What's it like running a business by yourself?

The Small Business administration defines a small business as a business with no more than 1500 employees and and revenue that doesn’t exceed $41.5 million. I wanted to put in perspective the actual definition to all the businesses like mine that are also called a small business.
To me, a business with the above description seems HUGE not small. But it shows the comparison the company described above has to major corporations. I think it’s important to share this because there are a lot of misconceptions about small businesses or owning your own business.

There are many incredible aspects to running Tea Thoughts that I feel so fortunate about and I want to go over them and then share the flip side.

1. Making my own schedule: I’m not constrained to someone else’s schedule. I can easily fit in things I like/need to do like chores or working out. It feels very freeing and definitely less stressful. I get to meet my mom for lunch if I want or participate in an event during the day. Perhaps one of the most important things is being able to vend at certain events that I couldn’t before because I would have had to use vacation days.
   
   The flip side is that I don’t really ever feel off the clock. I feel like I need to respond to people via email and social media immediately. I’m in a stage where this feels essential because I need to keep customers happy and also get orders in. Obviously, I do take time and have gone on vacations but even then it is difficult for me to feel ok in unplugging. Early in the morning or late at night, if there is something I need to do, there isn’t really an excuse not to. During the day I will likely take work breaks to cook, clean or run errands which means I make up the time later. This allows a lot of flexibility but also makes it feel like I work from the moment I get up right up until the moment I get ready for bed.
   

2. Being my own boss: This is related to #1 but stands on it’s own. You can probably relate to having a boss that you maybe don’t see eye to eye with or someone above you that you don’t feel appreciated your work or ideas. As my own boss, if I want to do something, I can just do it without needing anyone’s approval but my own. It is a new level of freedom to be able to explore creative ideas that someone else maybe doesn’t like. I think this has benefitted my shop and my own art/creative projects. It shortens the time to accomplish things in some ways because I don’t have to get approval and can start on a project right away. If I mess something up, I don’t have someone else lecturing me, that’s up me to alone.
   
   The downside to being my own boss is also that there is no one else. I don’t have a team to rely on, I don’t have someone who has slightly more responsibility than me. I have the freedom to do what I want but I am also responsible for the outcome 100% no matter what it is. If there is an issue, I can’t delegate to anyone except myself. This often feels a little stressful and sometimes lonely as well. While I am able to do whatever I like, I also don’t have any help except for google. Everything I’ve built has been from my own researching and learning. While that does have an empowering feeling it has also been incredibly difficult at times. The last part is that because I’m my own boss, I am extremely hard on myself. In many ways, I feel as though my self worth is tied to the success of the shop.
   

3. I’m very lucky to run my own business: I AM very lucky. There are many things that needed to align for me to take this leap and they happened. Every morning when I wake up and open my laptop to start tasks, I can’t believe that I am still able to do this and for now, I will continue to do so. It feels like a dream come true that I get to do something that despite some difficulties, I truly enjoy. I think back to how unhappy I was in other jobs and try to stay as humble and as grateful as possible that I don’t have to work those jobs anymore. It’s not just about freedom, it’s also about control. Running Tea Thoughts allows me to feel a sense of control in my life that I didn’t have before. I feel like I’m building something meaningful where even when I was doing meaningful work, it wasn’t really mine. Tea Thoughts is truly mine and the opportunity to build something of my own is very special.
   
   It’s hard to show the flip side of this but there are some drawbacks. There is nothing guaranteed with Tea Thoughts, I am still at a stage where it could easily all end with a few bad months. While I am happier, I don’t have as many safeguards and I’m doing things day by day, week by week and month by month. Things can get very tight. While I am happy, it can sometimes be difficult for others to understand my choice of profession. It can be hard to turn down invitations from friends and family when I have a lot of work to do. It can be hard to get people to take me seriously instead of just as a “cute little shop.” I am grateful that most of my friends and family are very supportive.
   
