I'M NOT A BARISTA: Voices of the Coffee World

Today, we have the pleasure of introducing you to an exceptional coffee entrepreneur, Melissa Stinson. The brilliance behind the successful 'Everybody's Busy' coffee studio in Chicago, Melissa embodies the spirit of innovation and fervor in the coffee industry. But what truly sets her apart is her unique concept: a reservation-style business model, weaving exclusivity and personalization into every coffee experience.While the world often measures success in revenue and numbers, Melissa’s journey teaches us that it’s so much more than that. For many in the coffee world, it’s the pure, unbridled passion for the craft that holds more weight than financial returns. Every pour, every brew, every sip she offers at 'Everybody's Busy' is a testament to that undying love for coffee.So, if you ever find yourself wandering the streets of Chicago, take a moment to reserve a spot at 'Everybody's Busy.' Dive into a coffee encounter like never before and let Melissa's story inspire you to find success on your own terms. Enjoy the episode!If you prefer reading, read Melissa's coffee story herehttps://notabarista.org/melissa-stinson/--At "I'M NOT A BARISTA," our essence lies in echoing the voices of coffee aficionados who often remain unheard. We champion the tales, trials, and triumphs of every individual in the coffee community. Every story matters, and yours could be the next one we share. Don't be a silent brewer; let the world hear your story.Want to share your coffee chronicle? DM us on Instagram.

In this illuminating episode, we have the honor of hosting Jeremy Zhang, a titan in the realm of specialty coffee in China. As the founder of M2M, one of China's largest specialty coffee roasteries, Jeremy's influence stretches far beyond the bustling streets of Nanjing, where his journey began. His pioneering spirit has carved out a space in coffee competitions, setting a benchmark for many to follow. But who is Jeremy Zhang beyond the entrepreneur? Dive in to understand the fabric of the Chinese coffee industry, the dynamics of evolving tastes and preferences, and the fascinating interplay between tradition and modernity. Jeremy speaks candidly about breaking stereotypes, integrating different aspects of the coffee supply chain, and fostering young talent like the Beijing-born world champion barista Jiangning Du he once recruited, and the infused coffee. Discover how his passion led him from an employer to a mentor, shaping not just beans but lives. As China's coffee scene remains an enigma to many international coffee lovers, let Jeremy be your guide to unveil its depths. Join us on this caffeinated journey, and you might just see coffee, and China, through a new lens.--Cover photo from M2M-木 on Red bookRead more coffee stories at www.notabarista.org#coffee #m2m #coffeeinchina #roastery #jeremyzhang #barista #nanjing #nanjingcoffee #notabarista

Get ready to meet Fish Yu, the co-founder and design director of TIMEMORE, the go-to coffee brand that has been stirring the coffee industry. Today, he takes us behind-the-scenes into the birth of TIMEMORE, a brand born from the shared passion for coffee and design between two friends who dared to dream beyond the mobile phone industry. As Fish unfolds his journey, you'll gain an insight into the challenges of steering a startup, the evolution of his role, and the driving force behind TIMEMORE's acclaimed design philosophy.We also dive into the intriguing challenge of maneuvering a Chinese brand in the global market. Fish's candid discussions about their commitment to authenticity, the power of design, and the uphill battle to break stereotypes will leave you inspired. You'll also get an insider's look into the creation of their innovative Sculptor grinders and the ingenious knocker design that has been a hit. And for the fans wanting more, Fish reveals what's brewing in TIMEMORE's future. So, buckle up, coffee enthusiasts, for a fascinating journey into the world of coffee.Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Our guest is none other than Jo Lopez (@link_is_not_the_princess), the head of coffee at a coffee company in London, who spills the beans on the recent drama brewing in the coffee industry. A rising storm in a coffee cup, the controversial Paragon chilling tool, is the hot topic; with big players attempting to freeze out smaller competitors like Squeaky Coffee with legal threats. Jo, however, isn't one to shy away from controversy and gives us the skinny on this contentious tool, just like 50percentarabica, leading us to a humorous discussion on memes that have sprung up as a form of protest against corporate bullying.Trust us, the drama doesn't stop there. We rip back the curtain on the power dynamics at play in the industry, revealing how well-established companies are making bold moves to protect their market share. The dark side of innovation, we discuss the pattern of big companies trying to patent everything, and the ripple effects this has on small companies. Buckle up as we navigate the murky waters of influencer culture in the coffee industry, questioning the authenticity of reviews amidst sponsored content, and how this can leave consumers with a bitter taste.So, whether you're a casual coffee drinker or a seasoned industry player, this episode promises a full-bodied blend of controversy, drama, industry insights, and personal experiences. Join us as we roast these hot topics!Follow Jo on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/link_is_not_the_princessSupport the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Ever pondered on the therapeutic benefits of brewing coffee? Introducing Nadia Park (@nadiaxcoffee), a proud Korean American, rooted in California, who stumbled upon the tranquility imbued in the act of drip coffee preparation. This newfound ritual has since infused joy into her daily life. Join Nadia as she talks about her coffee journey. It moved on from just coffee to chats about deep topics. Her content has attracted many coffee lovers. Nadia believes coffee has its own language which can lead to engaging discussions and fresh insights.Click on the link in our bio to listen to Nadia's story. Follow her today and be a part of her unique coffee journey.You can find us on Apple Podcast, Spotify, and Google podcasts. Follow Nadia Park on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/nadiaxcoffee/#coffee #coffeemeditation #meditation #nadiapark #KoreanAmerican #pourover #handrip #speciatlycoffee #notabarista #coffeetime #coffeepodcast #coffeeloverSupport the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

