In this episode, we sit down with Charity Cheung, 1st France Brewer’s Cup’22&’24, to explore her fascinating journey from public policy to the heart of the coffee industry. Charity shares how an unexpected start led her to pursue a new passion in specialty coffee, and what it was like to transition from academia to entrepreneurship in France. We dive into her competition experiences, the importance of community in coffee, and why supporting coffee farmers matters now more than ever.

Charity’s story is a reminder of the powerful connections coffee creates—and the impact we can all make by valuing the people behind each cup. Whether you’re a coffee pro, a barista, or just a curious coffee drinker, you won’t want to miss this inspiring conversation with Charity Cheung!

• Follow Charity on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/charitycheung_/?hl=en
• Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/iamnotabarista/?hl=en
• Read Charity's story here https://notabarista.org/charity-cheung/
• Support I'M NOT A BARISTA here https://notabarista.org/charity-cheung/

In this episode of the I'M NOT A BARISTA podcast, we sit down with Nikos Antzaras, a two-time Greek Barista Champion whose love for coffee transformed his life and career. Starting as a medical engineering student working as a barista to cover expenses, Nikos found his true calling in the world of coffee—a decision that led to both family tensions and remarkable personal growth.

"I really fell in love with coffee," Nikos recalls. Despite his parents' concerns—"What are you doing? Are you crazy? You studied... what coffee things are these?"—he pursued his passion relentlessly. 

Nikos shares valuable insights from his extensive experience in coffee competitions, emphasizing that "you never lose; you always win something." His journey took a profound turn during a trip to Colombia, where he helped save a coffee farmer's livelihood by challenging an incorrect defect evaluation.  

At his own establishment, Roast Warehouse in Athens, Nikos continues to inspire both customers and employees. "I always tell my employees, 'It doesn't matter where you work. If you love this job, you have to always give your 100 percent.'" With an open roastery concept, he invites everyone to witness the art and science behind every cup.

Join us as we explore Nikos's inspiring story—a testament to passion, perseverance, and the impact one individual can have on an entire community. Whether you're a coffee professional or an enthusiast, this episode offers valuable lessons and motivation for your own journey in the world of coffee.

www.notabarista.org

“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 

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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.

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

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https://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/

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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/

Website
https://filterstories.org/

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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 below
https://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.

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

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https://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/

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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:

Read the full article here
https://notabarista.org/petros-malousis/

Follow us on Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/iamnotabarista/

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Paola Campana’s story is one of tradition, values, family, and passion. Slipping into the world of coffee by following in her parents’ footsteps, her story takes place along the Napolitan coast of Italy. A dreamy backdrop, we invite you to imagine the sounds of waves crashing and busy piazzas in summer as we share her story with you.

Read the full article here
https://notabarista.org/paola-campana/

Article by Virginia & Zoé

Support our 101 Coffee Stories project on Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iamnotabarista/101-coffee-stories-dedicated-to-the-people-behind-the-cup

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Coffee runs in Juan Angel Welchez’s veins. If anyone was destined to go into the coffee industry, it was him. To him, coffee is more than a drink; it is a connection, a bond. This love of coffee began with Juan’s grandfather, making him a third-generation Honduran coffee farmer.

This is Juan's coffee story, written by Emma Niro

Read the article here
https://notabarista.org/juan-angel-welchez/

Support our 101 Coffee Stories project on Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/iamnotabarista/101-coffee-stories-dedicated-to-the-people-behind-the-cup

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The first time André Eiermann had his first cup of coffee was during the interview for a Junior Coffee Trader position. 

After the interview, André was convinced that coffee was his destiny. On the hunt for an adventure, he was especially interested in traveling to the various origins of coffee. 

Among the many successes he had during his 15 years working with coffee, he won the Swiss Barista Championship and became the first barista to roast coffee live on stage during his World Barista Championship performance. Now André has moved to Melbourne where he is the General Manager at Victoria Arduino—a company that specializes in quality espresso machines. 

Read the full coffee story here
https://notabarista.org/andre-eiermann/

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In this episode of the I’M NOT A BARISTA podcast, we catch up with Andrew Jay, a passionate coffee professional, who shares his inspiring journey from being a barista to becoming a regional coffee trainer. Andrew opens up about the challenges he’s faced, including imposter syndrome, the impact of the pandemic on his business dreams, and the fine line between his professional and personal love for coffee. We discuss the importance of every coffee story, no matter where you are in your journey—don’t let your current stage blind where you want to be.

