Portland State Magazine Spring 2007

Teacup to success WHEN TEDDE MCMILLEN '95 launchedOregon Chai,shewascloseco finishing her studies ar Portland Stare. Ar 48 years old and rhe mother of rwo, McMillen was a master at meeting rhe demands of family, coursework, and customers. This ability undoubtedly helped her make Oregon Chai an incred– ibly successful business, a business that she and her partners sold in 2004 for $75 million. "I was busy, bur I loved ir," says McMillen. "I would go co class in rhe morning, rhen make chai afterwards, deliver ir co customers, and study in the evening. I even made the dean's list!" In her new book, Nirvana in a Cup, McMillen tells about her advencures and misadvencures creating Oregon Chai. Ir all starred after her daughter, Heather, discovered the delicious drink while hiking in the Himalayas and rhen persuaded her mother co help her make ir a commercial product. McMillen immediately drew on PSU as a resource. "I cook as many business classes as I could without becoming a business major," explains McMillen. "I did a whole business plan and brought samples of Oregon Chai co class for taste testing. I learned about purring together employee rask descriptions and procedures. Ir was great!" Of course, McMillen and rhe company experienced several missteps, such as choosing a low-grade honey rhar ruined 200 gallons of chai. "The chai had gone from a beautiful mahogany brown co a greenish black," recalls McMillen. "Ir rasred awful. Bur we didn't know rhar until we had borrled it all up." Recen tly McMiJlen has written an e-book, "How co Take Your Food Product co Marker," rhar provides easy-co-follow instructions for anyone who wants to explore the possibility of following in her footsteps. See www.nirvanainacup.com for more information. Tedde McMillen '95 has written a new book about her successful business, Oregon Chai, which she and her partners sold after eight years for $75 million. ABOUT THIS PAGE. We want to hear about your books and recordings and your future exhibits, performances, and directing ventures. Contact the magazine by e-mailing psumag@pdx.edu, sending a fax to 503-725-4465, or mailing to Portland State Maga– zine, Office of University Communications, PO Box 751, Portland OR 97207-0751. FANFARE Bookbriefs MARRIED TO MY GARDEN by Barbara Ashmun '74 William, James & Company, 2007 GOD LAUGHS & PLAYS by David James Duncan '73 Triad Books (paperback), 2007 HOLLYWORLD by Michael Hollister (English emeritus faculty) AurhorHouse, 2006 CLOTH IN WEST AFRICAN HISTORY by Colleen E. Kriger '73 AltaMira Press, 2006 WOLF'S REMEDY by Doc Macomber '84 Floating Word Press, 2007 FIGHTING FOR PARADISE: A MILITARY HISTORY OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST by Kurr R. Nelson '77 Westholme Publishing, 2007 TOUCHES OF SWEET HARMONY: BRITT FESTIVALS, 1963-1987 by John Trudeau (Fine and Performing Arts dean emeritus) Britt Festivals, 2006 DAY SHIFT WEREWOLF by Jan Underwood MA '98 Arsenal Pulp Press, 2006 SPRING 2007 PORTLAND STATE MAGAZINE 9