“Coffee paired with the right glass of water will dramatically change your experience…”From tasting his first Ethiopian – washed coffee to placing second in 2019’s Australian Northern regional World Aeropress Championship, Darren Meachem’s journey through coffee goes deep.If you're a coffee aficionado or simply curious about the fascinating world of water, this episode is not to be missed. Tune in now and discover the art of water tasting with Darren Meachem.For more information about Darren and his work as a water sommelier, be sure to check out his Instagram. And if you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review and subscribe to our podcast to stay up-to-date on all our latest content.#water #coffeewater #watersommelier #sommelier #australia #aeropress #barista #specialtycoffee Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

We recently had the pleasure of speaking with Oleksii Fedorovskyi, the Ukraine Brewers Cup champion in 2016 and 2020.Even during times of war, Oleksii never wavered in his love for coffee. He and all of the 2023 Ukraine Brewers Cup competitors proudly hold the title of coffee enthusiast.In this episode, we had the privilege of interviewing Oleksii about the current coffee scene in Kiev and his latest activities. We also delved into the topic of infused coffee and Oleksii generously shared his tips for identifying infused coffee at home based on his vast experience.Have you had the pleasure of trying infused coffee? Are you a fan? Tune in to this episode to learn more about Oleksii and the world of infused coffee.Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In our latest episode, we interviewed Serafim Zoukas. He is a full-time psychologist, a father of a seven-year-old, and an independent Brewers Cup competitor who is passionate about homebrewing.We were impressed by Serafim's dedication to his craft and his willingness to compete with coffee professionals. He serves as an excellent example to his daughter and to all of us.Serafim's love for coffee goes beyond just drinking it. He has honed his brewing skills and competed in the Brewers Cup.Despite being a full-time psychologist, Serafim has found the time to pursue his passion for brewing and has even achieved success in the competition circuit. He is an inspiration to anyone who has a passion outside of their day job.During our interview, Serafim advised anyone looking to pursue their passions to "do what you love, and enjoy the process." This message reminds us to prioritize joy and fulfillment in our pursuits.Overall, we were honored to have Serafim on our show and are grateful for the insight he provided on pursuing one's passions and stepping outside of one's comfort zone.Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/serafimzoukas/Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In this episode, we had James Harper with us. James is an Italian Australian with a British twang, James fell in love with coffee as a teenager in Italy. He's worked across the coffee world but kept running against the same problem: nobody knew what was really happening. So he went off to uncover the reality and discovered uncomfortable, hidden truths. Armed with these stories and a background in storytelling, James started Filter Stories to help coffee drinkers understand how their morning cup of coffee impacts tens of millions of people.If you like coffee just like us, make sure the subscribe to James's podcast Filter Stories Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/filterstoriespodcast/Websitehttps://filterstories.org/Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Who is the most popular barista in 2023 so far?No doubt, it is Mariam Erin Pinza, the 2023 UAE Barista Champion, who is also the @coffeewristbands angel in UAE, and the talented artist that you should start investing :)In this episode, Mariam shared her experience preparing for a barista championship, and her recent competition performance proves that her method works. Listen to this episode, and get to know the Mariam behind the competition, get to know her art, her past, and why she always wears a bucket hat.If you like reading, you can read Mariam's coffee story with the link belowhttps://notabarista.org/mariam-erin-pinza/Follow Mariam on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mariam.erin/Get to know IMNAB's charity program COFFEE WRISTBANDS https://notabarista.org/coffee-wristbands-charity-program/Coffee Wristbands is an international fundraising program that brings coffee people together to give back to the coffee community. Every wristband purchased enacts a positive impact on the lives of those in the local coffee community.Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In the first episode of season 3 of the I'M NOT A BARISTA podcast, we talked to Elysia Tan, a coffee entrepreneur, and professional barista with multiple titles. She is the Singapore Brewers Cup Champion 2019 and 2022, and the World Brewers Cup 2022 2nd Runner up, and the co-founder of Homeground Coffee Roasters in Singapore. After eight years in the coffee world, Elysia still finds her passion in coffee; what inspires her daily, and what is she like in real life? Listen to this episode and get to know the real Elysia. If you travel to Singapore this year, Elysia has a list of great coffee shops you must visit. If you like our podcast, subscribe and leave us a review. We interview coffee people from all over the world to empower people behind the cup. Follow Elysia on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/elysiaholmes/Visit our website for more coffee stories https://notabarista.org/Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Hello guys, I'M NOT A BARISTA is back. 2023's first audio story is from Petros. Last year, we interviewed Petros Malousis, the operational manager of Coffee Lab and he shared with us his spectacular journey from a barista to where he is now. We hope his story can give baristas some tips about their own careers.Stepping into the coffee industry at 17 years old, Petros Malousis embarked on his coffee journey with a humble beginning. He spent years working as a barista trainer. Whenever he recalls his apprentice experience, the passion for the coffee always takes up most of his words. He barely complained about the dullness of repetitive training and the low wages in his early career. When people ask him why he choose this path, he just answers in the most honest way:My passion for coffee is the easiest answer, when I travel I meet the people behind the coffee. I realised that I couldn’t see myself anywhere else.Read the full article herehttps://notabarista.org/petros-malousis/Follow us on Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/iamnotabarista/Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Lars Aaen Thøgersen is the Chief Innovation and Circular Transformation Officer at Löfbergs, and Head of Communication at Peter Larsen Kaffe. Lars’ primary mission in the coffee industry is to determine what is needed to innovate businesses in a way that gives back value to coffee farmers in a sustainable way. Read Lars's coffee storyhttps://notabarista.org/lars-aaen-thogersen/MOMENTEM dual-burr manual coffee grinderhttps://www.indiegogo.com/projects/momentem-dual-burr-coffee-grinder-for-coffeeholic/x/23239695#/Coffee Wristbandshttps://coffeewristbands.com/Meet us at Mice and The Barista League competitionhttps://notabarista.org/a-piping-hot-cup-of-female-empowerment-goes-overseas/Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In this episode, we're joined by two of our very own volunteer content writers - Vasileia and Maximillian. If you've been following us for awhile, you must've read one or more of their articles. On the podcast, we talk about coffee culture in both Greece and Singapore.As ex-baristas, they still enjoy brewing coffee daily. Vasileia is currently working as a freelance content writer, her works include articles written for Barista Magazine (@baristamagazine), Perfect Daily Grind (@perfectdailygrind), and Coffee t&i (@coffeeteaimag). Max recently graduated and is working on a coffee project called the Singapore Coffee Collective (@coffeeinsg).If you are travelling to Greece or Singapore in the near future, make sure to drop them a DM @the.wandering.bean or @messymerlion to get insider info on the best coffee spots in town!Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

How did a sailor, photographer and strategy consultant team up to make a positive impact in the Indian coffee community?Recently we had a special interview with the three founders of Bhopal Brewing Club, Navneet Tiwari, Arun Thomas and Neeraj Pathak. In this episode, these three gentlemen shared how they created a local coffee club to help new coffee drinkers learn about coffee. You can read their story on our website herehttps://notabarista.org/bhopal-brewing-club/If you like our podcast, make sure to subscribe and share our podcast with your friends. Thank you for your support. Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In our latest episode, we had a chance to talk to Morgan Eckroth, the friendly internet barista, the newest 2022 US Barista Champion known by over 7 million combined followers as @morgandrinkscoffee on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. The barista competition represents an elevated version of what baristas do in their day-to-day work. “Competitions allow for a lot of innovation and attention to aspects of coffee that are up-and-coming, and by showing these exciting and expensive things on the stage, it opens them up to a wider audience. In the years following, we generally start to see more adoption of these things, so in that way, the barista stage is important because it’s the most high level of what we do,” Morgan says. --Check out I'M NOT A BARISTA's next big project - MOMENTEM dual-burr coffee manual grinder. Thanks to the Two-Step Grinding System, MOMENTEM grinders faster and produce more uniform particles.  It is a call-to-action for the manual grinding industry to realize the potential of coffee engineering innovation. We can achieve so much more than modest improvements in burr technology and share these incredible innovations with coffee lovers everywhere. Coming soon on Indiegogo.https://momentemgrinder.com/Subscribe to our newsletter to receive the latest project updates.Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

