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What part of producing and sharing instant kava feels most meaningful to you?
Having an instant kava business feels different, of course, from making fresh kava and gathering in a circle or at a kava bar. I do miss that connection and healing, so that's an important area for me to expand into next. But overall, instant kava provides a nice, easy solution for people who don't want to drink — especially those who don't know much about making kava and don't like the taste. That's what our flavored kava is for. And of course it's just delicious; I drink it all the time, even though I do like the taste of good kava. So for me, without a storefront, I'm just really excited for people to be finding some relaxation without things like alcohol. Plus, it is much easier to introduce new people to kava when it's effortless to make and is delicious.
How do you balance running a kava business with your personal life?
Having a full-time day job on top of the business makes this difficult for me, and if I'm not careful, I can get very burnt out. I try to work on the business every day, at least a little. To avoid burning out, I've found it helps a lot to eat well, sleep well, and work out. For me, what really recharges me is actually swing (or partner) dancing. It's changed my life and the amount of energy I have, mentally and physically. Overall, making sure I still have some healthy hobbies helps me stay sane and maintain my energy for my day job and the business.
What's one thing you wish more people understood about kava and the products available today?
The main thing, for the general public, would be the difference between kava and kratom. They're two completely different things.
The other thing is all the folklore about the effect on the liver. As far as I know, that's just untrue. From my personal experience, I used to drink maybe 10 or more shells a day, for a few years. My blood work has always been fine.
For kava products themselves, I think it's worth knowing about lab testing. I think it's really up to the consumer — if you want to make sure your product is pure, there are several companies that can provide that kind of kava and that assurance. They can be more expensive, but we've decided as a company to only use kava that's verified pure in a laboratory. That's my personal preference as well, as I've found it to be better-tasting, better-feeling, and more consistent in strength. Although I doubt any serious harm can come from drinking kava that isn't tested.
What do you hope to see in the future of the kava industry and kava culture?
The only thing I really desire is for kava culture to spread. Most of the people I talk to — people I don't know, or have just met — don't know about kava. I tell them you can get a buzz without acting stupid, without being hungover, and it's not bad for you. Everyone is on board with that, and usually they ask me where to buy or try it.
But this is almost missing the point. Kava is really like going for coffee with a friend: you don't go for the coffee, you come to catch up with your friend. Kava is something we can gather around to grow, heal, and make friends. It does help you open up though, of course, and there are so many beautiful moments in my memory surrounding kava circles and kava bars. And a wonderful part is that it doesn't have to involve being inebriated — the connections are lucid, genuine, and lasting.
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