Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Hoyt.
Hi Travis, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Travis Hoyt and I am Built to Brew coffee. I started my journey in the coffee industry back in 2015 at a little coffee kiosk on Saint Andrews Road in Irmo, SC called Loveland Coffee. My passion for community, relationships and coffee was cultivated at this special place. The owners there invested in my coffee education and I was able to obtain several certifications through the Specialty Coffee Association. I became the manager within a couple years and we grew into a full fledged coffee roastery, bakery and cafe. The equipment we use for brewing coffee is a key part of the business and keeping things properly serviced and maintained is vital. There are very few coffee equipment technicians in South Carolina so we had a very experienced technician, named Randy, from North Carolina come down to take care of our equipment. Randy Phillips is the owner of Underground Mountain Technician Services in the Asheville area. He has a long history in the coffee service industry and worked with La Marzocco for many years as an instructor. I got to spend the day with him while he serviced our equipment at Loveland on a day we were closed. We had an excellent conversation and I realized that I was incredibly interested and seemed already somewhat inclined to technician work. My mind works in systems and so does coffee equipment. He encouraged me to take some brand new SCA certified courses through another legend in the industry named Brady Butler at his facility in North Carolina called Trailblaze Coffee Academy. I did a week long boot camp of courses and obtained technician certifications in Electricity, Hydraulics, Water Chemistry & Preventative Maintenance. I was hooked after taking those courses and knew that I could fill a huge need in South Carolina by starting my own technician business. In May of 2023, Built to Brew – Specialty Coffee Technician Services was born. I continued to Manage at Loveland during the day and started taking on repair jobs in the evenings. Within a short time I became too busy to pursue both jobs. It was incredibly difficult to leave Loveland and the community I had built there but I felt that God had given me a new uncharted path to adventure down. Randy continued to mentor me and we became really great friends. I also joined a technician co-op called the Service Layer. The Service Layer is a network of technicians from around the country, as well as a few global members, who do business with a high standard and code of ethics in the coffee equipment industry. I have had the opportunity to travel to obtain equipment manufacturer specific training as well as attend the Specialty Coffee Association Expo, now known as The World of Coffee, for the last 2 years. When I went full time with my business, I quickly got to a point where I needed help, particularly with the administrative side as I travel a ton. My wife, Grace Anne, left her Pre School Director position to join me in what has very quickly become the family business. We have continued to grow and we are so thankful to be able to support small businesses from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia by maintaining their coffee equipment. I have developed a unique skill set so that I am able to offer a wholistic level of support to cafe owners. I offer barista training courses, cafe operations management consulting as well as coffee equipment sales, service and repair. I could not have predicted this for my life but I definitely feel that I am living in the giftings God has given me. I am so thankful to get to do something I enjoy, continue to build relationships in the coffee industry and spend more time with my family.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I feel like the road didn’t exist and I had to pave a new one. I am thankful for the help I have received along the way but there have been plenty of obstacles. I have never owned or run a business before so I literally learned everything from ground zero. I do have a little academic background in business but I feel that learning about it from a theoretical standpoint and doing it in reality are quite different. I have been confident in the path and when I approached something I didn’t know how to do, I learned it and continued to move forward.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Built to Brew is a local small business offering coffee equipment sales, service and repair as well as barista training and cafe operations consulting. We are proud to support local coffee shops, restaurants and businesses by bolstering their company behind the scenes. We keep the equipment in top performance condition so that those on the front lines can offer the highest level of hospitality, service and product quality.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I see more automation coming down the pipeline with the rise of AI in all industries. However, I am a huge proponent and advocate for continued human beverage preparation. Some reasonable machine automation for the sake of efficiency and consistency is not out of bounds, however, Baristas are the heart and soul of the coffee industry and no robot can make meaningful community impact the way they do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.builttobrew.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/built_to_brew
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Ty8wuxZtk/
