Meet the Team
Owner and Chief badasseror
Ricky Ranier
💚 Ricky – Head of Vibes & Greenhouse Dad
Ricky is the calm in the chaos, the steady hand behind every stunning plant, and the guy who always knows where the good scissors are. As co-owner of Break Free Coffee and Pacific Crest Greenhouses, Ricky brings the vibes, and the horticultural know-how, to everything we do.
Raised with a deep love for nature and aesthetics, Ricky now channels that into growing vibrant, high-quality plants and building a greenhouse operation that feels more like a sanctuary than a farm. He's the unofficial Plant Therapist, the spreadsheet whisperer, and the one who makes sure everything smells nice and looks cute.
When he’s not tending poinsettias or fixing whatever Sam accidentally unplugged, Ricky is probably snuggling Juno, dreaming up new lemonade recipes, or plotting ways to make the truck even cuter.
Green thumb? Check. Big heart? Double check. Queer joy specialist? Absolutely.
founder and Chief Dreamer and Doer
Sam Ranier
❤️ Sam – Chief Dreamer, Head Brew-tician & Chaos Coordinator
Sam is the visionary behind the madness, a fire captain turned founder, with a wild love for coffee, community, and building beautiful things from the ground up (usually with duct tape, recycled materials, and a whole lotta heart).
As co-owner of Break Free Coffee and Pacific Crest Greenhouses, Sam brings big ideas, bigger energy, and a commitment to second chances, queer joy, and radical inclusion. From growing up in a family of florists to founding a wildfire tech startup, Sam’s path has been anything but boring, and now every twist and turn fuels this mission-driven, caffeine-powered adventure.
They’re the one behind the coffee bar cracking jokes, dreaming big, dodging greenhouse spiders, and occasionally fixing the truck with nothing but zip ties and sheer will.
Oh, and Sam married Ricky at Crissy Field with their dog Juno as the witness. So yeah, it’s a love story too.
Messy? Sometimes. Magical? Always. Caffeinated? You bet.
Chief sniff tester-Emeritus
June Dawg (2010-2026)
🐾 Juno – Chief Vibes Officer, Snack Inspector & Squirrel Patrol
Juno was the four-legged heartbeat of Break Free Coffee and Pacific Crest Greenhouses, part mascot, part emotional support fluff, and full-time Good Girl™.
Adopted by Ricky when he was 19 and she was just 8 weeks old, Juno quickly stepped into her role as Chief Vibes Officer with her years of wisdom and candor, making sure the team took breaks, shared snacks, and never forgot to stop and smell the flowers (or roll in them).
She spent her days lounging near the greenhouse, greeting market customers with tail wags, and fiercely protecting the truck from rogue squirrels and suspicious leaves. Juno was also a certified nap specialist and took her quality control duties seriously, especially when graham crackers or oreos dipped in milk were involved.
But in all honesty, she was a Certified ESA, and helped Sam during some of his health struggles where she'd wake him up when his breaths would stop, or knudge him when his dreams were running wild. She was the glue between our relationship as partners in love and life. And most of all, she was Ricky's number one. Not right hand, or number two, but number one. She was there for so much of his life, his growth, and his greatest accomplisments. She was the best woman, maid of honor, and sole witness at our wedding, in fact, she was our only guest, by design!
Whether she was riding shotgun, stealing the spotlight at events, or supervising coffee tastings from her shady spot under the truck, Juno was the real boss around here.
She was the most loyal, lovable, and just bougie friend we could have ever asked for, basically perfect.
Thanks for a life time of memories and companionship that can never be replaced🐶☕🌱