Episode Details

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 leav