Beyond Brewing
Having spent nearly a decade in the coffee industry, I’ve seen it all.
From working in small towns with no specialty coffee culture, to big cities where the coffee scene is constantly evolving, to traveling the country serving coffee at concerts, festivals, backstage, parks, and schools.
Over the last few years, I’ve been helping build a large event-based coffee company in America while also starting my own business as a coffee professional.
On paper, it might look like I built systems and communication platforms to make that possible. In reality, I simply applied my perspective and helped shape a culture around it.
Now I want to share that perspective with you here, through this blog.
Let’s start with what I believe is the most important thing to remember as a barista: The Big Picture.
The Big Picture
What does that even mean? The Big Picture.
It’s about stepping back from the moment and recognizing how we connect to the world around us. But what does that actually look like in our work?
Let me share a story.
Bike Week: Ocean City, Maryland
Last Day. Last Customer.
Ocean City Bike Week was special to me.
My grandpa was a biker, and we often listened together to two of the headliners from that year. Some of my earliest memories are of sipping coffee (“IT WAS MOSTLY MILK!” as he would say) out of a sippy cup and riding on his Harley, barely big enough to hold on to anything, while listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top.
On the last day of the event, a man who had been getting coffee from me all weekend struck up a conversation. He mentioned earlier that he was sober now, which was why he was drinking so much coffee.
He started talking about how much the event meant to him, how he loved Ocean City, and how grateful he was that we were there. He said the caffeine helped him stay present through the nights.
Somehow, that led to talking about my grandpa. I showed him a photo of me as a baby on my grandpa’s Harley.
To my surprise, he identified the exact model of the bike, something I had been trying to figure out for years.
I told him about my grandpa’s passing and how special that event had been for me. Then he shared something deeply personal in return.
That morning, he had scattered his daughter’s ashes on the beach. She had lost her battle with addiction and passed away just a month before their planned trip to Ocean City.
He told me about her life, her connection to one of the band members from Shinedown, and how much the ocean meant to both of them.
That moment will stay with me forever. Coffee wasn’t just coffee anymore. It became a bridge between two strangers, a catalyst for something real.
Finding Passion
That experience changed the way I saw my work. Not because of what was said, but because of what it represented.
Coffee can be more than caffeine and routine. It can be connection, emotion, and memory all wrapped into a small act of service.
That is what I mean by seeing the bigger picture.
But recognizing the depth of what we do is only the first step. It’s easy to find meaning in powerful moments like that one. The real challenge is keeping that perspective during the quiet, repetitive parts of the job.
The daily grind of dialing in espresso, steaming milk, and wiping down counters can make passion feel far away. So how do you find it?
The Power of Mindset
Passion begins in the mind. The way you approach your work determines how much meaning you will find in it.
You can walk into a shift dreading the monotony, or you can treat every interaction, every movement, every task as a chance to refine a skill, make a connection, or create a small moment of joy.
Mindset is not about pretending to be happy all the time. It is about choosing how to engage with what is in front of you. Even on the days that feel slow, when every drink order is the same, you still have the power to shift your perspective.
Are you refining your craft? There is always room to improve, whether it’s getting faster, working on latte art, or experimenting with new recipes.
Are you learning something new? Maybe it’s a better way to connect with a guest, a new workflow, or a deeper understanding of extraction.
Are you bringing energy to the space? Your presence affects everyone’s life around you. Most importantly, your coworkers. You can make it a place where people feel good, including yourself, even in small ways. A kind word, a quick laugh, a genuine “how’s your day going”. The energy you bring to a shift can either drain a room or lift it. Choosing to be intentional with that energy changes more than just the mood; it shapes the culture around you. So, take a breath in the car before you walk in or helps you get your mind right. I’ve walked in 5 minutes late on a couple occasions, simply because I was getting my mind right in the car. If taking 5 minutes can dictate the entire workplaces day… trust me, everyone will want you to take it.
Finding passion is not about what you do, but how you do it.
Do I Have To?
We all have those days when we wake up and ask ourselves, “Do I really have to go to work today?” or “Would they even notice if I didn’t show up?”
But we show up anyway.
Believe it or not, that is the first step to choosing passion. Just showing up.
Once you’re there, you have two choices. You can carry that dread with you all day, or you can decide to find something meaningful in it.
For me, that usually means connecting with others or perfecting my craft.
Here’s a moment that reminded me of that.
It was a concert day, one of my usual venues. The kind of event that sounds exciting but often feels routine. I dragged myself out of bed, set up my equipment, dialed in the espresso, and went through the motions.
Then a mother and her son walked up to the counter.
It was his first concert.
The moment she said that, it snapped me out of autopilot. What felt like another shift for me was a huge moment for him.
They were excited but worried about their lawn seats, afraid they wouldn’t be able to see. Coincidentally, I had just bought a small telescope necklace and was wearing it that night.
In an effort to choose passion, I took it off, showed him how it worked, and handed it to him.
His mom thanked me over and over, and I said “you’re welcome” in as many ways as I could think of.
I should’ve thanked her though. For reminding me that yes, I do have to show up. Because showing up is how moments like that happen, and what kind of wizard shies away from magic?
Beyond Brewing
That is what this journey is about. Not just making coffee, but creating moments that matter.
When you choose passion, even in the smallest ways, your work becomes something bigger than a routine. It becomes a reflection of who you are and the energy you bring into the world.
That is the real magic behind the bar.