10 Minutes With Anastasia Chovan

A and the Moai — Anastasia and the Moai at Easter Island. The only thing she doesn't like about traveling for coffee? Being away from her two beloved dogs, Sherlock and Ruby, and her husband, Rob.

Anastasia Chovan
Director of Business & Brand Development
& Barista Nation events
Unic
Seattle, Washington

What other coffee jobs have you had?

My first job in coffee was as a barista at Stauf’s Coffee Roasters, Columbus, Ohio. I moved to Seattle to be the Northwest Regional Sales Manager at Espresso Specialists Inc. Then I took the Director of Sales position at Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters in Olympia, Washington, after which I was Director of Sales for Clover in Seattle.

The founder and director of Barista Nation ”a traveling event that provides free education to barista communities around the world, from Paris to Tokyo to San Francisco ”Anastasia went to Barista Camp, a similar event, for extra inspiration. Her team at Camp ended up winning the coveted Bill Wallace Trail sign.

What’s your favorite part about working in coffee?

The relationships with wonderful people around the world that I have made over the past 17 years. I love to travel and meet new people and learn new skills that revolve around coffee and the business of coffee.

Anastasia in front of the Louvre in Paris after a very successful Barista Nation in France in 2012.

Where do you ideally see yourself in 10 years?

I see myself training and teaching business and marketing skills to the next generation of coffee entrepreneurs.

Much of Anastasia's passion for Barista Nation as a free educational model comes from her passion for teaching and bringing new coffee professionals into the fold. — Much of Anastasia’s passion for Barista Nation as a free educational model comes from her passion for teaching and bringing new coffee professionals into the fold. Here, she speaks on stage at Barista Nation Portland, Ore., in 2012.

Who and what inspires you?

I have been very blessed in having amazing mentors in my professional life like John Blackwell from La Marzocco who taught me problem solving, Zander Nosler from Clover who taught me start-up business skills, Don Eggebraten from Urnex who taught me leadership and Jean-Pierre Levi president of Unic who taught me business development. I am continuously inspired and grateful to these wonderful mentors and want to mentor, create and collaborate with the incredible the barista community through Barista Nation and beyond.

Anastasia at Easter Island. When she's niot working, Anastasia enjoys hiking and exploring all over the world. — Anastasia at Easter Island. When she’s niot working, Anastasia enjoys hiking and exploring all over the world.

What are you drinking right now?

Anjilanaka, Boliva by Intelligentsia. Chemex, metal filter. It’s one of my favorites!

Anastasia and the Moai at Easter Island. The only thing she doesn't like about traveling for coffee? Being away from her two beloved dogs, Sherlock and Ruby, and her husband, Rob. — Anastasia and the Moai at Easter Island. The only thing she doesn’t like about traveling for coffee? Being away from her two beloved dogs, Sherlock and Ruby, and her husband, Rob.

Crazy coffee experience you’d like to share?

There have been a lot of amazing adventures in coffee, but the winner is: Blowing up the Clover in Bern, Switzerland [at the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe show] in 2006. Yes, we plugged the Clover into a 440 volt outlet and blew it up; the Clover was a 208 volt machine. In true James Bond style, we flew an engineer to Zurich that night carrying parts, and had it up the next day. It was my first official trade show with Clover. Those Clover days were crazy. Long live the start-up!