   I wanted to share these things with you not to complain, but to be real. I think it’s important to stay true to me and I think that is possible while staying professional. I also have become friends with many of you so I feel comfortable to share.
   
   My advice is that if you’d like to start your own business, do it! But don’t expect it to be easy, you have to really love it because it’s a lot of work. In the near future, I will be offering a guide (for US shops) who want to get started. I helped a friend who opened an Etsy shop recently and it was really fun and rewarding to share my knowledge with her.
   
   I also kept this relatively brief but wanted to know, is there anything you want to know about what it’s like running Tea Thoughts? If you have a question you’d like me to answer, leave a comment and I will respond!
   
   As always, thank you so much for your support of Tea Thoughts! My business wouldn’t be what it is without you!

Small Business Spotlight: Chai Affairs

Being a first generation Iranian American was an interesting experience. While there were other Iranians in Maryland where I grew up, there were not a lot. It was quite normal for me to be the only Iranian kid in any given school I attended. When I was younger I didn’t understand why other kids didn’t eat the same foods, or speak farsi or celebrate Nowruz. At times It felt very isolating. Whenever I met another person who shared my same culture and experience it was so exciting. This still holds true and so I was overjoyed to connect with Mona and be able to relate to her!

Mona, like me grew up drinking tea and while I’ve chosen to share this passion through Tea Thoughts, she has started Chai Affairs! I was really excited to purchase some ingredients from her because she had things that reminded me so much of my childhood like limoo amani! This is also something I cook with and had never really tried brewing but loved make a tea with it! I also love that she is sharing this and some not as well known ingredients to non-Iranians!

Learn more about Mona and Chai Affairs!
Make sure to check out the Chai Affairs shop as well!

Can you introduce yourself and Chai Affairs? 
With pleasure! My name is Mona, and I'm the creator and face behind Chai Affairs. 

At Chai Affairs, I sell a variety of herbal ingredients that are quite popular in Iranian households but still unique for non-Iranians. The concept of my brand is to allow customers to experience these unique ingredients with all their senses, experiment in creating their personalized Tea blends, and share it with their loved one's. It's really an experience in a Box! Customers can choose to purchase our pre-designed Tea sets and also individual ingredients.

When was your first experience with tea?
Tea has been at the center of everyday life and every memory for me since childhood. It's been in my blood since infancy! In Persian culture, Tea is the first thing we offer to anyone visiting our home. When you wake up, your morning breakfast starts with Tea. If you're a guest, you're offered Tea before anything else. If you're in a stressful state, Tea is the first offering to relieve your stress…It's safe to say that if you enter a Persian household, no matter the circumstance, you will not leave without drinking a cup of Tea!

What is your daily tea ritual like?
I generally drink between 3-4 cups of Tea per day (but let's be honest, it can definitely go beyond that on some days!)

I always start my morning sipping on a hot cup of Black Tea, a habit that's stuck with me since childhood. I'm usually sitting on the floor in my work room, soaking up the morning sunlight. My morning Tea ritual is only a couple minutes long, but that time to myself allows me to be present, reflect, and set my intentions for the day. It makes all the difference in how I start my day.

I then prepare another cup of Tea before noon, usually a new Green Tea that I'm eager to try. This is often during a short work break, so it's more of a quick preparation and sipping away while working again.
I always end my work day with a cup of Tea, and my choice of Tea depends on how my day passed. I find that last cup so soothing and an appropriate transition into my personal time.

What was the inspiration to start Chai Affairs?
Chai Affairs was born from my love for Tea, a desire to build connections with people and cultures across the globe over Tea, and a yearning to explore a creative medium where I can connect to my Persian roots.

I'm definitely not a Tea expert and every day is a journey in learning something new about Tea. At Chai Affairs I want people to feel free in familiarizing themselves with different ingredients that they can add to any daily Tea they have at home to make it a bit more special for themselves and their preferences. 

The conversations I've had over a cup of Tea are some of my most cherished memories. I wanted to bring back this experience, especially in a time where we are more virtually connected, but also socially disconnected from one another. My vision is to have people engage in conversation while using my products, curating for themselves, and building deep connections over Tea.

