Coffee Business Connection, a new events company, will host its first formal event, called CBC Live, on January 2-3, 2026. The two-day online event brings together over 16 industry speakers to address the practical business challenges facing cafe owners, roasters, cart operators, and coffee entrepreneurs across the country.
Attendees will join a series of expert-led, interactive live sessions covering pricing and profitability, systems and operations, gaining wholesale partnerships, leadership and burnout prevention, and intentional brand growth.
Fresh Cup is a media partner of CBC Live.
Why It Matters: Founder Sarah Naylor designed the summit to serve folks who are already running a business but don’t have access to business education. Naylor notes that there are lots of educational opportunities for people just starting businesses and coffee pros looking to polish their skills (like barista training courses from the Specialty Coffee Association, or the new Coffee Value Assessment courses for coffee tasters and cuppers), but not for business leaders already in the weeds.
“What I didn’t see enough of was education for the operator in the middle—the person who’s already open, already responsible for staff and cash flow, and trying to build something sustainable without burning out,” Naylor says. “The focus isn’t on trends or theory, but on helping people make better decisions inside real operations.”
Tickets to the live virtual event start at $397.
The Full Extraction: Naylor is the owner of Daybreak Coffee, a coffee cart in Arlington, Washington. CBC Live grew from Naylor’s experience as an owner wanting more opportunities for communal learning.
In 2022, Naylor organized an informal virtual meetup and learning session for other business operators, which turned into a once-a-year get-together. The 2026 event, now named CBC Live, formalizes the annual event into a larger-scale virtual event with more speakers and educational topics.
The speaker lineup includes 16 industry veterans, consultants, and current operators, including:
- Brianna Barry of Second State Coffee, a cafe-roastery in Charleston, South Carolina. Barry will share best practices for setting up baristas for success.
- Michael Craig of Creature Coffee Co, a coffee cart and event business that serves Austin and Seattle. Craig will lead a session on launching and pricing a coffee cart.
- Tim Shenkin of Makeworth Coffee Roasters, a cafe-roastery in Bellingham, Washington. Shenkin will address sourcing and roaster relationships for cafes.
What’s More: CBC Live builds on Naylor’s efforts to create spaces for shared learning among coffee operators. She said the summit is just the start in developing more consistent opportunities for business education and connection within the industry through her business, Coffee Business Connection.
“The long-term vision for Coffee Business Connection is to create a trusted place where people can consistently access education, community, and resources—without having to navigate it alone,” she says. Future plans include additional summits, courses, and community programming.
Registration for CBC Live is open now with tickets ranging from $197 for replay-only (no live access) to $397 for general admission to $597 for VIP access. To learn more about the event and secure a spot, visit the Coffee Business Connection website.
