MUD\WTR: a self portrait

Summary

The video tells the story of an individual who, after experiencing anxiety and stress from heavy coffee consumption, found solace in masala chai during a six-month stay in India. Upon returning to the U.S., they created a new drink combining organic ingredients like lion's mane, cacao, and turmeric, offering a low-caffeine alternative to coffee. This led to the founding of a brand in 2018, promoting a healthier lifestyle through this unique beverage. The speaker now runs a global business, encouraging others to try the drink that changed their life.

Takeaways

• 🏄‍♂️ The speaker was born in Santa Cruz, a small surf town, and grew up making things with his builder father.
• 🎨 The speaker studied both art and graphic design in college, later moving to San Francisco to lead a design team at a tech company.
• ☕ The speaker and colleagues consumed large amounts of coffee, believing it would help them achieve more, but this led to increased anxiety and stress.
• 💡 The speaker noticed that many people had a problematic relationship with caffeine and wanted to reduce or quit their consumption.
• ✈️ The speaker took a leave of absence and lived in India for six months, where he fell in love with masala chai, a popular local beverage.
• 🔄 Upon returning home, the speaker reevaluated his habits and decided to replace his coffee addiction with masala chai, which had lower caffeine content and higher-quality ingredients.
• 🍄 The speaker began experimenting with adding beneficial ingredients like lion's mane, cacao, chaga, reishi, turmeric, and others to his chai for various health benefits.
• 💼 In May 2018, the speaker launched a brand and website, promoting a healthier alternative to coffee that he believed was better for people.
• 📈 The brand quickly gained traction, leading the speaker to focus on the business full-time with a globally distributed team.
• 🥤 The speaker invites others to try the drink that significantly improved his life and became the foundation of his business.

Q & A

What is the origin of the speaker's love for masala chai?

The speaker fell in love with masala chai during a six-month residency program in India, where it is commonly consumed and available on every corner.

Why did the speaker decide to switch from coffee to masala chai?

The speaker realized that their coffee addiction was more of a cultural prescription than a personal choice. They found that masala chai, with less caffeine, better suited their lifestyle and mental state.

What were some of the negative effects the speaker experienced from drinking coffee?

The speaker felt jittery, anxious, and more stressed than necessary due to their coffee consumption.

What ingredients did the speaker add to their masala chai, and why?

The speaker added lion's mane for focus and cognitive function, cacao for mood and energy, chaga and reishi for immune support, turmeric and cordyceps for physical performance, cinnamon for intermittent fasting and sugar cravings, and a pinch of salt to enhance the flavors.

How did the speaker's new drink compare to coffee in terms of caffeine content?

The new drink, based on masala chai, contains only one-seventh the caffeine of coffee.

What led the speaker to start their own brand and business?

After realizing the benefits of their new drink and observing how many people around them might benefit from something different than coffee, the speaker decided to create a brand, code a website, and launch it in May 2018.

What was the initial public response to the speaker's new product?

The speaker's product started getting sales immediately after launching the brand and promoting it on Instagram.

How does the speaker view their new drink in relation to coffee?

The speaker doesn’t view their drink as a replacement for coffee but rather as a better alternative, stating, 'We're not mad at coffee, we're just disappointed so we made something better.'

What does the speaker attribute the success of their business to?

The speaker attributes the success of their business to the high-quality ingredients in the product and the strong, global team supporting the brand.

What lifestyle changes did the speaker make after returning from India?

After returning from India, the speaker reevaluated their rituals, habits, and beliefs, ultimately deciding to replace their coffee habit with masala chai and other healthful ingredients.