The name 'Chai Affairs' was also born from this desire to instill deeper connections between people through conversations, just like they used to exchange ideas in 17th century Salon de thé conversations.

How do you weave aspects of your culture into your products?
I would say the whole vision and concept of how the ingredients are to be used is inspired by my Iranian culture and how Tea is prepared. Traditionally, Iranians will drink Black Tea as a staple, but to make their tea even more special, they will add complimentary ingredients (such as the one's found in Chai Affairs) to enhance the flavor of their brew. Through Chai Affairs, I try to bring this whole experience to customers through the customized kits.

Other intricate details such as the stationary and product packaging is also inspired by my love for geometric art and architecture, which is a common traditional art in Iran.

What do you have currently in the shop that you're most excited about?
My favorite product is definitely the pre-customized Tea kits since they include a nice variety of our more unique ingredients and it allows customers to get the full Chai Affairs experience in a box.

Do you have any upcoming products or projects that you want to share? 
Chai Affairs is still very young, and I'm very ambitious! I have a lot of plans in the pipeline which I hope can come to fruition soon!

Other than optimizing the current products and website to improve customer experience, I'm hoping to release my new Tea Blend this summer. Creating Tea Blends was never the goal, but I've received a lot of positive feedback on the blend I've been creating for myself and I would love to share it with the world!  

I'm also working on a few collaborative projects towards the second half of 2022, so more on that to be shared later in the year!

Client Spotlight: Yoga Tea Poetry

I’m changing up the normal spotlight with something new! I had the pleasure of completing a design project for my friend Taniya over at Yoga Tea Poetry! I am honored that she chose me to bring her idea to life through my design and I’m excited to share the result with you and more about Taniya!

This process was amazing, not just because I got to work with someone I already know well but because It was an incredible experience being able to create something that Taniya enjoyed and is now going to have available in her shop! Designing for someone else can be difficult because communicating a vision isn’t always simple. One of the best parts of this project is that when she communicated her ideas, something clicked for me instantly which isn’t always the case. I’m grateful to have been able to give my designing skills a test and provide a way for Taniya to share more of her beautiful words with the world!

Read more about the project below and please check out Taniya’s website!
Direct Link to the Pin
Direct Link to the Sticky Notes

I am hoping to create more designs for tea themed businesses, so if you’re interested please check out my page to learn more!

Can you please introduce yourself and YogaTeaPoetry?

Hi! I am Taniya, I live in the suburbs of Toronto, Canada. I was born and raised in India, and moved to Canada by myself when I was 17. I love travelling, and tea! I manage my anxiety and try to stay connected to my inner being by learning different yoga and mindfulness techniques. I started YogaTeaPoetry during the pandemic as a way to connect with others who love Yoga, Tea, and/ or poetry, and it has organically grown and connected me with so many lovely beings! I now use it as a way to share some of my work with others, and also offer a few products inspired by poetry.

What was your first experience with poetry and what inspired you to start writing your own?

My very first experience with poetry was definitely nursery rhymes, if those count, but I do remember writing stories and maybe even poems when I was 6-8 years old. I participated in a poetry writing competition at my school in grade 5, and won an award. I think that validation made me realize that the words spilling out of me maybe had some power that I was yet to realize. I haven't always had the privilege to be able to express myself openly growing up in a very patriarchal society, so poetry has become the way I express myself. I find it extremely healing to read and write poetry.

Where do you feel tea and poetry intersect in your life?

I feel that tea allows me to slow down in this rather busy world, which then helps me appreciate the little joys of life, and the beauty in everyday things. And that's where poetry comes from :)

Where do you find the most inspiration for your writing?

A lot of my writing is inspired by human interactions, things that are never said but felt, and also a lot from nature :)

Set the scene for us, how do you enjoy writing the most? Is there a specific place or environment that fosters your words best?

