
Cat & Cloud Podcast
Chris Baca and Jared Truby are professional Baristas and are here to introduce the world to Specialty Coffee! From placing in the finals of the United States Barista Championship multiple times, winning regional competitions, to leading training and education for some of the most progressive coffee companies around - these two have learned a ton about coffee and want to share it with you. Tune in for weekly interviews, tutorials, and general mayhem from the brothers from different mothers: Truby & Baca. Learn more at catandcloud.com
Latest episodes

Nov 6, 2023 • 37min
I'm A People Person
What is the job of the owner? As a company grows it becomes more natural for owners to step away from the day to day work, but how does that happen? What would a job listing for the person to take over charge of the thing that you’ve poured yourself into growing?
The role of an owner or a CEO is to see the patterns that are often overlooked by others. An effective leader needs to be able to track changes in customer needs, and be able to see from the perspective of the guest experience. Listen to the full episode to hear Chris and Jared’s thoughts on the job of an owner, and how an effective business requires a symbiotic relationship across all levels of the leadership structure.
Want to try the Benjamin’s newest lot of Gesha? Get some now!
https://catandcloud.com/products/honduras-benjamin-paz-gesha
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Oct 30, 2023 • 34min
Taste of Victory
This week we have a very special guest… First place winner of the Cup Tasters Prelim and our very own Green Coffee Coordinator, Dulce!!
So this week we brought Dulce to the mic to walk us all through the breakdown of a Cup Tasters competition and her experience going through that process. Listen to the full episode to hear about Dulce's history with Cat & Cloud, what it was like to connect with the specialty coffee community in such a focused setting, and what inspired the head-first dive into the training that helped her climb from last place to FIRST PLACE in just two months.
Sometimes you just gotta say “Fuck it, why not,” and send it on what you want even if it’s terrifying.
Dulce, you’re the coolest.
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Oct 23, 2023 • 30min
This Is The Way
We rolled out some pretty exciting new developments for the Cat & Cloud team last week. From a new handbook, to road maps to growth, our retail teams are now fully set up to be the pros we know they are.
This week on the podcast Chris, Jared and Michael sit down to share the motivations behind the redesign of our employee handbook and the creation of the Cat & Cloud passport. We believe that our mission and values should touch every aspect of our business, and we hope that these new tools will help inspire our team, show a clear path forward, and help create a community of motivation and encouragement.
Listen to the full episode to hear their thoughts!
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Oct 16, 2023 • 32min
A Matter of Perspective
Jared went to Australia! This week on the podcast Michael and Jared sit down to review his experience with the coffee industry on his recent visit to Australia.
Listen to the full episode to hear his thoughts on their espresso-focused coffee culture, the types of coffees they use, and even a few thoughts on how their economic structure affects the industry culture!
If you’re interested in becoming a Cat & Cloud Partner email us at wholesale@catandcloud.com!
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Oct 9, 2023 • 1h 2min
The Lost Coffee of South Sudan
Welcome to ChuckTalk!
This week on the podcast Chris and Michael are joined by Cat & Cloud’s third owner Charles Jack! Have you ever wondered about Cat & Cloud’s elusive third owner?
Maybe you want to know how he got his start in coffee, how he met Chris and Jared, or why he left his Wall Street career to work with TechnoServe and live in South Sudan? Well Chuck is on the mic this week to answer all of those burning questions.
Listen to the full episode to hear about his life, career and all the reasons why we love him!
If you’re interested in becoming a Cat & Cloud Partner email us at wholesale@catandcloud.com!
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Oct 2, 2023 • 31min
Partner Program
Did you know that Cat & Cloud has a partner program? This week on the podcast Chris and Michael are joined by Director of Coffee Marc Gessler to chat about our wholesale program! The guys sit down to discuss why we try and build such close relationships with our coffee partners, and the intricacies of adapting what we offer to the needs of each business.
Listen to the full episode to hear their thoughts on how we find our partners and set them up to have the best experience with our coffee.
If you’re interested in becoming a Cat & Cloud Partner email us at wholesale@catandcloud.com!
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Sep 25, 2023 • 40min
Path Of Least Resistance
What is the lifetime value of a customer? What is the importance of providing guests with “delightful” experiences? Hospitality extends farther than making people feel welcome, it’s about meeting guests where they’re at and doing what you can to get them stoked.
This week Chris and Michael are sitting down to talk about how you can keep people coming back to your business time and time again. Every interaction is an investment in your guest, and the more you’re able to make someone feel taken care of the more likely they’ll be to come back… maybe they’ll even tell a few friends! Listen to the full episode to hear their thoughts on how to put a hospitality focused cafe culture into practice.
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Sep 18, 2023 • 42min
Gold Star Experience
Does coffee have a place in the slow food industry? What would that even look like? This week on the podcast the guys discuss what it means to provide a highly specialized experience, and the challenges that cafes would face fighting the high volume nature of the coffee industry.
Listen to the full episode to hear their thoughts on how cafes can provide a little bit of the slow food experience every day through hospitality, enthusiasm, and knowledge. Let us know your thoughts on a slow bar coffee experience; can we create a place for it in the industry, or is it too far against tradition?
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Sep 11, 2023 • 23min
Waystar Royco
We’re getting sample roasted. This week on the podcast the guys sit down to go over some of the challenges that come along with cafe succession planning and the work experiences that inspired them to build Cat & Cloud with a positive company culture.
Listen to the full episode to hear their thoughts on how to face the unknowns of your business while remaining open to the adventure, and how to break the negative work cycle that keeps most of us from doing what we love, and finding positivity in what we do.
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!

Sep 4, 2023 • 26min
Spark It Up
Where do you find your inspiration for things? Do you go to the same place to find what you are looking for, or do you find inspiration striking when you least expect it?
This week Wiser tries to ask Chris and Jared where they find their inspiration, and it goes about how you would expect.
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 Integrity and intentionally, and it’s our mission to inspire connection, by creating memorable experiences.
We're a small independent business and this is our story.
Enjoy!