Tuesday, April 14, 2020 - COVID-19 Business Changes

Video Subtitles:

Hello Facebook Happy Tuesday
Hope you're having a delightful

beautiful wonderful weather day
wherever you are here in Las

Vegas. We're we're we're having
possibly the best weather. Hi

Marco good to see you we're
having beautiful weather here.

I know I keep saying that and I
won't stop saying it because we

don't get to say that too often
here in Vegas. are nice

weather. Season is usually only
for just a few days out of out

of every year so for us to be
having such a consistently long

amount of time of good weather.
you can ask can't ask for more

really. Today I wanted to talk
a little bit about industry

news and I've noticed today
actually not just today but I

noticed over the past week.
this is the second week that

World Team News has not posted
an update Usually World TV

news, which is our you know a
highest authority of industry.

Related. You know tea industry
Related News this is also the

same Organization that puts on.

That puts on the World Tea Expo
they post out a weekly Email

newsletter, as well as update
their website with information

updates about the industry
updates about marketing. A lot

of the content is sponsored
content, so you will see a lot

of product updates from
different tea companies that

you know sponsor that service,
but regardless it's every week

and you can always rely to.
About 10 AM or 11 AM Western

time Pacific. I'm sorry Pacific
Time to see that update and I

didn't see that update last
week and they didn't send out

that update again today. So I
just wanted to take this

opportunity and connecting with
with all of you and finding out

is industry news, something
we're really missing and if we

are missing it, how can. How
can I help you know? I wanna

help the industry stay
connected and stay updated so

if you'd love to hear your
comments on what kind of

industry related tea news you
would find to be the most

useful so that you know I I can
either through these lives or

even through you know,
publishing blogs or other

articles. I can get that
information to you. I know a

lot of people. Our most.
Relevantly interested in how

the shutdowns and in India or
the the quarantines of sorts

and and China are affecting the
industry and the the trade of

tea. Yeah, if you want to go
ahead and text in or you can

actually join me live in the
tea room and we can drink tea

together and we could talk
about it. Yesterday. We had

quite a pretty heated amazing
conversation with four

different tea business owners
where we did talk about the

challenges of making money in
tea and I just love how on

Instagram this painting behind
me is always like pouring tea

right on my head. so. Day to
choose a tea, I'm going to

drink. I just went ahead and
grabbed this bag. This is like

the cutest bag you know tea
related bag I've ever seen

before and naturally I just had
to I had to take it home with

me straight out of doors and
it's so cute. there's a friend

of mine that is Growing teeth
and his sisters a marketer and

so they collaborate together.
he has a small tea House in

Darjeeling town. that's not
where he grows to Hebrews teas

in a in a in a busty somewhere,
he's like a local person but

his sister as developing all
these cute little catchy things

for him to sell it smells so
good. so yeah, I haven't open

this bag. I'll be honest. I
haven't opened this bag and

almost again. So, yeah, these
teas have been sitting and

waiting. These are just some
samples from my last sourcing

trip that I just kinda put
away. These are not teas that

we sell or anything like that.
So actually this is. This is

his tea room. This is product
actually I think since I'm

talking about as well, drink
it, you see how it's doing is

giving me a sample of his
teeth.

You can try it. Hey Facebook.
You have some viewers. So today

I'm asking the question in
regards to tea Industry news is

there anything in particular
that you're interested in

staying updated about tea
industry. this could be just

here in the States or it could
be North America or could be of

course globally. I've noticed
that World Team News has not

released an update in the past
few weeks. I mean, I'm sure

that they're dealing with a lot
of of struggles with having to.

Rearrange events and and
whatnot so I I don't know the

status of their writers or
their their editorials but

yeah, just thought that we need
to stay updated of what's going

on in the industry and I'm by
no means a journalist, but I

have the time and I have the
efforts and kinda wanna keep

keep things updated for
everybody. So if you want to

you can please. Leave a comment
they're on the side and let me

know what you would be
interested in in hearing about

and I'll see what I can do as
far as writing something for us

to to enjoy. Stay updated with
so here's the tea. I believe

it's just a black tea. If you
can see it there on the phone

and then here let's get some
light on here. you can see the

colors so in style of
processing, this would be. The

black Tea Hi Cynthia.

So, Synthia says that she
thinks it's a good idea. for

these lives to give away for
Non-Hodgkin Team News.

But there's a way to save them
even in like a podcast format

or something. Yeah. So all of
these lives you know after

they're produced. they are you
know Replayable, but I am

snipping parts of it and
putting them together on one

Categorized Landing page
because at this point now that

I've been doing this for over a
month, there is just like hours

and hours of talking and a lot
of it's just fun and

lighthearted and just kinda
silly but some of. Is actually

really valuable, especially
something like yesterday when

we had, you know four different
independent tea business owners

sharing with each other what
they're going through. Hi Gabby

Good to see you yeah. I'm doing
really well. How are you? We're

having some nice weather here
in Vegas? Huh. It's like sunny

and beautiful, but then having
this nice breeze to it. I went

for like a long walk with the
dog this morning and he was

quite happy. so yeah I wanna go
ahead and get this tea brewed

up. So again. This is a small
grower hand process, small

batch Black tea which may have
kind of a more of a long

profile to it because of
course, you know it's it's set

often Georgia Line Orthodox
processing is officially a long

cuz they don't fully oxidized
the tea, but we'll see what

this one. The this team maker
he's an independent small

grower, so he kind of make
whatever rules he wants to make

in his processing it smells
nice. It's the the really sweet

floral character that is
typical of of dirt. So this guy

this guy won is challenge style
porcelain and I actually sell

this. This is like I don't sell
a lot of tea wear but out of

necessity, you know I have a
lot of people that come through

here and they buy a bunch of
incredible tea and they don't

have any way to brew it. So I
figured if I'm gonna sell any

tea wear something simple,
something multi-purpose and my

good friend Mary Cotter. The
artists Studio, the Ceramic

Ceramic artist Studio Studio
that she was working out of.

Alright, so one wants to join
so I'm gonna go ahead. get him

the link That's so funny. so
the link to join me in the live

stream is actually very simple.
I made it as simple as possible

so that everybody would be able
to remember it and it's the

same link every day so you
don't have to worry about a

changing and and and having to
use a new link every time that

you want to join and that's a
bit dot LY slash Tea Tea party

and from your phone or. Your
tablet or your computer you

will easily be able to join the
live conversation with me here

at the table going to the link
of course you don't have to you

are totally welcome to stay
comfortably where you are just

listening in to what is being
shared. So yes, this is just

like a very simple but what
well crafted it is factory

crafted. So this is not like
handcrafted handmade type of

tea wears like something like
this. This is a handcrafted I

don't sell this type of stuff.
This is a very precious things

you know that I've just
collected over the time but

very simple guy want and very
simple. picture like this I do

sell out of our tea room here
in in Chinatown Las Vegas. I

don't sell a lot. And you know,
I'm not. I'm not here trying to

push it but it's just here for
one people come in explore tea

with us. they if they do take
some tea home. at least they

have a nice way to to brew it
in their own home. So I

appreciate that idea. I like
that vote of confidence in this

idea of sharing industry.
related news, Non sponsored

news I mean, Of course, it is
my voice so. the time put into

researching what information
will be shared will perhaps be

a little bit biased, but I try
to keep my bias, says open and

transparent as possible. So you
know, perhaps the sources of

information that I take may be
coming from an exclusive

network. but again just like
with how tea is we try to keep

that network as openhearted and
open-minded as possible and

inclusive as possible. Alright,
so I had him down his way here.

Let me let him in Adam was here
yesterday. Hello.

Hello hi, hi. it looks like
you're you're having some

difficulty with your social
distancing right there. No.

it's well.

I I forgot that I put that as
my back, that means my iPad,

but who is that that is that's
my son. Awesome. What's his

name? Isaac? To meet Isaac, how
old is he he sticks? Okay does

does he like to to to serve and
drink tea? Not really.

It kinda looks like he does now
like looking over your

shoulder. He looks very curious
about what you're doing playing

with Lego Okay.

He's playing with Lego and that
was while talking on Facetime

at the time and I took a
picture of him. I took a still

photo of my FaceTime. Oh nice.
I said that does he live in New

Jersey or where does he live?
No? he's in He's in San Juan

Still okay. Wow. I got I got
this job offer I I got called

about the job the day after we
had closed on an apartment so

we own that apartment and Yeah,
so they they are still there as

we kinda navigate the
transition. I see Oh that must

be tough and how how is it in
in in San Juan is it is it

pretty locked down or or things
still? yeah. It's very locks

down. they have they they like
just recently like last week or

even like yeah late last week,
they relaxed some of the some

of the restrictions of the
lockdown like. For about a week

they were requiring if if you
went up to drive, you could

like if you had an odd number
at the end of your license

plate, then you could drive on
like Mondays, Wednesdays,

Fridays and Sundays interesting
for Monday, Mondays Wednesdays,

Friday Monday Monday Wednesday
Friday, or like I don't know I

don't know if there was Sunday
or whatever. and then if you

had an even number this Tuesday
Thursday, Saturday, or what

have you and then they this
last. Was Holy Week, They said

everything shut down over the
weekends you cannot go out and

buy groceries or anything like
that and they they had extended

the curve viewed from like
seven PM to five AM. So now

they've taken a step back and
they put the curve you back at

Nine PM. They've eliminated the
driving restrictions, but

they're still saying you know,
basically everyone's

quarantine. you're not allowed
to leave the House unless it's

for something essential like.
Groceries are going to the

doctor going to the pharmacy
and if we see you walking on

the Beach or doing any of these
other things, then you could

get arrested in fine. Oh well
so the beaches are off limits.

They're not letting people
exercise son. Yeah. Wow. cuz I

know in Hawaii that they're
being pretty restrictive.