In this episode, we talked to Justin Piercy, the creator behind the Instagram account DaddyGotCoffee. Justin wants people to identify his Instagram page as somewhere you can be supported on your coffee journey, he wants to be a cheerleader in your life and to help you go through all the ups and downs through his funny coffee reel videos. We talked about content creation, branding, and the importance of consistency if you want to run a growing social media. Justin isn’t a barista, according to Justin, in real life, he is a real geek who is very quiet and introverted, but he is also a learner who enjoys reading and researching. Recently, Justin launched his new YouTube channel that aims to help coffee people produce solid coffee every time by simplifying complicated coffee theories because that is what he feels passionate about. Listen to this episode and get to know the Justin, the person behind DaddyGotCoffeeDaddyGotCoffee Youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/c/DaddyGotCoffeeDaddyGotCoffee Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/daddygotcoffee/--*SponsorA big shout out to  Lilydrip for sponsoring this episode, Lilydrip is a magical small brewing gadget that works with all cone shape brewers, including Hario V60, Origami and Flower dripper. Lilydrip is a diamond shape add-on that can help you instantly increase extraction surface by 100% and ground height by 50%. It magically fixes problems such as coffee clustering as well as making your brews stable, easy, and fun. Follow Lilydrip on Instagram and purchase lilydrip now on Amazon.  If you want more awesome episodes like this, please support us, you can purchase our merch here https://notabarista.org/product/, or make a small donation to help us continue doing what we love, thank you so much!Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Covid-19 has impacted so many people around the world and for some, has changed our lives completely.Many feel overwhelmed by it, but many could see the opportunities to thrive. In this episode, we talked to Pack Katisomsakul from Thailand, an entrepreneur with about ten years of experience in startups, and the founder of 50 Milk Street.Without any coffee know-how, how could Pack start his coffee business during the pandemic time and build a growing coffee business just in two years, how he did it? Listen to this podcast and find out Pack's secret.If you want to read Pack's story, read the full article herehttps://notabarista.org/pack-katisomsakul/If you like our podcast, make sure to subscribe and support us. Humanity runs on coffee. https://notabarista.org/Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

For Season 2 of the I’M NOT A BARISTA Podcast, we wanted to bring a new and vibrant tone. Come along with us as we interview some unique people in the coffee community in a fun and upbeat way.In the first episode of season 2, we have Chandra Melo with us, she is a gorgeous coffee girl from Brazil, an ex-barista who is currently working as a marketer at a big international coffee company. Chandra believes that baristas can reach much more in their careers because herself is a great example. Are you a barista feeling stuck in your career? listen to this episode and see what Chandra is sharing with you. Follow Chandra on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/arroba.moon/Era of We  project https://www.instagram.com/eraofwe/Support the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/

Watch a lot of coffee videos on YouTube? If yes, you may have heard ārāmse.In this episode, we invited Namisha and Raghunath, the couple behind ārāmse. Though they had very different careers prior to this, their foray into starting a YouTube channel for a shared passion, music, led them to discover they had complementary skills and really enjoyed working together.After 13 years in financial markets, Namisha decided to leave the fast-paced life for one with more balance and purpose. Coffee has been an excellent medium for Namisha to connect the disparate dots in her life — finance, markets, coffee drinking and interest in the grassroots.Raghunath, having spent over a decade in design, found coffee to be the perfect way to combine all that he is passionate about — photography, design, product and of course, coffee.ārāmse's mission is to make coffee more inclusive, and to showcase Indian coffee for its unique attributes. They want to challenge popular assumptions and preconceptions about what qualifies as specialty coffee, which brewers are popularized, how we think of naming drinks, all with the ultimate goal of having producing countries like India and others, be more central to the dialogue around the next wave of coffee.--https://aramse.coffee/https://instagram.com/aramsecoffeehttps://www.youtube.com/aramsehttps://twitter.com/zencoffeemomhttps://www.patreon.com/aramseLearn how to make Kaapi coffee with RaghunathTraditional South Indian Filter Kaapi (Coffee) GuideSupport the showRead more coffee stories on https://notabarista.org/Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity workhttps://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/