New Business Boot Camp

New Business Boot Camp

This one-of-a-kind, two-day, intensive and hands-on program covers critical topics facing the tea entrepreneur. The faculty is made up of top notch educators and experienced experts successfully working in the tea industry today. Packed with education and networking opportunities, NBBC provides the training and knowledge you need to run a successful tea business- right from the start.

• 16 hours of intensive, small group education by leading industry experts
• Breakfast and lunch both days
• Exclusive NBBC Networking Reception
• Graduation ceremony
• Three-day Expo Exhibit Hall pass
• Admission to the World Tea Expo Opening Night Networking Reception
• Access to Vendor Presentations and Special Events (excluding paid conference sessions that are being held in Special Events Pavilion)
• 20% Discount on Expo Educational Conference Sessions when registering for at least 4 (four)
• Access to Natural MarketPlace exhibits, June 11-12, 2010 also at the Las Vegas Convention Center

Program Overview:

Tea 101, Jane Pettigrew, International Tea Consultant and Writer
Create Your Strategic Business Plan, Karen Durkin, MBA, Principal, Houldsworth Russo & Co., P.C.
Basic Legal for Tea Business Owners, Kristen Schneider, Esq., President, Keria Teas, LLC
Hiring and Training Your Staff, Elisabeth Knottingham, Owner, The Teacup
Purchasing and Inventory Management, Charles Cain, Business Development, Adagio Teas
Capturing and Marketing Customers, Beth Johnston, President, Teas Etc., Inc.
Core Technologies to Optimize Business Performance, Ronald Eng, Owner, Kopius Teas
Ask the Experts, All Faculty

Click Here for Full Session Descriptions

*Itinerary

*Due to the class size limits, each attendee will be assigned to a group and the sessions will rotate. Following registration, each attendee will be supplied his/her itinerary.

Proudly Sponsored by: Rishi Tea

Kulov's Annual Tea Festival

http://www.kulovteafest.com/

The Festival is a fun and educational event about the multifaceted world of tea.  Our goal is to provide experiences covering all aspects of tea, from the cultural to the historical and the sensory to the scientific.

Bringing together authors, industry experts, buyers, retailers, artists, and educators, we hope you learn something new and expand your enjoyment of this most fascinating of beverages!

• You will have the opportunity to sample some of the finest teas from all over the world.
• Attend presentations led by leading tea authors and industry experts.
• Meet premier tea and tea ware suppliers.

Added new this year – Specialty Tea Institute Tea Certification Program –

We are excited to announce that the Specialty Tea Institute will present the introductory levels of its Tea Certification Program in the two days immediately prior to the Festival. For More information – Click Here

Northwest Tea Festival

About the History of The Northwest Tea Festival

The Northwest Tea Festival was conceived in spring of 2007 and is brought to you by the Puget Sound Tea Education Association (PSTea).  Our first festival was in the fall of 2008. This year marks our third festival. Each year the event becomes more exciting and this year is no exception.

Our founding PSTea members are:
Deborah Barnes, Village Yarn & Tea
Michael Coffey, Tea Geek
Marcus Gramps, Teahouse Kuan Yin
James Norwood Pratt, author of New Tea Lover’s Treasury
Julee Rosanoff, Perennial Tea Room
Ken Rudee, Barnes & Watson Fine Teas

Core Conference Overview

* ETS – Executive & Technical Content

STI CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

Level I: Foundation Series
Foundations of Tea: Level One

As the first course in STI’s expanding education and certification program, Foundations of Tea: Level One will provide attendees with a strong understanding of the 5 basic tea types and the two traditional styles of orthodox tea production used to create them. Topics also include the essential components of teas, where and how teas are grown, the stages of processing and what differentiates the different types and classifications of tea. Attendees will have the opportunity to taste representative samples of each of the 5 tea types, discuss tea steeping methods and examine the basic characteristics of different teas.

Level II: Foundation Series
Foundations of Tea: Level Two

Building on the essential groundwork presented in Level One, Foundations of Tea: Level Two will examine CTC tea production and manufacture, as well as blending, flavoring and scenting, and introduction to sensory evaluation of teas. Also included is an introduction to the principles of grading and naming teas by country of origin. This seminar will allow attendees to examine and taste 5-6 pairs of teas as they are guided through the basics of a comparison cupping of the 5 tea types.

Level III: Professional Series

To complete Level Three in its entirety, you must complete all five classes listed below. You do not need to take them in any specific order, but all must be completed and passed to receive Certification for Level Three.

Please note: Upon completion of each class you will receive certification in that focused class (ex. Black Teas) to accredit your knowledge in that specified area of tea.

• Black Teas
• Oolong Teas
• Sensory Evaluation
• Green Teas
• White & Pu’erh Teas

ITSS A Bookstore Website

International Tea Sippers Society is sponsoring a booth at the 2010 World Tea Expo.

Thousands of tea professionals will crowd the Las Vegas Convention Center for their annual trade show, educational hub and networking extravaganza.

Tea at the White House?

The tea industry enjoyed an huge endorsement during this past year’s election. Whether you vote Red or Blue, if you’re a tea lover you can’t help but feel proud to know that the current White House residents are stocking up on tea. Even the LA Times noticed the Obama staff keeping him stocked with favorite RTD  (Ready to Drink) blends. And we’ve had confirmation that those same companies keep the First Family well supplied with TEA. His current favorite, Black Forest Berry & Green Dragon, ready-to-drink by Honest Tea.

The process is simple:

1. Click this link This will take you to the Registration Page for Vendors
2. Complete the fields: User Name, First Name, Last Name, Email & Password
3. Click the “Submit Registration” box
4. You will be directed to the International Tea Sippers Front Page with tabs for Vendors
5. In the upper right corner of your screen is a button, “Edit Your Profile”
6. Click this button to access your business profile.  You will have the option to add your contact information and a complete description of your business along with your logo (400 x 135 pixels).
   
7. Be sure to update your profile before you leave the page.
   

Note: You may notice the “Business Options” tab to the right of the “Edit Your Profile. In the near future we will be adding additional options to this service.

Thank you for joining the International Tea Sippers Society. We sincerely hope you will notice a measurable increase in your business as a result.

James Norwood Pratt enthralled the crowd with stories and cups of rare brew from his most recent tour of Taiwan tea plantations while Mitchel Noble shared some of the current medical research on the health benefits of tea and sampled some of the finest Chinese teas PeLi Tea imports. Tea educator, Anne Evans, delighted the Sippers with A History of U.S. Tearooms and the staff of the host tearoom, An Afternoon To Remember, demonstrated scone-making, tea tray organization, brewing techniques and maintained a non-stop service of tea and treats.

“We wanted to demonstrate the way in which participating tea businesses can create their own events for ITSS members to increase their business,” co-founder and tearoom owner Amy Lawrence explained. “We want to reach out to tea drinkers with tea information and resources and value. The response has been fantastic so far.”

Her ITSS partner, Babette Donaldson and author of children’s tea stories, added, “Timing is critical. There is now huge interest in tea and demand for new products. We want to be a bridge connecting the consumers with businesses in a meaningful way – beneficial to both.

The actual launch of the International Tea Sippers Society will be on May 2,3 & 4, 2009 at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. At this time tea businesses will be able to participate creating a descriptive profile of their businesses on the ITSS member website.