coffee culture

In this enlightening episode, our host Corey Dion Lewis sits down with the multifaceted entrepreneur, Ben McDougal. Dive into a conversation that bridges the gap between entrepreneurship and public health, highlighting how these worlds intertwine to create impactful change.

Short Bio: Ben McDougal is an author, founder, technologist, investor, and entrepreneurial ecosystem builder in the connected era.

What You'll Discover in This Episode:

• [00:26] Ben's Origin Story: Explore Ben's journey from early entrepreneurial ventures to becoming a community influencer.
• [03:16] Entrepreneurship Meets Public Health: Insights on how entrepreneurship can positively affect social determinants of health.
• [06:58] Embracing an Entrepreneurial Lifestyle: Uncovering the essence of creativity and innovation in all sectors.
• [10:43] Building Communities: The vital role of networking and genuine connections in business success.
• [17:37] The Side Hustle Experience: Ben and Corey share personal anecdotes and strategies for managing side hustles effectively.
• [22:55] Art of Quitting and Pivoting: Learning when to make crucial shifts in your business approach.
• [27:22] Solo Entrepreneurship vs. Team Dynamics: Exploring the challenges and benefits of working solo or in a team.
• [29:57] Ben's Book Journey: A glimpse into Ben's process of writing and distilling his entrepreneurial experiences.

Corey's Takeaway: A powerful closing message from our guest, filled with inspiration and practical advice for aspiring entrepreneurs and public health enthusiasts alike.

🔗 Stay Connected with Ben McDougal:

• LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/benmcdougal
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/BENovator
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/BENovator
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BENovator
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/user/GatheringofGamers
• Website/Blog: https://BenMcDougal.com

📚 Resources & Links:

• Media Library: https://BenMcDougal.com/you-dont-need-this-book/media
• Health Related Writings: Mental Fitness, Mindfulness
• Community: Entrepreneurial Ecosystems
• Additional URLs: Roasted Reflections, Playforce Principles, You Don't Need This Podcast, Pour Over Publishing, 1MCMidwest, FliteBrite, BENBOT.ai, ChattyChatbots.ai, Web3DSM

👉 Don't forget to subscribe for more episodes that blend health, entrepreneurship, and real-world experiences, providing you with the knowledge to enhance your personal and professional life.

And for our community of changemakers, we have something special. Head over to www.movethecityforward.com and explore a world of resources tailored just for you. Don't forget to use the exclusive code THP at checkout to receive 10% off.

Beth is steaming mad about the coffee economy overrunning coffee culture. Carl Hiaasen books are cathartic.  A new word is added to the list of banned words for the Rock 'n' Roll Porter podcast. 

Eric is one of the owners of Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters in Colorado. Sweet Bloom is one of the best specialty coffee in Colorado if not the United States. Eric talks a lot about hospitality, merging two coffee shops into one, and how to grow well with your business. Eric is raw and real and even eludes to some exciting things coming for Sweet Bloom Coffee Roasters in the future. Business owners, specialty coffee follows, no matter where you find yourself there is something for everyone in this episode. 

We also talk about Storyline and what we are up to at the end so if you are interested in our story and what we are up to stay tuned through the whole episode. 

In this episode of Shopify Masters, we go on location to London, UK, to chat with David Abrahamovitch, the founder of Grind. What started as a single café in Shoreditch grew to almost a dozen locations before going online to supply compostable coffee pods to consumers directly. David shares his strategies for retail expansion, fundraising, and building a lovable brand. 

For more on Grind and show notes: https://www.shopify.com/blog/grind-dtc-expansion?utm_campaign=shopifymasters&utm_medium=youtube&utm_source=podcast

Since it first began its westward expansion in the 16th century, coffee has been a distinctively male drink. Even today, while plenty of women work behind the coffee counter, many wonder whether a bro-rista culture continues to dominate the rapidly expanding specialty coffee industry. Learn more in this classic episode.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we’re excited (and a little bit sad) to release the sixth and final episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast’s first series. 

“Worlds Apart” tells the stories of the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship and the World Brewers Cup, two competitions that take vastly different approaches to growing the specialty coffee community. Along the way, co-host Kimberly Yer leads us through stories of unlikely inspiration, the value of setting expectations, the push and pull of subjectivity and objectivity, and the shape of things to come through interviews with Dave Jameson, Cheryl Lee Su Yin, Nick Cho, Chad Wang, and Kristina Jackson.

