Cat & Cloud Podcast 

Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/

Ping Pong Q&A with Cat & Cloud Owners, Chris Baca and Jared Truby - Ep# 455

Jared, Casey, and Chris try (and mostly fail) to follow the rules of a structured Ping Pong Q&A — but the detours are the good stuff. After a bird interrupts the studio, they dig into how basketball and skateboarding have shaped how they lead and work, touching on confidence, enrollment, team culture, and knowing your role. The conversation builds into a meaty debate about scarcity mindset in specialty coffee and business broadly — whether the industry is thriving or quietly contracting, and what separates brands that endure from ones that just survive. Jared makes a case for why they keep R&D-ing new food items even when the breakfast burrito dominates. It closes with a fun rapid-fire on the best coffee scenes in film history.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Bird in the House & Rules of the Game

05:30 – How Has Your Sport Shaped Your Professional Life? 

13:00 – Pickup Ball Culture & Team Dynamics 

20:00 – Is There a Scarcity Mindset Problem in Specialty Coffee? 

28:00 – The Market for Specialty Coffee Is Bigger Than You Think

35:00 – A Race to the Bottom? 

42:00 – What’s the Big Deal…with Food?

48:00 –  In-N-Out vs. Cheesecake Factory: The Menu Philosophy Debate

55:00 –  Why We Keep Evolving the Food Menu and Culture

58:30 – Favorite Coffee Scene in a Movie 

Podcast Info and Contact: www.catandcloud.com/podcast

Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/

Webstore: Buy Our Coffee! www.catandcloud.com/

Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscriptions

Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale

Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first.

Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. 

The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations. 

Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby

Produced by Casey Ryan

June 2026

CAT & CLOUD PODCAST

Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/

From Soil to Service Part 6: Interview with Cat & Cloud Head of Retail, Herman Madrigal - Ep# 454 

EPISODE SUMMARY

Jared and Chris sit down with Herman Madrigal, Head of Retail and one of Cat & Cloud's longest-tenured team members at eight and a half years. They trace his unlikely path from championship cell phone salesperson to yoga teacher to barista to retail leader, and the specific moments — a TL who knew his order and his name, a cupping at Aptos, a raw conversation with Jared — that locked him in. The conversation goes deep on what it actually takes to build hospitality culture from the inside: why the details matter, how to make team members feel like experts, and the difference between giving people rules and giving people a reason. Herman also shares what he's still figuring out, including how to protect thinking time, empower shift leaders to coach, and whether the Cat & Cloud culture can live outside of Cat & Cloud. He ends with a dream: Mexican street food, intimate counter service, and a line worth waiting in.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Cold Open Mustache Energy 

03:30 – Welcome Herman: Eight and a Half Years at Cat & Cloud 

08:00 – From Championship Cell Phone Sales to Barista 

13:00 – How Herman Fell in Love With Hospitality 

18:30 – Getting Tapped for Leadership (And Struggling at First) 

25:00 – The Hard Conversation That Changed Everything 

31:00 – Learning to Lead Through Systems, Not Doing 

38:00 – Why the Details Matter: The Seam of the Cup 

45:00 – Concierge Choice and Teaching Coffee With Stories 

52:00 – Autonomy, Fear, and Why Owners Clamp Down 

58:00 – Thinking Time: The Underrated Leadership Skill 

63:00 – Herman's Dream: Mexican Street Food & Taking the Culture Beyond Coffee 

CAT & CLOUD:

Podcast Info and Contact:  www.catandcloud.com/podcast

Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/

Webstore: Buy Our Coffee! www.catandcloud.com/

Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscriptions

Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale

Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first.

Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. 

The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations. 

Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby

Produced by Casey Ryan

June 2026

Cat & Cloud Podcast 

Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/

From Soil to Service Part 5: Interview with Cat & Cloud Head of Wholesale and Partner Program, Marc Gessler (contd)- Ep# 453  

In this episode, the team continues the conversation with Marc to explore what great hospitality actually looks like in practice—from cafés to wholesale partnerships. They cover the importance of core promises over rigid SOPs, creating memorable guest experiences, building authentic relationships, and why being a "good hang" is a business advantage. Marc shares insights on partner success, responsiveness, scaling hospitality without losing personal connection, and the role that fun, curiosity, and genuine care play in building lasting relationships. The episode is a reflection on service, culture, leadership, and staying true to the promise of taking care of people.

