Show notes
Cat & Cloud Podcast
Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com
Interview with Chris Baca: 10 Years of Cat & Cloud, Building Culture, and Keeping Specialty Coffee Accessible
Reflecting on nearing Cat & Cloud’s 10-year milestone, Chris Baca emphasizes valuing day-to-day progress over anniversaries while acknowledging the achievement of surviving a life in small business and growing from a single store with eight team members to four cafes and over 100 staff, plus a brand in good standing. He recalls early DIY demolition at the Portola location and clarifies the timeline: pop-ups began in 2015 and the first store opened September 30, 2016. They discuss sustaining community choice through hospitality, evolving menus, and staples like the breakfast burrito, plus Chris’s YouTube origins as pushback against pretentious specialty coffee. Chris also highlights the messy reality of small business, the importance of key leaders, career risks during growth, and the belief that great people and culture can be developed anywhere.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:27 Ten Year Reflections
05:05 Early Days Portola Build
08:06 Staying Relevant Locally
13:00 Service Culture Over Marketing
17:33 Burrito Staple Stats
18:53 YouTube Coffee Encounters
20:24 Anti Pretension Coffee
22:22 Simplify The Craft
23:06 Teaching Style Strength
24:37 Ten Year Reflection
25:20 Small Business Chaos
27:20 Key People Grit
31:01 Careers Trust Scale
34:57 Verve Expansion Lesson
36:42 Family Responsibility Shift
39:03 Cat And Cloud Future
41:29 Great People Everywhere
43:43 Podcast Sharing Wrap
Podcast Info and Contact: www.catandcloud.com/podcast
Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/
Webstore: Want Coffee? Want cool schwag?! 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 July 2026
Podcast Info and Contact: www.catandcloud.com/podcast
Instagram: www.instagram.com/catcloudcoffee/
Webstore: 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
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