Special Thanks to Our Episode Sponsor, Licor 43
This episode of the WCC Podcast is brought to you with support from Licor 43. Licor 43 is a premium liqueur produced in Cartagena, Spain, from a secret Spanish family recipe of 43 natural ingredients including Mediterranean citrus fruit and selected botanicals. Licor 43 shares complementary tasting notes with coffee, and it loves putting extraordinary things together. Learn more about how Licor 43 calls on cocktail and coffee professionals around the world to showcase their expertise and creativity with their Barista and Bartenders Challenge. Licor 43: Tastes better together.

We’d like to thank Kimberly Yer, our co-host for this episode, and our interviewees for their time in sharing their stories about the evolution of the World Coffee in Good Spirits Championship and the World Brewers Cup, in order of appearance: Dave Jameson, Cheryl Lee Su Yin, Nick Cho, Chad Wang, and Kristina Jackson. 

For a full list of those who helped across the entire series, a year-long effort, click here. Series 01 of the World Coffee Championships Podcast is a coffee documentary series produced by James Harper of Filter Productions for the Specialty Coffee Association. 

Learn more about this episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast, made possible with the support of Victoria Arduino and Licor 43, including a full transcript and credits at sca.coffee/sca-news/listen/wcc-podcast/06-words-apart

“Turn It On” tells the stories of the World Coffee Roasting Championship and the Cezve/Ibrik Championships, two competitions with incredibly close-knit communities at their heart. Along the way, co-hosts Anna Oleksak and Sara Al-Ali lead us through stories about navigating subjectivity, all kinds of development, and the lengths we go to for coffee (and love) through interviews with Trish Rothgeb, Sylvia Gutierrez, Lee Yiming, Yuan Jingyi, Sergey Blinnikov, and Turgay Yildizli.

Special Thanks to Our Episode Sponsor, Loumidis Papagalos
This episode of the WCC podcast is made possible with support from Loumidis Papagalos. For over a century, Loumidis Papagalos has been evolving ibrik coffee tradition in Greece, offering unique moments to true coffee lovers. In 2020 Loumidis Papagalos celebrates its first 100 years, always nourishing passion around ibrik coffee and supporting its way forward. To learn more visit nestlenoiazomai.gr/loumidis. Loumidis Papagalos, the true expert in coffee!

We’d like to thank Anna Oleksak and Sara Al-Ali, our co-hosts for this episode, and our interviewees for their time in sharing their stories about the evolution of the World Coffee Roasters Championship and the Cezve/Ibrik Championship, in order of appearance: Trish Rothgeb, Sylvia Gutierrez, Lee Yiming, Yuan Jingyi, Sergey Blinnikov, and Turgay Yildizli. Thanks also to our roaster participants in James’ “How would you roast…?” game—Valentina Moksunova, David Rosali, Chad Goddard, Ariel Bravo, and Marian Aguilar—and to Lobotryasi and Specialty Turkish Coffee for audio permissions. 

For a full list of those who helped across the entire series, a year-long effort, click here. Series 01 of the World Coffee Championships Podcast is a coffee documentary series produced by James Harper of Filter Productions for the Specialty Coffee Association. 

Learn more about this episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast, made possible with the support of Victoria Arduino and Loumidis Papagalos, including a full transcript and credits at sca.coffee/sca-news/listen/wcc-podcast/05-turn-it-on

This week, we’re excited to release the fifth episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast.

“Turn It On” tells the stories of the World Coffee Roasting Championship and the Cezve/Ibrik Championships, two competitions with incredibly close-knit communities at their heart. Along the way, co-hosts Anna Oleksak and Sara Al-Ali lead us through stories about navigating subjectivity, all kinds of development, and the lengths we go to for coffee (and love) through interviews with Trish Rothgeb, Sylvia Gutierrez, Lee Yiming, Yuan Jingyi, Sergey Blinnikov, and Turgay Yildizli.

Special Thanks to Our Episode Sponsor, Loumidis Papagalos
This episode of the WCC podcast is made possible with support from Loumidis Papagalos. For over a century, Loumidis Papagalos has been evolving ibrik coffee tradition in Greece, offering unique moments to true coffee lovers. In 2020 Loumidis Papagalos celebrates its first 100 years, always nourishing passion around ibrik coffee and supporting its way forward. To learn more visit nestlenoiazomai.gr/loumidis. Loumidis Papagalos, the true expert in coffee!

