Samovarlife » The Daily Tea Infusion

How to Really Enjoy Tea: Interview with Jesse Jacobs

Tiffany Picard — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:40:58 +0000

Expert Enough is about getting good at things. It’s about wanting to learn more, do more and be more.

In this episode of Expert Enough, Corbett sits down to interview Jesse to talk about all things tea.

Also available as an audio podcast.

Jesse Jacobs interviewed by Kevin Rose on Foundation

Tiffany Picard — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:37:28 +0000

Foundation is a video series hosted by Kevin Rose, a technology angel investor, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Milk Inc. For the Foundation series, Kevin interviews influential founders, entrepreneurs, and business leaders in the tech community.

In this episode Kevin sits down with Jesse Jacobs, founder of Samovar, for a chat about starting up a brick-and-mortar businesses, how Samovar began and the philosophy behind their business, how to find and train passionate employees, and more:

Behind the Scenes at Samovar

Tiffany Picard — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:47:54 +0000

Check out this video to learn about our vision and what it takes to make the cut as a Samovar employee:

Tea with Graham Hill – Masala Chai, Nishi Sencha

Jesse Jacobs — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 18:00:16 +0000

Knowledge is power, and Graham Hill channels knowledge into inspiration and action through the green news site TreeHugger.com. As a serial “designpreneur,” Graham shares about the challenges of entrepreneurship, and how to make a difference through your work.

Show Notes

“Yes” environmentalism instead of “no”
Making green cool and convenient
The challenges of having your business be acquired
How to find a need to solve
What makes a good leader
The value of failure
Taking risks and dealing with fear
Getting the word out by connecting with personal interest

References

Featured Teas

About the Guest

A serial Designpreneur, Graham has a Bachelor of Architecture from Carleton University in Ottawa and also studied Product Design at Emily Carr in Vancouver. In 95′, with his cousin, he grew, and later sold, the web-developer, SiteWerks, to 60 people doing work for clients such as Microsoft. In 03′, he founded both TreeHugger.com and a ceramic cup business (WeAreHappyToServeYou.com). TreeHugger later became part of Discovery’s Planet Green initiative and is where he currently puts his efforts. Past businesses also include fashion, viral email and plant-based air filters. He speaks English, French, German and Spanish and loves kitesurfing, squash and snowboarding. From his New York home, he schemes daily about how he can help humanity avoid rapid extinction.

About Samovar Stories

Tea brings people together, and Samovar brings people to tea. In this interview series let the stories of these fearless folk educate and entertain, and deliver you a dose of daily inspiration. These real people doing really amazing things, encourage us all to wake up to the “now” and do something momentous with our lives.

Join Samovar Tea Lounge founder Jesse Jacobs as he shares good tea with friends, some famous and some not, but all of them inspiring and unique. Featured guests include best selling authors Dr. Andrew Weil, Tim Ferriss, Chip Conley, and Dean Karnazas, tech entrepreneur and Digg.com founder Kevin Rose, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, craigslist.orgfounder Craig Newmark, and others.

Tea with Erica Sandberg: Samovar Breakfast Blend, Ancient Gold

Jesse Jacobs — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:00:24 +0000

Your money is your life, and good financial management is really, really important. Erica joins me for a pot of Earl Grey tea at Samovar where she speaks candidly on passion and money.

Note: this video is edited to 10 minutes, but you can listen to the full 40-minute audio interview on iTunes.

Show Notes

Everyone can manage their finances, get the most out of their money, and improve their life
It all starts with the “How we get money”
How to find work you love (after all it’s more than 8 hours every day)
How to plan financially
How to not care about other people
Top 3 Challenges to managing finances
How to focus on money
Modern Living: How to build credit and manage it
Importance of living within your means
Savings and Investing
Getting support from friends
Money is who we are, our energy, and it’s personal

References

Featured Teas

About the Guest

Erica Sandberg is a nationally recognized credit and money management expert. She was produced and hosted a personal finance program called Adventures in Money and was deeply involved in a financial education video program called Change Starts at Home. Erica also works as a writer and reporter for CreditCards.com, GoBankingRates.com, and the SFGate, the San Francisco Chronicle’s online publication.

A sought-after commentator, Erica is a frequent guest on such national shows as PBS Nightly Business Report, ABC News GoodMoney, CBS MoneyWatch, Forbes Video Network, Fox Business Network, as well as KRON-TV and all Bay Area networks.