I love writing when the rest of the world around me is either sleeping or barely awake to start their day. Some of my favorite poems have been written at 3am in the morning when instead of sleeping, I scramble to find my phone and open the notes app to write the words down before they disappear. My dream writing spot would be a cabin somewhere on a mountain, with a candle or incense lit, light music playing, and some tea by my side :)

Why did you decide to bring these words to life through the unfurling leaf design?

I am so glad you asked! I have been thinking a lot about how a lot of us spend so much of our lives not fully realizing who we truly are. Once we find our voice and our people, there is no stopping us! The words in this design came from a poem I wrote called "Sorry, Not Sorry" and it summarizes a lot of the things I have apologized for over the years when I didn't really have to, when I wasn't really sorry. I tend to drink a lot more Oolong tea than anything else, so while watching the leaves unfurl, and take up the space they rightfully deserve, the inspiration for this idea was born. Now, I cannot draw, but I am grateful to know another tea-lover who did such a FANTASTIC job in taking my very minimal description, and brought the idea to life!

Is there anything you want to share about this poem that the excerpt of words on the design is from?

It is a very personal piece, and I do want to publish it some day. I will share a short excerpt which I hope will resonate with many others too!

"... to tell you the truth
I am not sorry
for the         space             I take
for standing up for myself
for not wanting to follow traditions blindly
...

I am not sorry 
that I exist"

What are your hopes for your writing?

My hope is to continue writing and connecting with others who might be going through similar experiences in life, so we all feel a little less lonely, and a lot more connected :)

Small Business Spotlight: My Tea Places

One of the best parts about social media is the constant uncovering of people and businesses that you feel connected to you! I’m excited to share about another tea shop that I found through instagram, My Tea Places! I purchased some tea from this lovely shop and now want to share more about them with you! Please check out the interview below and to check out their shop, head over here.

Can you introduce yourself and My Tea Places?

I am Luz Boys, the founder of My Tea Places. I live in Northern California with my husband Garrett and our Chief Feline Officer, Geneva. We are passionate about traveling, exploring, and enjoying great teas. Our mission at My Tea Places is to offer premium teas from different tea-producing places around the world, highlighting the unique story of each tea and place.

When was your first experience with tea?

My love for tea first started during my childhood, while drinking herbal tisanes such as lemon leaves, chamomile, and cinnamon with my family. In college, my passion for tea blossomed. I often stayed up late writing research papers accompanied by a fresh cup of tea. Around the same time, I also found an interest in Chinese culture, which only fueled my curiosity for tea and the culture that surrounds it.

What is your daily tea ritual like?

My tea ritual varies from day to day depending on how much time I can devote to it. First, I like to choose a tea set for preparing the tea. I have quite the collection and some are only reserved for certain types of teas, like oolongs. If I have enough time, then I will usually select a gongfu-style tea set. If my time is more limited, then I prefer an easy gaiwan with a sharing teapot. I like to maximize the enjoyment of tea, so I do like having multiple infusions and sharing some with my husband. My cat likes to tag along as well. If the day is nice, I’ll usually sit outside to take it all in. My tea routine keeps me balanced, so I try to prioritize it every day.

What was the inspiration to start My Tea Places?

The inspiration to start My Tea Places was a culmination of many moments, experiences, and passions. Some of the most meaningful moments and conversations in my life have happened around a cup of tea. When I reflect on these moments, I’m warmed by the memories of the people that I shared them with. Because of this, tea holds a special place close to my heart. This led me to start collecting and learning more about tea, growing my passion for it! Some of my other interests have been in learning about people, places, languages, and cultures across the globe. It is one of the reasons why I completed my master’s degree in International Relations. I speak several languages and have traveled to Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Ultimately, My Tea Places represents the overflow of my combined passions. I always thought I’d start a Tea Company at some point later in my life, but in 2018 I felt compelled to start realizing that dream, following a Mandarin course I was taking at the time. This led me to the Pacific Northwest Tea Festival in Seattle, then completing the Tea Specialist certification from the World Tea Academy, and participating in a tea business incubator program at the World Tea Expo in 2019. And with much perseverance, I was able to launch My Tea Places in August of 2020. I’ve met so many great people along the way. The tea community is amazing!