We’d like to thank Anna Oleksak and Sara Al-Ali, our co-hosts for this episode, and our interviewees for their time in sharing their stories about the evolution of the World Coffee Roasters Championship and the Cezve/Ibrik Championship, in order of appearance: Trish Rothgeb, Sylvia Gutierrez, Lee Yiming, Yuan Jingyi, Sergey Blinnikov, and Turgay Yildizli. Thanks also to our roaster participants in James’ “How would you roast…?” game—Valentina Moksunova, David Rosali, Chad Goddard, Ariel Bravo, and Marian Aguilar—and to Lobotryasi and Specialty Turkish Coffee for audio permissions. 

For a full list of those who helped across the entire series, a year-long effort, click here. Series 01 of the World Coffee Championships Podcast is a coffee documentary series produced by James Harper of Filter Productions for the Specialty Coffee Association. 

Learn more about this episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast, made possible with the support of Victoria Arduino and Loumidis Papagalos, including a full transcript and credits at sca.coffee/sca-news/listen/wcc-podcast/05-turn-it-on

“But I Need It!” continues the story of the World Barista Championships from where we left off in Episode 03, nearly halfway through the competition’s journey, to today. Along the way, co-host Roukiat Delrue leads us through stories of evolutionary meetings, competitors who played in the grey areas of the rules, wildcards, and the drive to “bring the trophy” through interviews with Carl Sara, Federico Bolanos, María Esther López-Thome, Martin Shabaya, Innocent Niyongabo, and Annet Nyakaisiki. 

Special Thanks to Our Episode Sponsors, Scotsman and Urnex 
This episode of the WCC Podcast was made possible with support from Scotsman and Urnex.

For over 50 years, Scotsman has been one of the world's leading manufacturers of ice machines. At the forefront of practical, sustainable ice machines, Scotsman has expertise in every aspect of ice production. Combined with its passion for coffee, Scotsman has the perfect type of ice for any coffee preparation, whether iced coffee, cold brew, or cocktails. Learn more at www.scotsman-ice.it Scotsman: 50 years of ice innovation.

Even the slightest unwelcome scent or taste of bitterness can ruin a delicious coffee. Whether you have a dirty grinder, a grimy group head, or a soiled steam wand, Urnex has a product that can remove the buildup of oils, fats, and minerals that occurs from the regular preparation of coffee beverages in cafés and at home. Learn more about Urnex and its new line of biodegradable cleaners by visiting Urnex.com.

We’d like to thank Rouki Delrue, our co-host for this episode, and our interviewees for their time in sharing their stories about the evolution of the World Barista Championship, in order of appearance: Carl Sara, Federico Bolanos, María Esther López-Thome, Martin Shabaya, Innocent Niyongabo, and Annet Nyakaisiki. Thanks, too, to Henk Langkemper, for his recording of Alejandro’s winning moment in 2011. 

For a full list of those who helped across the entire series, a year-long effort, click here. Series 01 of the World Coffee Championships Podcast is a coffee documentary series produced by James Harper of Filter Productions for the Specialty Coffee Association. 

Learn more about this episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast, made possible with the support of Victoria Arduino, Scotsman, and URNEX, including a full transcript and credits at sca.coffee/sca-news/listen/wcc-podcast/04-but-i-need-it

“We Were the Punks” traces the early days of the World Barista Championships from a rag-tag group of volunteers looking to raise specialty coffee awareness to a powerful, monetizable stage grappling with questions of scale and professionalism. Along the way, co-host Sonja Bjork Grant leads us through stories of spit buckets, snakeskin boots, backstage woes, intensifying competition preparation, and devastating debriefs through interviews with Tone Elian Liavaag, Emma Markland-Webster, Simi Benzadon, Paul Basset, and Heather Perry.

We’d like to thank Sonja Bjork Grant, our co-host for this episode, and our interviewees for their time in sharing their stories about the early days of the World Barista Championship, in order of appearance: Tone Elian Liavaag, Emma Markland-Webster, Simi Benzadon, Paul Basset, and Heather Perry. Thanks, too, to Igloo Media for use of audio from “Living Coffee with Paul Basset.”

