Jake Nelson and Calum Bryant are the 12-year-old go-getters behind the JC TeaTalks podcast on YouTube. With just a handful of videos and a growing but modest subscriber base, these two have achieved more than many YouTube channels will achieve in years – an exclusive interview with a Forbes lister CEO.
“I was working long hours, drinking tea for 6 or 8 hours of the day to stay focused. At some point, I’d realise I’ve even more work to do, so I’d switch to some awful office coffee or heavily sweetened energy drink. I just didn’t like making that compromise, so I started playing around with the idea of developing a lighter, healthier and tea-based energy and focus product” explains James Fayal, founder and CEO of innovative energy tea company, Zest Tea.
For Jake, setting high aspirations and achieving them (always with a smile) is something he can relate to, even at 12 years of age. He was only in 6th grade when he was selected as a contestant on Food Network’s “Chopped Junior” passing numerous rounds of interviews and auditions before narrowly missing out on the winning spot.
“Get comfortable with getting a lot of ‘no’ because you’ll get it constantly, that’s just a fact of doing business. Be willing to put yourself out there regardless” is the advice James passes on to the teen interviewers, drawing on his own experience of successfully turning a $10,000 crowdfunding campaign into an award-winning line of high-caffeine teas that are now sold in over 2,500 stores across the US.
After winning Best New Product at the World Tea Expo, and with a new line of low-calorie and sugar-free sparkling teas just launched, it’s no wonder that James made Forbes 30 Under 30 for food and drink in 2020. Agreeing to an interview on JC TeaTalks podcast will certainly help the two youngsters find their feet in the ever-growing, noisy world of YouTubers.
There’s no doubt that we’ll be seeing more from Jake and Calum as their podcast takes the world by storm. But for now, brew up a fresh cup of tea and learn more about James’ award-winning Zest Tea. You might just discover how it can help you achieve some amazing feats too.
