Why I Want To Start A Loose Leaf Tea Company

Jumping off the cliffs at Canyon Falls is always terrifying. The moment before each plunge, I stare at the rapids below absolutely filled with fear. Inevitably, though, my curiosity demands that I explore the space between the rock ledge and the river, and I am lifted over the edge.

That curiosity has led me to all sorts of interesting places, most recently the mountains of northern India. Here life is refreshingly stripped of nonessentials, and in their absence, I have been able to more clearly understand my happiness. At its core, I find mornings filled with strong sunlight and quiet cups of white tea. Moving outwards from that center, I first encounter a quiet awe that comes from the realization that this is my one shot at being alive.

To make the most of this short life, however, requires finding the right path to walk down. It took me five years of working on renewable energy projects to realize that my heart was not in it, and that thinking about the future left me feeling more drained than inspired. So I am starting this company with a few of my closest friends to align my work more closely with my joy.

For me, that means spending time mulling over tea leaves steeping in hot water, which I have discovered is a world with its own magic. It also means orienting myself towards the mountains and the communities that live on their ridges and in their valleys. Fortunately, the higher you go, the better the tea gets, so my future is tied to spending time on these slopes. In doing so, I hope our company will leave the earth a little more beautiful than we found it.