Cat & Cloud Podcast

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!