528: Discovering Authenticity with Tony Tellin

20 years ago Tony Tellin stumbled upon the Tazo Tea Offices. He would go on to serve as the right hand man for tea legend, Steven Smith. In 2015 with Steven Smith's passing, Tony Tellin, promise to continue the craft and creativity that made Smith one of the most recognized names in tea. Today, Tony Tellin serves as Head Tea Maker o for Steven Smith Tea.

Show notes... Favorite Success Quote or Mantra

Start where you are. Work with what you got. Do the best you can do.

In this episode with Tony Tellin, we discuss:

• How most masters consider themselves students before masters, because they never stop learning.
• How Tellin got into tea.
• Why we should make "having fun" a core value.
• Creating an "we" environment instead of a "us and them" environment.
• How curiosity and proactivity has served Tellin's in life.
• A little back ground info on Steve Smith.
• The role authenticity and being yourself has in branding.
• Focusing on being the best version of yourself instead of focusing on being like others.
• As a mentor, letting your people fail in order to learn.
• If you're invited to be a fly on the wall, be a fly on the wall and absorb. Be seen not heard.
• Choosing to do big things for small audiences instead of doing small things for big audiences and what comes of it.

Today's Sponsor

Soundtrackyourbrand.comSoundtrack Business lets you play 250 music channels guaranteed to fit any type of business. An easy-to-use dashboard lets you find great music, control all your locations and schedule your sound.

RU50

wisetail.com, A Premier Learning Management System, Wisetail Grew Up Alongside Some of the Most Recognizable Restaurants In the Industry. This Has Helped Shape Their Product and its Functionality Through Real-World Feedback and Rigorous Testing.

Knowledge bombs

1. Which "it factor" habit, trait, or characteristic you believe most contributes to your success?
   • Stay moving.
2. What is your biggest weakness?
   • Easy distracted.
3. What's one question you ask or thing you look for during an interview?
   • Make the interview personal.
   • Go with your heart instead of your brain.
4. What's a current challenge? How are you dealing with it?
   • Teaching.
5. Share one code of conduct or behavior you teach your team.
   • Just get started, "throw a dart".
6. What is one uncommon standard of service you teach your staff?
   • Making something foreign approachable.
7. What's one book we must read to become a better person or restaurant owner? GET THIS BOOK FOR FREE AT AUDIBLE.COM
   1. Many lives, Many Men, Many Masters
8. Share an online resource or tool.
   • Slack
9. What's one piece of technology you've adopted in your restaurant and how has it influence operations?
   • Revel
   • Fuso tea packing machine
10. If you got the news that you'd be leaving this world tomorrow and all memories of you, your work, and your restaurants would be lost with your departure with the exception of 3 pieces of wisdom you could leave behind for the good of humanity, what would they be?
    • Slow down a bit.
    • Have fun.
    • Make more mistakes.If you're not making 2-3 mistakes a week, you're not having enough fun.

Contact Info

SmithTea.com

Thanks for Listening!

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Huge thanks to Tony Tellin for joining me for another awesome episode. Until next time!

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