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#14. Meet Betty Wee, graphic designer, barista, and roaster
84 Plays3 years ago
Brewing with grit and beauty:
Betty Wee’s journey from graphic design to building her own coffee brand.
You can support Betty's roasting business by ordering her coffee on our crowdfunding page, click the link below and purchase her coffee (Beautiful Stain) as an add-on. With each bag of coffee sold on Indiegogo, Betty will donate $2 to I'M NOT A BARISTA, and we will use the money to help baristas in need, make sure to check our #TIPABARISTA campaign and see how we empower baristas.
Support Betty on Indiegogo now
https://igg.me/at/iamnotabarista/x#/
Read Betty's coffee story
https://notabarista.org/betty-wee/
#TIPABARISTA charity campaign
https://notabarista.org/notabarista-foundation/
Read more coffee stories on
https://notabarista.org/
Order Coffee Wristbands and support I'M NOT A BARISTA's charity work
https://notabarista.org/product/notabarista-coffee-wristbands-2023/
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Transcript
Batty B: From Design to Coffee
00:00:06
Speaker
Hello everyone, my name is Mika. You're a host of ML Barista podcast. And in this episode, we will introduce you a new coffee friend. Her name is Batty B. From a graphic designer to a coffee roaster, we hope her coffee journey can inspire you.
00:00:22
Speaker
And if you're from Singapore, you can support her business by ordering coffee on our crowdfunding page. Through every backslope coffee sold, Betty will donate $2 to Amna Barista. You're not only helping Betty to start her business, but also you're helping the coffee community because we donate $100 every week to help a barista in need. It is a worth your tip to say thank you to those awesome barristers worldwide.
00:00:48
Speaker
If your birthday, you can apply for this $100 donation. If a coffee lover just like us want to help the coffee community, you can order The Brewing Guy online or make direct donations. If you're a business owner, you can also join us as a charity partner. You can sell your coffee, your brewing tools on the crowdfunding page with us. We believe that humanity runs on coffee. So let's work together and help people behind the cup.
Cultural and Educational Influences on Batty B
00:01:15
Speaker
Hi, well, I'm born in Mary, Sarawak, so it's more towards Eastern Malaysia. And I happen to be brought up in Brunei Darussalam instead. I mean, it's a completely different country. And I spend most of my teenage life there. Eventually, after that, I get to move on to a place called Melbourne, Australia, Victoria.
00:01:42
Speaker
And that's where I actually get to soar, like express myself. Before that, I'm a person that I actually like to express myself a lot. Yeah, so I use design to actually express myself in the first place. So that's why I got myself into design. So I apply the foundation of art design and architecture in RMIT.
00:02:06
Speaker
in Melbourne and eventually got myself a Bachelor of Communication Design. After that foundation, I moved on to more focused on graphic design. Then after that, I did run back Bruno for a bit, but it's still not the country for
00:02:27
Speaker
for me to see myself to advance straight away. So that's why I moved on to Singapore. It's quite close, like two hours. I'll give it a try.
00:02:37
Speaker
I mean, I applied a lot of places and got a graphic designer job. Yeah, but then things didn't turn out quite well in the corporate wall. I mean, it's not a bad thing. It's just like, it's good to try. But it's not, I mean, it's my expressive attitude, like there's this limitation to be expected in the corporate wall. So that's why it's like, ah.
Immersion in Melbourne's Coffee Scene
00:03:00
Speaker
While I study in Melbourne, coffee is the one that actually was the secondary. I studied design and then I enjoyed the culture of coffee over there. At first, I thought coffee would be like a secondary thing and then it turned out to be everywhere around. I mean, it's not too bad. I mean, right now, it's the only thing that keeps me going.
00:03:24
Speaker
Yes, after graphic design, I moved on to FMB. I mean, it was a lot harder to apply job back then. As in, like, nowadays, I was like, if you want to learn about coffee, you can simply just, like, nah.
00:03:41
Speaker
apply part-time, and then just learn from the professionals. But last time, a lot of things are much more tighter. People don't really express themselves as much, and they don't really share. I mean, that's my observation. So it's a bit tight. I'm good. I'm better than you. But I'm glad it's a lot better now. Things are more recent, and people started sharing. There's still a bit here and there, but a lot better.
00:04:10
Speaker
Yeah, so yes, I moved to FMB 9.
00:04:13
Speaker
started way, way bottom like Waitress, not even close to coffee. Waitress in Italian. Waitress? Yeah, in Italian, but that's not too bad as well because that's where I learned my service. I mean, I was in this really heavy turnover Italian place called Rubato. And I'm glad I met this manager that's actually very disciplined and he trains all his stuff really well and takes good care of us as well.
