Check Out Cody Wade’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cody Wade.

Hi Cody, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I initially started my tea blog after stumbling across a tea company that sold Puer Tea (a dry-fermented tea that you can age like a cigar). Their teas were rather pricy, so I asked them if they were running any specials.

They responded and said that they were relatively new, and needed media coverage. Within the hour, I launched my blog so I could buy their teas at a discount (haha). Given how far I’ve come, I find it embarrassing to say that I launched my career out of being cheap.

We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road to becoming a tea-industry professional has been tough. Given I started as a blogger, transitioned into tea education, and then launched a talk show about tea, I feel like I’ve always fought against the grain. One of the things I had issues with was being taken seriously.

Given that I am one of the most vocal LGBT+ members within my community. Open gay men aren’t common in the world of tea because the world of tea is rooted in tradition, and a lot of tradition does not see me as an equal.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
For my blog, I started out writing and reviewing teas. I eventually started tea-educating, where I taught and led lectures about the world of tea at various conventions. I eventually worked my way up to becoming one of the lead keynote speakers at the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas. I am also known for hosting a talk show surrounding tea, that’s based on enjoying the drink just for the sake of enjoying it.

One of the things I’m most proud of is being the anti-snob in my community. With tea, coffee, wine, etc., snobbery riddles various industries. However, I’ve noticed that snobbishness is destructive to many niche communities. I plan on continuing to break that mold in my industry and want to make any specialty/niche hobby, such as tea, as accessible and as much fun as possible.

So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me are the friends I’ve met along the way. Due to my career in tea, I’ve gotten to connect with many wonderful people from all across the world.

I have even traveled across the country to spend time with people who I have met virtually through this career path.

Now, I’m lucky enough to call some of them “family.” Holding on to the love that my friends and chosen family give me, is the most important to me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theoolongdrunk.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoolongdrunk/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoolongdrunk
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSVCuF-hNlleQeP0bbDX1lw 

Image Credits
Hooman Shadnia and World Tea Expo