Today we’d like to introduce you to Missi Calvert
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
When I was 17, I was looking for a new job after I had left my first job assistant managing a dance studio. I was hired at a local coffee shop, and started learning about something I literally had no interest in at the time.
We had a regular there named Jason, who would tell us countless stories about the coffees he had, and try and help me make the best of what I was able to work with. He told me about this thing called “specialty coffee”, and how there was a place in Denver that was leading the way with what was later referred to as the specialty coffee wave.
Fast forward three years later, I had moved to Denver and was on the job hunt again. We didn’t have things like Indeed, and Instagram was just starting out, so I was taking copies of my resume’ door-to-door that I had printed at the local library. As I was driving around the city looking for coffee shops to apply to, I drove past a building in the industrial part of the city and immediately recognized the name. It was the company that Jason had told me about all those years before.
I didn’t really have a plan in mind, but something came over me, and I decided to just walk inside.
I realized I had walked into their production warehouse where they roasted and bagged the coffee. I noticed someone in the back working at an espresso machine, and tried to muster up the courage to introduce myself and figure out how to explain why I was in there in the first place.
Turns out, the owner of the company was the first person I met, and they were hiring a small team of baristas for a new shop that was currently being finished. I was lucky enough to be asked to join the team, and be a part of the beginning of the specialty coffee wave in Colorado.
That job was the catalyst to my love and obsession for specialty coffee. In 2015, I began competing in latte art throw downs, in 2017 I competed in the Specialty Coffee Association’s US Barista competition, I helped open a cafe in Nashville and became the marketing director for Bongo Java, had the opportunity to work for Sweet Bloom coffee in Colorado, as well as various other specialty coffee opportunities.
While my season of life has drastically shifted from being a barista to being a mom of two, my continued love and passion for specialty coffee is still living on. These days, you’ll find me making coffee at home, photographing cafe’s, or consulting with business owners helping them design their coffee shops from a barista’s perspective.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest shift that happened in my journey was becoming a mother. While unexpected, it didn’t cause the road block I could have allowed it to.
I would have my daughter strapped to my front in a carrier during competitions, or bring a pack n play after hours at the cafe to practice for US Barista Champs. While things may have proven to be more difficult, we just had to be creative in how we approached life with them in tow. I am very grateful for all of the people I worked for and how understanding and patient they were during times of chaos that motherhood brings! And honestly, I met more people and had more opportunity for conversations because I had my children. I believe everything happens for a reason, and I am constantly seeing how their existence in my life opens doors that would not have been opened without them.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a digital creator, coffee photographer, and cafe consultant! My experience in the specialty coffee industry has allowed me to bring a barista’s perspective and insight to my work. My favorite thing about what I do is the texts or messages I’ll get from people asking where to get the best coffee in “insert a location”, or if I can teach them how to steam milk or how to use their home espresso machine. Everyone can make really good coffee. Some just need to find that middle-ground between wanting to and learning how to, and that’s where I come in.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
To rest. I think so much of our society(especially on social media) promotes a hustle culture that can lead to burnout. We’re constantly moving, constantly scrolling, constantly thinking of how or what to do next. Remembering to rest and quiet your mind has been instrumental in my life.
I’ve also learned to just try, even if you don’t feel qualified. What matters is your belief in yourself, because you never know who’s willing to take a chance on you. Don’t stop at the “no’s”, and keep trying till you get that “yes”.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://MissiCalvert.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/missicalvert
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@missicalvert
Image Credits
Portrait by Joseph Ross
Cafe Images by Missi Calvert
