Be of Value: Interview with Gary Shinner, Co-Founder of Mighty Leaf Tea Company

I recently went one on one with Gary Shinner. Alongside his wife Jill, Gary co-founded the Mighty Leaf Tea Company, which sold to Peet's Coffee. Gary and Jill are also the founders of Good Pharma.

Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?

Gary: As founders of Mighty Leaf Tea and building that business for 15 years, we’re now launching our new venture Good Pharma. In addition to our creative evolution, it's ever more apparent that our prior successes and challenges are key ingredients in the DNA of Good Pharma.  Building a successful food and beverage brand is seldom an overnight smash success, but rather a life long curation. In fact, building Good Pharma is the next chapter of a story that combines our accumulated entrepreneurial wisdom and our personal growth in wellness. Being fanatically healthy and on the leading edge of high-energy lifestyle is at our core, and why we’re so energized launching a company rooted in our learnings.  Throughout our Mighty Leaf years of travel through China, India and Europe we discovered indigenous rituals utilizing natures powerful ingredients supporting optimized living.  We instantly had the vision that these ancient practices have a place in modern society today and in the future. We experienced “food as medicine” being consumed in proactive ways profoundly changing our lives forever.  After we sold Mighty Leaf, instead of kicking back, we realized during our meditation retreat in Rishikesh India that we had some unfinished business.  We became energized to share that “nature’s pharma “ not only keeps you healthy, but further, it gives you the gifts to be the greatest version of yourself, in mastering mind, body and spirit. We challenge the conventional health care mindset. Good Pharma was born to be the alternative pharma revolution for a better you and a better world. 

Adam: How did you come up with your different business ideas? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with great ideas?

Gary: Both Mighty Leaf and Good Pharma are organically inspired and born through our personal lens of living and a driving pursuit of quality. The basis for any successful venture is an unshakeable, unbounded and authentic belief in what you’re creating. It's your why. 

Adam: How did you know your ideas were worth pursuing? What advice do you have on how to best test a business idea?

Gary: You reach that point when you have a vision that your creative solution resonates deeply within you and those in your trusted circle. Do your research with consumers and when you have your concept honed in, test it fervently and rapidly. We have such amazing tools to achieve this with technology. We meticulously put three years of research and development into Good Pharma combining ancient practices, modern science and a delicious taste experience. 

Adam: What were the key steps you took to grow and scale business? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?

Gary: Enlist team members that share your passion and mission of the company while ensuring you have the long term capital resources to support your vision.  These are the fundamental driving force of any enterprise. 

Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips?

Gary: Succinctly and inspiringly communicate why your brand exists.  Then supporting your sales team by maximizing technology and social media spreading the vision!

Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?

Gary: Integrity, creativity, high energy, empathy, listening, conviction in your vision, generosity and leading by example. 

Adam: What is your best advice on building, leading and managing teams?

Gary: Mobilizing team members that believe in your mission, values, and culture. Continue with supporting and empowering them while being the guiding visionary that you are!

Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives and civic leaders?

Gary: Leadership rests on the balance and principle of being accountable to your customers and constituents in representing their interests by developing solutions while also leading on a vision. Real leadership requires forging new ground and being a visionary to see what others do not currently see while convincingly establishing your reasons to believe. 

Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?

Gary: One of my favorite quotes is simply powerful in capturing the essence of our existence by living authentically true to our core values: “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” - Albert Einstein


Adam Mendler is the CEO of The Veloz Group, where he co-founded and oversees ventures across a wide variety of industries. Adam is also the creator and host of the business and leadership podcast Thirty Minute Mentors, where he goes one on one with America's most successful people - Fortune 500 CEOs, founders of household name companies, Hall of Fame and Olympic gold medal winning athletes, political and military leaders - for intimate half-hour conversations each week. Adam has written extensively on leadership, management, entrepreneurship, marketing and sales, having authored over 70 articles published in major media outlets including Forbes, Inc. and HuffPost, and has conducted more than 500 one on one interviews with America’s top leaders through his collective media projects. A top leadership speaker, Adam draws upon his insights building and leading businesses and interviewing hundreds of America's top leaders as a top keynote speaker to businesses, universities and non-profit organizations.

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