Prior to launching her own financial writing and consulting business in 2008, Erica was affiliated with Consumer Credit Counseling Service of San Francisco for over ten years. There she helped thousands of individuals and families improve their financial standing, led countless educational seminars, and acted as the agency’s primary public relations spokesperson. And before that? A brief but highly educational stint as an English and literature teacher in several Northern California high schools.

About Samovar Stories

Tea with Jeff Mendelsohn: Ocean of Wisdom

Jesse Jacobs — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 20:00:56 +0000

“Green paper products” isn’t a contradiction of terms, especially where Jeff Mendelsohn is involved! As founder of New Leaf Paper, Jeff has been a visionary leader in the evolution of the green business community. We met over a pot of tea to discuss business as a force for good, the dirty side of the paper industry, and creating lasting change.

Note: this video is edited to 10 minutes, but you can listen to the full 40-minute audio interview on iTunes.

Show Notes

Business as a force for good
Change for good: the business of paper
Destruction: Paper as one of the most polluting industries in the world
The pain of the startup business
Patagonia and LLBean as leaders in customer service
Starting with a positive vision
Creating lasting change

References

New Leaf Paper

Featured Teas

Ocean of Wisdom

About the Guest

Jeff Mendelsohn has focused his career on his parallel goals of building a highly successful green business and driving a fundamental shift toward sustainability in the paper industry through his business model. Founding New York Recycled Paper in 1991 and New Leaf Paper in 1998, Jeff has been a visionary leader in the evolution of the green business community.

Jeff has extensive relationships with other green business leaders and actively participates in the evolution of the green business community through membership in Business for Social Responsibility, Social Venture Network, Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, and, most recently, as a founding signatory of B-Corporation.

Since it was founded in 1998, New Leaf Paper has pioneered the market for environmentally leading papers, and has inspired some of the largest paper companies in the world to pay attention to environmental concerns. He enthusiastically embraces the next phase in the evolution of New Leaf Paper, as the company rapidly grows from pioneer to leader in this new marketplace.

Tell Jeff that you love New Leaf Paper, jeff@newleafpaper.com or on Twitter, @jeffmendelsohn.

About Samovar Stories

Tea with Jeff Riddle: Downy Sprout, Bai Hao Oolong

Jesse Jacobs — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 18:00:49 +0000

Because of his unique take on why and how to build relationships, I believe Jeff Riddle is soon to be a household name in business and social media.

In this episode Jeff and I sip some Downy Sprout at Samovar Sanchez and talk about why (and how) to build really deep relationships – for improved life, work, and even spirituality. After all, life is really just a series of relationships, those we’ve created, those we’re creating, and those we will create. A valuable life is one in which we leave in our wake countless positive relationships.

Show Notes

Why real, genuine human connection makes life better and boosts sales
The swinging pendulum from hunter gatherer to techno gadgetry
Connectivity is not about tools. It’s about connecting with ourselves first
Nutritious relationships and healthy calories from technology
Efficiency versus humanity
Using capitalism for social good
How companies focus on relationships to grow business
Marketing dollars is NOT where it’s at for ROI
Losing sight on the fundamental piece: emotion
What is social capital?
How businesses get people to spread good words
Capitalism and reciprocity: the natural balance to net zero

References

Featured Teas

About Samovar Stories

Tea with Craig Newmark: Jasmine Lemonade, Nocturnal Bliss

Jesse Jacobs — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 20:00:31 +0000

Virtually everyone you know uses craigslist.org. Now you can meet the maker: Craig! Nocturnal Bliss is our tea of choice for this episode in which Craig discusses how he got started, and what he’s up to with craigslist.

Note: this video is edited to 10 minutes, but you can listen to the full 25-minute audio interview on iTunes.

Show Notes

Just what is craigslist.org?
Nerd values: what are they?
How it feels to have created a movement
The daily grind
What is customer service
The business of craigslist
Doing what feels right
Traditional media: is it trustworthy?
How Craig deals with fear
About health care reform

References

Featured Teas

About the Guest

In 1995 while Craig was working at Schwab, he started craigslist as an email list for friends and co-workers about events going on in the San Francisco Bay Area. In 1999, Craig retired from IT consulting to work full-time on craigslist. What started as a fun side project in Craig’s living room has since grown into one of the busiest sites on the internet, helping people with basic day-to-day needs such as finding a job, an apartment and a date, all within a culture of trust.