Join us as we explore Andrew’s story of growth, resilience, and the pursuit of new opportunities in the ever-evolving coffee industry. Plus, hear about his exciting plans for the future and how he’s balancing his love for coffee with a potential career as a writer. Don’t miss this honest and heartfelt conversation that reminds us all why every coffee story matters.

Make sure to follow Andrew on Instagram here.

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Hello, everyone! My name is Emma Niro and I’m a content writing intern from New Jersey in the United States. I’ve been with I’M NOT A BARISTA since June of 2022, and I am thrilled to be working on such a big-scale project (101 Coffee Stories) in the hopes of spreading coffee people’s voices from around the world and bringing awareness to the everyday coffee consumer.

Read more coffee stories on
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Meet Michael Tan, a father, a coffee lover, and a wholesale coffee manager with 14 years of experience under his belt.

Born and bred in Malaysia, he has climbed up and down and up again on the ladder of the coffee business and still hasn’t let anything stop him. There’s no place he’d rather be.

Read Michael's full coffee story here
https://notabarista.org/michael-tan/

Article by Oluwatobifunmi Olaniran

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Aeropress Regional Competition Finalist of 2021, Rodolfo Barranco, always dreamed of being the one behind the bar preparing coffee. 

Rodolfo @robadgal, now 23 years old, hails from Mexico City and has been working with coffee for six years. Next on his agenda is reaching the final in the National Latte Art Competition.

Rodolfo landed his first job at only 18 years old at Fractal Café where their specialty is a flat white. Fractal Café owns a bright red, old-school VW truck where they serve coffee, milkshakes, and waffles at music festivals around the city. He says working at music festivals was extremely demanding.

“The work of a barista is always undervalued.”

From Fractal Café, he moved his barista talents to Cardinal Casa de Café @casacardinal where his love for Mexican coffee originated. At Cardinal. he was surrounded by people who motivated him and supported his dreams – who shared the same goal as he did. He managed to make it to the finals of the 2021 Aeropress Regional Competition, going above and beyond the expectations he set for himself. It was also at Cardinal where Rodolfo experienced his first really good cup of coffee – yellow-honey processed coffee and,

“I swear it tasted like pineapple.”

In his 23 years, he admits to going through many challenges and changes which ultimately led him to where he is now. Unfortunately, Rodolfo was forced to leave Cardinal because he didn’t have enough capital for supplies to practice for the National Art Latte Competition.

“It was a difficult decision because it was a job that taught me the value of work and the love for what I did.”

Qūentin Café is where he is currently practicing his latte art skills.

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To read more about the challenges Rodolfo faced throughout his career which has led him to where he is now – practicing for the National Latte Art Competition – click the link below

https://notabarista.org/rodolfo-barranco/

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Meet Ömer Faruk Şahin (@Baristanomi), a man who fell in love with coffee after his first sip of Turkish coffee.

At the age of 25, Ömer made the decision to quit his job and pursue his dream of becoming a barista. 

Currently, he is hoping to go abroad in the near future in order to educate himself about the coffee industry on a global scale.

Although Ömer has big dreams, he is very content with simply making bonds with people around a cup of coffee. 

Story by Emma Niro

Read the full article here 
https://notabarista.org/omer-faruk-sahin/

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Meet Jodie Williams (@jodiealicia), one of Britain’s top talents in the coffee and track industry. Jodie has been a predominant voice in the coffee industry for 6 years, and it all started with a cup of iced latte.

She is a 2-time Great Britain Olympic athlete, with her most recent competition in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, where she participated in the 400m final. This has been a long time coming, since recovering from a hamstring injury in 2012.

She is a longtime advocate for the rights of women in coffee farming communities, especially how they are affected by low wages and a lack of opportunities for leadership and management.

She believes she is #morethanjustanathlete as she has developed multiple passions and interests outside of sports, including coffee and her YouTube channel.

“If you're passionate about something, learn everything you can about it and find a community that is equally as passionate! This will bring you unparalleled joy and a deep sense of acceptance in a space that truly aligns with who you are.”

