episode 0026- global brews: founding a tea company that brings flavors from around the world with jeremy issakharian

So you've got a big idea for a tea company. "Let's brew tea from around the world and sell it at Whole Foods." But then you think, "Who am I to think I could disrupt such a crowded space, without the background to even know where to start?" Such is the case for millions of people around the world.

But not Jeremy Issakharian. When the idea for a tea company came to him (and to his brother, Josh), they got to work. And long story short, they became the co-founders of Seven Teas, and are now on the shelves at Whole Foods. How did they go from nothing, to an idea, to occupying some of the most coveted shelf space? Tune in to hear the entrepreneurial journey of these two brothers who refused to let failure deter them from going after their dreams.

Show Highlights:
1- Jeremy discusses growing up watching his father grind and make a life for himself as an immigrant, and how that shaped his own career journey. (5:40)
2- What were you seeing in the market that made you realize the world needed Seven Teas? (7:15)
3- Jeremy discusses the previous product launches that didn’t work out prior to Seven Teas, and how those experiences helped him succeed with Seven Teas. (11:20)
4- What is Seven Teas’ unique selling proposition, and why the proprietary glass bottle? (17:45)
5- What was it like trying to blend your life experiences and inject it into a product? (20:30)
6- How much time and energy did you put into your previous attempts at entrepreneurship before pivoting? (23:30)
7- What were the initial steps to turn this into a legitimate business? (27:25)
8- When did you know you were onto something and were gaining momentum? (32:15)
9- How did you get in the door at Whole Foods? (33:45)
10- What has the process been like for scaling and getting your product from “on the shelf” to “off the shelf” and sold to customers? (38:00)
11- How do you secure a relationship with the relationship experts (merchandisers, brokers, etc.) who can help your business thrive? (44:40)
12- How are you looking to expand (retail vs. direct-to-consumer)? (50:30)
13- Where can we learn more about you and Seven Teas? (56:00)
14- Listener question: How did your ambitions for entrepreneurship change when you started a family? (57:30)

Books Mentioned:
Who Not How by Dan Sullivan
Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi

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