Cat & Cloud Podcast

Chris is out with the Flu so Jared takes us on a ride through a few service opportunities, answers some questions & updates us on the busyness of opening a cafe. The shop has been open for 2 weeks and it's been insane. How did the motivational based/values based interview questions work for Cat & Cloud? How did Cat & Cloud prepare and pre-market themselves to aid in their attempted success? Check and see. Shout out to Califia & Wilbur Curts

Benjamin Paz is a Honduran coffee producer who is near & dear to our hearts. He has produced award winning coffees & we are happy to have one of them in our shop. In this episode we talk about his history, what relationship/direct trade means to him, how it has affected him & his country as well as what motivates him. We also talk about the impact of specialty coffee growth at the producer/farmer level when we grow our industry with passion & love. Thanks Califia & Wilbur Curtis

Chris & I decided to soft open the cafe & it's been super fun. We talk about the challenges as well as how an epic team can soften the blow of how daunting it can be to get running. We also answer a question about approaching roasting & beginning the journey down the road to potentially opening your own place. Thanks for listening, sorry this is a day late. Thanks Curtis & Califia

In this episode we speak on some of the philosophies we have in our attempts to treat employees with value. We talk about incentives, ideals, profit sharing, & why we are willing to invest in our team. We also talk about medical benefits, the challenges of opening a new company & emotionally connecting with our team. Plus, we answer a couple of questions about Geisha, by the cup & dialing in. Cheers! Thanks Califia & Curtis Brewers!

How do we stay motivated? Do we dislike the French Press? How's the shop coming along? Is our crew tight? DUH. Who are we looking to sell to? What are some of our strategies and beliefs? Do we think 2nd wave shops are in jeopardy? What's a clever? Listen & we'll share a bit. Thanks Califia & Curtis

Jasper is one of the most passionate women we know. She cares very deeply about the coffee craft & it's contagious. She is heavily into the BACC, has competed in barista competitions & is an educator for Ritual Roasters in San Francisco. She talks women's rights, calls us out a bit & speaks about what drives her. This is a must listen.

Ever wondered what we thought of restaurant coffee? Ever wondered how we would approach a new market? See what tasks Jared used in helping open Verve Coffee Roasters original location & hear Baca's approach to training. Also, Wholesale? What do we believe it should be about? Sourcing too. All in a short episode of awesomeness. Cheers.

Jen is pretty seasoned with roasting & her drive to follow her passions is encouraging. This is a very strong woman in life, not to mention coffee & should be considered a role model to all. Jens story is entertaining and educational because of her persistence in self growth. In this episode we talk about Jens presence in roasting for companies like Ecco, Blue Bottle, Royal Coffee & more. From mentorship, to different roaster, to her time in Mexico, to being a mom, this episode has it all. Jen shares a bit of knowledge on roasting profiles as well in giving us a hot tip on how to approach a frustrating coffee. This episode is full of sweetness. Like our coffee. Thanks Jen

We are getting close to finishing our buildout & people have been asking us about our approach. How do we roast, how do we blend, how did we pick our location & many other fun things. This episode is definitely worth a listen & a share. Thanks, Cat & Cloud

Brandon Paul Weaver hails out of Seattle as both a Competition Barista & a Bar Tender. In this episode we talk about our first coffee experiences, views on specialty service, and the parallels between bar tending & being a barista. Brandon helped start Slate Coffee, worked at Zoka & is a pillar of the Liberty Bar which has been renowned for its imaginative cocktails. This guys kicks all the corn. Enjoy.