Bowl for Kids’ Sake
By Charla on Feb 25 Filed In Activities, Austin, Texas, Clayton Christopher, Events, Uncategorized Add a Comment
Big Brothers Big Sisters is one of those organizations that is near and dear to our hearts at Sweet Leaf Tea. Many of us are Bigs including Clayton who has been a Big for several years. I’m just a year in myself, but I can honestly say I feel like it’s a very rewarding experience to have a Little. And truthfully, it’s a whole lot of fun.
Me and My Little
The thing about Big Brothers Big Sisters, is like many non-profits, they need help from time to time to keep helping those little people in our lives who need it most. Their big fund raising event for the year besides the Ice Ball Gala is Bowl for Kids’ Sake. Seeing that, we the tea’m-mates of Sweet Leaf Tea are always down for a rockin’ good time, we’re lacing up our shoes, shining our glittery rollers, and heading out to Highland Lanes in Austin, Texas this weekend to win some Turkeys. Now, even if we don’t bring home the trophy (I’ve been known to roll some strikes, though), I’m positive Bowl for Kids’ Sake will be a happening event—and certainly, one that Sweet Leaf Tea is proud to support. If you’re not on a team, have no fear. It’s never too late to show support by donating to the cause. The Littles appreciate it more than you can imagine!
I’ll report back on our scores….
The Sweetest Internship Ever
By Guest on Sep 14 Filed In Austin, Texas, Intern 2 Comments
-Post by Kyle Lloyd, Intern-Rock Star
Over the past several years, Sweet Leaf Tea has been my (non-alcoholic) drink of choice anywhere that I can find it. I remember reading the story on the label about how Clayton and David started the company and being amazed to see how far they’ve come. As the years have progressed, I’ve started to see Sweet Leaf Tea almost everywhere! I can buy it on campus, at gas stations, in the grocery store, at restaurants, etc. I was even able to get one while I was visiting LA! As a side note, Mango Green Tea is my favorite, YUM! What is your favorite?
I originally moved to Austin from the small exurb town of Marble Falls in January of 2004. I thought I knew what to expect, but I was completely wrong! This city is one of the most amazing places in this country. It’s a blue dot in a sea of red – without being too extreme. It’s full of vegetarians that eat meat, runners that smoke cigarettes, Prius owners that also own SUVs, a homeless transsexual that ran for mayor, hipsters that listen to country music, and original hippies that now work for the state. It’s a very “weird” and unique city and everyone here is welcomed to be the person that they truly are. What more could I possibly ask for?
I was never interested in following the traditional path of dorm-apartment-house-graduate. In fact, I have never been interested in doing anything traditional. I moved into my own apartment and began taking my basic courses. I started business school at Texas State in 2008. I’ve always known that I wanted to go to business school, because I’ve inherited the entrepreneurial spirit from generations on both sides of my family. I took my first marketing class with Prof. Murdoch at the beginning of 2008 and I was hooked!
>>FLASH FORWARD<<
I was sitting in a meeting this summer (2009) for my organization, Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), and Prof. Vicki West presented us with an opportunity for a marketing internship at Sweet Leaf in Austin. This was too good to be true! I sped home, typed up a cover letter expressing my incalculable interest in the internship, and sent it away to Happy Mercado. Before I knew it, he offered me an interview and I nearly flipped my weave! The interview went extremely well and the three days I had to wait for a response seemed like an eternity!
I GOT IT!!! The first day, Happy introduced me to all the wonderful people that work in the office, and I knew that I was going to fit right in. They are all so warm and welcoming, including the CEO, Clayton and David the Co-Founder. I am on the 4th day of the semester long internship and it’s everything that I expected, plus some!
Last Saturday was my first event, the Lone Star Karate open (pictures below, I’m in the tan polo). Since I truly believe in the product, I naturally had no problem with teaching people about all the flavors, product attributes, Sweet Leaf’s history, and places for them to purchase the product. I even had one woman tell me, “You honestly just made my day! I am diabetic and I love sweet tea, but I have been unable to drink it. I was not aware of your product until now, but I can assure you I will be purchasing the Diet Original from now on – it tastes exactly like the real thing! Thanks you guys!”
I know that this internship is going to change my views about what working for a genuine company is all about. Every time I come in to work, there is always something new and different for me to work on. In fact, last Friday I helped out doing some demos at store grand openings and on Labor Day, I was at the Austin Triathlon promoting our products. Did I see you there? Keep checking back in to hear about all the exciting things that will be going on here at Sweet Leaf!
Coolest Party in Town: Ice Ball Gala for Big Brothers Big Sisters
By Emily on Aug 28 Filed In Austin, Texas, Events 2 Comments
It was just another hot night in Austin last Saturday, but the coolest party in Austin was taking place at the Austin Music Hall– Helping Austin’s Ice Ball Gala benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters. Big Brothers Big Sisters, the largest youth mentoring program, is a cause that is near and dear to the hearts of Sweet Leaf Tea and its employees because several of us are “Bigs.”
