In today’s episode, I sit down with Kayla Herrera: Director of Education and Training at Iconik Coffee Roasters, latte art competitor, and one of the most intentional service professionals I’ve ever worked with.

We talk about the hidden emotional cost of great hospitality, what it takes to train a world-class barista, and how to find meaning in a career that many people see as “just a job.”

Kayla also opens up about the pressure to lead, the fine line between passion and burnout, and what happens when your career goals start to clash with your personal life.

Whether you’ve worked in coffee, cocktails, or any high-touch industry: this conversation will hit home.

Expect to learn:

• Why most barista training fails
• The unexpected difficulty of coffee service
• How to inspire Gen Z employees without BS
• The true role of a service professional
• How to build a systems-driven culture without losing the heart
• What it really means to move with intention

Links:

• Iconik Coffee Roasters
• 4,000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman
• Kayla on Instagram – (@kayla.nancy.barista)

Service starts now.

Follow the show: ⁠Spotify⁠, ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠, ⁠YouTube⁠

I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#10:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#14:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#22:⁠⁠Doug Frost MW MS⁠⁠

-#23:⁠Jeffrey Morgenthaler⁠

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers

This is me, talking to the wise and wonderful and rambling...me. Glad you can listen in. Each week, I typically sit down with world-class bartenders, winemakers, programmers, poets, and the occasional wildcard, to talk shop, life, craft, failure, redemption, and what it actually takes to serve others without losing yourself in the process.

See you all at mead stampede next year!

Service starts now.

I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#10:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#14:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#22:⁠Doug Frost MW MS⁠

-#23:Jeffrey Morgenthaler

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers

00:50 The Journey of Writing and Sharing Knowledge

03:33 Cocktail Crafting: Learning from Mistakes

06:48 Respecting Classic Cocktails

09:41 The Art of Tasting and Developing Cocktails

12:37 The Design Process in Cocktail Creation

15:36 Navigating the Bar Scene and Mentorship

18:43 The Evolution of Bartending and Management

21:39 The Importance of Flavor Memory and Experience

24:34 Judging Spirits and Continuous Learning

27:54 Embracing Individual Strengths

28:29 The Evolution of Bartending Culture

29:39 Trends in the Cocktail Industry

31:46 Pricing and Customer Experience in Bars

33:34 The Importance of Flexibility in Bar Operations

35:42 The Non-Alcoholic Movement and Its Impact

39:39 The Future of Drinking Culture

48:32 Challenges of the Restaurant Industry

52:36 Innovations in Cocktail Preparation

What if everything you thought made a great bartender was wrong?

Today’s guest is Jeffrey Morgenthaler. If you’ve touched a jigger in the last 15 years, chances are you’ve felt his influence. He’s the guy bartenders read, steal from, and share his writings far and wide.

Whether you’ve never bartended or you’ve been behind the stick for 20 years, this conversation will challenge the way you think about hospitality, creativity…and maybe even your own career.

Links:

• Jeffrey’s Website (where you can find all the free drink calculators he mentions at the end of the conversation!)
• Instagram

Pour yourself something good (maybe a bloody mary, you’ll see why during the convo). This one is pretty funny...

Expect to Learn:

• How to batch cocktails without ruining them
• The truth about $25 martinis
• Why some bartenders sound like clowns
• How to fix mint syrup
• The forgotten art of fun in bars
• Why most NA cocktails suck (and how to fix them)
• The power of flavor memory
• How to build better menus faster
• Why Long Island Iced Teas deserve respect
• How to avoid pricing people out of your bar
• Why most “original cocktails” are actually sloppy
• The hidden cost of not questioning your bar setup (which is being grilled by Jeffrey on a podcast!)

.

Service starts now.

I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at ⁠⁠⁠⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#10:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#14:⁠ ⁠⁠Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#22:Doug Frost MW MS

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers

00:00 Introduction and Background

01:57 Exploring Alcohol Knowledge and Education

09:59 The Journey of Starting a Winery

19:48 Navigating the Wine Industry and Regulations

30:10 The Differences Between Master Sommelier and Master of Wine

39:47 Blind Tasting and Personal Preferences

49:46 Conclusion and Future Endeavors

How many times can different organizations call you a master???

