Cat & Cloud Podcast - podcast cover

Cat & Cloud Podcast

Cat & Cloudcatandcloud.com
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
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Episodes

The Best for the Guest – What goes into the experiences you create

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud podcast! This week the guys are discussing all things GCC (guest-coffee-cafe) and how to prioritize and create a stellar guest experience. As we’re nearing the end of the year we’re starting to think more about what we want to build in the coming years, listen to this weeks full episode to hear their thoughts on what’s going to be most important for us in 2025. Want to give our new Instant Coffee a try? https://catandcloud.com/products/swift-coffee-6-pack Do y...

Nov 21, 202445 min

Business or Pleasure - How personal goals mix with your business

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud podcast! This week we have all three owners back on the mic to take a wide look at how your personal goals can help guide your business, and how you are still a person with focus and desires outside of what you’re building. Listen to this weeks full episode to hear about our latest product launch, and their thoughts on setting personal and career goals that support each other. Want to give our new Instant Coffee a try? https://catandcloud.com/products/swift-co...

Nov 13, 202442 min

Do It for the Passion - Your work is more than the money

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud podcast! The case study series continues! This week on the pod Chris and Charles are covering another episode of the Acquired podcast, this time about the Blue Bottle Acquisition. Listen to this weeks full episode to hear about our relationship to Blue Bottle and some of the dichotomies between their beginnings and that of Starbucks. 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 catandc...

Nov 06, 202453 min

Show It - Doing what you believe not just being flashy

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud podcast! This week Chris and Charles are back to finish their discussion about Howard Schultz’s interview with the Acquired podcast. Listen to this weeks full episode to hear their take on the Starbucks anthology, and how they relate to Schultz’s story and complex experience opening and scaling the coffee company we know today! Listen to the full Acquired episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/starbucks-with-howard-schultz/id1050462261?i=100065775...

Oct 30, 202446 min

Control the Environment - Setting your business apart and being intentional from end to end

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud Podcast! This week Chris, Jared and Charles are sitting down to take the timeline of Cat & Cloud to Z. A couple weeks ago we started this process, sharing how a camping trip early on in the development of Trubaca helped make the cafes we love now a reality. This week the guys are walking us through how our Abbott Square came to be, and all the decisions that went in to making the call to expand! Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wa...

Oct 16, 202448 min

Make Your Dreams Come True - Seizing the opportunities you have to create something special

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud Podcast! This week Chris and Jared are sitting down at the mic to talk through what it would look like to perfectly mix your business with your personal passions. Is it enough to enjoy your job, or do people seek things that feel like a part of who they are? How do you optimize your resources to try and escape the financial trap that will eventually burn you out? Listen to this week's full episode to hear their thoughts and get a sneak peek at their ultimate p...

Oct 08, 20241 hr 11 min

History & Impact - Where Cat & Cloud came from and the impact it has had

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 epis...

Oct 07, 20241 hr 9 min

The Best Friends Club - Coffee doing good

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...

Sep 30, 202447 min

What Drives Your Team - Things that inspire and drive people with every day actions

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 ...

Sep 23, 20241 hr 16 min

Having the Courage to Do - How anyone can make an extraordinary experience

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...

Sep 16, 202418 min

Cafes Impacting a Community - How a small space can make a big impact

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 imp...

Sep 09, 202441 min

Hospitality Refresher Part 2 - The small things make a big difference

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 th...

Sep 02, 202441 min

Hospitality Refresher Part 1 - Reviewing the fundamentals of caring for your guest

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 t...

Aug 26, 202432 min

Competition Influence - How competing has impacted specialty coffee

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 ...

Aug 19, 202444 min

Business Cents - Thinking about the finances of your business

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&u...

Aug 12, 202427 min

Lessons Learned - The importance of company culture as you grow

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 sys...

Aug 05, 202442 min

Charles Babinski - The perspective from nine years ago

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud Podcast! This week we are busting out the throwback of all throwbacks with our very first interview. In this episode Chris and Jared sat down with US Barista Champion Charles Babinski to talk through the rapid growth of his business. Listen to the full episode to hear some espresso tips straight from the mouths of coffee geeks and barista champions, and get some of the lore on their first meeting and experience in the competition circuits! A very Merry Christm...

Jul 29, 20241 hr 20 min

Learning From Others - How outside industries give your perspective and help your growth

Welcome back to the Cat & Cloud Podcast! This week Chris and Jared are hopping in to share some thoughts on learning and growth. Are you limited by your industry, or is it possible to reach beyond and learn outside your bubble? We don’t always consider how multi-faceted the “Service Industry” is. Hospitality in Hotels looks a lot different than ours in the cafe, but it can still be useful or at the least interesting. Listen to the full episode to hear where they are looking for inspiration a...

Jul 22, 202437 min

How Do You Rank - Comparing your work with others in the industry.

What if we talked about cafes the same way people talk about basketball teams? Looked at the movement of baristas from one cafe to another, and their performance the same way we do athletes. This week on the Cat & Cloud podcast the guys are looking at how you quantify a busy cafe and a successful cafe. Listen to this week's episode to hear their takes on what pro barista work looks like from their years of expertise. Do you have a question you’ve been dying to ask us? Do you wanna hear us ta...

Jul 08, 202440 min

Communicating Your Needs - How expressing your desires leads to growth

This week on the Cat & Cloud Podcast we are throwing it back to an early conversation Chris and Jared had about the importance of communicating needs at work. As an employee, being able to ask for what you need and feeling empowered by your leadership team to speak up can be the difference between your team quitting or staying. Listen to the full episode to hear some of their first-hand experiences and get some tips on fostering an environment where the whole team knows what’s possible. Do y...

Jun 24, 202437 min

Roasting Development - How much flavor is from roasting the coffee

This week on the Cat & Cloud Podcast Chris and Jared hop on the mic to discuss the complex process of roasting development. There are so many factors that affect the coffee that ends up in your cup, from water composition to the temperature of the air, but how much of your flavor profile comes straight from the way your beans are roasted? Listen to this week's episode to hear their thoughts on the intricacies of coffee roasting, and how your roast choices affect the flavor of your coffee. Do...

Jun 17, 202444 min

Managing vs. Leading - Fostering creative thinking in your team

Why is it important for your company's mission to match the intention behind your training programs? How do you empower your team members to be leaders on their own? This week on the Cat & Cloud podcast Chris, Jared, and Charles sit down and take a temperature check on the business so far this year. Listen to the full episode to hear their thoughts on managing vs. leading, the importance of having a mission statement that properly reflects the values of your day-to-day operations, and ways t...

Jun 10, 202443 min

Cost and Value - What goes into what you pay

On this episode we discuss transparency in prices. How to give your team members the same coverage and care while also communicating to the Guest where the 5$ for their latte is going. and chris shares is option on what tipping someone should mean. 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 [email protected] and tell us what it is, and maybe your question will be the one we...

May 27, 202442 min

Conversation with Beeline

This recording comes from January of this year, when Chris and Nick from Beeline sat down to talk through some of the challenges that come from running a business. Listen to the full episode to hear the guys talk through operational struggles and getting organized to tackle big projects. 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 [email protected] and tell us what it is, an...

May 27, 202428 min

Making an Impact - How your guest are left feeling

How do you build in a curated experience to your business? Is greeting people when they come in, and helping them land enough? This week the guys are sharing what they believe is thee secret sauce to offering something so curated and so awesome, that your guests can’t help but recommend you to their friends, co-workers, and strangers on the street. Are you curious about our Best Friends Club? Listen to the full episode to hear Jared share a bit about his most recent trip to Honduras, and the imp...

May 20, 202455 min
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