World of Coffee was incredible again with the team this year at Califia. Being able to be a part of truly incredible companies and in the company of people who wish to make an impact and difference in this industry is always refreshing.
I’ve learned that patience and endurance produces character and hope that yields such rich relationships in our industry.
The industry is shifting, and I’ve said this for the last few years. So if you’re ready…catch it. Fourth wave is coming, but not in the way people think or have said it to be.
Just capturing some moments from @worldofcoffeeusa this past weekend. I did not get a chance to take as many photos because I was having too much fun of a good time with everyone I love and care about; even those I didn’t get a chance to see this time.
This WOC has made me realize excited I am for the future of this industry and the positive community that is being cultivated. The shift is here, so catch it.
So grateful for all the new friends I’ve made, new people I’ve met, and those who continue to make this industry better. Shoutout to the team with @califiafarms for making this one the GOAT. Blessed to be part of an incredible team of people.
Till next time!
Spent the last few days with @awakecoffeeshop training up for their soft opening this Thursday with a 3-day Training Intensive. Taking a group who may have never touched a machine or been in coffee prior, and watching them able to pull shots, steam milk, and operate great bar flow with cafe communication are so important.
I love seeing cafes who want to make a positive impact in the community, who are ready to serve, and ready to really make the coffee industry better. It’s refreshing.
Come by! We’ll be there, bright and early at 7am.
Had such a great time speaking at @luckyscoffeeroasters with fellow entrepreneurs, the community, and industry people on things to consider before opening a coffee shop. Shout out to @dreadfullvegan , Nate, and Scott for on some great insight from different perspectives.
I think there’s a lot beyond social media that can’t be emphasized enough or articulated in the same way when it’s a conversation. It’s not easy, but finding the right people who will help you SUCCEED is the key. Not just people who will point and tell you what you should or shouldn’t do.
Look forward to the next one. 🙌🏼
A snippet of few of the coffee projects I’ve spent doing the last year in 2025 (that I remembered to take photos). I tended to post on my personal, but beginning my desire for my consulting journey has brought opportunities and growth like no other. I’ve met some incredible people, and am thankful for experiences that continue to make me grow. Thank you to everyone I’ve met. It’s a blessing.
This year, this will be my main account for everything about my coffee posts.
Here is what I’ve learned, been reminded of, and have thought working for famous brands, small brands, start-up cafes, and ones who’ve been in the game:
1. No business or company is fully put together. Some fake it better than others, but the truly successful ones are the ones that see the coffee industry as a journey, not a final stop for cash or clout.
2. Good leadership that is authentic and builds positive relationships with their team will always drive longevity and loyalty. Bad leadership will breed bad reputation and fester resistance in the long run.
3. Doesn’t matter how much money a company has, or how much you pay people. If you don’t care for your people, you will never have a company as successful as you think it’d be.
4. I’ve always said this, but “leadership comes from the top.” This is. The very top. Whoever is in charge—your actions, how you speak about people when there’s nobody in the room—your actions and values reflect and deep into your work, whether you believe it or not. It all comes to light eventually.
5. People who don’t “care” about coffee or the coffee community should really stop being in coffee.
6. When you help other people to make them successful, it makes you and your company successful. Let’s be honest. There’s no secret. It’s about how you treat others.
7. No matter what, be true to yourself. Someone will recognize it and appreciate you, and most people need more of you in their business.
8. Coffee has never been an easy job. It’s not the coffee industry, as we’ve heard it’s “the people industry”. If you don’t like people and see them as replaceable, you’ll also live with a small mindset, and it shows.
Cheers to 2026!
It’s been a while posting on this account, and if you know me personally, it’s not because without want. But I wanted to do a small recap and appreciation post for this past LA @coffeefestshow being on another panel this year!
Super fun to be on another panel with @baristalifela and @darryl , and shoutout to @eeeweezie as well for setting up the panel. Great talking to @michellethaghost@goodpeoplecoffeeco on this whole panel about Inclusivity in Coffee.
I feel like it was a panel that could have and should have gone on longer than the time we had. For myself personally, I’ve always been in shops that never had inclusivity issues in terms of being a minority, but it was a topic I think that spoke beyond the cafes we work in. The everyday encounters or reasons for our success also sometimes play a part merely because of my skin and especially being a woman in leadership.
Loved that the panel was about celebrating our achievements as BIPOC people in coffee with how we got to where we were, where we almost gave up, and how we can encourage people in the same situations we may have been in a few years before.