What is your curation process like when selecting teas for the shop?

When I first started My Tea Places, I told my husband, “If I don’t sell the tea, then I’ll drink it all myself”. We laugh about this regularly, because it is true, I would drink them all, but it also speaks to my ultimate qualifier of what teas make it into our store or not. The tea has to consistently win me over before I’m convinced to offer it. When evaluating a tea, I have a detailed cupping process where I examine everything from the quality of the tea leaves to the aroma and flavor. I take notes because I will do this process many times and refer back to other tastings. I also do extensive research on the place the tea is sourced from and make sure I’m building a friendship with a reputable supplier that is invested in both sustainable cultivation practices and the well-being of the tea community in the region. I look to my supplier to provide me with detailed information related to the cultivar, crop, and process as well as some of the relevant cultural history or practices. This helps me be able to tell the story of the tea to my clients, particularly during our fun and informative Virtual Tea Experiences.

What do you have currently in the shop that you're most excited about?

I am excited about every tea in our shop. I really could drink them every day. Most recently, we launched our Himalayan Tea Collection with teas from Nepal and India this month. They are amazing! We also have a Tea For Ukraine campaign going on to help World Central Kitchen provide meals to people and pets affected by the war in Ukraine and in neighboring countries. Our Chief Feline Officer, Geneva will match the percentage we will be donating from each tea we sell. We are also encouraging people to donate directly to World Central Kitchen and help in any way they can. This is a crucial time in the world and we want to use our platform to help.

Do you have any upcoming products or projects that you want to share?

I’m looking forward to a few new creative projects that are coming in the future. While they are still in the works, I have to keep them a secret, but if anyone would like to be the first to know, I recommend they subscribe to our mailing list at myteaplaces.com. We typically release certain limited edition teas only to subscribers, since they sell out quickly and we may have a limited amount.

Tea Thoughts Turns 6!

Where did it all start?

It’s hard to believe but I started Tea Thoughts almost 6 years ago! It was May 2016 and I took the leap to finally start an etsy shop. It’s something that I had wanted to do all throughout college but was scared and intimidated by what came with starting a shop. By this point, I had been writing a little on my blog for a few months and decided to have both the blog and the shop.

My shop was called Tea Thoughts Shop, but at the start it didn’t really involve too many tea related items. I was doing a whole range of things that helped satisfy my creative itch. I created custom paintings, calligraphy pieces and even did some wedding items like place cards. I also started making cards by hand, mostly using tombow pens. These cards had tea puns on them and eventually I decided to do more tea themed items to match my blog.

You can see some of the designs I created, I’ve always loved a good pun! I love looking at these photos to show myself how far I’ve come in my designing and lettering skills but am still super proud of what I created back then too.

Running a business of any type is a lesson in research. I was looking up so many different things and teaching myself whatever I thought would help me be more successful. I would watch every free webinar about social media and blogging. Eventually, I taught myself how to use illustrator and started doing more digital designs. Going down this path helped me create designs that I could print on items at a larger scale. One of my first projects was pins! I always enjoyed collecting pins and since they had seemed to come back in popularity, I gave it a try.

Below are a few more shots of my earlier products and first attempts at digital designs!

As time passed I continued exploring new ways to create things for tea lovers and have grown my product offering significantly. Over these last few years, I’ve accomplished many of my goals but because I am still not quite where I want to be I haven’t really celebrated my Shop Birthday all these years. I think a few times, I might have done a sale but seeing how other shops recognize their Shop Birthdays as a big deal made me realize something. It IS a big deal. I SHOULD celebrate another year where I’m still running Tea Thoughts. You know when you’re younger and teachers ask you what you want to be when you grow up? I didn’t know it then but this is that path. I want to be running Tea Thoughts and I AM! So I want to take more time to recognize this!

