We had the good fortune of connecting with Jim Lamancusa and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jim, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
I start every day with 30-45 minutes of meditation. It is incredibly beneficial over the long run in helping me stay grounded and present with all the challenges that a startup business throws my way. Second, I prioritize getting exercise 4-5 days a week. Again, this is really helpful to deal with the stress and anxiety that can come from running a small business. Lastly, I try to be as efficient as possible in the hours I work versus working long days. Any startup business is going to be a marathon, not a sprint, and burnout is very real. I have found it a lot more sustainable to be efficient for 8 hours versus exhausted for 10-12 hours and burnt out.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
On a backpacking trip in 2015, I wondered why there wasn’t an instant coffee or tea that actually tastes good. I did some research and found out there were two methods for dehydrating beverages: spray drying and freeze drying, and both ruin flavor. So I decided there must be a better way, which led me to create a totally new and patented botanical extraction technology that makes an incredible cup of coffee or tea in seconds, anywhere. It was far from easy after a year and a half of total failure, lots of money spent, and at times, no path forward. But with some persistence and luck, Cusa was born and is now off to the races.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’m an avid outdoorsman so I’m going to focus on three of my favorite hikes that are around Denver and Boulder and then some restaurants to finish the day.

Day 1 – get acclimatized by hiking to the Royal Arch in Chautauqua Park in Boulder, CO. It’s a gorgeous natural arch that overlooks the city. Finish with dinner at the Under the Sun Brewery, my favorite restaurant in South Boulder.

Day 2 – Hike Green Mountain in Boulder. It’s a step up from Royal Arch with more vertical gain and a longer hike, but the views are worth it as you stand on one of the highest mountains that overlook Boulder and Denver. Finish the day at Tandoori Grill, my favorite Indian/Nepali restaurant.

Day 3 – Hike to Chasm Lake in Rocky Mountain National park. It’s a incredibly beautiful hike that finishes around 12,000ft at a high-alpine lake at the base of Long’s Peak. Looking up, you will see a 2,000ft vertical rock wall that goes to the summit. Finish the day at Carelli’s Restaurant, my favorite Italian restaurant in Boulder.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to Jay Hirsh from Breaktrail Ventures. He invested in Cusa Tea and Coffee when we were just getting going and has since become a Board Member, advisor, and incredible supporter of me and the brand. The vast majority of companies have had a very challenging 3 years between the pandemic, rising raw material costs, inflation, and changing consumer behavior. And startup companies have likely had it the worst because we don’t have the benefit of legacy customers and vast financial resources to weather the storm. Venture Capitalist can get a bad reputation for just being out for themselves, but Jay has shown that it can be a very different situation. He has supported us financially, been an ear to listen during the hard times, given advice during critical times, and created a win-win for all of us. Thank you Jay!

Website: www.drinkcusa.com

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