For a full list of those who helped across the entire series, a year-long effort, click here. Series 01 of the World Coffee Championships Podcast is a coffee documentary series produced by James Harper of Filter Productions for the Specialty Coffee Association.

Learn more about this episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast, made possible with the support of Victoria Arduino, including a full transcript and credits at sca.coffee/sca-news/listen/wcc-podcast/03-we-were-the-punks.

Coffee is not only consumed and beloved around the world, but it is also produced in many countries ranging from Costa Rica and Indonesia to Uganda, Brazil and Laos. Though coffee agriculture has not always been equitable for the farmers, there are innovators changing that. In this episode, we talk with two entrepreneurs who have found a way to make coffee into a sustainable and sustaining industry by creating fair-trade projects that not only provide producers with living wages, but also support local conservation and community development efforts.

Kathryn met our first guest, Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, on a trip to Uganda in 2019. Not only is she the first Wildlife Officer of the Ugandan Wildlife Authority, but she is also the founder of an NGO called Conservation Through Public Health that works with communities living around Bwindi Impenetrable Forest to promote gorilla conservation efforts there. She and her husband, Lawrence, founded Gorilla Conservation Coffee to help farmers living around the park support themselves by growing and selling coffee at fair prices.

Next, Eric calls Todd Moore, the director of Saffron Coffee. Along with a lovely little cafe in Luang Prabang, Laos, Saffron Coffee was founded in 2006 to help farmers in the hill villages of northern Laos shift from growing opium to farming coffee. Today, they work with more than 800 farmers in 25 of these villages. That success didn’t come without challenges, though, which we learn during our conversation.

Follow Gorilla Conservation Coffee on Instagram @gorillaconservation_coffee, and Saffron Coffee @saffroncoffee. And as always, be sure to check out our own Instagram feed @conscioustravlerpod.

This week, we’re excited to launch the second episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast. 

“Paint a Picture” traces the history and evolution of the World Latte Art Championship through the medium itself, from early etchings to the innovative realistic pours that grace the competition’s stage today. Along the way, co-host Rie Moustakis leads us through stories about the role of the rules, the value of art, and family dynamics through interviews with Carl Sara, Daniel Acosta Busch, and Um Paul. 

Special Thanks to Our Episode Sponsor, URNEX
This episode of the WCC Podcast was made possible with support from Urnex. Even the slightest unwelcome scent or taste of bitterness can ruin a delicious coffee. Whether you have a dirty grinder, a grimy group head, or a soiled steam wand, Urnex has a product that can remove the buildup of oils, fats, and minerals that occurs from the regular preparation of coffee beverages in cafés and at home. Learn more about Urnex and its new line of biodegradable cleaners by visiting Urnex.com. 

We’d like to thank Rie Moustakis, our co-host for this episode, and our interviewees for their time in sharing their stories about the World Latte Art Championship, in order of appearance: Carl Sara, Daniel Acosta Busch, and Um Paul. Thanks, too, to Madbirder for the recording of the Quetzal bird and to Um Paul for letting us use his tracks to help illustrate his story. 

For a full list of those who helped across the entire series, a year-long effort, click here. Series 01 of the World Coffee Championships Podcast was produced by James Harper of Filter Productions for the Specialty Coffee Association. 

In this episode we talk about:

• How Jake became interested in coffee via international humanitarian work
• His experimental coffee roasting that led to founding his business
• The concept of “specialty coffee” in a world of mediocre brew
• The process and criteria for sourcing premium beans
• Our conditioning, and reconditioning, of taste in culture and food
• Challenges on his entrepreneurial path and why seed-to-cup is his coffee philosophy--and why it should be yours, too!

Resources:

A Coffee Affair with Colombia

Coffee with Legs Santiago Style

Contact:

@coffeeculture_cr

You can learn more about Liz Caskey Culinary & Wine Experiences and the trips we offer in food, wine, culture, design & beyond at www.lizcaskey.com 

You can also sign up for our free weekly newsletter announcing new episodes, wine recommendations, travel intel, and much more. Sign up here: https://lizcaskey.myflodesk.com/ 

This week, we’re excited to launch the first episode of the World Coffee Championships Podcast. 