They're like you're not allowed
to be driving anybody like

they're. It's not even like a
day on day off type of a thing

you're not supposed to be
driving anywhere, but you are

allowed to go. And go surfing
in the water. you're not

allowed to like hangout at the
beaches. like all the Beach

parks have been closed, but you
know if there's a Beach

somewhere without like a public
Park attached to it. you are

able to go to therapy or go
swimming extense because like

certain I mean certainly
surfing and for them, I would

say swimming as well. Those are
not those are. they seem like

socially distant activities.
Yeah, I think where you. Gonna

be in you know, certainly not
in a group of 10 or more and it

I mean if you are any group of
that size, swimming, you're

quite likely. most of the
people are six feet for one

another. Yeah. I read an
interesting article this

morning about an Indonesia.
There's like one particular

village so the whole country.
the there hasn't been like an

official order of lockdown.
There's just kind of suggestive

things, but there's one village
where they've they've recruited

people to dress up like ghosts
and like scare people so that

they stay inside.

I think I did see that headline
and I didn't ask that cuz I was

I was trying to do a little bit
of research on Indonesia.

Indonesia hasn't really done
they've. They have not made a

lot of changes like Indonesia's
one place where like we're

we're checking with all our
suppliers and it's like yeah

everything is operating
normally delays nothing. so I'm

starting to wonder. I'm like
how long is it like what's

going on here? is this gonna
last and I started researching

yesterday mess when I ran
across that headline, but it

sounds like getting. Might soon
like a clamp down a little bit

because I guess a number of air
workers have

have had some had some positive
tests and there have been some

deaths and there have been
people who have like gone back

home cuz of Ramadan. I've gone
back home to their families cuz

the Ramadan and that's causing
some concern. They could be

going to affect rural infect
rural villages. So yeah, I

mean. Donation might start
taking some measures.

Have to you Do you source any
tea from Indonesia? Yeah. Yeah.

we do what actually one of the
first like mentors team mentors

that I had was Alex the the the
owner at PT Harney Dog, which

is one of the more prominent
international you know,

marketed brands. Benton. I
think is what in North America

the brand new market under it's
pretty pretty sad. Factor I

mean nothing and Indonesia's is
too small scale. I think there

are a couple of like very small
niche producers that are just

doing very small quantities
there, but it's it's mostly

kind of extensions of of Taiwan
industry. you know to to create

more economies of scale so yeah
we work with two gardens one in

some matra and then one on Java
but. Like Taiwanese style

processing cool. Indonesia is
kinda interesting tea industry,

a lot of controversy about you
know practices as far as even

diluting of teas. So when I was
at a Booboo and in Japan

actually know this was after I
left the blue and I've gone

back for a visit and there was
an intern there from Indonesia.

His family is a big tea trader
in Indonesia and they sent him

to a boo in like learn about
Japanese tea processing and

marketing. like there was any.
Connection there there wasn't

then that's what he said. He's
like you know. this has been an

incredible experience here in
Japan because the market here

is totally different. The
industry is totally different,

He says. You know where I'm
from you know, organic farming

well actually, that's what he
said. he said Organic farming

is actually very prominent in
Japan. Conventional farming is

the most prominent that you
know they like efficiency. They

like very strong mommy so lots
of fertilizers. but he's like

you know, then Indonesia. it's
a lot of small farmers. They're

like two poor to afford the
chemicals so he's like it's

actually kind of good. you know
cuz the tea is you know kind of

organic in that sense, he says.
But once the tea reaches the

industry, you know the traders
brokers and and all those guys

that are kinda aggregating
things. He says that there is a

lot of practices of like
diluting product to get more

Mass and there's not a whole
lot of regulation on that. I

know that they are in
Indonesia. Yeah, that that

makes sense to me. Yeah. Yeah,
because Indonesia I mean for

one you know like you're saying
nothing is particularly small

scale in Indonesia so that
there's I mean you know not

only is that the way it is, but
also the perception of that

would kind of seem to me based
on what you're saying to to

encourage that kind of a
practice and also Indonesia's

one place. The vast majority of
the farms are still govern. The

tea farms are still government
controlled and everything's

through auction. Yeah, which
yeah further silos things it

allows for lack of transparency
between all those farms. Yeah.

So yeah, the the folks that we
work with, but we only work

with two producers and and
they're like small scale

compared to the rest of the
industry. but for us, they're

actually quite large skill. one
of them are Dong it's really

hard for us to guarantee
supplies, so I'm not like

always actively promoting their
teeth. Because if I place one

of their teas in in a new
account, it's very likely that

like the next year they're
gonna get themselves into a

buying contract with like a
larger buyer. and they'll say,

Oh, yeah no supply for you this
year. it just happens so yeah,

I'm just like my like I said my
my oldest team mentor so I'm

always gonna support them and
the tea cells really well. It's

really nice tea. the main one
that we we, we carry three of

them, but the main one is
called a honey long. It's like

a really sweet. Having kind of
like a roasty profile, it is

roasted just like really sweet
approachable Taiwanese style

long but yeah, I don't I don't
actively promote it cuz I'd I'd

hate for like a tea shop to
bring it on to their catalog

and then six months from now, I
have to tell them Oh sorry. we

can't supply it to you. the
farmers you know in a buying

contract this year and and you
know can only sell I think was

like one company that had put
them in a contract. You know

some some you know, I'm sure
you know about that when this

was in I don't know it's like
off and on, but that year was

like 2015 2016, though those
were like the first years where

we just got caught up supply.
Yeah interesting. Yeah. So yeah

that I mean since I wasn't on
the sourcing team. I didn't

know specifically about that.
but I mean. It's I you know by

then it was Starbucks cuz Tiana
wasn't really ever messing with

Indonesia until they became a
part of Starbucks. HM, so it

was Starbucks it was, but I
guess sourcing that team. Yeah,

that's interesting and that's
that's great. You know like I

congratulated him and said,
Hey, Alex, like you're finding

your buyers cuz like you know
the buyers that I introduce

them to is just so small
compared to their their Grand

supply and that's why we don't
have any exclusivity contracts

with anybody So our school
where I can support you

actually, I know exactly I know
exactly. Yeah. Okay I I

remember this that failed
project, but essentially I mean

Tijuana was a failed project in
general what he did at that

moment. I remember this teeth
the in the donation see that

you're talking about now. they
were trying to reinvent their

mall store concepts because
they were like bleeding money.

Yeah and so they they took a
few of the mall stores and they

tried to. Them more interactive
and like they had like iced

teas on tap and growlers of
iced tea, and they had what

they called the micro lot
program. Okay, which is a vast

selection of like 10 to 12 teas
that you know if you shop for

tea at a place such as tea or
many of the charities or many

of the other people that that
with whom we associate, you can

find like unusual tees like
this while Vana tried to

dabble. That and they source
the selection of like 10 to 12

teas that we're only going to
be available at a few of these

like elevated concept stores.
Yeah, and that was one of them.

It was a donation tea. That's
so funny that that that was

considered a small lot because
for our standards like that,

that's like the biggest
producer we work with and I

considered well. that's cuz you
know. Yeah for yeah for

Tijuana, they could only put
they could only place that in

like three or four stores, Yeah
and then attention they have

enough. They still didn't sell
enough but and and there was

leftover inventory so it's
ashamed but in theory if it was

successful, they would have
only been able to sell in in

supply to like three or four
stores. Yeah. Yeah. there's

someone on Facebook or Joe. You
met Joe yesterday he chatted on

Facebook and he asked about
India like what's the situation

India with the shutdown
problems and shipping harvest I

act. I just fired off an email
about. Right before getting on

this the party has fun. so
yeah. India extended their

their locked down to May third.
Yeah. it was supposed to end

today. Okay and it got extended
to May third, the Email that I

had to fire off as we were.
We've been like pushing one of

our producers for some
information about some

compliance practices for about
the past month and somewhere

within. They they were not
responsive quickly enough and

within that not being
responsive quickly enough. The

lockdown happens. so it's like
Oh, we can't get an answer from

them until the lockdown is
over. lockdown was supposed to

end today, so I was trying to
push for an answer and then I

find out this morning that the
lockdown. Yeah. Yeah. India.

India is a big mess right now.
Yeah. basically I mean I you

know I assume you're aware of
this due to some of the direct

sourcing you do, but basically
first flush in is certainly.

Darci Lynne is gone it's it's
going to be lost this year

because the because the
lockdown was instituted like

right when they needed to start
talking and harvesting. Yeah.

And when miss that short window
the bushes are going to get

overgrown. So what's going to
happen next is that once the

lockdown does end, which at
some point it will they're

gonna need to they're gonna
need to skip all those bushes

cut them way down so that they
can get tea. That's actually

worth harvesting for the set.
Flesh now skip it so so two

problems here number one loss
of revenue for loss of the

first flush represents like 40
percent of of of revenue and

profit for Darcie. So it's huge
catastrophic in in a region

that's already struggling
second issue is like cutting

down those bushes after their
overgrown is very extended. So.

It's a financial catastrophe
for Darjeeling right now. Yeah.

Yeah. So I don't work with any
of the biggest dates so the

conversations that I have with
my contacts. They are probably

a lot different than the
conversations that you have but

it is the same conversation of
like Okay. Yeah, we can't

produce teen. I tell people
even if you could produce tea

cuz like these are small
growers that are processing

their tea in small batches out
of their home. So like they

wouldn't be breaking lockdown
if they were to just walk out

their fields and make some tea,
I say. but. You have to think

about the future market cuz
that's what your sales are

dependent on as it was the
state of the future market and

something like tea. Let may be
like their best opportunity

that they're working with again
this. I'm talking about very

small quantities. Not you know
large quantities and and my

warehouse is pretty pretty
stocked up right now because

you know like even our business
is pretty much come to a stand.

Still, so I say you know like
if if you yeah cuz I I. Apply

to a lot of suppliers to
restaurants. That's like the

main you know distribution.
Yeah, I don't I don't

distribute to like retailer
like retail brands that are in

grocery or anything like that.
just cuz like our teeth like

higher high route, not higher
price high rally so if you

don't distribute to to too many
clients who like have much in

the way of online sales online
is not anything to you know,

write home about I think in
any. I think that there's only

a small handful of companies
that have cracked the code of

healthy online sales, you know
like even like the really

popular online brands that have
like really beautiful marketing

and you would think that
they're doing really well. They

have a big following on
Instagram and a big following

on Facebook. Most of their
business is selling to

restaurants. yeah exactly yeah.
So. Few companies in the

specialty in like the real
specialty tea world are

actually doing well online.
yeah, and I think that they

were like either a really early
into the Mark of the market, so

they were one of the first
brands to really develop kind

of a herd mentality following
around them. So like you non

sourcing or White to tea like I
think that those are two online

brands that that do well within
like the premium specialty tea

realm but most of the people
that. Work with they could have

beautiful brands and beautiful
websites, but you know it's

it's almost just kind of like a
placeholder of their brand on

the Internet, while the
majority of their business is

happening to restaurants. So if
the restaurants are shut down

special TV like real specialty
tea is kinda shut down as well.

but things are fine. You know
like a lot. A lot of these

companies are working on really
low overhead. so you know for.