00:04:42
Speaker
So yes, that's the really first thing that because if I want to learn about coffee, I need to know about my service as well. I mean, it's really important. That's true. Yeah, not just like making coffee for people. And so I mean, when I reflect back, it's like, it's a good start. But I guess everything happened for everything. I appreciate every little thing that I that come by me. So after the Italian place,
00:05:08
Speaker
My first part-time after I converted to PR like a permanent resident in Singapore because you can only like work as a part-time if you are a permanent resident here. Usually because it's very hard for them to get a quota. So my first very first cafe would be Jimmy Monkey.
Working in Cafes: Skills and Challenges
00:05:28
Speaker
Jimmy Monkey is a very Australian based. Yeah so I was really happy that I got hired there.
00:05:34
Speaker
Then instead of being just a part-timer, I'm really a permanent part-timer there, meaning I work almost like a full-timer, which is a really good thing. But yes, like I mentioned back then, a lot of people are so pulled out. I wasn't even allowed to touch the coffee machine. I was restricted. They said, no, don't get close there.
00:05:57
Speaker
But yeah, I mean, I guess that was not intentional. I'm not sure whether they realized that it actually kind of hurt me like, okay, fine. But this got loosened up a little bit as I get closer to my colleagues and then
00:06:12
Speaker
They told me, if I really want to learn, it's not a place for me to learn here. And I need to really prove myself that I really want to learn. I went out, and as I mentioned, I work permanently more than just a normal partner. So my pay, I use my pay to actually apply to this academy.
00:06:31
Speaker
So at least I have to be trained professionally, that standard, that basic. Then after that, I do my practice at work. You said that that was the first job that I have worked in a coffee shop as a barista or not? No, not yet. So what did you do there? If I cannot touch it as personal machines? Just serving coffee and serving food. Like a waitress as well. Like a waitress in a coffee shop. That doesn't make sense.
00:06:59
Speaker
I mean, that's quite true, like you need to, like what if like customers, you know, ask you like, okay, what's serving today? And you'll be like, I'm not sure. After I applied the Academy, like with my own money, then they knew I applied it and they saw my determination, but of course not straight away, they allow me to touch.
00:07:19
Speaker
It's only during like non-busy hours, like not much customers, just one or two in the evening, because this location is actually way into the residential area. So like normally, these are a bit down.
00:07:34
Speaker
So that's where they're like, okay, you can practice your latte art. Yes, I was very into latte art. Then I started as latte art and then I moved backwards, like espresso to brew. So I was practicing until like, wow, I was very into latte art. I didn't even know how to calibrate a coffee then, not until I went to the academy.
00:07:54
Speaker
It makes sense, right? You're a designer. So latte arts for the eyes. Is it this is beautiful. I want to make that. Yes, exactly. So I liked it a lot. Like I use that as my therapy.
00:08:07
Speaker
Even if it's like during slam hours, like so I use that as like a block up. Okay, last next and last next. Okay, so after that, after that place, I actually moved on to another place called Nokrani. It's a cafe that was taken over by a previous, I mean, it's kind of complicated, but I was straight away applied as a, I mean, put as I had already studied. The owner trusted me a lot.
00:08:31
Speaker
based on how I've proven myself. So he gave me this chance to take power off the team. So yes, that place I spend a good one year and a half. Really, I mean, doing everything alone is not easy because he trusted me too much that he don't allow my part-timers to help me stay my meal. So I do everything. So it's bad when you get too much trust with someone. I know. I mean, I needed help.
00:08:58
Speaker
a lot of times that I wanted to eat my lunch and my colleagues were like.
00:09:03
Speaker
Maybe you should go eat and like, how can I eat this customers? I have a boss who's watching behind me. But yes, I mean, eventually, like during the end of my one and a half year, like when I was about, I was really tired. So end of that, then eventually was lonely. Okay, she really needed help. So let's train the part-timers to help out. And then there's another place.
00:09:29
Speaker
called Chai Se Kua Kha Ule. So this is where I actually started my actual coffee journey. So why I say that is because Nai rejected me, then I went to Chai Se Kua Kha Ule as an admin. I wanted to learn the paperwork as well because my dream is to actually open a cafe.
00:09:50
Speaker
but not now, but then it was open the cafe. So in order to open the cafe, I need to know the front and the back and everything as a whole. Maybe a little bit of paperwork will help me as well to understand. So yes, I applied admin, but the admin is quite a tough job for me as well, actually. I will always go to work an hour earlier. I'm quite privileged the place is a very coffee place back then in 2017.
00:10:18
Speaker
Very coffee plays meaning like they do cupping session every morning. Every morning, so like I'll go an hour earlier just to, even if I don't understand what cupping is, I just go for it. Taste all the coffee, it tastes all the same. Eventually, I found my favorite, but that's not the part. I need to be objective about it. Then my taste buds just got better then. I treat that as a therapy now that because I'm an admin, like I don't do worse than job anymore than the term.
