcast: https://actuallygoodcoffeepodcast.podbean.com/e/41-the-sca-and-cqi-have-some-explaining-to-do/ 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 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 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!

Just Say No – Telling guests what they don't want to hear by Cat & Cloud

Questions Quick Fire – So much info in not a lot of time by Cat & Cloud