How do you think women in coffee farming communities can be supported? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Read the full story here
https://notabarista.org/jodie-williams/

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Meet Agricultural Engineer, Juan Angel Welchez.

Juan grew up with coffee running in his veins; Juan Angel Welchez is a third-generation Honduran coffee farmer. Juan originally got into the coffee industry after his grandfather—a fellow coffee farmer—passed away. He said,

 “I wanted to be a coffee farmer to keep my grandpa’s legacy alive.”

Read the full article here
https://notabarista.org/juan-angel-welchez/

Article by Emma Niro

Read more coffee stories here
https://notabarista.org/coffee-stories/

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Andrew Jay’s coffee story is a unique one because…well…he couldn’t steam milk to save his life. The world of coffee baffled Andrew. Nothing ever fully clicked until he had his first sip of a V60.

Do you also think you’ll never know everything about coffee? Were you in a similar predicament to Andrew when the pandemic hit? Let us know.

Story by Emma Niro

Read the full story here
https://notabarista.org/andrew-jay/

Follow us on Instagram for more coffee stories
https://www.instagram.com/iamnotabarista/

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Throughout Vivito’s coffee journey, he feels extremely blessed to have had the opportunity to learn and build relationships with many educated and accomplished people from all over the world. 

We are positively inspired by his resilience, diligence, and commitment to not only his work but also his family. We’ll leave you with one last piece of advice he offered: “Those who work hard; win the race.” 

Read the full story here
https://notabarista.org/vivito-yeptho/

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I’M NOT A BARISTA is happy to bring back Pack Sompetch Katisomsakul, the owner of the coffee business 50 Milk Street. We were fortunate enough to sit down with Pack after his success with the Coffee Wristbands Charity Program.

Read the full article here
https://notabarista.org/pack-katisomsakul-50-milk-street-raised-750-through-coffee-wristbands-and-bought-coffee-trees-to-help-farmers-in-thailand/

Coffee Wristbands Charity Program
https://notabarista.org/coffee-wristbands-charity-program/

Order Wristbands here
https://notabarista.org/product/coffee-wristbands/

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Welcome back to another exciting episode of the 'I'M NOT A BARISTA' podcast! Today, we've got something truly special for you. If you're an Instagram coffee enthusiast, chances are you've come across the incredible videos by Haroon from the UAE. His account, @harooncfffee, is packed with amazing coffee content, but there's always been one mystery—Haroon has never shown his face or voice online.

Well, that's about to change! Today, we're thrilled to finally bring you an exclusive conversation with the man behind the mesmerizing coffee videos. You might have a picture in your mind of what he sounds like, and trust me, he's either going to match that image perfectly or surprise you entirely with his slightly colorful language and strong accent.

This episode is all about unveiling the mystery and getting to know the real Haroon. If you're curious to learn more about his story, you can read all about it here

https://notabarista.org/haroon-zafar/

So, grab your favorite cup of coffee, sit back, and let's dive into this fascinating chat. Haroon, welcome to the show!

#iamnotabarista #coffee #coffeepodcast #haroonzafar #coffeeblogger #harooncfffee #coffeestory

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 the full coffee story here
https://notabarista.org/lars-aaen-thogersen/

Story by Nathierah Fredericks

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Meet Michalina (Instagram: @coffee_that_gives_a_puck)!

After fifteen years in the hospitality industry, what can Michalina not do?

From barista to teacher to Youtuber to yoga fanatic, she has done more than what many might do in their lifetime. 

After up and leaving her entire life in Poland to spend eight years in New Zealand (during the lockdown!!!), Michalina has gained great insight into who she is and what she wants out of her career and life. She believes that:

“If you have a certain passion and you want to evolve…

you will find your way and you will follow the path that you want.” But she also believes in taking a break and focusing on yourself, which is why she stepped away from the hospitality industry. 

Subscribe to Michalina’s Youtube channel “Coffee that gives a puck” and get ready to go on the most educational and entertaining journey into the coffee world than you ever imagined!

What are your thoughts on the hospitality industry? Where do you think it can improve—as either an employee or a consumer? Let us know !

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This bucket hat-wearing, art-loving, UAE Brewers Cup champion, Mariam Erin Pinza (@mariam.erin), has brought huge recognition to herself through her outstanding performance in recent coffee competitions.