Ways to figure it out and I
think there has been bumps in

online sales. you know cuz
everybody's trying to figure

out how to to build their
community online and and and

get their following to support
them financially during this

this tough time, but I I'm
telling these producers you

know, maybe it's not so wise to
produce a bunch of tea because

the market has some catching up
to do and I don't know how long

that catch up period is going
to be so you could produce the

tea, but then you're gonna be
sitting on. And that's the last

thing that they wanna do but
then they also don't want their

leads to to bond. That's that's
the the term when they mature

too much and then you don't
want a new shoot. come out.

yeah so but you actually you
can make a long tee from it. So

like there could be some cool
experiments of new tea styles

coming out of these bonds, tea
plans but something that I've

been recommending to them and
looking forward to hearing the

the feedback is Encouraging
these small growers that would

be going out you know if
they're small growers, the just

the family will go out and
harvest leaf and then they they

sell that Leaf to like the the
Cooper. It's a small factory

like this small village style
like maybe only like 15

families or so kind of
aggregating their leaf to make

these small batches. They
shouldn't make the tea, but

they do need to still harvest
the team. They have the time to

do it. The tea leaf is there
the tea leaf needs to be

harvested. So then the second
flush can come out and I said,

you know it's. A food source.
It's not like a Super

nutritious food source, but it
is a food source and so I found

some recipe or it was actually
a YouTube video of some Indian

chef making Cora Cora is like
the fried vegetables like you

better vegetables and eat fry
it. He was the TV for us. Yeah,

I said, I said, yeah, you know
like it's kind of a win win

like why don't you guys? Try
this out like usually fried tea

leaf is just like this delicacy
novelty. You just do for fun

and I'm like you guys are just
gonna be sitting on a bunch of

harvested Green leaf like you
can make small batches of tea

at home for you guys to drink
and then you can also eat it so

those are kind of the
conversations that I'm having

with the growers. you know
these aren't like big

operations that are really
having to think about how to

deal with large masses of land,
you know, just small, you know

like a couple of acres tops of
of tea bushes that they need to

to keep harvest. To make way
for the second flush.

Grab a little more water real
quick. I'm still kinda

configuring my setup here. it's
different from yesterday, but

it's still not quite where
you'll get it. Yeah. So you

don't think about interesting
about is that the estates they

they do have their big
expensive fields that were used

to you know seeing in the
photos and such but there are a

lot of small growers that
supply to those. States and and

that's a part of the story.
That's never told people don't

know about that part and I
don't know about the exact

percentage because the States
would never admit it like if

you were to ask in a state
owner. Do you buy leave from

small growers and the local
area? They'll say no like this

is our tea garden and it's it's
bogus like they have to cuz

like their production capacity
is much higher than what their

garden can actually supply to
them. so I think it like

there's nearly a thousand
registered like they're

actually registered by the Tea
board and it was a pain in the

??? to get them registered But
you know enough people kind of

put their efforts into it to to
work with the tea Board to

register all of these small tea
growers as legitimate

independent businesses that
supply their Green leaf to the

estates so and you know that's
a huge network of of small

growers and what they're gonna
do with their leaf who knows. I

just think that there was
already changed that was in the

process of happening in that
area of Georgia Line. the the

strike from three years ago,
really kind of accelerated a

lot of that change, and I think
this current lockdown is

accelerating it even faster.
Yeah, I mean that that's the

other thing that I didn't start
to talk about I'm looking at

this. Email right now where I
was like getting some of the

information that I'm sharing is
like the other thing is like a

Psalm. this is one of the
lockdown was first instituted.

No gardens functioning
government sent out a circular

to the effect that for any
estate to open they would need

written permission from the
authorities, which is which I

understand is in any case not
forth coming. On the other

hand, the unions have put their
foot down that they would not

work logical response from
their point of view since

workers have to be paid
a hundred percent for city. At

home bushes are overgrown so
that whenever States do open up

large areas, we have to be
skipped first flush down the

tube so same with the same with
the Psalm.

South India was like a little
bit they were trying a little

bit more to find a work around,
but I mean it's still troubles

across the board over there
well, they're there season

starts earlier too, so they
perhaps could have already had

some supply ready for the
market but yeah they have they

have.

Yeah, Joe. I'm glad you like
that winter black. It's good.

You gotta get you gotta get it
back up on your catalog again.

I'm just right now having to
have a lot more difficult

conversations with producers.
even Nepal Nepal is also on a

lockdown and say yeah I was
about to ask what I haven't

kept up with. I mean we don't
mess around with any napolean

at my company currently
unfortunately so yeah tell me

about what's going on over
there. It's kind of the same

situation you know they're
they're in a very similar

lockdown and people just
spending time in the village

and not knowing what to do like
they're they're.

Infrastructures are a lot more
localized, even the larger you

know, like a larger factories
doing more bulk production are.

Even the larger bull
productions are managed in a

very like small scale village
style communities so I think

that they they are able to work
around those lockdowns more

than than India. they're not
like huge like like even a

state that has employees and is
probably gonna be recruiting

workers from surrounding areas
and so you know if you don't

have transport to get them in
and you know then. Maybe

they're coming from like larger
towns, where like the lockdown

is being enforced a lot more
heavier than in the village.

it'll be harder to keep things
rolling and and and and running

but like in Nepal, even like
the larger factories, they're

not importing labor from
outside. It's it's almost all

exclusively small growers
bringing their leaf like they.

They walk their harvested leaf
to Central factory and and sell

that leaf to that factory. So I
think there's a lot less leg.

Policing and and and kind of
regulation around the lockdown

so I don't you know but again
like my friends that are

contact me. They're like hey
how much how much should we

make what do you think about
the market and I'm like I don't

think you should make any tea
right now cuz when you guys are

already sitting on a bunch of
stock from last year, second

harvest like let's try to sell
that stuff and before you guys

start making more and they're
like yeah. But you know where

are the small growers in the
community they need to get paid

cuz like they're not working on
salaries. They're not working

on they get paid you know.
Hello for their leaf, so you

know they're not protected as
much as like an estate worker

would be protected as much as
you wanna call. Yeah, that I

mean same. I mean I same kind
of issues going on in Kenya

right now cuz they're like
second biggest tea is their

second biggest export and they
are the biggest exporter of

black tea in the world, so like
them not being able to sell

their tea and. The auctions is
like it's destroying people

over there. Yeah.

What are you drinking? I'm I'm
actually drinking a excellent.

Yeah. Yeah. This is small
batch. you know handmade small

grower tea from I believe it
was harvested second flush of

18, but I received it last
spring as like a sample gift.

yeah, I pulled out this bag. I
decided I would I'm gonna ask

them about that. I want that
right that from is that from

the producer or yeah, so the
producer has smaller T shot and

in town where he he sells his
tea and tries to educate the

local people about good quality
loose leaf tea versus you know

the CFTC Chad that they're used
to drinking and so his his

sister is actually a designer
and a marketer, and so they've

collaborated together to come
up with all of these cool

little. kitchen things so yeah
I saw this and I'm like I have

to buy this thing like there's
no way. I'm gonna like go

through my life and be able to
sleep If I don't pick this

thing up and so yeah just like
had put a bunch of samples that

people gave me like none of the
teas in here are like anything

that I chose to put on our
catalog yeah, but I said you

know today would be a good
thing to to drink and so I

pulled out his his tea out of
there and trying it. It's like

a black.

Black tea cool. Yeah. It's it's
a proper black tea really light

really fruity. it was a little
sour at first, so probably has

some some withering issues and
he's like new. you know he's

new to small scale processing,
so he's still learning but you

know the the quality of the
leaf is very promising and

characters definitely coming
through, but textures is a

little bit flat and that was
probably the same feedback. I

gave him last last year when I
was there. What are you

drinking? I'm drinking I'm
gonna grab a sample bag because

I don't think

Yeah, I can't tell you exactly
what it is cuz that it's all in

Japanese. It's a it's one of
Sarah's teas. I've got a whole

bunch of her samples laying
around it. I know it's a sense.

I don't remember what kind of
sense go the leads here. Sweet

nice nice suit. Yes. I really
like this. Unfortunately I I

had a bad experience with the
with the store for whom I

bought it. So this is the last
thing I'll ever buy from them

but I but yeah, I really like
it.

I haven't been drinking too
much Japanese tea. that's most

of what's left in my stash, so
I'm drinking a lot more of it

and I tend to like it during
the spring weather when things

start to get more Green and
warm up a little. so the timing

is right right now. But yeah,
I've got like right now. I've

gone through most of the
samples that I have left from

her other than a bunch of
geography. so I'm switching

over to yoga next and then Have
this bamboo aged cooler that

I've had for a while a couple
of age Korean teas antlers from

the Louise and blue Pebbles
from a blue Pebble along and

then you're familiar with Tony
Talen. He just started his own

brand to use to be a Taser and
then at Smith Team maker Okay.

Yeah. I remember I remember
him. Yeah. He's got a. Now

called A telling Company and I
think the tees are really good

and one of the ones I got one
of the ones from it's a cast

iron long. It's a scented long
where he took like a tea and he

put it in a cast iron pan with
Juniper berries and vented it

with the juniper berries by by
firing it in that pan for a

little while so I've got I've
got something that's really

nice. I mean I get like 15
steeping out of it and by the

time you get like to like
steeping numbers. Or so, that's

when some of the like floral
tea Oolong flavors start to

mellow a little bit more. But
some of that June some of the

juniper notes start to come out
a little bit more. Wow. That's

cool. Yeah. I love seeing
interesting innovative ways of.