Doug Frost is one of only a handful of people alive to hold both the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine titles. That alone would be reason enough to sit down with him. But what makes Doug different isn't just his knowledge, it's what he’s chosen to do with it.

When the world got quiet, when most of us were reeling from uncertainty, Doug started something super cool: a winery. Not because the timing made sense, but because the mission did.

In this episode, we talk about what it means to pursue mastery in wine, spirits, business, and life…how to keep curiosity alive across decades, how to taste with honesty, and how to build something real when the ground is shifting underneath you.

This one’s not just for the sommeliers or the wine nerds. It’s for anyone wondering how to keep showing up. For your craft, your people, and yourself, even when nothing goes to plan.

Expect to Learn:

• How Doug Frost became one of the world’s top alcohol experts
• What it takes to start a winery during a pandemic
• Key differences between Master Sommelier and Master of Wine programs
• Why launching a wine brand in the U.S. is so legally complex
• How COVID-19 shaped the wine industry
• Why blind tasting matters more than you'd think
• The current challenges in wine distribution and consumption
• Tips for preparing for advanced wine exams
• How spirits education shaped modern bartending
• Why mezcal holds a special place for pros like Doug

Links:

• Echolands Winery

Call to Action:

• Go to Walla Walla and see Doug and Echolands!

Service starts now.

I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at ⁠⁠⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#3:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My 1st and Most Powerful Conversation with Shane Alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#10:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#14:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers

What if your greatest power wasn’t hustle or grit, but attention?

00:00 The Discipline of Mindfulness

03:21 Understanding Thoughts and Emotions

09:18 Changing Relationships with Emotions

11:59 The Power of Observation

19:45 Mindfulness Techniques and Tools

24:02 Mindfulness in the Modern World

27:06 The Role of Gratitude

31:29 The GLAD Practice

36:13 Attention as a Superpower

39:08 Getting Started with Mindfulness

Today’s guest, Donald Altman, is a former monk, psychotherapist, and award-winning author who’s spent decades teaching people how to use mindfulness to reshape their lives from the inside out. In a world built to hijack your focus, Donald offers a quiet rebellion: the power to step back, observe, and choose.

In this episode, we dive into the myths of mindfulness, the neuroscience of emotion, and why tiny moments of awareness might just be the key to real resilience. Whether you’re a bartender, a manager, or anyone trying to stay sane in the modern world, this conversation is packed with insights (and practical tools) to help you get out of your head and into your life.”

Expect to Learn:

• How mindfulness rewires the brain
• The difference between thoughts and facts
• Why attention is a superpower
• How to step back from negative emotions
• Practical breathing techniques for stress
• The STOP method for emotional regulation
• The five types of gratitude
• How to build a daily GLAD practice
• The science behind naming emotions
• Mindfulness as mental training not relaxation
• How modern technology hijacks focus
• The role of selective attention in happiness
• How to shift identity away from negative thoughts
• How small awareness practices lead to big changes

Links mentioned in the show:

Donald's Website

Service starts now.

I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at ⁠⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#3:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My 1st and Most Powerful Conversation with Shane Alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#10:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#14:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketing⁠⁠⁠⁠

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers

00:00 Introduction to DYNE and Its Mission

02:43 The Role of Technology in Restaurants

05:53 AI and Marketing Automation for Restaurants

09:03 Demand Forecasting and Inventory Management

11:50 Personalization and Customer Experience

14:47 The Future of Restaurants and AI

18:09 Challenges and Opportunities in the Restaurant Industry

20:44 Conclusion and Future Outlook

“Most restaurant owners are bleeding money, and they don’t even know it. In today’s episode, I sit down with Parsa Riahi, the CTO of DYNE, to talk about the AI tool that’s quietly revolutionizing restaurants across North America. We’re talking automated marketing, demand forecasting, and competitor analysis…things that used to take a full-time team, now handled by what he calls your ‘digital employee.’ If you’ve ever scribbled prep notes on a grease-stained legal pad and thought, ‘There has to be a better way’ then this episode is for you.”