Lessons Learned

I’ve learned many lessons throughout running Tea Thoughts and I’m honestly still learning all the time but here are some really important things I want to share especially to those who may want to start their own business.

• You’ll be surprised what you can google : Pretty much everything I’ve learned from illustrator to setting up an LLC was found through google searches. If you have other resources, great! But if not, there are so many resources free and available.

• Stay True to yourself : In the world of social media and trends, this is really difficult but I think there is always a way to keep parts of yourself when following a trend. The most important thing to remember is that there are no other yous and that is your greatest asset in all aspects of life! It’s also personally easier to relate to someone who I find to be genuine.

• Be Kind : Everyone you interact with is going through their own struggles and you may not know it so I find it best to approach everything gently and with kindness when possible. Put good into the world. Help others when you are able. One thing I realized is that there aren’t many people out there who are willing to take a chance on you which is why I try to support other businesses whenever I can because it’s what I would have loved when I started out and even now!

• Under Promise, Over Deliver : In terms of my business, this is probably one of the best pieces of advice I can give. When you say you’re going to send one product but maybe you’re able to include something for free or customize it in some way, do it. It’s a small effort that will go a long way and it always feels good to have a customer who is happy with their order!

How am I celebrating?

To celebrate, I will be releasing one product on May 5th. This is a special product that I think truly encompasses my progress and my roots in terms of tea. In Persian households, you’ll likely see tea being brewed from morning until evening. You will find the brewing vessel to be a modern version of the samovar in most cases, two tea pots on top of each other. The bottom teapot is a larger metal kettle and the top teapot is a smaller ceramic teapot. Sometimes both teapots are metal but growing up, the top was usually ceramic. These teapots all have a similar shape, short and round with the sides jutting out a bit. They often are lighter glazed or white and more often than not will have some floral designs. You can also read more about my tea roots here.

What will be in the shop birthday release?

In honor of this teapot, I created my own floral version and had totebags printed with them! Besides the design being fitting to my tea roots, this totebag is something I would have only dreamed of having in my shop when I first started! Products like these often have a larger minimum order and cost per piece and it just wasn’t a reality for me when I started. This totebag signifies to me the progress I’ve made and it’s also really cool! The totebag has two types of straps, an outide and inside pocket and a zipper! Due to the complicated nature of the design, these are digitally printed. Digital printing is more eco friendly but the toss up is that if you wash the bag often, the design will fade over time.
Birthday Special!
-As part of the special release, if you purchase a totebag, you will also get a free matching pin with the same teapot design.
-I will also be including a tea gift in the first 15 orders of the totebag! So far I have tea from white2tea, teawala, bitterleaf teas and the qi for these prizes! My Tea Places has also kindly offered to sponsor some tea !

How can you celebrate with me?

1. If you read this post, let me know what you thought ! Leave a comment or just say hi!

2. Share with any fellow tea lovers, this post or any information about the Shop Birthday

3. If you’d like to support the shop directly, you can purchase a tote bag on May 5th

April Shop Update Preview!

How is it almost April already?! In many ways I felt like the start of 2022 was steadily moving on and I was grateful for the time but now it feels like it’s moving at lightspeed! I’m in a difficult spot shop update wise because April won’t have as much of a pulled together theme as some of the other months.

I have so many projects in the works that will be releasing later this summer/fall that April will be a shop update of a few items that have surprised me and came in early! But just so you have a look ahead, here are some of the things that are in the works to be released for the rest of the year:

• 4 new pairs of socks

• 2 zipper pouches

• Tiger Gaiwan Pin

• Tea tins

• Wood Coasters

• Countdown to Summer & Coutndown to Fall & Countdown to Winter /Advent

• 2 new wax stamps

There are several other items I want to design but they haven’t been started yet (ex. 2 more rings), all items listed have been started or already on their way to me!

Ok, now back to April. While these items don’t have an overarching theme to connect them, I am so excited about them anyway! So far, this shop update will include enamel mugs, tea leaf ring and a metal moon gaiwan bookmark!

