Matcha Farm Learnings: Week 1

August 21, 2023 🍵

Welcome to my Substack where I share the best of my week. Think of this as a catch up between friends with life hacks & advice sprinkled in. Grab your beverage of choice and let's get started ☕️

Highlight of the week: life is for living🔥

Hello from Wazuka, the green tea capital of Japan 👋🏻 I’m wrapping up week 1 of my matcha farm internship and sh*t I’m in my feelings. I’m trying to summarize my thoughts, but honestly I’m still processing and you’re getting the unfiltered version here. I hope that’s okay with you.

I’m feeling the happiest and most fulfilled I’ve felt in a long time. That sounds like a crazy statement because it’s a really intense thing to say. And I mean it. Location wise, I’m living and working in the remote Japanese countryside, away from the hustle of the large cities, which has pushed me outside of my comfort zone. Wazuka is an hour away from the largest nearby city of Kyoto.

Reflections from the tea farm

I am grateful. Every morning I wake up and I write truisms down in my journal. These are the narratives I tell myself and it helps to ground me for the day. You can say these things to yourself out loud, but there’s something satisfying about seeing the progression of writing it down day-after-day. This is something I borrowed from a Stanford GSB professor who shared this practice with me.

• I am grateful.

• I have everything I need.

• It’s not about me.

• I am not my feelings.

This week I’ve been focusing on the first one. I have so much to be grateful for and since arriving in Wazuka, I’ve been feeling the gratitude more deeply. I feel lucky to be here, to connect with nature, to have this opportunity, to experience tea, to eat all this delicious food, and to learn from some really kind people. I am grateful. I can explain more about the other 3 truisms in another newsletter if people are interested.

Making an impact. My career thus far has been rooted in big business. I worked for a big tech company (LinkedIn) that was bought by an even bigger tech company (Microsoft). I had an amazing time at LinkedIn, learned from the experts, and grew my career there for four-and-a-half years. I learned a lot about product management. And then I learned a lot about how to climb the corporate ladder. Towards the end of my tenure I would ask myself more and more frequently these questions:

• What am I actually doing here?

• What is the impact I’m making?

• How is this connected to the larger impact I want to have?

These questions were challenging to answer while I was at LinkedIn. I would do some form of mental gymnastics to align myself with the company/team vision and mission. The internal unrest would simmer down for a little bit, but it would be just that, simmering on the burner in the back of my mind. On day 3 on the matcha farm, the answer is clear to me. And maybe it’s an unfair comparison because I’m in Japan for an internship (the end date is predetermined) as opposed to a full-time job, but I know what I’m doing here. I know the impact I’m making within this small business and I know that it’s deeply fulfilling and meaningful to me. Vibes are good, my friends.

My boss said YOLO. My sponsor and boss here on the tea farm is Daiki-san. He studied agriculture in Kyoto and is a former corporate-world employee turned tea farm entrepreneur. He founded d:matcha in 2015 and turned his passion for health and wellness into a larger business centered around tea and community revival. I asked Daiki-san and his wife Misato-san why they started this company together. Their answers were similar: you only live once. It’s forced me to think through how I make decisions. It sounds cliché because Drake made it mainstream, but it’s true. What are you going to do with your one wild and precious life?

Stoke my curiosity. In a recent Cherie’s Corner podcast episode with Ayushi, she asked “what are you thinking about when you’re in the Uber by yourself? Where does your mind wander?” I love this question because it forces you to not only have thoughts, but to have thoughts about your thoughts. It forces you to break out of bystander mode and to become an active participant in your own thoughts. Set aside time for your brain to wander and figure out where your curiosities lead you: it might just be your intuition pointing you in the direction of interests and passions. This past week, my mind has fixated on small businesses (like this green tea company) and how to help them be successful.

I feel so excited AND scared. Being in a completely new environment (we’re not just talking about moving to LA for a change of scenery) halfway around the world, immersed in a new and unfamiliar culture, and learning every second of the day have pushed me outside my comfort zone. In a great way. I decided this past week that I’m going to be CEO: Chief Experience Officer for the rest of my life — I’m going to actively seek out new experiences that continue to push me and share them with you here. I know that this makes me happy and fulfills me and I want to figure out how to incorporate this job into my everyday life. I hope you’ll join me ✌🏻

You can support Daiki-san’s farm by buying d:matcha’s teas and matcha here

What’s cooking 🥘👩🏻‍🍳

In this episode of Cherie’s Corner, I interview my Stanford GSB classmate, Katie Dickinson. Katie studied petroleum engineering in college and her first job after graduation was on an oil rig. We talk about what life is like on the rig, what it’s like being the youngest person on her team and what it’s like being a woman in a heavily male-dominated field. She shares her lightbulb moment that made her want to pivot into clean energy after working in heavy oil for years. Finally, Katie gives us insight into her application process - she applied to 6 schools- and how her fiancée Ricky keeps her grounded on campus.

💅🏻 In Case You Missed It: What I posted on IG

🎓 Introducing Katie, Stanford Business School '24

✅ Travel and Pack with Me Pt. 1

😇 Travel with me to Japan Pt. 2

📚 Matcha Farm Internship Explained

👾 Chad's MBA Application Process

🌸 Chad's Podcast Takeaways

❤️ Escape big cities, go to the countryside

Advice from Chad Janis, Stanford MBA ‘24

My Stanford University Graduate School of Business classmate, Chad, joined me last week for Cherie’s Corner podcast 🚀🎓

Here are 3 big takeaways:
⚖️ Chad is a master at finding balance: I thought MY days were hectic? Chad manages startup life, dad life, and student life within the confines of a 24-hour day. His secret? Ruthless prioritization and making every moment count ⏳⭐

🔄 Chad's leap from finance to entrepreneurship could be a path to follow. People often ask me about breaking into the startup world or becoming a product manager. If the realm of entrepreneurship and startups feels unfamiliar, remember that you can forge your own path. 🌱 Reflect on the challenges you confront in your own life – chances are, others are grappling with the same issues. 🤝 By addressing these problems, you not only create personal growth but also offer value to others. 🚀

📚 Network > Classes? Chad's take on the GSB curriculum is refreshingly real. His perspective, though perhaps unpopular among administration, holds immense value. He emphasizes the power of community 🌐🤝

Here’s the link to Chad’s full video podcast interview

Meme Reminder

XO Cherie

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