Hope that Coffee Fest can have more of these conversations that are positive and can impact people.
Should we host a workshop one next year at Coffee Fest? I think so.
“Community, Not Competition” a little snippet from the panel with host, Amanda, from @sipandsonder during @coffeefestshow why community matters more than competition.
For me, coffee is a business and an industry in itself, but we’re a unique one that relies on hospitality and relationships. We are an integral part of people’s everyday life that creates more than a transactional business, but a relational one.
Yes, competition for the success for your business or profit may be important through your competitive marketing, pricing, or other ways…but the reality is that the real success is people who can positively walk along side you and support you; locally and within the big coffee community we know.
It doesn’t have to be one side or the other, but we all are growing, learning, and living this life as entrepreneurs, owners, managers, and leaders for the big C— Coffee.
It’s time we grow out of the mindset of one person is better than the other and start supporting and celebrating each other with the ups and downs that comes with being in the industry.
#coffeeconsultant #coffeeshop #coffeeroaster #coffeefest #sca #specialtycoffee #community
Had the chance of being on a panel speaking about building community at @coffeefestshow . It was about community; and not just the community people participate in, but the cultivating and motion-start as managers, owners, and entrepreneurs.
It was intriguing that a lot of the conversation and Q&A was the hardships of being in community or starting them—experiencing challenges with communities people supported also try to destroy them, the hardships of having communities in pockets that are foreign to their brand, or overcoming negativity from one source when people don’t know the truth or the true you of your brand.
I was asked to expand on “Community, not competition”, a phrase I have held onto in my coffee career. For me, I’ve been in the coffee community for over 10 years and have seen that “sides” and “walls” people take or make that create divides. You can fake liking people, but you can’t fake a community—you only create bad ones. And when we make it about competition and not liking someone because they roll with one shop or another, it creates this ick that we all don’t enjoy. There’s a fight or flight that kicks in wanting to be the best or better than someone, but the reality is we all have the same goal in this industry: serve great coffee and make connections that last.
In the end though, wise words of @baristalifela and @eeeweezie was “If it doesn’t work, then those people are not your community.” It’s true. In the end, being true to yourself and the work you’re doing can mend the rips and holes that every community has. If you want to build a real and genuine community, be kind to everyone, reach out, and find the people for you. Unfortunately, every community has negativity and drama, and when you are running the ship or show, people don’t realize that until they’re in your shoes—but generally they probably won’t ever be. But that’s okay. As long as you hold to your values, love your community authentically, you will cultivate something great.
Thank you to everyone who came to hear me speak and listen to the panel. Thank you, Amanda @sipandsonder for hosting a truly great panel with some wonderful people. Look forward to the next one 🫶🏼
“It’s the same everywhere,” said a reputable friend in the industry over drinks and dinner. “People fight without understanding the whole picture, people bringing their mess into work, and most of the time, it’s always not understanding the big picture. The grass is never on the other side, but people don’t realize what they have until they regret it later on.”
“It’s not until you’re in that position, people will always assume something different. Not everyone wants to understand, and that’s part of being a small business owner. Finding people that want to be part of a what you’re doing in our industry is bigger than finding just a good worker.”
Trusting the process and being patient is the best thing we can ask for. I had someone ask what makes a good business this last week. However, it’s all dependent on someone’s perspective. Honesty is always what makes a good business, even if it rubs your accounts or people the wrong way. Honesty breeds honesty, and all else breeds fear. A friend, Selena, said it this way in a recent interview, “You have to find out what’s your end goal” and depending on that, that’s the outlook you set for your entire life in work and life.
You cannot please everyone, but when you have your vision and find people who will grow with you and support you, there’s a lot of magic that can happen. At the end of the day, you are only responsible for your own effort. And if you continue to be the best manager, owner, or supervisor you can be, you’ll thrive in any environment.
The good part is that as leaders, you’re not alone. There’s always going to be something. But your role and life is how you respond and not react. If you’re reactive and constantly feeding off negativity, it’s a dangerous pool no matter how great a company. If you don’t have accountability or self-reflect, your struggles will always seem bigger than what they might truly be. Remember, you’re in the hospitality business! It’s easy to forget that sometimes.
So find people that will build you up, encourage you, and support you in your role. Understand your vision, and be responsible for your effort.
#consulting #encouragement #negativity #hospitality
