Career Advice
I’m a 30 year-old barista who recently came back to coffee and being laid off from a second corporate job in three years. Worked at Biggby a decade ago in college, Starbucks for six months starting in Spring 2025, and now Blue Bottle on the East Coast in one of the top five locations in the region by demand for the last nine months. I now have the opportunity to move to Intelligentsia and enter as a shift lead and am trying to make my decision.
As someone who cares about the art (in terms of flavor, complexity, and culinary qualities) and experience of coffee more than anything else, as well wants to eventually move into roasting and coffee development, I think Intelligentsia would fit me better.
BB has been great for learning pace and skills but I just don’t think the coffee measures up. Intelli seems to be doing more complex work in terms of sourcing and roasting and, in my mind, puts out a superior.
Has anyone here worked for both companies and feel like giving their opinion?