“It’s a YES!!” traces the history and evolution of the World Cup Tasters Championship through stories about rule-breakers, phone calls home mid-competition, and backstage ballet. Co-hosted by Gloria Pedroza, 2006 World Cup Tasters Champion and long-time WCE Judge and competition organizer, this episode features interviews with Alf Kramer, Kim Staalman, José Joaquín Ordoñez, and Chloe King. 

Find a full transcript of this episode on SCA News: sca.coffee/sca-news/listen/wcc-podcast/01-its-a-yes

Special Thanks to Our Episode Sponsor, DaVinci
This episode of the WCC Podcast is made possible with support from DaVinci. With its heritage in specialty coffee and expertise in trends and menu innovation, DaVinci is the beverage brand of choice for the foodservice professional. Their product range is designed to provide end-to-end solutions and support specialty coffee professionals in their mission to create inspirational beverages. Follow us at DaVinci Europe, DaVinci North America, or using #WeAreDaVinciGourmet. 

We’d like to thank Gloria Pedroza, our co-host for this episode, and our interviewees for their time in sharing their stories about the World Cup Tasters Championship, in order of appearance: Alf Kramer, Kim Staalman, José Joaquín Ordoñez, and Chloe King. Thanks, too, to those Berlin park-goers who participated in our listening game!

For a full list of those who helped across the entire series, a year-long effort, click here. Series 01 of the World Coffee Championships Podcast was produced by James Harper of Filter Productions for the Specialty Coffee Association. 

Coming soon to the SCA Podcast channel: The World Coffee Championships podcast! Across six episodes, the series offers a glimpse behind the scenes, bringing to light some of the hidden stories woven in and around these annual events that serve as the culmination of local and regional events around the globe. Listen wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to make sure you don't miss the launch! 

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Spotify
• Stitcher
• Transistor / RSS Feed 

Full Transcript

"It was only like old white guys in suits, you know, and I can tell you one story about this guy. He was, like, giving a speech in front of like a big hall, like, 'women cannot make coffee because they can't tamp.'" 

Welcome to new podcast series from the Specialty Coffee Association. "These kind of things just makes me personally stronger because I'm like, okay, I'm gonna show them. You know, this is just like how humans are acting, you know, if we have too many suits you will have some punks coming in. And we were the punks, you know, we were the young people coming in, and like we wanted to change." 

In the next six episodes, we're going to explore the World Coffee Championships. Where did they come from?

"And so starting from a blank page, I was inspired by, of all things, figure skating."

How did things go wrong? 

"Everyone backstage was a little bit in shock and we're all looking at each other, like what is going on? Like, is this real? Is this even allowed?"

How were they fixed?

"You know, a lot of baristas didn't really understand what happened in Dublin. I mean, most people probably don't even know that the Dublin event ever happened." 

What changes do you want to see in these competitions?

"The guy who was set up next to me... I swear to God he had a stack of like four refractometers sitting on his table. And I said, 'What do you need those for?' And he said, 'Well, I'm using them for compulsory.' "I said, 'All four of them?!'"

I'm James Harper, the producer, and in each episode, we're going to hear from people who come together every year to celebrate specialty coffee and push the industry forward.

"My name is Christina Jackson." "Emma Markland-Webster." "Chad Wang." "Nyakaisiki Annette." "Um Paul." "Carl Sara." "Trish Rothgeb." "Innocent." "Simi Benzadon." "Chloe King." "Mickey." "José Joaquín Ordoñez." "Maria Esther." "Heather Perry." "Cheryl Lee." "David Jameson." "Turgay Yildizli." "Sylvia Gutierrez." "Federico Bolanos." "Sergey Blinnikov." "Nicholas Cho." "Tone Liavaag." "Jingyi." "Kim Staalman." "Alf Kramer." "Danilo Acosta-Busch." 

And to help tell these stories, I'm going to be joined by, "Sara Al-Ali." "Rie Moustakis." "Anna Oleksak." "Roukiat Delrue." "Kimberly Yer." "Sonja Bjork Grant." "Gloria Pedroza." 

And listen, we know it's no fun that these competitions aren't happening this year, but we hope this podcast will help us feel more connected.

And, if this is the first time you've ever heard of the World Coffee Championships, this series will give you an entertaining window into this world and why we love it so much. You can subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Transistor, the SCA website, or wherever you get your podcast. 

"If that's something that we learn as a volunteers, it's that competitors are stressed. You are stressed. We don't stop running. And I just heard a CRASH."