We had a chat with her recently, she enlightened us about the coffee community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), how trends play a significant impact on the coffee scene and her tips for anyone who wishes to compete in coffee competitions.

Listen to this short audio coffee story, and get to know Mariam.

You can also read the full article on our website here
https://notabarista.org/coffee-stories/ 

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As you know, I’M NOT A BARISTA was designed to help baristas in need and make a social impact. Well, if it’s a social impact we’re after then we needed an additional way of sharing the voices of those in the coffee community. 

We want to ensure that their voices are heard in many ways and we want to take this opportunity to introduce our new way of sharing stories - audio stories. 

Behind the scenes: This Monday, we had a meeting with our content writing interns brainstorming the new way of empowering coffee people, and we came up with the idea of audio stories. 

It is different from our regular podcast and coffee articles, it is a new, easier way to share the stories with you. The audio stories are shorter, often less than 5 minutes long and they’re read by our content writers who wrote the stories.

 You will hear the voices of our content writers from Africa, The United States, and more. Just like a short bedtime story, are you ready? 

Turn up the volume, get your favourite earphones, and listen to our very first audio story from Fausto Russo, story written and read by our new content writer Emma Niro.

Do you often listen to audiobooks? What do you think about our the new audio stories?

Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/

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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!

Read more coffee stories on
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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 here
https://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. 

Read more coffee stories on
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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.

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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.

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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 DaddyGotCoffee

DaddyGotCoffee Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/c/DaddyGotCoffee

DaddyGotCoffee Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/daddygotcoffee/

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*Sponsor
A 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!

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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 here
https://notabarista.org/pack-katisomsakul/

If you like our podcast, make sure to subscribe and support us. 

Humanity runs on coffee. 
https://notabarista.org/

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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/

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Hello and a very warm welcome to all our listeners out there! You're tuning into the 'I'M NOT A BARISTA' podcast, and today marks the beginning of our exhilarating 2024 journey together. As we sip our first cups of coffee in this new year, we're thrilled to bring you stories that brew inspiration, stir passion, and pour out the essence of what it truly means to be part of the global coffee community.

Before we dive into today’s episode, I want to extend a heartfelt Happy New Year to each and every one of you. We’ve been away for a bit, focusing all our energy on the MOMENTEM grinder project. Your patience and encouragement have been our steady guide, and now, we're back, more ready than ever to share the incredible voices from the coffee world with you.

In our comeback episode, we're bringing you a conversation that's been brewing since last year. Our guest is none other than Savina Giachgia from Greece, a name that resonates with dedication, skill, and an unwavering love for coffee. From facing unexpected challenges at the World Brewers Cup to embarking on a journey of self-discovery and professional growth, Savina’s story is a testament to the power of community, passion, and hard work in the coffee industry.

Despite our brief hiatus, we believe that some conversations are timeless, and Savina's insights, experiences, and heartfelt advice are as relevant and inspiring as ever. Whether you're a budding barista, a seasoned coffee professional, or simply someone who appreciates a good cup of coffee, this episode is brewed just for you.

So, let's not wait any longer. Please join me in giving a warm, caffeinated welcome to Savina Giachgia. Savina, welcome to 'I'M NOT A BARISTA.

Follow us on Instagram
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Follow Savina
https://www.instagram.com/savina.giachgia/

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Read more coffee stories on
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Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
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Today is the first time we are joined by two individuals that crossed paths and became friends through coffee.

Aslam is the Director of Coffee for The Community Coffee, he is also the founder of the Singapore Roaster Forum. He is a curious yet humble individual, always open to new ideas and concepts in coffee, in which he shares these ideas with those that he has taken under his wing.

Professionally, Sarah is a full-time History and English educator at a local secondary school. After hours, she enjoys travelling and is always on the hunt for a good cup of coffee. Sarah shares an Instagram account (@coffeetripsaroundtheworld) with her friend Audrey, it is an outlet for two coffee lovers to share their café finds and to tell their coffee tales during their travels.

In this episode, we discuss barista-customer interactions in a coffee shop to dig deeper into what consumers actually want from a specialty coffee experience, and how businesses can bridge the communication barrier to deliver better service to their customers.

We also get a glimpse into the Singaporean coffee community, and how coffee roasters operate in one of the smallest countries in the world with an extremely saturated market.

