Cat & Cloud Podcast

We just turned 8 years old! September 30th marked the 8th year since the Portola Cafe first opened it’s doors. In honor of Cat & Cloud making it one more rotation around the sun, the guys are sitting down this week to piece together the fullest version of our history! Have you ever wondered when Cat & Cloud (Trubaca) was first conceptualized? If you’ve been hanging out with us through this journey, we think it’s about time to tell you how all this happened. Listen to this weeks full episode to hear the guys recap how a camping trip may have helped them take the leap that became the Cat & Cloud we know now! Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud: https://catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: https://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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!

The Cat & Cloud podcast is back and we’re bringing y’all some big news! If y’all have been following us a while then you’ve at least heard of the Best Friend’s Club and if you haven’t, this is the perfect episode for you. This week on the pod, Chris, Jared, and Charles are walking us through the history of the BFC, how it started, how it continues to grow, and finally introducing the Best Friends Blend! To continue expanding the reach of the BFC, we have decided to introduce the Best Friends Blend as our newest espresso offering. This blend will always include one of our BFC coffees, allowing us to vastly increase the amount of BFC coffee sold in our cafes—which means more money goes directly back into the lives of our producers. Give it a try! https://catandcloud.com/products/the-best-friends-blend 00:00 Best Friends Club 01:53 How it Started (unofficial) 06:18 How it Started (official) 11:44 It’s About Supporting a Community 15:14 Expanding the Club 17:35 It’s About Connection 31:56 Some of the Issues 35:52 The Best Friends Blend Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud: https://catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: https://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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud Podcast! This week Chris, Chuck, and Jared are sitting down to discuss how we find the drive and inspiration to operate a mission-driven company, and how we pass that passion on to our teams. A mission is just an idea unless your leadership sets the example, bringing it to life on the floor every day. Listen to this week's full episode to hear the guys discuss how we’ve created a common language, gauges for success, and how to find the drive in yourself every day to make an impact. 00:00 What is the focus of your work 08:42 How do you communicate and share your mission 14:21 Giving ourselves feedback 26:28 Finding solutions 29:23 Our mission outside of the cafes 34:00 Opportunities in the everyday things 40:31 Common language 44:45 What metrics do you use to gauge success 50:55 Connecting the ideas with the work 55:48 To compete or not to compete 1:00:46 You have to want it 1:08:46 Having an impact impact without a title 01:12:33 Sharing what you know Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud: https://catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: https://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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!

Shorty, but a goodie. This week Jared and Chris Discuss what it takes to make an idea come to life. How it's truly something anyone can to, because its not about the steps you need to take, but rather the conviction to the idea. There are tools out there for any obstacle you face, but theres only one person that can bring your ideas to life. You. –––––––––––––––––– Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/Cat & Cloud: 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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!

This week Chris asks Jared about a recent trip he went on to southern Californian, and what sort of coffee experiences he had while he was outside of out little coffee bubble that is Santa Cruz. Chuck asked some practical questions about Espresso extraction and what coffees might be best as espresso. Also he asks Chris and Jared what each of their idea espresso might be like. It’s a conversation that all swirls around what is possible when a cafe operates with intention, and how it can be an impactful place for the community it serves. 01:31 Jared in LA 08:29 A cool spot in SLO 11:18 Extraction Facts 18:50 Roast level and espresso 20:42 What coffees do we want to try as espresso 24:07 The intention shows 27:08 Jared's dream eXpresso 30:30 Chris' Dream eXpresso Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/
Cat & Cloud: 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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!

Welcome back to Part Two of the Hospitality Refresher! On this weeks episode Chris and Jared are talking about all the little things. Everything from the tools you use to the simplest solutions and attention to detail helps you provide an incredible experience to your guests. So whether you've listened before or this is all new, listen to this week's episode to get the full Hospitality Refresh. 00:42 What did we do 02:32 Why you serve the coffee you do 08:10 It's about the experience you give the guest 11:01 The small things aren't small at all 12:37 Tools help but don't take away responsibility 15:28 Other things around the cafe 18:16 Don't be a liar 18:37 Standards make things easy for the guest 21:23 Meet the Guest where they are at 24:32 Serve with confidence (Tip No. 1779) 30:47 What questions are you really answering 32:34 Other intentions with our coffee menu 37:41 The solution is to pay attention Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud: https://catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: https://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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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

This week on the Cat & Cloud Podcast we are rerunning a two-part episode on Hospitality. Hospitality is a fundamental value in everything we do as a company, and it's the key to providing incredible service. Listen to the first part to hear Chris and Jared’s review of some of the basics of hospitality and what they look like in practice every day in the cafe. Whether you’ve worked in service for a while, or are just getting started, it's always good to have a refresher. Come back next week to catch part two! 00:00 Intro 00:45 It's always good to remind yourself 04:59 Same problems through fresh eyes 06:24 Communicating your intention with your team 13:42 Serving not just the guest in front of you 18:50 Accuracy gives everyone the best experience 24:15 All the details add up 27:11 Hospitality outside of the cafe Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud: https://catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: https://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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!

This week on the Cat & Cloud Podcast the guys are reviewing the history of Barista Competitions, and what their ideal competition would look like today. Listen to this week's full episode to hear about their dream for an “All Stars” competition, how introducing new equipment changed competitions and cafe culture, and the influence of specialty Home Baristas in the competition world! 0:00: All Stars Barista Comp 5:50: Jared Presents, Systems are the Pathway to Freedom 11:02: Breaking out the Community 13:20: As the Crow Flies 16:10: Green Buying Come Up 21:02: The Introduction of Scales in Competition 25:30: Home Barista Market 30:10: More Pathways for Everything 35:49: The Biggest Mistake in Chris Baca’s Life Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud: https://catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: https://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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud podcast! This week Chris and Jared are getting a full class on Cafe Finance hosted by our very own Charles Jack. Listen to this week's full episode and join the finance deep dive and hear their perspectives on how to develop finance transparency in your own company. Cafe finance articles: Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Filings Increase for US Coffeehouses: https://stir-tea-coffee.com/features/the-big-business-reality-of-specialty-coffee/?utm_source=BenchmarkEmail&utm_campaign=July_2024_News_Update_from_STiR_coffee_and_tea_magazine_-_17_July_2024&utm_medium=email The Big Business Reality of Specialty Coffee: https://stir-tea-coffee.com/tea-coffee-news/chapter-11-bankruptcy-filings-increase-for-us-coffeehouses/?utm_source=BenchmarkEmail&utm_campaign=July_2024_News_Update_from_STiR_coffee_and_tea_magazine_-_17_July_2024&utm_medium=email Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud: https://catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: https://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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!

This week the guys are sitting down and taking a look back over the last 8 years of being Cat & Cloud, what we’ve learned and what has changed from where we started. As a business grows it becomes much easier for things to get missed, and for the culture you build to get more diluted. It’s happened to us! It’s through those low points that you learn the most about the needs of your business. Listen to this weeks full episode to hear what Chris, Jared and Chuck have learned about building systems for success! Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us talk about it on the podcast? Visit our website catandcloud.com/podcast, or email us at podcast@catandcloud.com and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we answer next week! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Cat & Cloud: https://catandcloud.com/ Chris Baca’s Personal Blog: https://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 two of our founders, Chris Baca and Jared Truby, to share their experiences in the coffee industry and starting a business. Each week the guys sit down to talk about their new challenges as business owners, how they’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!