Making new styles and new
experiences. I don't do too

much of that myself, but you
know I work with people that do

that. and I'm always excited.
you know to see what they come

up with.

Yeah, it's clever. It's it's I
mean it's kind of an extension

of the type of things that he
was doing when he was doing

development for Taser and Smith
Team maker. Now it's just like

completely his own thing. Still
out of Portland, Yeah, right

outside of Portland. I can't
remember the name of the town.

It's it's like I don't know
maybe 1020 miles outside of

Portland. Okay. Cool. Yeah. I
heard that he he branched off

and was doing his own thing.
Yup and then Ron is Robbie

still smooth team maker. I
don't know Robbie Okay. you

know the last name it starts
with a. I forget his name, but

I knew him when he was at block
tea and then okay. Yeah, not

someone if if it was someone
who used to be at Tasso and

might have known him. Okay.
Yeah. No. he wasn't at David. I

started at Starbucks. I was at
Tasso for the first month like

as the transition was
happening, so I met some of the

people who were who either in
addition from when they shut

down the Tassel offices to
Starbucks or they they just

stuck around for. That I got to
know him before before they

shut everything down. I don't
know anybody only actually I

got to know later on, but but
he worked very closely with the

person who I was like my loan
teammate for most of the time I

was at Starbucks, so I kind of
like I understood a lot of the

work that he did because my my
colleague had inherited the

responsibility of so many of
his formulas.

Yes, my tea is a nice spot. I
went there. The last time I

went to Portland. I'm at
Norwood and

yeah, they have like a new
space. that's has a really nice

vibe to it really kind of airy
and light. I like that with tea

spaces when their area, the
light versus is it the one

where there where they've got
like production in the back or

different new space that I
haven't even seen. It's a

different space. Yeah, cuz I've
been to the one that has their

actual production like it's in
the industrial part of town.

This is a different. It's a
different one. I felt like or

maybe they like it's across the
Street or something, but it had

actual kind of like lounges
sitting area cuz I was

remembered that the one that
was attached to like their

production facility was just
kind of like a very small light

retail area and then having
like the the bar you know where

you can. yeah have you. the
lounge area that too, but it

sounds like what you're talking
about sounds like the lounge is

a little bit more of the focus.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. You have to look that up
on the map and

verify where that was, I don't
know why it's like it was a

different spot. though I
remember being a different

spot. I had walked everywhere
that day that that weekend I

spent in Portland I was staying
at my friend's place. He looks

pretty Central in the city and
so I decided just to walk

everywhere. so I was walking
like 10 miles a day to to go to

all my meetings in such I was
just really beautiful weather.

I couldn't have asked for
anything better hey Joe if

you're still here. I I learned
this morning through a random

Google mistake I made in
searching for something that

there is a tea South Dakota do
you know about this and if you

do you have connections there
cuz I think it'll be really

cool. you know to to do our
festival something something to

do with tea. The place is
called T E A T. That's the the

town's name. Yeah, I was
searching for a company for one

of my clients websites and
some. Google, Like mistake what

I wrote and thought I was
looking for the tea steakhouse.

That's kinda cool tea
Steakhouse. I'm like there's a

tea steakhouse, but it was it's
in South Dakota. It's like

their town steakhouse so.

All the marketing around tea.

Oh, he's gonna come in and and
tell us all about it. That's

good. Photo. Yeah, about two
South Dakota.

Joe Joe he tunes into these
these lives every day. he

doesn't always jump into them.
Usually he comes in towards the

end to to have a little chat,
but I called them out. So now

he has to come in and and wrap
South Dakota.

So Adam, I was talking earlier
about how I had noticed that

World News has not posted an
update in the past two weeks.

Yeah. I've noticed that too.
Yeah. So I'm thinking like we

gotta do something about that.
Oh dear

Okay. Well, What are your
thoughts? I don't know I just

like I mean we've already done
something today. Just this

conversation that we've had
about you know what's going on

in Indonesia was going on in
India like those are like

really valuable nuggets of of
industry updates. You know that

we typically would expect to
get from royalty news but I'm

I'm thinking about possibly
even like structuring it a

little bit more To you know,
make it useful for yeah for the

industry. So I may I may
dedicate a bit of my time every

day during these sessions to
just kind of give some some

updates of what's going on more
than just anecdotal stuff too.

Cuz like most of what I talked
about here is very anecdotal.

It's just like what are the
conversations I'm having so I

feel like maybe it would do a
lot of good for the industry to

to do a bit more rest. And you
know, I know Dan Bolton, he

posted something so he writes
from Realty News a lot yeah,

and he has his own like tea tea
blog. It's like a wordperfect

he manages and he put out an
update like last week, which

was good but I'm gonna reach
out to him too and see you know

what's going on with that. the
unfortunate thing, though, is

like there's definitely not
gonna be any kind of monetary

reward for this but Just like
industry updates are are

needed. yes, three and why
world team news you know, cut

cut it off. You know. I'm sure
they're they could still get

you know all their branded
sponsored content but they're

an events company you know and
I don't know Realty Expos had

to be delayed. so I'm sure
that's you know affecting their

their revenue models and you
know ability to. To stay

operating, but yeah, the the
the reason why I've been

keeping my eye on it was
because one of their reporters

reached out to me and wanted to
do a profile on TV and she

liked it a pretty comprehensive
good interview with me and she

wrote me and she's like I
finished the article. It's

gonna publish next week and
then crickets and I'm like

bummer here was this about a
week before was this like

early. She said Yeah, I
finished the yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. So I understand I'm not
upset or anything. I mean it.

it was you know just a cool
article and hopefully it gets

shared at some point but yeah,
I just like I'm used to every

Tuesday you know for my my
email newsletter to come in and

there's always some good
information. It's not always

all good, but there's usually
something. Yeah with a good

update that I like to to take a
look at yeah.

So Joe tell us about tea South
Dakota so funny story. I didn't

even know it existed well.
Okay. So somewhere in the back

of my head. I've known it's
existed forever and ever put

the pieces together in the last
few years since I started

selling tea though, but I
wasn't probably four months ago

or something like that. we had
someone not hit us up for an

online order. she actually just
messaged us through Facebook

and was like hey, I'm. Want
some of your tea? I think she

had it at one of the events we
were at. I've got some like one

of the craft fairs were vending
at and so she placed quite a

big order and she's like Oh
funny story. I mean tea South

Dakota and so we actually had
to shift tea to tea,

but it is basically the Middle
of nowhere. Okay. We're you

know we're talking like there
isn't even like a like a like

a. Hubs around the area, it's
out in the Middle of the state.

so really like as much as I
would love to like and I

thought about this too. I'm
like man I wish I could do

something out there cuz that
would be cool, but it's like a

couple thousand people and then
just farmland you know what I

mean, like there's just nothing
going on. so but yeah, I

thought it was hilarious too.
Once I like put those feet

together, I was like duh well,
at least they have a

steakhouse. That's that's all I
know is they have a steakhouse.

Yeah. That's that's pretty much
the the. With all the small

towns around here, they have
like they got a bar and a

little general star and maybe
two gas stations and it's like

a a like a steakhouse kinda
like Western style diner place,

and then maybe a couple of
random shops and like some

houses and they're like that
everywhere. even in the

Wyoming, I mean they're all
they're also similar. It's

funny because it's just it's
just what people like need at

you know like the basics If you
will, but pretty much

everybody's self sustainable
out on their ranches and stuff

you know they'll come into
coming to one of the bigger

towns you know once a month or
something and get all their the

stuff they need from like
Walmart or whatever. but then

they'll go back out on the
ranch and they're just out

there all the time. so you know
it's a little town. That's

basically they got. They got a
steakhouse. They ain't got

nothing else going on and one
like dive bar that if you walk

in there and like met, don't
know. Everybody just like stare

at any other. You were friendly
out here so they're like who

are you you know immediately,
but but yeah, it's it's kinda

gets cold in some of these
small towns. It's funny. Yeah.

I love that though I love being
on road trips and and walking

into spots like that and making
new friends hopefully people

are nice. but yeah, you're
you're right. It's like

everybody looks at you like why
are you expecting to see like

where Where are you coming from
the end up here in the Middle

of nowhere? It's usually what I
ask people anyway and I live in

the bigger towns in the state
like how did you end up here?

Yeah, you know cuz it's yeah
tourism and that kind of stuff.

but if you actually like live
here or something that's how to

find this place cuz it is a
it's like a diamond in the

rough for sure you know,

but so yeah a lot. I was
curious about any and stuff

just cuz I'm one of my
suppliers is completely shut

down and they're not they're
not sending anything out at the

moment. so it's. If you guys
kinda ran into this, but the

whole lock down just yeah, I'll
post everything is shut down.

Yeah. Yeah. I got you can't
even get samples. Yeah. Yeah.

So I mean that we're we're we
asked one of our suppliers

today about when some samples
of forthcoming and and that was

how I first found out that the
lockdown got extended. is I

sent an email out asking about
this question and answer and

then scroll through my emails
and I see the other one. I'm

saying the lockdown got
extended like okay. So I know

the answer to the Email that
sense. Cuz this email saying

lockdown extended is like I
can't send you any samples yet.

and he said that was made
fourth. Yes, May third.

16 eight 30, Okay, I I didn't
dig into the detail. I believe

that would mean that at
midnight on the 1150 - nine PM

May third, the lockdown would
end that ready Right and and

then at like 4:30 PM on May
sixth business will resume.

India is you know. Gotta be
patient. That's like the main

thing as a liaison between
people, especially like the

brokering that we do. a lot of
my conversations are having to

like remind people that you
gotta be patient when it comes

to to doing business in India.
the speedy like responsive

information and sharing of
information that we expect you

know in our culture. here is
definitely not something.

Expect their gonna be patient.
So, yeah, we have like it's

it's it's not tea coming to
here. It's like an order that

that we brokered for somebody
and it's actually been kind of

stuck for months and that's
just you know you have to have

patients with these things and
right right. when we thought

things were gonna clear.
actually the tea did get

shipped and it's like in
customs here in the States now

waiting to be forwarded
through. Company after Customs

because the the the lockdown
started all the employees of

this company are like
completely defined. It's not

like the Internet has gone
down. It's like why don't you

guys just working from home
like that's what we're doing

here.

you know like welcome to the
first world. Yeah sure they

say, Oh well, you know like all
the information. this is like

the logistics company. This is
not the tea company. This is

the the the forwarding company
that we hired you know it's.