The Community Coffee
https://thecommunitycoffee.com/

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In this episode, we talked to the owner of Teyyaredenkahve (Aircraft Coffee) Levent Oncu. 

Levent is NOT A BARISTA. 

As an aeronautical engineer, Levent joined the third wave of coffee in 2010, and today he is one of the most influential coffee people in Turkey. 

Coffee is a big part of Levent's life, as a full-time engineer, a husband, and a father of a 5-years,  he always can find time to review coffee tools,  make Instagram live talk (with 83 episodes till today)  and help Turkish coffee lovers brew better coffee. 

When the high inflation hits Turkey badly, Levent and his friend Ismail collaborate with Turkish coffee roasters and distributors to organize group purchases to help the local coffee community in difficult times. 

Listen to this episode and get to Levent and his community in Turkey. Don't forget to follow him on Instagram 

• https://www.instagram.com/teyyaredenkahve/
• https://kahveler.net
• https://www.youtube.com/c/KahveMasasi

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Are you a barista? Do you work with espresso machines?
Today, we have Geoffrey Michelmore on our podcast, and we talked about his engineering career, his favourite coffee, and AREMDE espresso machines. Geoff also shared his tips.

At I'M NOT A BARISTA,  we want to connect people behind the cup, especially between baristas and coffee consumers, this is where we found AREMDE and us have so much in common.

Every problem is also a window of opportunity. You just have to open it up. And that’s what AREMDE did. They literally designed a hole in the wall. Created less machine and more experience. So the connection between the customer and the coffee master – as we like to call true baristas – is optimized to the max.

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 In this episode, Micky talks to Tigger Chaturabul, one of the I'M NOT A BARISTA volunteers.

Tigger is also working on the I'MNAB's crowdfunding project - the world's first coffee hand grinder with two burrs, which will be launching in Spring 2022.

Tigger was born in California, moved to Hong Kong for her master's degree in creative media, and is now living in the Netherlands. As a branding consultant and copywriter, what is her life like and what is the latest I'MNAB project she is working on? Listen now to get to know Tigger and I'M NOT A BARISTA's next crowdfunding project.

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Robert McKeon Aloe,  author of the latest coffee book on Kickstarter "Engineering Better Espresso: Data Driven Coffee ".

Robert is also a Senior Video Engineering Incubation Manager at the biggest fruit company Apple. For the last 3 years, he has published more than 200 coffee articles on his blog

https://rmckeon.medium.com

"People think you have to upgrade coffee equipment for better espresso. Better equipment will improve your espresso, but it isn’t the only thing. There are plenty of cheaper ways and methods to improve espresso that can be done incrementally. I wrote a book about improving espresso by incrementally improving each variable of the process using data science with the aim to help every espresso drinker regardless of their home or professional setup."

Robert's new book reached its funding goal in just 7 hours, if you are an espresso lover, make sure you check out this coffee book on Kickstarter now

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/espressofun/engineering-better-espresso-data-driven-coffee/

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Meet Jared Dennison, Barista, Trainer & Lab Assistant  at Wonderstate Coffee in Viroqua, Wisconsin.

Jared is also a full-time dad with a three years old son. After 11 years in the coffee industry, what has he learned, what motivates him, and what tips he has for the baristas? 

We asked Jared what coffee means to him, he answers:

“Coffee is constant change and reinvention, it's my punk rock. Something ubiquitous and wholly unique. It's a platform for me to communicate something to those I serve. With coffee, I can take this mutual language of taste and share experiences and passion in a way that words or even images can't communicate. Coffee is so much more to me than just a morning routine or "hot brown" it's literal passion in a cup.” 

Jared is also one of the recipe contributors of the Brewing Guide project, check out his go-to Aeropress recipe here

https://notabarista.org/product/jared-dennison/

Follow Jared on Instagram @depeche__mocha 

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We shared Ken's coffee story a few months ago and now wish to share his latest project August 63, a mobile coffee roastery in Berlin 

Ken is working hard on his coffee dream - build a mobile coffee roastery in Berlin, and you will find him at farmers markets, street food markets, corporate events, festivals or cultural events soon.