Expect to Learn:

• Why most restaurants are overspending on tech that doesn’t deliver
• How AI is quietly reshaping restaurant marketing and operations
• The real reason mom-and-pops are losing to chains—and how to flip the script
• What happens when you give a small restaurant big-league forecasting tools
• How to turn slow Tuesday mornings into Friday night rushes using demand trends
• Why “every hour is a happy hour” might be more than just a slogan

Links:

Dyne.app

Service starts now.

I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at ⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#3:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My 1st and Most Powerful Conversation with Shane Alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#10:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#14:⁠ ⁠⁠Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketing⁠⁠⁠

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers

What if everything you’ve ever heard about booze was wrong?

This episode isn’t just about spirits: it’s about truth, myth, and the fight to preserve real history in a world flooded with marketing fluff.

Today, I’m joined by Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller, two of the most prolific drink historians alive. Between them, they’ve authored nearly 40 books, deciphered 17th-century distilling manuals written in code, advised the world’s top bars, and even uncovered bottles worth half a million dollars!

But more than that, they’ve dedicated their lives to one mission: cutting through the noise and rewriting the story of alcohol, one verified fact at a time.

We talk about everything from the real origins of gin and Cuban rum to Julia Child’s martini habits, to why most bartending history is based on drunk people telling stories to drunk journalists.

Whether you’re in the service industry, obsessed with cocktails, or just fascinated by the hidden truths behind everyday culture—this episode will change how you think about what’s in your glass.

This is the real story behind the drinks. Let’s get into it.

Links to find out more about Jared Brown & Anistatia Miller

Mixellany (Check out the free library at the top too!)

00:00 Introduction to Cocktail Historians · 00:55 Legacy and Truth in Cocktail History · 04:56 Researching Spirits and Cocktails · 10:01 The Journey into Cocktail Writing · 14:57 The Role of Education in Cocktail Culture · 19:59 Favorite and Least Favorite Spirits · 24:52 Vermouth and Martini Making · 30:00 Books and Resources for Cocktail Enthusiasts · 34:50 The Importance of Historical Accuracy in Cocktails

Service starts now.

I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#3:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My 1st and Most Powerful Conversation with Shane Alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#10:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#14: ⁠⁠Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketing⁠⁠

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers

Today’s guest is Matthew Justice : a rare breed of software engineer, educator, and retro game creator who has seen the machine from the inside out.

He spent years debugging the Windows kernel at Microsoft, helping fix bugs in one of the most complex and used systems on the planet. He’s the author of "How Computers Really Work", a book that breaks down the myth of tech as magic and shows you the logic and beauty underneath it all, whether you’re a beginner or an engineer deep in the stack.

He’s also the creator of Jane Austen’s 8-Bit Adventure, a full-blown NES video game he built from scratch...including the audio engine...using the same techniques developers used in the 1980s. It’s an insane project that’s part tribute, part time machine, and part love letter to curiosity.

Expect to learn:

• Why computers are not magic — and how understanding them is a superpower
• What most programmers get wrong about how software really works
• The hidden tradeoffs of abstraction, and how going deep can unlock creativity
• What it’s like working at Microsoft with access to the most protected code on Earth
• The truth about AI — what’s hype, what’s real, and what’s still unknown
  

Whether you’re just getting into tech or you’ve been building for years, this conversation will change how you think about the tools we use every day — and maybe inspire you to build your own.

Links:

• What a Kernel is.
• How Computers Really Work

• Jane Austin’s 8-bit adventure

Service starts now.

I talk mostly to people in and around the service industry space. I'm looking to hear from the people I wish I could have talked to when I was coming up in restaurants. Said another way: I am trying to make sense of this wild, beautiful mess of a life, and help others that are feeling similarly confused and/or lost. You can find more of my work at⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠my blog⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, and all my social links are at the bottom of that page.

Classic Episodes You May Like:

-#3:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠My 1st and Most Powerful Conversation with Shane Alexander⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#10:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Nat Harry, cocktail expert!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

-#14: ⁠Dr. Shalini Bahl, mindful marketing⁠

As always, I’m just here taking notes, trying to figure out what it all means.

Cheers