00:10:46
Speaker
So that's my only access to coffee. And that's good enough. Then eventually they needed people to help out in the cafe site. So I joined their events, also helped out in their cafe just right below my office. That admin job just right below.
00:11:05
Speaker
But before that, back then is so well to do as in now. You need to be examined before you go behind the bars, which I think is really important. Like you need to pass before you make coffee, which is great because that's where I come from as well. I wasn't allowed to touch, right? So I completely understand that whole thing. I wasn't like angry or anything, but actually thankful because it's not just a playground.
00:11:34
Speaker
Yeah, if you are serious about coffee. Yes, coffee is serious. Yeah, I mean, it is. I mean, eventually, yes, you've got your self-discipline and all the aesthetics of coffee. It's very important. I mean, instead of being a mess, before that, I went to this part-time, a while, just a week, in Born and Brains, this cafe.
00:11:56
Speaker
I need to mention this because the owner actually helped me in steaming my milk. Like when I steam milk, normally people will hold by the handle and then test the heat of the weather is enough. But somehow she knew by observing me that my stability only helps when I actually hold that actual picture without the handle.
00:12:23
Speaker
It may be hard, but I suppose I shouldn't feel hard. So eventually now until today, because of her, I stained my milk really well based on that. So it's just one of the very important person in your coffee journey that helped you to improve your La TR skills. We sometimes meet some people who are willing to help us and make us better.
00:12:47
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, like the owner of Brain and Prince, she is very determined. Like, she built up the company from scratch as well.
00:12:58
Speaker
She's really strict, which I'm thankful for every time so far because when you're strict means you're serious and you have very high expectations. And that's where I learn under pressure. I'm someone that actually works under pressure really. Moving back on to Chai Seng quite a hard way. Yeah, so I help them out in their coffees. They're brewing at first. I didn't know what to do. Then I told the headburners, I'm nervous and I can't do this.
00:13:28
Speaker
She said, why are you nervous? You got coffee, right? Go for it. I'll tell you what to do and then I'll let you be and I'll come back and watch how you are. Then I'm like, okay, I'll go for it. It was a mess at first. I didn't know what to do because over there it's always really busy.
00:13:48
Speaker
coffee after coffee. And it's not espresso. So I was very used to espresso already and this is brew. And I wanted to do brew, so I need to do good. So okay, so that's when I actually picked up, through practice, I picked up my aesthetics, meaning like what the flow of what to do first.
00:14:10
Speaker
all the way to serving customer or while I'm brewing and then when customer starts talking to me and I'm quite natural that I'm not interrupted. So some people naturally feel confident in what their coffee is about to be served to them or during. It's a personal growth in a sense. Nobody actually trains, but I always picture myself that I want to be served the way I
00:14:36
Speaker
I mean, the coffee's brewed to me, so always standing in people's shoes. Eventually, then I stopped my admin job because I got so distracted to coffee. Then they thought, like, I kind of, you know, really... I'm still in the same place. They thought, like, my interaction with customers were really good, but I don't really shine a lot there as much as I want to.
00:15:06
Speaker
So they thought that maybe I'm more suitable to do their retail, where I have direct contact and in direct interaction with customers, like sharing about coffee machines, products. Yeah, so that's where I am now, all the way up to their second outlet in the mall. So I've been sharing that even if it's just normal customers,
00:15:30
Speaker
They tell me that they can feel it in my eyes that I'm quite genuine and selfless. That's what I'm always told. I wanted to do a lot more. Then I turned it apart time, then I continued doing, and I started the whole branding thing by sharing coffee. Coffee that I have at home, I like to share. The ones that I enjoy, I share around with different people. Back then, I call it the hashtag coffee sharing.
00:15:59
Speaker
So I shared around like a few dosages and then that's how I made a few more coffee friends. It took me a year. I mean like not intentionally, but then naturally every day I brew my own coffee, I share. And then I remember like, yeah, 2020, that's when I converted to part-time. So that's when I really get into my own, all my branding. Yeah.
00:16:26
Speaker
So much when Singapore actually get into circuit breaker, I got lost at first. I didn't know what to do because that's when I just converted to part-time and then I lost it. I can't do anything. I'm just stuck at home. I mean, there was a lot of emotions going on because I really did not expect that to happen. Eventually, no worries, like I bring myself up and find some ways that I could actually help.
00:16:53
Speaker
by, like I said, I like to always be in someone else's shoes. So I'll imagine them being locked up at home as well. Like, what would they do? So I started all this videoing and even teaching people, people that wants to know how to make coffee from scratch.
Online Coffee Connection During Circuit Breaker
00:17:13
Speaker
With no knowledge at all, but I don't mind teaching from India shoes. I don't know all these recipes or non-recipes or dripper or things.