Ken aims to raise 12,000 euros to kick start his dreams, and his project is still alive here. With your support, Ken can launch his project and share his passion for sustainable and transparently sourced coffee with thousands of coffee lovers in Germany.

Ken’s passion and commitment for change drive him forward to make change where it needs to be done and help others be more aware of where they buy their coffee. 

Support Ken here 
https://www.startnext.com/en/august63

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Brewing with grit and beauty:
Betty Wee’s journey from graphic design to building her own coffee brand.

You can support Betty's roasting business by ordering her coffee on our crowdfunding page, click the link below and purchase her coffee (Beautiful Stain) as an add-on.  With each bag of coffee sold on Indiegogo, Betty will donate $2 to I'M NOT A BARISTA, and we will use the money to help baristas in need, make sure to check our #TIPABARISTA campaign and see how we empower baristas.

Support Betty on Indiegogo now
https://igg.me/at/iamnotabarista/x#/

Read Betty's coffee story
https://notabarista.org/betty-wee/

#TIPABARISTA charity campaign
https://notabarista.org/notabarista-foundation/

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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 here
https://notabarista.org/melissa-stinson/

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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.

This episode is about Ashley Rodriguez, a long time #barista turned freelance writer and podcast host of Boss Barista. In this episode, we talked about her barista experience, how she started the Boss Barista podcast; Ashley also shared her tips on how to become a coffee writer, how to balance your work life, and much more.

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Moving from city to city in hopes of finding the perfect coffee shop, Ashley has elected to harvest her love for coffee by starting the Boss Barista podcast some four years ago. The show allows her to consider her experiences as a barista but also relate them to larger problems within our current coffee community, never hesitating to take a different direction every episode!

A true supporter of her community, Ashley strongly believes in supporting local businesses and providing smaller roasters and baristas with her platform so that they can be heard. With a similar mission to us at I’M NOT A BARISTA, Ashley isn’t afraid to ask the hard hitting questions and brings “taboo” topics to the table, such as tipping, health insurance, and salary amongst other things.

She has made a point of telling us that anyone with questions about freelance writing and podcasting should email her if they need help getting their foot in the door! To read more about her podcast, her experiences, and her career path, make sure to read her coffee story on our website and listen to our podcast episode with her!

You can check Boss Barista's website
http://bossbarista.com

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/bossbaristapodcast/

You can also support her podcast on Patreon now
https://www.patreon.com/bossbarista

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This week's episode is our first recorded by our marketing intern, and now new co-host, Nicole Hilton.

We interviewed Micky, CEO and founder of I'M NOT A BARISTA, and got to know a little more about how we got started with his not-for-profit organisation. Let's find out together who is the face (and voice) behind I'M NOT A BARISTA.

Don't forget to check our latest Charity Project on Indiegogo: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-secret-of-delicious-coffee-the-brewing-guide#/

For more coffee stories, check our website
https://notabarista.org/coffee-stories/

Humanity runs on coffee.
We need your support, so make sure you spread the word!

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"Some of you may have read my name before in an Instagram DM, or may have heard my voice during one of the live sessions we organise with baristas and people from the coffee industry at I’M NOT A BARISTA. So let me tell you a bit more about myself."

As an intern, Nicole's tip is

Read Nicole Hilton's full story here
https://notabarista.org/nicole-hilton/

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Look Ma, 文欣 Sierra Yeo’s raising the bar: meet the diversity champion leading change for a more equitable coffee scene

For Sierra Yeo, the barriers to growth have long been a frustrating source of motivation. This stems from her experience as a barista, being barred from upskilling opportunities and access to resources. She was made to feel her opinions were not valued, with little being done for staff welfare at a toxic workplace she has since left behind. At that point, she was on the verge of turning her back on the industry, one that she had grown to love.

If you like reading, check the link below to read the full article
https://notabarista.org/sierra-yeo/

Article by  Zed Wong

What is new?
1. We are ready to ship out the brewing guide card decks this week, make sure you finish the back survey asap. Check here

2. If you missed our Kickstarter campaign, now you can pre-order on Indiegogo. It is a charity project, each bag of coffee sold on Indiegogo, our partners will donate $2 to I'M NOT A BARISTA, later we will make donations to help baristas in need.

3. If you are a roaster and wants to do good together, sign up as a partner here. 

Read more coffee stories on
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Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/