Chapters 

00:00 - Hospitality Starts with Intent
 03:00 - Core Promises vs. SOPs
 06:00 - Making It Right for Guests
 09:00 - The Spirit of Great Service
 12:00 - Building Strong Wholesale Partnerships
 15:00 - Why Being a Good Hang Matters
 18:00 - Fun as a Business Strategy
 21:00 - Taking Care of People at Every Scale
 24:00 - Growth, Leadership, and What's Next
 26:30 - Relationships Over Transactions
 27:30 - Closing Thoughts with Mark

Cat & Cloud:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/

Webstore: Buy Our Coffee! www.catandcloud.com/

Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscriptions

Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale

Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first.

Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. 

The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations. 

Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby

Produced by Casey Ryan

June 2026

Cat & Cloud Podcast 

Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/

From Soil to Service Part 4: Interview with Cat & Cloud Head of Wholesale and Partner Program, Marc Gessler - Ep# 452  

Chris and Jared sit down to trace Marc’s full arc — from a listener and fan of the Cat & Cloud podcast, to becoming the Partner Program's Wholesale Director. From a six-page job application essay, his powerful first glimpse of a teal coffee bag, and what it actually means for him to take care of the people who take care of your coffee. Marc has been instrumental in the history and success of Cat & Cloud, and shares his knowledge and love of C&C that he takes to cafes, restaurants and businesses around the country.

Chapters

0:00 —  Intro & welcome 

3:30 — Marc's 9-year anniversary gift & nudibranch obsession 

8:00 — Marc's coffee origin story 

14:00 — The six-page application essay 

19:30 — First days at Cat & Cloud 

24:00 — Moving into wholesale 

29:30 — Mid-roll sponsor 

30:30 — What wholesale is really about 

38:00 — Listener call-in: Jake from The Perch 

41:30 — Mission, values & autonomous decision-making 

44:00 — Outro

Cat & Cloud:

Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale

Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/

Webstore: Buy Our Coffee! www.catandcloud.com/

Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscriptions

Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first.

Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. 

The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations. 

Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby

Produced by Casey Ryan

June 2026

Cat & Cloud Podcast 

Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/

From Soil to Service Part 3: Coffee Roasting Field Trip and Interview with Cat & Cloud Roastery Leaders continued -  Ep# 451

Chris Baca continues his interview with the Head of Coffee Roasting at Cat & Cloud, Jonson Henry and Connor Doyle. What starts as an honest look at the operational pressures of running a roastery — labor challenges, unpredictable wholesale orders, the stress of being the last line of defense — opens up into something deeper. We hear about the transition to a new leadership structure, the philosophy of building systems that outlast any one person, and what it means to let go of a military-bred "eat last, sleep last" leadership style in a coffee roastery. Then it’s time for a FIELD TRIP!  Chris Baca joins Connor in the Roastery for an actual live roast, and the episode shifts into something genuinely rare — real-time, unscripted coffee science happening right in front of you. Enjoy!

Chapters

00:00 Welcome Back & Series Recap

07:00 Building Systems That Outlast You

13:00 The Invisible Work of Leadership

20:00 The Navy Mindset & Letting It Go

26:00The New Team Structure

30:00 Gratitude and Appreciation

34:35 FIELD TRIP - Live Roast Begins 

42:00 Airflow, Damper & Rate of Rise

50:00 Always Pursuing Better

57:30 Evaluating the Curve

Cat & Cloud:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/

Webstore: Buy Our Coffee! www.catandcloud.com/

Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscriptions

Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale

Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first.

Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. 

The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations. 

Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby

Produced by Casey Ryan

May 2026

Cat & Cloud Coffee 

www.catandcloud.com/

In Part 2 of the From Soil to Service series, the Cat & Cloud Roastery team pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to roast, organize, and ship tens of thousands of pounds of coffee while still staying connected to craft, quality, and intention. Connor Doyle and Jonson Henry share their very different paths into coffee, the realities of scaling a growing roastery, the science and artistry behind roast profiling, and the challenge of building sustainable systems without losing the soul of the product. The conversation moves from coffee tasting rituals and production workflows to leadership transitions, team culture, and what it means to create coffee experiences for café guests and coffee lovers around the world. This is the First of Two Episodes on Coffee Roasting! 

Chapters

00:00 — Welcome Back to From Soil to Service
02:15 — From Teaching, Tech, and the Navy Into Coffee
06:00 — Discovering the Roastery Side of Cat & Cloud
09:30 — The Reality of Roasting 30,000 Pounds of Coffee
13:45 — Staying Connected to Craft at Scale
17:30 — Daily Coffee Tastings and Sensory Training
21:00 — Roasting as Science, Intuition, and Adaptation
25:00 — How Weather and Environment Change Coffee
28:15 — QC, Cupping, and Constant Profile Adjustments
31:45 — Co-Ferments, Flavor Philosophy, and Personal Taste
35:00 — The Organized Chaos of the Roastery Workflow
38:15 — Building Systems That Can Actually Scale
41:00 — Leadership Transition: Johnson to Connor
43:00 — Sustainability, Team Culture, and the Future of the Roastery

Cat & Cloud:

Webstore www.catandcloud.com/

Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscription

Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale

Instagram www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/

Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first.

Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them. 

The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations. 

Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby

Produced by Casey Ryan

May 2026

Cat & Cloud Podcast  Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/ From Soil to Service Part 1: Inside the World of Green Coffee - Ep# 449 In this episode of the Cat & Cloud Podcast, Chris Baca and Casey Ryan sit down with Director of Coffee Dulce Venancio to explore the journey of coffee “from soil to service.” Dulce shares how her background in agriculture, her connection to producers in Mexico and Central America, and her growth within Cat & Cloud led her into green coffee buying. The conversation dives into how coffee is sourced, how relationships with producers and importers are built, the realities of the global coffee supply chain, and the intentional work behind selecting coffees that reflect Cat & Cloud’s values. Along the way, they discuss cupping, flavor development, competition culture, mentorship, and the importance of consistency, transparency, and community throughout every step of the coffee process. Chapters 00:00 Soil to Service Series 03:00 What is a Green Buyer 05:02 Origins and Early Trips 06:39 Dulce Backstory and Motivation 08:30 Landing the Green Role 11:21 Imposter Syndrome and Learning 18:17 Money Flow in Coffee Buying 21:13 Mills Exporters Importers Explained 25:36 QC Lab and Flavor Decisions 27:51 Building a Tasting Palate 30:30 Training Your Palate 31:52 Competition Feedback Loops 34:22 Baby Steps Cupping 35:43 Pressure of Green Buying 37:39 When Coffee Gets Rejected 40:22 Direct Trade Versus Importers 42:49 Building the Coffee Menu 46:58 Respect for Producers 50:14 Origin Country Cafe Culture 53:58 Competing and Creative Goals 55:50 Closing and Green Coffee Jingle Cat & Cloud: Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/ Webstore: Buy Our Coffee! www.catandcloud.com/ Roasters Choice Subscription www.catandcloud.com/collections/subscriptions Wholesale Partners! Interested in serving our coffee at your business? Learn more about our Partner Program https://catandcloud.com/wholesale Cat & Cloud Coffee was founded in 2016 by three friends who believe experiences and connections shape our lives. Former barista champions and lifelong coffee professionals, they envisioned a better way to do business and set out to create a values-driven organization that put culture first. Our mission is to inspire connection by creating memorable experiences. Whether it's with guests in our 4 retail locations in Santa Cruz, our team members, or our wholesale partners across the country, we strive to leave everyone better than we found them.  The Cat & Cloud Podcast is a space for us to share our experiences and adventures in coffee and business in hopes of inspiring more people to create culture and values-driven organizations.  Hosted by Chris Baca and Jared Truby Produced by Casey Ryan May 2026