It's out of my hands because
all that information is on my

work computer in my office and
I'm not allowed to go to my

office. so I can't get that
information and it's like

there's a cloud and you know
you guys should be working from

home like you guys are missing
out on on business and and and

losing a lot of goodwill
between your you know foreign

relationships but you know for
them is just doesn't spot a

concern as much as it's
concerned for you know for. Our

culture's perspective, Yeah,
it's a lot more people to worry

about too some that's one thing
for sure.

Yeah. I'm just trying to be
patient if it it hasn't really

set in here. you know people
are wearing masks at the

grocery store and you know
they're they're putting a

plastic at the at the
convenient stores and at the

checkout lanes and stuff like
that, you know they're putting

up the plexi glass deals or
whatever but past that it's.

Not that much different the
restaurants are closed down,

which is the hardest part for
us because we are. we are one

of those people who supply
mainly to restaurants but if

everything doesn't get kinda
rolling again by the Middle of

May this year is gonna be a
wash and there's gonna be some

dramatic effects to the economy
around here because we are so

dependent on tourism and if it
doesn't get. If it doesn't

start when it should start,
which is usually right at the

beginning of June sometime in
May, maybe but usually right

about June when all the when
all the campgrounds and

everything and all the National
parks stuff opens. if it

doesn't start by then, then all
of these businesses are just

gonna collapse. I mean it's and
it's gonna happen quickly and

and and and and dividends.
honestly, it'll it'll it'll

come really fast and really
hard and then everybody will be

standing around looking at the
wreckage by the end of the

year, you know so. So I'm
really hoping that everything

kinda levels back out in the
next month or so. but when I

said, I don't have the highest
of hopes for that. well, you

know, I honestly don't either
you. You say that that that

that style of tourism, I think
actually might do pretty well.

It might be pretty resilient
because it's affordable and

it's like it's outdoors in
nature. I think once the the

shelter in place or lockdown
whenever you call it once it

opens, that's gonna be the
first thing that. Gonna do I

think people are still gonna be
conservative with their money

right, you know cuz it's kind
of a known you know cuz they're

saying that we could have
another cycle next year so

people are gonna wanna be more
prepared for that right. So

yeah going on a camping trip. I
think it's a very like low risk

kind of high reward investment
for for a family versus like

coming to Las Vegas. You know I
think our tour right here is

definitely at a higher risk. I
think the tourism that you're

talking about so you know I'm
I'm I'm a bit more optimistic

for for your community than I
am for the community here fair

enough because when you you're
kinda tourism is almost

superficial, I guess if you
will what do you call a

superficial? Yeah Vegas. and
it's more dense. It's more

populous. and it's more
expensive. Yeah. yeah that

highlighting. It's more of like
that luxury effect thing. Yeah.

It's not so much like you know
I I would almost call camping

and necessity in a lot of ways.
whereas you know going to

shopping isn't necessarily you
know for like for like a luxury

goods isn't necessarily a
necessity, you know so well, if

nothing else I would at least
points out is that if they're

comes a point where certain
restrictions could be relaxed,

one area where. You know if
they choose to think about this

logically and scientifically in
a safe manner, one area where

there's not a community for
that would be like an eco

tourism because right at you,
both know like it's a safer way

to they safer and more
affordable way to get out of

the House and it's like and do
something right well. One thing

I I I kinda look at it this
way. people are going to start

enjoy. Nature closer to home
for one I'd I know that you

know like people are gonna be
hesitant about spending money.

They're also gonna be hesitant
about traveling to different

places even once the once the
the the restrictions loosen,

but we are noticing even now
like our we have lots of

different like fishing and
stuff like that around here and

we're noticing people you know
from North Dakota and Wyoming

and Nebraska. Like the eastern
side of the state, they're all

kinda from the surrounding
area. We're getting more of

that and less of the like
broader spectrum of of

visitors. If you will so I
could see you know you're

willing to travel to the next
state for some sort of eco

tourism and so we may see more
of an influx of kind of the

surrounding of populations, but
I find this is also a good

thing in the aspect of quick
for me. Once the restaurants

are open, I really don't have
to worry about anything cuz the

community fairly it sustained
itself to a decent extent and

also the people are gonna be
less worried about like Oh, I'm

gonna go on my trip to the
Caribbean and they're gonna be

like. Oh I wanna take my family
up to dinner here in my

hometown. So I think a lot more
money is gonna be pumped from

the people in the community
back into their own community

and I feel like this will
happen all over the place you

know we're. I'll be buying a
ticket to the Caribbean as soon

as I can.

I just feel like yeah like the
people that live around here

are already really prone to or
they're they're very prone to

supporting the community
already and now that all this

is kinda shaken things up. I
think they may just call 2020 a

wash for their vacations and
just kinda do the thing here

for a while kinda get back on
their feet next year, though if

this doesn't like come back and
this is the last we see of it.

tourism is gonna be crazy next.
I have almost no doubt about

that cuz I think we'll catch
you I.

I think there's so much
uncertainty around everything I

think I can't. I'm just like
guess you know what I mean from

what I know, but but yeah,
there's no predictability.

We're just taking a day by day.
That's all we got and I also

think your your statement about
like people are going to get

more interested in like being
outside closer to home. I think

there's also a three to which I
I believe you're giving

humanity a little bit too much
credit. That I think the people

who would sooner. I think to
your point the people who would

actually take a vacation to
South Dakota, you're probably

right about them, but the
broader population I don't

necessarily see them starting
to value nature as much as they

are to but as a result of this
pandemic and yet they could

then that's what needs to
happen. but right I.

I don't have confidence that
that our culture is like if our

culture were moving in that
direction. you know there'd be

much more celebration over the
positive effect. Positive

impact that's happening in
regards to combating climate

change right now as result of
this endemic right right

instead of instead of just
flipping out that they that

they can't leave their their
houses in their apartments, but

seeing around here that's not
me. With these used to be

snowed in for a week, you know
they're like. Oh you gotta stay

inside and I'm like, okay. it
was winter anyway. so I know we

were already inside. Yeah. so
but then what we do for the

most part for fun out here is
enjoying nature to some extent

and only camping and fishing,
and you know half the people

around here riding bikes like
that, so it was already kind of

a socially distance way of
going about everybody.

Breathing room around here you
get into these people don't

know what breathing room is you
know you're in you're in one of

the lead. I mean correct me if
I'm wrong. South Dakota's want

at least populous States in the
country. It is Elise populous.

I believe I thought what I
thought my own list at least

maybe maybe why I think why
actually I think you're right.

I think it's the second but if
we're talking like by like

area, so it's the least
populated based on its yeah

based on the area of the state.
Okay. So I think actually

you're ready. Wyoming is a
little bit less, but that's

only because of Sioux Falls.
honestly. so as soon as yellow

stone, you know it's too Falls
is our is the easiest the city

on the eastern side of South
Dakota. Probably the only

reason we're we have more of a
population in my own because

our whole state. I think it's
like eight hundred eight

hundred and 30000 or something
like that. So that's a big

state. You know it's a it's a
whole lot of area. so yeah,

everybody has breathing room
out here. We already have

space. you know we're not
stacked on. Of each other and I

it's like like Vegas, for
instance, you know I just think

about the the density there and
then the drastic difference

right now compared to what it
normally is, you know it's it's

probably wild to see some of
these places just completely

empty. Yeah. definitely I
haven't I haven't gone to the

Strip. Yeah. a lot of my
friends will take bike rides. I

mean it's crazy. It's like so
slow. It's like safe to go for

a walk and like just bike ride
to the Strip and check

everything out. I haven't I
haven't done that just yet but

you know Vegas is developing
the city like the local the

local community of of Las
Vegas. So I think what I moved

here in 2013, the population
was less than 700000. now it's

it's over two million. That's
crazy. That's a jump to say the

least yeah, and it's still it
was that how many years is it.

77 years, so you've been you've
been in Vegas seven years and

in that time, it's like
tripled. That's crazy. Yeah,

wow and and you know before my
time you know a lot of my

friends that grew up here. You
know like it was even smaller

than like I came with a rush.
you know in downtown was

getting gentrified. there was
there was a restaurant that

time, but now our most recent
rush is a lot of it's

Associated with the sports
teams. that have started up

here so first was. And then we
got the Raiders now and the

Raiders are still on track to
like open next season and the

Stadium is still being built. a
huge Stadium being built right

across from where the Mandalay
Bay is on outside the freeway.

