Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jason Dominy on December 21, 2007 at 9:22am

My name is Jason Dominy. I live in Charlotte. I have been in coffee for more than 6 years. I have opened and ran two of my own coffeehouses. One in Augusta, GA, one in downtown Athens, GA. I have also worked for Caribou, and was an assistant Roastmaster with Krispy Kreme Coffee. I now train baristas, as well as help people open coffeehouses and shops. I have never competed, but want to, just to prove to myself I could do it. One day I will work up the balls to do it.
As long (or short, depending on who you are) as I have been in coffee, one thing has always been the same. Well, a couple of things, but the first is, you never know it all, and you can learn something new everyday. You have to be open to that. The other thing that's true is that you never burn bridges in this industry. You WILL need them one day. We are two small a community to not need each other one day.
That's all I got.

Permalink Reply by peg bono on December 21, 2007 at 2:41pm

Hey, I'm Peg. I am opening a coffeehouse in NortheasternPA.Hazleton. You may have heardabout our town , we get some bad press. But I'm bringing something good to town! The build out was a ball, and now I'm training my staff- 3 non espresso drinkers.It's amazing, though, after only 3 days of training, they are really getting interested in coffee and espresso preparation, and having a ball learning. The more I learn, the more I realize I don't know. The more I teach, the more I want to learn- it's a great process. Although I've been enjoying coffee for a longtime, this journey started only 3 years ago. I've done a lot of conventions and trade shows and met a lot of great people. One thing about this business is everyone is so into what they're doing, and very generous with sharing their knowledge and excitement. How refreshing!

Permalink Reply by Dex on December 28, 2007 at 5:41am

My name is Dee Zeiler and I do training for The Italian Coffee Bar in Chicago. I want to say congrats on your placement in the SCRBC. Also that I want to spend more time on coffee forums. I am excited about this new way to interact with one another.

Permalink Reply by Matt Milletto on December 28, 2007 at 10:28am

I am Matt Milletto. I have been in the specialty coffee industry for over 13 years. I have worked every position from barista to manager to trainer to consultant. I am a certified judge for the NWRBC and also sit on the USBC Marketing Committee. I have been a member of the SCAA Training Committee for over 3 years and facilitate training at the annual SCAA Conference. I placed 3rd in the 2007 Atlanta Millrock Latte Art Competition. I speak at every CoffeeFest trade show on Hiring and Retaining employees. I am the director of the American Barista & Coffee School in Portland, OR, and teach business start up and barista training to those looking to open or enhance a retail coffee business. I also do on-site training along with many other services for coffee retailers. I started this website, along with www.vivabarista.com and love to enhance the online community of coffee enthusiasts and professionals.

I also spend WAY to much time on coffee forums! :)

- Matt

Permalink Reply by Simon James on December 30, 2007 at 4:04am

Hi,

I'm Simon James. I've been in coffee for 8 years now. I manage Headquarters Cafe for the Coffee HQ Group, and I teach Latte Art at the William Angliss Coffee Academy in Melbourne, Australia.
I placed 3rd in the Victorian Barsita Championships in 2007, and led Coffee HQ to win the Coffee Chain Challenge in October 2007. I went to Tokyo to watch the 2007 WBC, and learnt a lot. Looking forward to competition in 2008.

My wife thinks I spend too much time on coffee forums.

Permalink Reply by christos manousidis on January 2, 2008 at 10:55pm

My greetings to all of you. I am Christos Manousidis and I’m working as a barista trainer the last three years in a trade coffee company in Greece. I have come out fourth in the 2005 Greek barista championship, and second in a cocktail competition.
I will agree with the previous speakers that all forums are useful and we can learn something new every day. This is also my purpose here.
Each day I deal with café that opens and tries they do something better with raw material that they have. My work is to put the microbe of creation and practise some baristi for the next competition. I believe that something I have accomplished the last years but my effort I feel that now it begins.
Good year in all of you!

Permalink Reply by michael Phillips on January 4, 2008 at 11:36am

Hello folks, my name is michael phillips and I work for intelligentsia of chicago. I'm still fairly young in the trade overall and extremely new to training ( i was minted as an in-store trainer yesterday...) I try to spend to much time online but somehow life keeps getting in the way. Hopefully this site will help plunge me headlong into hours and hours of staring at this screen reading about coffee so as to compliment the hours and hours I stand behind a bar in our stores actually making coffee. I look forward to meeting up with all of you and trading secret handshakes.

