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Jay Shetty Podcast

Jay and His Wife Radhi ON: Respecting Boundaries & Growing as a Couple

Radhi and Jay Shetty sit down to talk about a very special project they have been working on together for the past 18 months, their ‘quarantine baby’ - Sama Tea! In Sanskrit, Sama means to be fully balanced.

Jay ShettyhostRadhi Shettyguest

Sep 27, 202148mWatch on YouTube

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CHAPTERS

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Chapter summaries

Tea time as a relationship anchor during busy seasons
Jay and Radhi open by reflecting on how hectic schedules often prevent shared meals, but tea remains a consistent ritual they always make time for. They frame tea as a meaningful point of connection that became even more important during the pandemic.
- •Jay contrasts missed breakfasts/dinners with always finding time for tea together
- •Tea is positioned as a daily moment of connection despite busy work lives
- •They mention the pandemic amplified this shared ritual and closeness
Announcing Sama: a couple-built “pandemic baby” and first joint venture
They welcome listeners and explain this is a special episode because they’re discussing a business they built together for the first time. Radhi jokes about the internet assuming announcements mean pregnancy, then they reveal the launch: Sama.
- •Jay introduces Radhi as wife and business partner and sets up the reveal
- •They describe the project as about 18 months in the making
- •Radhi calls Sama their “pandemic baby” and they clarify it’s not a pregnancy announcement
What Sama is: organic teas with adaptogens and a focus on real formulation
Radhi defines Sama as an organic hot tea beverage with both herbal and caffeinated options. She explains their teas include adaptogens and emphasizes they wanted meaningful quantities rather than ingredients added only for marketing.
- •Radhi describes Sama as hot teas, predominantly herbal, with some caffeinated varieties
- •She explains adaptogens as plant-derived supports for different types of stress
- •They aimed for doses that can have an effect rather than token amounts
- •Ashwagandha is mentioned as one adaptogen used
Meaning behind the name “Sama”: togetherness, oneness, and mindful pause
Jay shares that “Sama” has multiple meanings, with his favorite being togetherness, equality, and community. Radhi adds that people messaged her about meanings in different languages, including “oneness,” tying the brand to both community and self-connection.
- •Jay connects Sama to togetherness, equality, and community
- •Radhi highlights “oneness” and the idea of connecting with yourself without loneliness
- •They describe tea as a way to press pause, be still, and be mindful
- •They chose the name because it feels calm, still, and relaxing
Family tea traditions and why warmth makes tea comforting
Radhi shares how tea after meals was a core family ritual filled with laughter, jokes, and coziness, especially meaningful now that she’s away from family. Jay recalls childhood tea moments with his mother and notes tea’s role in his life, including during his time living as a monk.
- •Radhi describes post-meal tea as a family tradition and source of comfort and memory
- •She explains her family didn’t really drink coffee or alcohol—tea was the shared beverage
- •Jay recounts tea with his mom after daycare and weekend chai with biscuits
- •Jay frames tea as more than a product—an aid for mindfulness and presence
- •They discuss how hot tea slows you down compared to quickly gulping a cold drink
Working together: strengths, differences, and respecting boundaries
They reflect on what the collaboration revealed about their personalities and relationship dynamics. Radhi admires Jay’s proactive, “all-in” approach, while Jay describes how their differences work because they respect each other rather than trying to change each other.
- •Radhi says Jay figures things out quickly, thinks big, and commits fully
- •They discuss drawing lines between work and personal time to avoid friction
- •Jay says couples get along by not thinking the same—and respecting who the partner is
- •They talk about not trying to “fix” traits that are tied to what you love about your partner
- •Radhi describes herself as more idea-heavy and needing support to execute, while Jay drives completion
The team behind Sama and the iterative tea-tasting process
They credit co-founders and a broader team for making Sama possible and for raising the quality bar. They describe multiple rounds of blend testing and “tea tasting parties” where the team gathered to steep, sample, and document feedback until the teas met their standards.
- •They praise co-founders Kim and James as kind, humble, and collaborative
- •They mention additional team members and partners who supported design and development
- •Radhi says experts helped refine blends, proportions, and adaptogen decisions
- •They describe extensive iterations (multiple versions of each blend) to avoid mediocrity
- •Jay describes group tastings with written feedback as a community-driven process
Branding evolution: making it vibrant and authentic instead of “too sleek”