Clayton Christopher, our Founder/CEO who is a veteran “big” himself, was in charge of rounding up sponsorships and finding us a great venue. I am a novice “big” and was in charge of the finances/budgeting for the event. Ashley Montgomery, our art director and “Big”, showed her support by lending us her expertise with some of our marketing materials. Several other Sweet Leaf employees came to the event dressed to impressed, which is a rare occasion since we all just wear jeans and t-shirts around the office.
Sweet Leaf Tea was a bronze sponsor of the gala and also provided one of the auction items – a lifetime supply of Sweet Leaf Tea, which along with some other “local” products, sold for over $2000! The auction raised over $100,000, and Clayton even bid and won a swimming pool and a trip to Sante Fe. I’m sure we’re all invited, ya right.
The party had all the elements and some that might remind you of college: we had ice luges, an ice podium, a wine toss, an 80s band – the Space Rockers, and some incredible food vendors including Cru, Kona Grill, Moonshine, Z Tejas, Good Seed, Fion, and Hey Cupcake. (If Sweet Leaf had thrown the party, the wine toss would have been our branded beer pong table). Above all, everyone had a good time and left with a warm fuzzy feeling (not just from the alcohol) for Big Brothers Big Sisters.
I was lucky to have been able to work with such a great group of people within the Helping Austin organization and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Austin, and we will make next year’s Ice Ball Gala even cooler!!! Ice Ice Baby…
Vanapalooza (ie Van’s first Lolla)
By Van on Aug 24 Filed In Activities, Chicago, Clayton Christopher, Events, Live Music, Lollapalooza Add a Comment
So, its been a bit since Lolla has come and gone. The dust has settled and the smoke has cleared. All the Chicagoans (Chicag-anites?) have gone about their normal, daily lives. It seems like yesterday we were slingin’ all that sweet, Sweet Leaf Tea at our sweet consumers, and trading for super deliciousness in the form of lobster corn dogs, blue cheese foam chicken wings, and and all the burgers and dogs our arteries could take!
It truly is amazing to see a park within one of the greatest cities in America transform into a self sustaining city in a matter of days! Though I didn’t have much time to catch the music in action, the tunes filled the air at one of the greatest spectacles I’ve seen in my life. Rise Against was the only set I saw all the way through, and other than being clobbered in the mosh pit it was truly phenomenal. Pure, unadulterated talent with a definitive style and distinctive lyrics.
This event was also my first time actually meeting “The Man“. He was a bit taller than I’d expected. Though our encounters were brief, Clayton Christopher is surely man-crush worthy.
I really can’t believe Lolla has come and gone so quickly. Two weeks have passed and as much fun as it was, I’ve been working non-stop to get NorCal a head start on some of the other markets. Sweet Leaf’s organic goodness will surely win over the hearts of the millions up here!
The next time you are looking for an “Honest” beverage.. check the label. If Granny’s not on there, you know it’s not the real thing. After all, if you can’t trust Granny, who can you trust?!? Take my word for it, she’s the real thing. Homemade goodness in a bottle. As good as it gets, if not better.
What a better way to experience this legendary festival than through the eyes of The Granny, right?! All hail our overlord!
How To Make the Perfect Pitcher of Sweet Tea
By Charla on Jul 29 Filed In Austin, Texas, Clayton Christopher, Food & Beverage, Uncategorized 3 Comments
A few weeks ago, Andrea Valdez of Texas Monthly magazine called Clayton and wanted to do a little segment on how to brew the perfect pitcher of sweet tea. Andrea is the brave journalist behind the video series, “The Manual”, on the Texas Monthly web site. The series takes her on travels around Texas to meet with experts from various fields so that she can learn how to-do whatever it is her chosen experts do best. From making sweet tea with Clayton to spitting watermelon seeds in Luling and packing a cooler tube in New Braunfels, Andrea is figuring out the right way to execute on some very Texan activities. And in turn, so are we.
Brewing a great pitcher of sweet tea is definitely something that every Texan, heck everybody, should know how to do. That is, if you can’t find a bottle of Sweet Leaf Tea to quench your thirst. Be sure to check out the video here. Highlights include making sure you use the best ingredients (high-quality, organic tea leaves + carbon-filtered water + 100% pure cane sugar). Sound familiar? It should, it’s the Sweet Leaf Tea recipe from Granny “Mimi”.
Thanks again for stopping by Andrea and crew! We had a great time. Oh, and good luck with that next segment. It’s one that would make my dad proud.
Clayton Christopher and Andrea Valdez celebrate a perfect glass of homemade sweet tea
