Chase Mann
And What He Can Teach You About the Coffee Biz
Over the past week or so, I’ve interviewed via email Chase Mann, aka the Coffee Pro. Chase is loaded with information about the coffee business and there is a lot that anyone looking to get into the coffee business or move up in the coffee world could learn from him.
Chase was kind enough to let me pick his brain so that I could share some of that information with you, so a huuuuuge thanks goes out to him for taking the time to chat with me.
Enough of me talking, let’s get to the interview…
What’s your role in the coffee industry?
Creative Coffee Pro & Consultant … barista, customer service, trainer, and social media manager all for Cafe Moto … coffee business consulting on the side with non-competitors to Cafe Moto.
Did you need an specific training for the position before you got started?
I’ve worked for 14 years as a barista and in management of coffee shops & coffee roasters. You need to keep abreast of changes and keep working as a barista to truly keep your pulse on the industry. I always tell coffee enthusiasts that they should start as a barista in the industry because most companies offer specialized training that helps you get a solid foundation to build upon and to advance upward from.
What’s your favorite part of working in the coffee industry?
Meeting coffee enthusiasts and sharing my coffee passion with them and hopefully educating them even more about the bean, it’s history, the origin countries and the coffee industry as a whole.
What is one thing that you know now, that you wish you knew when you started?
During years 2 through 5 of being a barista and coffee industry worker, I thought I knew it all about coffee and I think I was somewhat arrogant with that knowledge. I was a little arrogant coffee snob barista. Once I realized that coffee knowledge is a continual growth field and accepted the fact that your tastes are different than my tastes, I became much less of a know-it-all coffee snob and much more open to other people’s methods and tastes. I wish I had my coffee humbleness from the get-go and approached other people’s methods and tastes the way that I do now. I don’t know it all and I can learn a lot from truly studying why other baristas may do something different than I. Some people like a flavored coffee or a flavored creamer in their coffee … get over it coffee snob baristas … it’s their mouth, their tummy, and their preference … serve it with a smile 
Can you tell us about a mistake/funny story about something that happened when you were just getting into the industry. Something that we can learn from?
A mistake that the owner of my first coffee job, a coffee roaster, made was to open a second location solely because of the success of her first location. She picked a decent location, but it had high overhead costs. She had no training manuals and no systems in place to replicate the success of her first location and had to close the second one within 2 years. Systems need to be in place before you even consider expanding.
Any tips that you have for someone looking to get into the coffee industry?
Any company worth working for will hire you based most on your personality … coffee knowledge can be taught to anyone, but you can’t teach someone to have a personality. Exhibit energy, nobody wants to hire a slacker as the face of their coffee business, be positive, smile a lot, truly listen when people are talking to you, repeat questions back so they know you’ve understood them, express your interest in making an experience for the customer each time they visit, and always ask questions … never say “no” when you’re asked in an interview “do you have any questions?”.
Where do you hope to be in five years?
I hope to be the nationally recognized Headmaster of the Cafe Moto Coffee Lab & Barista Training Academy … which I envision creating over the next few years. Or creating my very own Barista Academy if needs be.
Would the Barista Academy be online or in person?
The Barista Academy will have both online and offline elements, including ebooks & ecourses (I’ve already been working on these for MyCoffeePro.com). The Barista Academy for Cafe Moto would be in an actual school onsite for 3 day, 4 day, and 5 day courses … and special Advanced Courses available on a per day basis. Cafe Moto has a separate building on site already that just needs to be outfitted properly. Having the school onsite at Cafe Moto gives students access to our Cafe, our Cash & Carry, our Roasting Plant & Production facilities … they can be truly immersed in the major aspects of the coffee business.
What’s your favorite coffee and why?
Ethiopian … since it’s the motherland of known coffee species.
Tell me about where we can find you online and your online projects.
My main website is www.mycoffeepro.com, but I also own and operate many others.
You can find out more here: http://about.me/MyCoffeePro
What can I find at mycoffeepro.com and why should I visit there?
The Average Joe (coffee enthusiasts) will find a basic understanding of coffee … what I call “Coffee Class”: history, beanology (science of the bean), cultivation, processing, espresso knowledge, frothing techniques, brewing methods, latte art tips, coffee terminology, coffee recipes … it’s all a work in progress and will continue to always be so I think.
Coffee Pros (coffee professionals) will find posts which further educate seasoned baristas and posts for coffee business owners with tips & suggestions on marketing and operating a coffee business.
If you work in the coffee world and would like to be interviewed, shot me a message via the contact form. I would love to talk to you next.
