Million Dollar Cup of Tea: What You Can Learn from a Mother-daughter Team Who Turned a Simple Idea into Oregon Chai«: a $75 Million Business

By Tedde McMillen and Heather Hale

Book Overview

Million Dollar Cup of Tea is the true-life story of a mother-daughter entrepreneurial team who built a multi-million-dollar business from a simple idea - take a tea drink commonly found in India and... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 083295022X
• ISBN13: 9780832950223
• Release Date: March 2009
• Publisher: Wbusiness Books
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

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Five months ago, K Becker wrote a review and commented that this book is the "same" as the previously published book, Nirvana in a Cup. Yes, K. Becker, you are right and I apologize if you are upset that you purchased a book you had already read. So why does the same story have two different titles? I could not find a publisher for my manuscript so after six years of writing and editing I finally broke down and self-published (Michael Moore did the same thing with his first book). A year later I went to Book Expo America in New York City. I walked the show for two days, talked to lots of publishers - I just wasn't well enough known for them to take a chance on my work - they all wanted celebrities. I finally talked to a young woman who worked for a small publisher, WBusiness Books. She told me she would discuss the work with her boss, Arthur Chou. Well, a few months later, Arthur agreed to publish my book, but he wanted to change the name. I was so happy and grateful that Arthur wanted to publish my story but I never thought about the consequences of the name change. You see, it is extremely difficult to market a self-published book. Nearly all media outlets automatically say "NO" when they realize it is self-published. Having a publisher opens lots of doors to not only reviews but distribution and booksellers. Anyway, K. Becker, thanks for bringing this to my attention. Please accept my apology and I hope anyone else thinking about ordering Million Dollar Cup of Tea will read this statement. One other comment, Million Dollar Cup of Tea was edited and updated by WBusiness Books and I believe it is a better product. Also, K. Becker, thanks for reading the story - I hope you enjoyed it. Some readers have told me it is a real page-turner, I hope that is the case for all readers. My goal was to share what I learned at Oregon Chai - especially the mistakes - so others are spared the problems and to write a story that can be enjoyed by all. Sincerely, Tedde McMillen

I loved this book! First Hand Account!!

Thank you so much for putting out this book. With the economy the way it is, entrepreneurs need help with motivation and inspiration instead of another gloomy news article. I was taken a back one of the reviews on here were so poor. I personally loved the book. It went down like candy and it was so fun to be on someone else's ride. I've read so many business books -- you name it: The EMyth Revisited, several Guerrilla Marketing Books by Jay Conrad L., there's more and I would have to look at my shelf to remember the names. What does that tell you? I've even read company profile books like ones studying Starbucks..they are just not as fun! Maybe it was the right book at the right time for me but this book made me feel great about being an imperfect human with vision and desire. It also is inspiring after how many set backs they had that they kept moving forward. Good for them!! I'm glad that they shared as well! If you enjoy hearing about other peoples businesses or if you are new to a product based industry --- get it. I only wish there were more books like this.

A Winning Recipe for Success

This book is a wild romp through the world of entrepreneurship. If you are dreaming of turning your "little idea" into a big and profitable business, you've got to start turning these pages! For a woman business owner who turned making chai tea into a steeping success, Tedde McMillen sure managed to land herself in hot water! You cry with her at every set back from rancid honey to salsa-tasting tea to a huge recall of poor packaging that supported mold growth. And, yet, you continue to enjoy her ride of the ups and downs of starting, financing, expanding, and eventually selling the Oregon Chai Tea Company. Million Dollar Cup of Tea is hugely entertaining while also showcasing the importance of relying upon experts, working with experts, the power of publicity, and the never-ending belief that her passion could be profitable. If you can avoid just one of Tedde's expensive missteps en route to creating one of the most successful beverage launches in the 1990s, then this book is well worth every penny of its cover price. Go put up your feet, brew a cup of tea, and start reading!