00:17:22
Speaker
I made like two IGTVs. I'm so afraid to be in front of the camera at first. But that brought me up better from this. At first, it was just really just about sharing, sharing and sharing. And then I get to know people, they start to look for me to collab. But I was completely new to this. So
00:17:43
Speaker
The collab didn't really happen because it was kind of an indecisive kind of decision from a friend. More people, they kept telling me, they liked the way I do my things, started talking to me, started asking me for tips, asking me for, or maybe even just sharing their daily life, somehow very casual.
00:18:06
Speaker
which I'm good because I'm that kind of person. I just, I don't want to be restricting like, oh, I'm not talking to you and all. I mean, like, uh, it has been my platform. The brand just builds up along the way. And then, uh, I happened to get into this community group in the chat that, um, this place called compound coffee. They are actually really kind. They offer free classes of, uh, online free classes online on roasting.
00:18:37
Speaker
So I was thinking that why not just give it a try. So I just try and I attended there. I mean, since there's nothing to do anyway, you know, circuit breaker. So I, and I really want to learn more than just making coffee. So I went to study their, I mean, their videos of their theories of what roasting really is, all the science and all the, all the assessment that's required. After that, when things got a lot better, like a few months after that,
00:19:03
Speaker
places start to open, and then that's where I start practicing beans. And they're really kind to the point that they do not mind letting me try their beans at one kg, two kg, that kind. So I get to practice more coffee.
00:19:19
Speaker
how it is. And from there, I continue sharing coffee. This person, his name is Ken and he's also won a birthday championship. He's really kind. So he did that and he opened a space for, it's a co-roasting space. So that's his place right now. So it's also where I go to do my roasting as well. And without him, I won't be here today by roasting my coffee.
00:19:44
Speaker
you know, in small batches, because I'm still not capable to roast a big amount. Yeah, but that's fine. I mean, I like it because I do, I apply my design skills.
00:19:57
Speaker
that I have. As you can see, my package, everything is a lot different than others. I want it to be different, more expressive. And get into details from my coffee knowledge, my coffee skills. From what I know, I applied to it because I would want my consumers to consume the way I like it. I try my best to do the best I can and then learn along the way. I've met really wonderful people on the way as well.
00:20:24
Speaker
I made all of these, although I mentioned it may seem fast, but then it actually went for a span of about seven years now. And now I'm finally ready to really push myself and getting involved in the business line.
00:20:38
Speaker
six years it seems long in the industry but I guess for you it's just another start and you get involved in roasting coffee now so there are a lot more new things to learn and to try out as a coffee entrepreneur you can design your own packaging
00:20:56
Speaker
And you can use your skills later to do your, to reach your dream. Open a coffee shop, rest your own coffee. I think that's a dream for many coffee lovers. Yeah, but now I wanted like more to a studio instead, since I'm like more like a retail experience kind. So instead of cafe, I want to be different again to have a studio, like an art gallery kind of
00:21:22
Speaker
That's good, life is long and they will have so many opportunities just to explore different new things and try it out. Just great, you start your birthday journey from Elati
Reflections and Future Visions
00:21:32
Speaker
artist. Look back, if you could change anything during the last six years, what do you think you will make it different? Well, if I could change, to be honest, like, yes, it is a long few years.
00:21:48
Speaker
But it's worth it, really. Because if I didn't encounter this journey, I wouldn't be who I am today. My mindset, especially. I believe age doesn't mean you're mature enough and all that. But you need to go through experiences to wake up and grow up. Great. So what do you see yourself in the future?
00:22:08
Speaker
I will try my best to loosen up the community a lot and by getting everyone together, even non-coffee lovers or people who just like to drink coffee and don't like to brew them, I want to get them all together casually. They can just drop by.
00:22:27
Speaker
and just sit down and have a chat or even get connected. I mean, I like to see that happening because of the idea of where I really like Australia a lot, the coffee culture. Although I don't know people around me, like after lecture, I walk down the street and I just feel the vibe, the vibe is there.
00:22:49
Speaker
I want that kind of, which I don't get it very much in Singapore still or anywhere, but the next few places would be maybe Hong Kong. Hong Kong will be... Hong Kong's coffee culture is a lot more stronger, I'll say. I haven't actually lived there, but then I traveled there two times, and two times it actually proven me right. Their coffee culture is really very similar to...
00:23:14
Speaker
Thank you so much. Is there anything you want to mention, something you want to share with us or share with the audience? Well, nothing much, but just don't give up on what you love to do. No matter how hard it is, it will keep you going. Thank you so much for tuning in to the I'm Not a Barista podcast, where people get inspired and connected through coffee stories. If you want to join our community,
00:23:41
Speaker
then please subscribe for future episodes and follow us on our Instagram to get connected. Until next time, keep smiling and most importantly, keep drinking coffee.