The Dirty Barista: From Coffee to Digital Creation

What happens when exceptional craft meets digital storytelling? Ren McLennan, known online as The Dirty Barista, reveals the fascinating intersection between her expertise in drink creation and her journey as a content creator.

Starting as a coffee barista in 2012 (where her water actually broke during a shift!), Ren's path took an unexpected turn when she discovered barista competitions in 2019. The "Coffee and Good Spirits" category opened her eyes to the creative possibilities of combining coffee with spirits, describing the challenge of working with coffee's strong flavor as "like a choir singing quietly." Rather than limiting herself, she expanded her repertoire to include tea, kombucha, mocktails and various beverages, building a surprisingly diverse skill set that would later fuel her content.

The transition to digital creator wasn't immediate or easy. Despite having equipment ready, Ren initially approached social media casually until her partner encouraged her to take it seriously. She discovered a love for video editing and adapted her content based on performance analytics. Her practical advice for aspiring creators cuts through typical platitudes: create consistently to find your style, be willing to change direction when something isn't working, and don't be afraid to invest small amounts in promotion.

Ren acknowledges that many talented people struggle to see themselves as others do. She pushes back against the misconception that content creators aren't present in the moment when filming, explaining that she's actually "experiencing it twice at once" – both living the experience and thinking about how to document it.

The episode ends with Ren creating the official "Story Scaling" drink under pressure in just three minutes, demonstrating the skills that have built her following while offering a perfect metaphor for content creation itself – combining different elements under pressure to create something unique and engaging.

Find Ren's recipe books on Amazon and follow her journey @the.dirty.barista on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube to witness how craft expertise transforms into compelling digital storytelling.