so they're expecting all the
staff that's gonna come support

that team is gonna have to come
here and live and be a part of

the community. So I don't think
that there's gonna be any

there. There's definitely gonna
be. In the tourism and the

whole tourism model is gonna
have to change as well right,

but there's one yeah get rid of
get rid of some of that

gambling man. Well, they're
already doing that actually

that that was already that was
already on track. people aren't

gambling as much as they used
to and so that's why a lot of

the revenue models had switched
over and I don't know Adam. If

you saw this difference with
from the last time you were

here in Vegas where everything
is just Super expensive, like

eating and drinking and just
being. On the Strip somewhere

is like ridiculously expensive,
I mean I I that's kind of been

my impression of Vegas like
ever since I started ever since

I first went there. When did
you first come here? First time

was it was either a waiter on
nine. Okay. Huh. Yeah. cuz I

ain't no nine. that was still
the the good old days. When you

know, drinks were free and
restaurants there was. Like

really, affordable restaurants
and every casino, you know now

even like the greasy spoon
diners. you know it cost 40

bucks a person to sit and eat
which is expensive for greasy

greasy spoon diner and you know
and then they try to parking

and you know like it's just
really like up and eat. It's

very luxury experience without
such a luxury valued product

being delivered, which was
where things didn't. I mean

meet up, you know, at least.
Spend my impression of Vegas

since it's been so way to nine,
I mean, perhaps you've kind of

witnessed it You know, go from
go from $30 to 40, but I still

saw it and I still got the
impression of like you. you're

you're getting overcharged for
practically everything. Yeah

when I used to come here as a
kid like that was like when it

was really like you know you
can get like the the the late

night specials, you know, $2
steak and egg or whatever crazy

deals all the casinos had and
then. Up until I used to come

here during College, so that
was like early two thousands or

mid two thousands. but yeah, I
guess like by 2010, That was

when the Strip started changing
to a luxury experience. So

maybe yeah, maybe that is your
your experience. Adam but yeah

way overcharged for like
superior quality product. Yeah,

that's not sustainable. You
know right. Yeah luxury

supposed to be that top
percentage. not the entire

thing you know. Yeah, they're I
kinda feel like they're like a

lot of that luxury stuff
probably moved in and then

everybody else that wasn't
offering luxury stuff. just

like followed suit just jacked
up their prices and stuff, and

then it all kind of became the
same thing. you know. Yeah, my

brother. my brother did a road
trip like right after College

and to the places he went for
Vegas in New Orleans and he

kind of he he. Basically, he
regarded them as like the the

two you know two polar
opposites essentially or or two

sides of same coin. What
however, you wanna say it, I

think it's a very like I I
considered a very accurate

comparison after finally going
to both that like Vegas is like

a superficial version of New
Orleans is like there's there's

lots of desire to party and
have a good time and and lots

of stuff to see and do and eat
but when you scratch the

surface. Vegas. There's not a
whole lot under there until you

know, obviously, I'm talking
about the the Fakest Strip and

right I think I was just gonna
say that I feel bad, saying

talking like this cuz I think
we're when we say Vegas. we're

talking about like downtown.
You know. yeah. this trip

etcetera the tourist the
stereotypical tourist

experience in Vegas right, even
if you look at the stereo

typical tourist experience in
New Orleans that are still a

ton of. There there's still the
ton of stuff that you just like

you simply cannot find anywhere
else and you cannot recreate in

the same way anywhere else and
there's like the there's unique

food and unique music and
unique culture. that is very

specific to New Orleans. Eat.
If all you do in New Orleans is

spend all of your time on
Bourbon Street, which is about

as like Super fish. As you can
get in terms of what you do in

New Orleans, you get outside of
Bourbon Street. you're gonna

like see you another level of
what is that? Yeah, I know we

definitely don't have that but
like downtown compared to the

Strip. So those are two
separate things downtowns like

the Old Vegas Fremont Street
that has a lot more history

than the the Strip. You know
all the neon and there's now

the the Mom museum, which is
that that's pretty cool. so

like if a vegan is. I have a
history. The two best history

museums to visit here in town
is the first the neon Boneyard

likes. That's like all the
retired neon signs. If you walk

through there with the curator,
they will tell you the whole

history of the city. you know
based off of all these retired

neon sign, which is incredible
and that inspired me like if I

ever leave a legacy here in
Vegas, I don't plan to spend

the rest of my life here. you
know this is definitely you

know building point in my life
but if I wanna leave. Some kind

of legacy here, it's gonna have
to be in the form of neon and

of course it's gonna be tea cuz
that's what I'm doing. you

know. so like one of my goals
is to have a team theme neon as

part of the skyline of Las
Vegas. that's a huge one, but

that would be so cool. You know
you got the pyramid and you've

got the New York New York and
you got him DM and all these

things and then like you know
one really cool like tea pot,

you know like pouring water. To
the tea Cup like it's gotta

happen that's a good goal. I
like that. We're sure and then

the other good history Museum
here is the Mom Museum, which

is all about you know like the
the mobsters that you know

built Las Vegas from from
nothing from you know bunch of

dusty lots and you know like
the real roads and and and all

that built into this kind of
interesting, you know tourist

tub but yeah, we don't have a
whole lot of that history, but

if you do scratch under the
Here and go into the periphery

from that superficial
experience. you talked about

there are a lot of really
incredible artists that have to

support that right so like all
the stuffs that work in those

restaurants, all of the artists
that work in circle and all of

the artists that pay and all
the murals everywhere and they

have to live here to support
that. And so when you scratch

on the surface, what you get
here is a really incredible

artistic creative community
that like works in the shoe.

Corporate you know kind of
superficial thing, but they're

still here and like that's the
part of Las Vegas that I think

is really exciting and if yeah
you ever come here and wanna

scratch under that surface, you
gotta look for that and you

know a lot of that is in
there's a neighborhood within

downtown. so Fremont is like
the North part of downtown.

that's where like the Golden
Nugget and all those classic

casinos are and then South of
that is an area called the Arts

District, and that's where a
lot of. Like creatives that you

know have day jobs on the Strip
have their you know,

independent pursuits and this
is actually a lot of the chefs

that you know get Fed up with
the corporate system and they

quit their jobs and start their
own independent restaurants.

they're setting up in the Arts
district as well as trying to

town, which is where we are.
we're kind of like a gateway

between the Strip in China
Town, where this was that

planned or is that just by
coincidence that you're in

China town and selling tea. I
just think it's funny. Oh, no,

I wanted to be here. Yeah, I
definitely saw out being in

this area. We were in a
warehouse just one block over

and I really like to be in this
neighborhood. There's just like

a lot of really great food
options here. We have a really

fascinating China town here in
Las Vegas and that's often

overlooked by people. they
don't know when I was an Uber

driver that was like the number
one thing that I recommended to

people not to miss out on was
China town and it's not just

Chinese food. although there is
you know. Amount of like even

regionalized Chinese cuisine
that you can find here it's all

kinds of Asian cuisine and then
also other international

cuisine. A lot of these chefs
when they wanna do independent

projects the rent here you
know, it's close enough to the

Strip that tourists can easily
get over. but the rents are

like an ace of the price of the
strips. So China Town has

become like a preferred
destination for a lot of these

chefs to set up and. This is
even you know like five -star

dining, you know. this is not
just like hole in the Wall,

China Town style dining and
even though there's a lot of

that here, but it's like it's
like a five -mile long Strip of

all agent businesses. It's the
largest Chinatown as far as

number of businesses and size
in North America. Wow. Yeah.

Yeah. That's very cool and
there's history behind that

actually the guy Samuel Marcus
Marcus Samuelsson. He has a

show on PBS. Where he like
features or highlights

different immigrant communities
in different cities in the US.

he did an episode here where he
talked about a Chinese. You

know the Chinese history, which
started from like the railroads

right like a lot of the the
first families Chinese families

that moved here were you know
brought in as labor, but then

they started building
businesses and and restaurants

and it started in the original
Chinatown was in downtown. like

most China China towns are, but
then it kind of moved. I forget

when that was, but it maybe 20
years ago or so it it all kind

of moved over on spring
mountain, which is just here

where we are. So, yeah, I'll
defend Las Vegas all the time,

but you're right. The Strip is
definitely superficial, but

there's a lot of incredible
people that have to support

that superficiality. there's a
lot of douche bags too. So I'm

not saying that they're all
great but you know and then

there is also this kind of
underlining culture like kind

of what I call like a con
culture here. yeah a lot of

people when they first moved
here to town like I did my

brother and I when we first
moved to town, it was like

Connor Connor. After caught
like a few of them like really

hit us hard, but like there was
just a lot of other one just

like meeting and suspicious
people and like just like

realizing that everybody here
is just like got something game

going on, you know and then and
I think that's what I'm trying

to speak to. in terms of I
comment about like the contrast

between like New Orleans in
Vegas, like my comment about

it, one being more Super
superficial version that that

is isn't. There's the cultural
aspects that's fundamentally

different between the two and
what you're talking about like

concoction is part of it is
that there's this often this

effort to extract as much money
as as possible out of people in

Vegas that it's just not that I
did not encounter that war.

Yeah. Oh, I encountered it. I I
don't have extensive experience

in New Orleans, but I I was
what 2020. One and crazy, you

know ready for a crazy time
when I went to New Orleans and

so yeah, I encountered some
very suspicious activity well,

that's any population that gets
bigger than you know. I mean,

like once you get enough people
together, you bounce it. It's

been found to happen. You know
it's just you can't get away

from it in one city that
doesn't have crime. You know

what I mean, it's gonna it's
inevitable. It really is yeah,

but it's it's worse here. It is
a little bit that it is worse

here, especially if you come as
a tourist and you think of

Vegas just as. Strip Yeah, you
are gonna probably get caught

at least 20 times. You're gonna
lose all your money and you're

gonna like fly home with a
bunch of shame hanging over you

but. Well, correct me if I'm
wrong, It's kinda the same way

with like if you were to you
know, let's say I go to China

to on a tea sourcing trip and
just kinda like wander around

and try and find tea wherever
and you know, I'm gonna have

people all over me trying to
like sell me on some of the VBS

you know. yeah, it's kinda just
if you if you're walking around

and you got that like innocent
ignorant look on your face.

people are gonna take advantage
of it. No matter where you are

trying to China is probably the
the most harmless place like

India or Indonesian. Apples are
coming from so I believe that.

Just coming off the airplane,
it's it's it's terrible to even

have to walk through the taxi
drivers and get to where you

need to get it is awesome.
Yeah. Yeah. My lady spent a

decent amount of time in
Jamaica and that's how she

kinda describes it down. There
too is like everything as soon

as they see an American. you
got people all over. you're

trying to make a book. Somehow,
you know, I mean it's just you

can't go anywhere without doing
it, especially if you're just

kinda you're if you were
walking around just. A couple

of Americans if you got a
future Mexicans with you, it's

a little bit easier, but if
you're kinda just walking

around unprotected, you know
that you didn't mean you can't

go anywhere without trying
without somebody trying to

manipulate you. somehow, you
know does she did She go just

for tourism or does she go for
work or well? actually so she

before before we found each
other, she was dating a

Jamaican man. Okay. he he lives
down there. They still talk

we're all cool or whatever I
mean I would love for him to

come up here and vice versa so
that we can meet but she spent

two different trips down there.
One was one was a month and the

other one was a couple of weeks
so this has been a couple of

years ago, but she spent a
decent amount of time down.

There got comfy stayed in
rural, you know Jamaica and

they're in their House and
kinda got the authentic to make

an experience out of it. It was
pretty cool. so we got Jimmy.

