Cat & Cloud Podcast 

Cat & Cloud Coffee www.catandcloud.com/

Cafe Imports Source "Where Do We Go From Here" Panel hosted by Chris Baca 

Episode Summary

Recorded live at the World of Coffee, in San Diego, CA, Cafe Imports hosts the second SOURCE event, a panel discussion focused on “Where do we go from here?” - where business leaders in coffee tackle issues facing the industry today. Cat & Cloud’s own, Chris Baca moderates a candid conversation with cafe and roasting business owners from across the country. Jeremy Lyman (Birch Coffee) in Brooklyn, Laila Ghambari (Guilder Coffee) in Portland, and Kali Solack (Café Regina) in Puerto Rico share what they're seeing in coffee retail today, from profitability and menu strategy to pricing, staffing, and company culture.  In Part 1, the discussion explores whether cafes should expand food programs or focus on doing fewer things exceptionally well, how operators use data to make smarter decisions, and why many business owners deal with rising costs and raising their prices. The panel also dives into employee retention, creating healthy workplaces, and the role culture plays in long-term business success. 

Whether you're running one cafe or multiple locations, this conversation offers practical lessons from operators actively building businesses in today's coffee landscape.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome & Panel Introductions
 04:30 What's Changing in Coffee Retail Right Now?
 06:30 Food Programs vs Coffee-First Cafes
 14:00 Evaluating Real Guest Desires
 17:00 Revenue, Labor & Profitability Metrics
 20:00 Price Increases  
 25:30 Measuring Cultural Success
 28:15 Keep Your Team Happy
 32:15 Finding Benefits your Staff Wants
 38:20 Staff and Retention 

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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