Red Hat Gent

As much as I have learned about tea, I have learned more about living the life of a tea man. Never in a million years did I picture this image, which is iconic of the new life adopted by my family and I. It is the reason Portsmouth Tea remains a private company; I'd rather cater to my customers than Wall Street.

In the past year, I have met with schools, churches, countless red hatters and women's groups. They all thirst for the enjoyment of learning and experiencing this new take on an old idea. Though I come to tell them our story, I have learned many of theirs. Like the woman raised next door to the house in this photo - she spent her childhood summers shoveling chicken droppings in the barn. She and her husband gave birth to their 4 children while they built their house, one brick at a time.

They all have stories upon stories to tell and I love hearing them. The more popular we become, the more these stories remind me how small I am and who it is that drinks my tea. They aren't just my customers - they are my neigbors.