Member Jamaican decor all over
our House scattered throughout

the House. did she go. Does she
go to a dance Hall party? I

don't I don't think they
actually went to the dance, but

she got to experience the whole
club vibe you know so because

that's that's I don't actually
have a connection with Jamaica.

I lived in the antique in the
Caribbean and I lived in

Antigua after six months and
yeah, I went to a couple of

dance Hall things and I've I've
come to learn that that dance

Hall is like a really important
part of of authentic local

culture in Jamaica. Absolutely
dad is. World. It's a cultural

foundation of the whole thing.
I'm very into reggae myself, so

I'm familiar with the with kind
of that that the the the you

know surface level of that
culture. yeah, I haven't

actually experienced it for
myself, but but yeah it is it

is a very deeply rooted part of
their culture. I know that for

sure, so yeah, I would love to
go down there and experience it

at some point, but it's very
she's like it's very third

world. You know. yeah. single
lane unpaved roads just lamb

check buildings and you know.
Once you get out of the village

communities, yeah definitely
well. it's a dangerous place to

because they're very it's the
government doesn't have like

you know around here. The
government has like presence.

you know what I mean down
there. It's it's a little bit

more. how do I put it just like
wild West. You know what I

mean. everything is a little
bit more untamed. So there's an

American. It could be very
dangerous for you. If you don't

know what you're doing. Let's
go, but I would love to

experience that at some point.
Yeah. So, yeah, Jamaica and

India and you know all these
places are all much worse than

than make its but by US
standards. Yeah Vegas is pretty

it's it. It is much better to
like spend your time with a

local person to to show you
around for the places to eat.

Yeah. please yeah the time to
have a map is before you go

into the forest. you know.
Yeah. it's it's kinda how I

look at. You don't wanna just
you're gonna be too in on just

kinda too lost in this
environment. If you don't know

what you're doing, you know,
yeah. So it's it's really best

to have a guide. Yeah. That's I
buy myself a plane ticket to

China and just go find some tea
if I thought that would work,

but I don't wait for the right
person. It doesn't mean that

you know, I mean it doesn't
work that way right exactly. I

get that a lot of people,
people come to Vegas for like a

convention or something and the
Strip is our architect. It's

built in a way to like make you
feel comfortable and make you

think I don't. I don't have to
leave this place and you don't

want to like it seems like such
an inconvenience to get in the

Uber. You know, leave that
place and go somewhere, but you

know like they they'll Google
and all they're looking for tea

shops and so they'll find me
and they'll make an appointment

to come get some tea and they
end up like latching on and I I

welcome it. You know I totally
hold space for that and say,

hey, yeah we we don't go back
like we should go. We should we

should go do this. I'm gonna go
concert tonight. You're welcome

to join me like and it's just
yeah they just totally like

fall into that and they're like
damn. I'm so glad I left my

hotel cuz like I was totally
ready just to spend all my time

there. I I felt like I had
everything I needed right there

and I'm like yeah, it's kind of
but you wouldn't be satisfied

with what they were prepared to
offer you. you know right. Oh.

yeah. there's a there's a Vegas
and then there's. Vegas. You

know what I mean, I'm sure
there's a lot of culture and a

lot of awesome stuff to be
offered, but it is you know you

got to explore that periphery
to find a lot of that. you know

more communities stuff rather
than just like. Hey, this is a

big tourist trap. It's like
going to the Caribbean and

staying in the resort. not
leaving you know you're never

gonna really experience the
Caribbean so but I am glad that

I came up because this reminded
me of something that I really

wanted to ask you at least and
that is. Okay so first off Do

you do any like like tea.
However, you wanna put classes

workshops anything like that
where you go set up somewhere

else and do like a gun food
session for people. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. I'll do that upon
request. Okay. I don't actively

pursue those things, but if
someone reaches out to me and

request something yeah
definitely I'll set that up or

I'll try to like set up one of
my students to do it. awesome.

Yeah. Well and then so I'm
curious what these are kinda

just some like some more of the
fine details cuz we're

experience we're experimenting
with this because I want to

share the gone through
experience with our with our

broader community and the best
way for us to do that is to get

out there with the DJ set but
so what do you find is the is

the best range of like capacity
for these sessions like how

many people is it still
functional to serve going teeth

for. Before getting too much,
but still happening as many

people as you can doesn't make
any sense. Yeah makes sense so

So the first thing we'll talk
on is like the minimum right

and that's more of like a
financial support. you know

subjects of like you've gotta
make it financially viable for

you to do these things like at
first when I started doing this

type of stuff, I just do it for
free just for the sake of like

a while you give me a platform
to talk about tea. Hell. Yeah.

I want it. Yeah, but you know
that's not very about where

we're at you you also you know
should plan I I'm not

discouraging you from you know
pursuing these things for. Sake

of pursuing them, but already
thinking about like what's the

minimum so the price point for
like a group environment that I

found to be agreeable with
people that are looking for

this is $15 a person so then
that was my next question.

Yeah. So then how many like
what is your your money that

justifies your time of loading
up all your stuff cuz it's a

lot of work more than just even
the hour of the hour and a half

that you do your class. you
gotta pack your gear and your

gas money to go there. So let's
say, for instance. You want

like a hundred and $50 minimum
for every time you do one of

these things. so then 10 people
would be your minimum. So like

yeah. that's a lot though I
find for one person is it not

no. I mean I've done. I've done
executed gun food service with

like only three servers for
like 300 people before. okay.

Yeah. Okay, Let's say I'm just
talking right now. Let's say 11

to two people doing the service
because it would be me and. Or

my partner, Yeah. so for one or
two people, I say that you

could probably max out at at
maybe like 20 - four people

something like that, or maybe
even more you just you you you

can plan for it cuz the more
people the better you know we

go to a lot of parties and so
maybe at a party environment

where there's other things
going on, you're not gonna be

charging $15 per person. it may
not be as deep of a educational

experience. You may just be
exposing them to it. So like

that's that situation where you
know we've We did what the the

one time we did the Tea Lounge
at the Planet Home Music

Festival in San Francisco. We
had a four tea tables going off

and in in each day, we'd
service like a thousand people

right, but we call hoarded them
so we would we would cohort 15

minute segments was it was a
short time. so like we

definitely weren't able to go
into the full details of gun

food service, but Enough to was
enough to like dip your toes in

the water. Yeah like we would
go through like four steeping

of a tea and like that's
powerful in itself right there.

If you can show somebody okay,
Here's brand new tea. I just

put into this thing. Tea Potter
guy want whatever you're using

and we're gonna sit here for 15
minutes and you are going to

see me step this four times,
then like that that right there

just blows people right like
what right they start to kinda

put that picture together
themselves without you and

having. Explain anything, Yeah.
I know it's really cool the the

festival that we are part of it
wasn't music festival. They

were you know like Snoop dog
and people like that playing

this festival, but it was more
of like an environmental like

Mindfulness conference and they
invited all these different

artists groups to create
installations. so we were

invited to create a tea
installation and each

installation had to have like a
call to action or mantra into

the mantra that we were playing
with was I consume less value

more so our not only where we
like that's going food in that

shell. That's awesome. What was
what was this festival? It was

at home and at home. Yeah, by
the way the dead did my friend

ever get back to you? No
regard. That's disappointing a

tree Fort three forgot delayed.
obviously, so I mean, yeah, you

know he's got his hands full.
Better, I'm sure yeah. yeah,

maybe maybe they'll come around
again. I think a lot of events

are are getting canceled, which
you know sucks. even Bernie man

got cancelled. so that was a
big thing. Bernie Man canceled

now. Yeah. Yeah. Eating Sea got
released and make bands it

should get cancelled, but like
wow, I didn't know that yeah

and interesting story about
that. you know through doing

all of this and the virtual tea
festival a friend of mine saw

these activities that I was
doing on Facebook. And she

reached out to me and invited
me to be a part of this pretty

small group of like mostly
technical, very technical

people. I'm like the less least
technical person of this group

that meets on Zoom and talks
about virtual tools. So that's

how I'm learning about. you
know a lot of these different

tools that I can use for
broadcasting and how to better

do it or whatever what are the
people in this group is the

head of the Bernie Man Radio so
Bernie man has. A radio station

that they they broadcast from
the burn and they play music

and they bring in or whatever
and they they pretty much work

here around too and he emailed
all of us last night to to say

you know Bernie Man's cancelled
and he's part of the team.

That's creating the virtual
Burning Man experience and that

they were putting together a
list of of people to help

contribute to create this
experience and so I raised my

hand and I said, Hey, I wanna
help create like the virtual

team. Experience cuz he is
actually a very big part of

burning man like there are 20 -
four listed tea camps in the

book alone and dozens more that
are not listed. I donate you

know 10 kilos of tea a year to
different camps at Bernie Man.

so yeah, there's definitely a
lot of gun food that happens

there. So yeah, I'll I'll keep
you guys updated of of what

type of Bernie Antiques virtual
tea experience comes together.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah one. I had if
I might divert back one of the

thing I had wondered is like
the so the setup for this kind

of thing how much how much do
you usually pack in me? Do you

take in like a whole entire
table and setup and like chairs

and everything or you just
kinda bringing in the tea set

using what is there already?
Yeah? I usually just bring in

the the the tea set unless you
know they they they request

something you know if if
they're requesting you to come

do this and they have no
infrastructure. For you but

most, you know places that are
wanting a service like that

they already have you know a
gathering place and they have

tables and chairs and so you
may wanna bring in like a table

cloth or you know whatever
setting you wanna create for

your Tashi. I usually just keep
it very simple. I bring a tray

like this and minimal tea wear.
I I like to keep everything

packed up into like having a
small cart. you know, like one

of those retractable carts key.
Keep everything in there you

definitely have to bring like
your own water heating source.

I can always bring your own
water cuz like sometimes you go

to these places. They're like
Oh, yeah, we have a lot water.

you don't have to bring in.
It's like tap hot water, you

know dispenser and it's like
no. no. no. no. no. no. yeah. I

know exactly what you mean what
they're trying to bring at

least a big container of water
with us if we ever do. Yeah.

