357 : A Conversation w/ Michael Tan of JWC Roastery in Malaysia

Communicating, educating, and training boils down to how well you can connect with people to walk with them through information and transformation. If you want to be effective in these areas you need a whole lot of genuine passion and a desire to not just teach, but also to learn. Not many people in the industry embody this as much as today's guest, Michael Tan. Michael is a 13 year industry veteran who rose up in the ranks from barista, manager, trainer, even opening his own coffee shop for a time. These days Michael is hosting events and educating scores of baristas in Malaysia as the wholesale trainer for JWC in Kuala Lumpur. In our conversation today we get to trace Michael's journey in coffee with an emphasis on the lessons he has learned in communication, training, and customer education. We also discuss the importance of language, humility, context, and always learning. Enjoy! We discuss: Rising as a barista Conducting tastings Learning to teach and inspire The importance of language Early mentors Developing training presence and content Relating to your culture and context Ownership experience KISS concept of training 3 P's of wholesale training Passion and staying grounded Soft skills in coffee Links: JWC Roastery Malaysia Instagram: @mike.talks.coffee Related Episodes: 332: Founder Friday! w/ Iman Kusumaputra & Put ri Yulandari of Kopikalyan, Jakarta, Indonesia 246 : Selecting a Wholesale Coffee Provider 133 : 5 Keys to Successful Wholesale w/ Sarah Richmond 339 : What Good Barista Training Produces 336: A Cafe Leadership Masterclass w/ Selina Viguera of Blue Bottle Coffee Visit our amazing Sponsors! www.groundcontrol.coffee www.pacficfoodservice.com www.coffeefest.com