Permalink Reply by Branden Byers on January 4, 2008 at 9:53pm

My name is Branden Byers and I am currently living in Iowa City, Iowa. I lead public cuppings at my friends shop in a nearby city and if all goes as planned, I will soon be taking the position of barista trainer and customer educator for a coffee kiosk opening in a new upscale grocery store. I am also in the process of developing an educational and entertaining video blog with some highly passionate puppet baristas at www.bottomlessbarista.com.

A large majority of my free time is spent on the forums, behind my home espresso set-up, or cupping coffees. Without the internet, I would feel lost here in Iowa with the general lack of coffee awareness. But I keep trying to educate those around me and slowly I am beginning to notice a shift.

I hope to some day meet many if not most of you in person. Until then, I appreciate these virtual formal introductions. Greetings everyone!

Permalink Reply by Shiloh Nelson on January 5, 2008 at 4:56pm

My name is Shiloh Sanders. I have been in the coffee industry 9 years. This is my eighth year as a trainer. I am the Director of Operations/ and Head Trainer for Forza Coffee Company. I have designed our training program, and have written a large portion of our training manuals (I am always tweaking and adding to it all, it's a building process!). I love working with a my new franchise staffs. I enjoy taking them from the interviews to a functioning team at grand opening. Its so fullfulling to see them knowledgeable about origins, cuppings, extraction, milk steaming and of course latte art! I especially love working with my managers and trainers. We have GREAT leaders! We hold meetings and seminars every 6-8 weeks. When it comes to the education side of the industry, this is where my passion has developed. I am intrigued by the tradition of coffee! I could spend hours on the art and science of this addictive brew. This is what I want to pass on to whoever will listen!

I feel that we as trainers/ educators set an example, we set the pace. We are always pushing ourselves to learn more and perfect our own skills. Enthusiasm is contagious, patience is a necessity! I know I have so much more to learn, especially in the arena of competing! I have been competing in latte art competitions for the past 3 years, and am looking to further my competition experience.

It has been great to read each of your introductions and get a little more plugged in. This site rocks!

Permalink Reply by Spencer on January 10, 2008 at 10:29am

Hello. My name is Spencer Turer. I have been in the specialty coffee industry since the early 1990's and have been active in the SCAA and NCA since 1996. During my career I have had the pleasure of working in all aspects of the coffee industry including importing, green coffee purchasing, product development, quality control, Barista, sales, marketing, and training. My other activities in the coffee industry include serving on various committees and advisory boards, am a regular contributor to various coffee industry publications and consumer magazines, and often present training seminars at coffee industry and food & beverage trade events. I have been honored to judge several prestigious coffee competitions including Cup of Excellence, Q Auction, United States Barista Championship and many regional barista competitions.

I am a current student of coffee; as I believe that our education is never complete and strive to maintain an understanding of contemporary coffee and espresso issues.

Permalink Reply by Cameron Thomas on January 11, 2008 at 8:02pm

My name is Cameron Thomas. I don't have a picture up yet but will soon. I live in Sierra Madre, Ca. I have been in the coffee industry for 2 years now, but have learned a ton. I know I don't know everything as everyone that I talk to that has been in the industry for years says they don't know everything. I am the assistant manager at Steamers Coffee Shop here in Sierra Madre, but I also have my own coffee company that I'm trying to build. I'm working on getting a couple of corporate accounts right now and hopefully opening up my first shop in Oregon by the end of the year. I'm stoked about this web site. I think this is great and an awesome opportunity to soak up some more information. I also do some consulting. I helped out when Steamers was being built so can offer information and suggestions if you're trying to build a coffee shop. I do barista training and also do Coffee Shop Manager training if anybody wants more than the over the phone training CSM gives you. Glad to be a part of this.

Permalink Reply by Billy Kangas on January 22, 2008 at 5:30pm

My Name is Billy Kangas or Billy Bones while I'm behind a Bar. I'm reasonably new to the industry. I currently work as a trainer for Common Cup Coffee in Ann Arbor, MI. Before that I was a barista at the Ugly Mug Cafe, in Ypsilanti MI. I love to learn and write about coffee, as well as theology and religion in General. For me making coffee is an act of worship.

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