Craig is involved with a variety of community efforts and is particularly interested in organizations promoting public diplomacy, mideast peace and new forms of media such as participatory journalism. He’s on the boards of Sunlight Foundation, OneVoice, FactCheckED, and VotoLatino.

About Samovar Stories

Tea with Chip Conley: Monkey Picked Iron Goddess of Oolong, Nocturnal Bliss

Jesse Jacobs — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 19:00:49 +0000

Chip and I sit down for some dinner and tea to chat about the relationship between psychology (Abraham Maslow) and work (Joie de Vivre and Samovar). How Maslow’s “hierarchy of needs” can be applied to the workplace for not only more bottom line profit, but perhaps more importantly, for positive culture and joy (which incidentally help boost profit).

Note: this video is edited to 10 minutes, but you can listen to the full 50-minute audio interview on iTunes.

Show Notes

What business are you in?
Business as the most powerful vehicle for change in the world
What is self actualization and why we need it
How and why to “lose yourself”
How do find your calling

References

Peak (link to http://amzn.to/l1smAj)
Abraham Maslow (http://amzn.to/kWp9Im)
The Essential Drucker (http://amzn.to/k96Tal)
Joie de Vivre (http://www.jdvhotels.com/)

Featured Teas

About Samovar Stories

Tea with Stephanie Bernstein: Wei Chi Cha, Masala Chai

Jesse Jacobs — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 09:00:58 +0000

Bamboo cutlery? Yep – it’s taking the country by storm actually, and Stephanie Bernstein and her company are leading the way. Stephanie takes time out from a busy life to chill and chat over a pot of Wei Chi Cha. Stephanie is doing great things, and creating a great company. Join us for tea as we go into the why, how, and what of her business.

Note: the video is edited down to 10 minutes, but you can listen to the full 45-minute audio interview on iTunes.

Show Notes

The value of capitalism?
Finally, reusable (bamboo) cutlery courtesy of Stephanie
Finding the ‘aha’ moment
What is conscious consumerism?
Life on Oprah’s show: disbelief, excitement, when’s it going to stop?
Working with women’s cooperatives in Burma
Eco considerations with supply chain
What does Stephanie fear?

References

Featured Teas

About Samovar Stories

Tea with Tim Ferriss: First Flush Nishi Sencha, Orange Ginger

Jesse Jacobs — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 19:00:02 +0000

Tim and I have tea and talk creativity, motivation, inspiration, and a bit of tech. In this episode we connect over a pot of Nishi First Flush organic green tea, which is super healthy, and talk about the creative process and how to get over fear. Stay tuned for an upcoming episode dedicated to his newest book, The Four Hour Body.

Note: the video is edited down to 10 minutes, but you can listen to the full 1.5 hour audio interview on iTunes.

Show Notes

The business of teaching, and sharing the results with Tim’s readers
Tim’s creative process
Frustration is good
Starting with personal needs to fulfill customers’ needs
Fear and startups – what does failure mean?
Making a big impact with business – education
Using social media in business

References

Featured Teas

About Samovar Stories

Tea with Dean Karnazes: Moorish Mint, Wuyi Oolong

Jesse Jacobs — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 09:00:55 +0000

Dean runs a marathon every single day. Seriously. Then he comes home, makes breakfast for his kids, and then gets down to writing. He writes books about endurance, with the goal of inspiring others to do like him: live an actualized life. That is, live a life that you’re meant to live. We enjoy a pot of Moorish Mint (caffeine free, because Dean doesn’t need caffeine) and I am blown away at his passion and abilities. A marathon every single day?!

Note: the video is edited down to 10 minutes, but you can listen to the full 45 minute audio interview on iTunes.

Show Notes

Why ultramarathons
Love of endurance and pushing the envelope
Turning a passion into a vocation
Running a marathon a day
50 days, 50 marathons (consecutively!)
The turning point, the big vivid spark and bad tequila
Lifelong learning and beginner’s mind

References

Featured Teas

About Samovar Stories

June 6, 2011

Samovar Life — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:41:17 +0000

Downy Sprout is picked in the the mornings after the dew has dried but before the bud has opened.

Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.

- Anonymous

Watch over us

Samovar Life — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 08:28:22 +0000

Watch over us.

June 5, 2011

Samovar Life — Sun, 05 Jun 2011 08:31:23 +0000

Sweet, soothing, and tart- experience the feeling of Wei Chi Cha for yourself and be transformed.

Memorize and follow this never-fail recipe: get started. Don’t quit.

- Barbara Winter