Yeah. So cuz we'll do employee
training and stuff like that.

But it's not as formal. If you
will. it's more of like you

know it's more of a technical
thing rather than like. Rather

than expect going food
experience, you know, we're

teaching people how to brew
repeat to give to the customer.

you know they aren't
necessarily getting the full

amount for experience but
exactly but and then so are you

doing like multiple guy wants
or tea pots like let's say you

know like you're doing like a
guy, one per three people or

you just giving everybody
different infusions. Yeah. I

just I usually stick if it's a
big group, I stack all the

infusions. Like one gun debate
basically, yeah, Okay. Yeah. If

it's a smaller, more intimate
group. of course, yeah, you can

walk them through each infusion
and make that part of that

educational experience. But if
you're handling a huge group of

I got like sometimes I'll have
20 people at my tea table right

and you can't let that you know
get to you. You just gotta deal

with it. and so yeah I'll use
like a bigger. usually I've got

bigger guy wants than this.
I've actually a guy like that

size. It's huge and so. That
conversation we had about where

can I find here is good? Yeah.
Yeah. I mean, even like a guy

one like this like the flowery
one that I like, yeah everyone.

Yeah. It's you know
significantly bigger right.

That's pretty massive. as far
as guy wants goes. Oh, no the

other one I have is like three
times bigger than this 10. Wow.

Yeah. So it's like a whole Bowl
with a plate on top. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Most of
the time you need two hands

with it, but you know if I'm if
I'm working really hard, I can

I can do one hand. yeah she So
we have a stacking infusions,

something that makes me that's
like honestly, like a weight

off my shoulders cuz I'm like
how in how am I gonna get

everybody that 1234 infusion
thing. But if you're I mean,

it's kinda standard to just
stack em and let them enjoy it.

Yeah. Yeah. She's like Altimas
only if you're teaching a big

group of people like that about
you know what is the heart and

soul of of gun food? It's
holding space right and so

holding space means. Like you
no anxiety at the the whole

service and the whole
experience has zero friction

and you're just creating a
comfortable space for them and

if that means that you need to
stack infusions, then you stack

infusions and sometimes you'll
get somebody at the table that

will ask you know they'll be
clever either. They have

experience or they're they're
just clever and they figure it

out and they say hey, is it
different when you do like that

versus trying it alone and if
someone like that aspect. Yeah,

you can you can demonstrate to
them. You know keeping alone,

but most people like that's not
especially if it's their first

time to be exposed to gun like
that's not what they need to

take away from that learning
experience with what they take

away from. it is like

high level of social
interaction happening in like

such a peaceful and and mellows
space, and that's your job as

like the server to create that
so you don't have to. About

teaching people about like oh,
this is why I'm doing this or

you could, but you don't have
to as well. Well. that's more

of I feel like that's more like
an intimate setting thing where

you're you're, you know you got
three or four people around

your tea table and you're going
through the entire process and

giving them the background and
history and all that stuff you

know. I'm talking about the tea
and that but if you're doing

for like you know, 10 people or
something that you're kinda

you're the tea drinking itself.
Is really just like you said,

like a placeholder for that
social interaction. Yeah

anything how and how you allow
smaller conversations to break

out while at the same time
holding everybody's attention

like I think that's the art and
skill of serving for a big

table like that right like
kinda let people talk amongst

themselves. but at the same
time here, you're directing it

back. Exactly every so often
kinda just being like hey so

blah blah blah you know, yeah.
do you do do you do a lot of

talking for those things or you
kinda just let people you know

kinda let the conversation go
where it go where you are or if

you have anything more than 10
people at your table, I feel

like he kinda need to let those
conversations happen, but as

the the person holding space
for all those people in an

indirect way, you are
controlling those conversations

and you're controlling the
levels of those conversations

in the mutual respect between
all these conversations going

on so. Like when when we're
having like a really bustling

event here with like 80 people
at one time in the room, which

happens every now and then as
an outside or you could walk

into that room and be like, Oh
my God. This is ??? chaotic

cuz there is like 30 different
conversations happening and the

the decibels registering right
but. When you're in it when

you're held in that space is
very peaceful and it feels very

controlled and like not chaotic
at all. well, the tea is kind

of a Nexus for all of the yeah
for all of the different

conversations. There's still
all connected, even though they

seem separate from the outside
and if need. yeah, you could

just gain everybody's attention
and then okay. we're working on

to this. We're gonna do this
thing. you know. I think that

that's. That's the skill and
and holding space for group

that big right, but yeah, but
it's a small intimate group.

You can definitely get a lot
more. you know detailed and

explaining things I feel like
when it's a big group like I

will have many conversations
myself with people like when

someone asked me a specific
question, then I'll direct you

know and answer their question
and and I will allow other

conversations to happen. They
need to you know cuz this is

like a silent and awkward. And
people feel uncomfortable and

then a lecture almost yeah that
defeats the whole that's not

gone through child. You know
that's not. that's that's not

hospitality right. So I'm
actually gonna find you yeah.

Thank you so much at least I
will see you. I will see you

next time. Yeah. see you next
time. Adam Much love thanks for

coming in. Yeah. that's just
something that I've been

focused on lately is trying to
make this a like kind of a

realistic tangible project for
my area. but most people have

like literally zero experience
in Gong food child. They have

no idea that it's like Oh a
cute little tea set. They don't

know what it's for or anything.
So yeah, I'm kinda wondering

how to. How to approach that
how many people do I take on

what kind of vibe do we set up
how much gear do I pack in?

It's things like that that I've
really been pondering lately.

Yeah. Yeah. I think you just
start doing it. You know. I'm

trying to do it for my friends
like 123 at a time you know and

that that has helped a lot.
That's good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

get that experience. but yeah,
you should challenge yourself

to do it for a big group too
right when it feels

uncomfortable and unnatural
cuz. You can really touch a lot

of people's lives in a in a
very short period of time by

doing that right and we've been
approached by several different

other businesses that are like
hey, we want you to come do

tea. They don't even really
know what they're asking for

but like come come do something
you know when we're like

alright, well, let me figure
out what that something is

first and kinda figure out a
framework to this whole deal

and then we can then we can go
from there but. I think I'd

probably start you know five to
10 range or something and then

kinda scale up as we go on and
kinda we can expand the market

from there on, but I know
people are interested in for

like you know get togethers and
like like like a bridal shower

or like you know we had a we
had a like a camping rental.

They're they're company that
rents out the big canvas tents.

Okay. We'll set up the whole
big tent like the glamping.

Yeah, you know what I mean and.
The company actually reached

out and was like hey we'd like
to do something with you guys,

something tea or nature
oriented to where we could like

go in this group of people that
are all camping together, give

them a gun food session kind of
things. so it's events like

that that we kinda wanna start
exploring but you know,

obviously I don't I'm kinda
trying to get advice where I

can so I appreciate that
definitely. yeah. Yeah. It's

just just start doing it get
comfortable and. You know you

know if if if you're charging
you know and they're paying a

high price, maybe there's a
little bit more pressure for

you to to execute perfectly and
maybe you you could put some

more time into it, but as
you're getting up and off the

ground, I don't think that
you're gonna be like.

You're probably gonna be doing
this, you know complimentary so

you have a lot of space to
breathe and you know right

figure it out well well in
every I would say you probably

when you're doing this every
environment and every setup is

kinda different too cuz you're
working with the space that

you're in and you know you're
not trying to bring in this

uniform concept and set it up
in a different place every

time, but you're kind of
adapting and changing to

whatever set up. maybe like
what how their tables are set

up and you know like. what what
the with the environment has to

offer and then adapting to that
rather than trying to you know,

throw your own blanket over the
top of everything and be like

this is what it's gonna be
like. so yeah, I think that's

that's probably the way to go
about. it is just to start

getting out there and yeah
doing what we can anyway. I'm

excited to to see your photos
and and see how it goes. Yeah.

Yeah. we're getting into the
whole picture game too. So yeah

it's just my my partner is like
we need to go have tea in the

Woods often and take pictures
of it. all the time you know.

I'm like sweet. that sounds
great. You know. absolutely.

yeah. bad marketing material is
priceless. I know that much.

Yeah. Yeah. It is for sure. Oh
yeah. Thanks for that. I

appreciate it. Yeah. Yeah
anytime. yeah. Questions I'm

always happy to to you know,
provide any any advice or

feedback. Let me yeah. that's
much appreciated, especially

something. I know a lot of how
to how to throw tea parties.

Yeah and see that's what I
wanna get into the most. you

know is offering the experience
to people because people think

of tea is just like a beverage
and it's it's much more. It's a

lifestyle for us, you know, so
there's a very immersive

experience to be shared but
like. It's kinda just a matter

of getting out there so.

Alright, Joe. Well, I think
yeah. Yeah. I think I'm gonna

get on with the day. Alright
Allison Thanks for thanks for

being on

Yeah. absolutely. Thanks for
keeping these going, It's been

the most regular thing in my
life at this point, so nothing

is regular at the moment you
know it's just me, but there's

always a tea party going on.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. hey and it

takes for your advice and an
inspiration to our motivation

to you know, make this more
structured. I think yeah today

I like created you know some
some structure to you know the

presentation of the video right
and. you know I think offering

like a segment for like
industry news updates, I think

will be something that I'll
start doing regularly and yeah,

perhaps like kinda pre planning
you know guest to come and and

talk about certain things, but
I I do like having it kind of

spontaneous and right.
absolutely. So I think I'm I'm

gonna definitely keep that that
part of it going to that is a

very very valuable part. Yeah
deal yes that I can just jump

in when I want you to listen.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah,

that's great. So cool. Joe Yup
much appreciated. I appreciate

you too. Hey. Thanks for let me
know about South Dakota

absolutely asking you about
that. Yeah, it's kinda it's an

inside joke for sure. We
checked with order in the tea.

she just thought it was
hilarious. You know he's like

this is awesome. You're sending
tea to tea. So yeah, yeah.

Well. maybe we can we can start
growing tea and tea. Yeah there

you go do something anything
really so cool. Alright. Well.

Thank you. Elise. Thank you.
maybe I'll see you again

tomorrow or something awesome.
See ya. Alright have a good

one. Bye bye.