Radhi explains that early branding felt sophisticated and beautiful but didn’t feel like them. They chose to pivot toward a vibrant, fun identity that feels like an extension of their personalities and makes sharing the brand feel natural.
- •Radhi says she initially tried to create an “elevated” version that didn’t reflect them
- •They felt the first look lacked fun, excitement, and personal energy
- •They decided the brand should feel vibrant—like a party when someone receives it
- •Jay emphasizes a broader lesson: infuse projects with authentic energy so they’re easier to share
Pivoting without guilt: sunk cost bias and normalizing detours
They discuss how hard it is to change course after investing time and effort, and name “sunk cost bias” as the trap. Radhi and Jay reframe pivots, U-turns, and detours as expected parts of any journey rather than signs of failure.
- •They describe realizing the initial branding “wasn’t us” and choosing to change it
- •Jay names sunk cost bias as the reason people stick with choices they no longer like
- •They argue that shifting can restore care and excitement for the product
- •Radhi says side roads and U-turns should be treated as normal parts of building something
- •They highlight setting an expectation that the path won’t be perfectly smooth
Protecting the relationship: defining personal vs professional conversations
Jay and Radhi explain that building with a partner can create friction when one person feels they’re always chasing the other for tasks. They describe the importance of setting boundaries, clarifying roles and weaknesses, and labeling conversations as “work time” or “personal time.”
- •They recommend setting boundaries and expectations before building with a partner
- •Radhi suggests mapping strengths/weaknesses and identifying gaps that may require support
- •Jay shares frustration when he felt he had to remind Radhi about tasks and emails
- •They emphasize not nagging a partner during personal time
- •They credit these boundaries with helping Sama bring them closer rather than create conflict
Tea lineup walkthrough: blends, flavors, and why adaptogens were added
Radhi walks through the teas and the intention behind each one, tying names to desired feelings and ingredients. She reiterates what adaptogens are and explains their approach: start with how they want people to feel, then flavor, then the adaptogen to match.
- •Radhi explains their process: desired feeling first, flavor second, adaptogen third
- •Awaken & Energize (Earl Grey) includes reishi mushroom for mind focus/brain health (as described)
- •Calm & Relax includes chamomile with lavender and rose, plus tulsi for soothing and harmony
- •Jasmine Peach includes green tea, raspberry leaf, and shatavari; Radhi describes shatavari as supportive and nourishing
- •Mint & Blueberry includes ashwagandha; Radhi links it to focus and attentiveness
Using tea to shape your day: routines, sensory cues, and language shifts
They describe drinking different teas across the day and how scent and warmth can quickly shift a mood into a slower, calmer state. They also discuss how the tea names reinforce intentional self-talk, replacing statements like “I’m tired” with more constructive language.
- •Jay describes choosing different teas for morning, midday, and evening needs
- •They mention including a menu card suggesting what teas to have when
- •They emphasize tea as a sensory experience—smell and sipping slow you down
- •Radhi says choosing a tea is like telling yourself what you want to feel next
- •Jay discusses changing self-talk from “I’m tired” to planning rest and re-energizing
Launching a heart-led product: balancing authenticity with selling
Radhi shares that the biggest challenge is promoting something she loves without it feeling overly salesy, since it’s still a product people buy. Jay agrees, adding that the work involved makes it only worth doing when you truly care, and Radhi says she wants customers to feel it’s money well spent.
- •Radhi says she underestimated how much work goes into building a brand
- •She describes the tension between heartfelt sharing and the reality of selling a product
- •Jay says the effort required would be pointless without genuine care and love for the product
- •They acknowledge uncertainty and risk when launching something new
- •Radhi emphasizes putting in maximum effort so buyers feel it was worth it
Jay’s “three things” framework, a playful “tea-off,” and rapid-fire final five
Jay shares a personal framework of doing something he loves, something he’s learning, and something he’s launching each year, and describes Sama as both learning and launching. They then do a short tea-pun game and finish with rapid-fire questions about boundaries, favorite flavors, future ideas, and what excites them most about Sama.
- •Jay describes his yearly pattern: love, learning, and launching
- •He says exploring new industries expands his understanding and compassion
- •They do a quick “tea-off” exchanging tea-related wordplay
- •In rapid fire, they name challenges of working with a spouse and keeping personal/pro boundaries
- •They share favorite flavors and ideas for future seasonal blends, and excitement about community and self-connection

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