ENAMEL MUGS
These enamel mugs or “camper” mugs as you may have seen them be called are an item I wanted to bring to the shop for a while. Way back when, I had glass mugs and then I brought the highball glasses last year. I wanted to bring a mug that was able to take a colorful print and that isn’t as breakable as glass! I also wanted to bring something everyone can enjoy regardless of where you are on your tea journey.

These mugs will have two designs but 3 versions.
Designs 1- Tea leaves with tiny, yellow osmanthus flowers. The body of the mug is white with yellow on the rim and handle
Design2- The terrarium design. Version one is on a mug with a white body and silver rim. Version 2 is on a white mug with blue on the rim and handle.

TEA LEAF RING
This is a ring that features an open body, green stone and leaf all designed by me! My thinking was to have something simple and elegant with a small pop of color with the green. The difficulty with rings is that everyone wears different sizes and as I am still a very small shop it would be difficult to purchase tons of different sizes at this time. I opted for a ring that is resizable. Just as it is, the ring is a size 6 but it can be pinched closed slightly to be a size 5 or opened slightly to be a size 7. It seemed like 6 was one of the most common ring sizes which is why I chose it and the resizable nature allowed it to encompass 2 other sizes as well.
The ring is made of stainless steel. I chose this because after doing a little research it seemed that stainless steel can be very durable as well as cost effective. I wanted this ring to be accessible for everyone as well as having it look it’s best for as long as possible!

MOON GAIWAN BOOKMARK
I was reading a book one day and thought about how many of you I have interacted with that are avid readers and I decided to give a bookmark a try. I have had paper bookmarks in the shop but wanted to try out something else. These bookmarks aren’t unwieldy at the small size of 2 in X 2 in and are made of copper so they have a really nice color. They all come with a white tassel and they are modeled after the moon gaiwan!

One Month In

Happy 2022!

December marks the first month of me working Tea Thoughts full time and I wanted to write some reflections about it! If you were unaware, at the end of November I left my full time job for a number of reasons. Instead of diving right back into the job search I decided to give Tea Thoughts full time a chance to see if I could make it work. Coming off of a pretty successful October update it seemed feasible if I could keep it up!

There were a few things that I was hoping for in running Tea Thoughts full time - time, growth and happiness.

Time

Working any job is time consuming. You end work or come home from the office and feel as though there are little hours in the day left. I was using my free time to work on tea thoughts in addition to answering emails during the day and posting on social media. Any holiday with time off or a weekend was exciting because I had the entire day to work on the shop. Going full time I knew that I would still be busy but I planned on giving myself more of a break and not work into the nights and weekends. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen in December. I was really anxious to make my first full month count and also had a few holiday markets planned that would take up nights and weekends.

I am a creature of habit and like to create a routine to stick to. My days usually start at 6 or 630 with meditation and/or a workout depending on whether it’s a rest day or not then I get into the good stuff. Sometimes I may take an hour or so during the day to see a family member or run and errand but then I am back at it until it’s time for afternoon tea break and cooking dinner. As I’ve expanded the shop and it’s products I do have several manufacturers that I communicate with in China and due to the time difference I am usually up later at night to be able to capture some time with them. On the weekends is when I thought I would take more of a break and I have. I still do work that needs to be done like photos, content, designs etc but am more willing to use the day to hang out with my loved ones. This is hampered still with covid so I am probably glued to my computer more than I normally would be. Moving forward, I hope to set stricter boundaries and allow myself more rest once I get in the rhythm of things.

Growth

January is a notoriously slow month for sales which makes sense because everyone is exhausted from the holidays. I can’t exactly measure my growth just yet because I need more time to pass. I will report again after this month or maybe next! The main goal of growth though would be that because I have more time to work on my shop, I can get more done. I can share about my products more. I can get my products in more shops and produce more products in general and slowly grow to a more sustainable size!

Happiness

I won’t go into specific reasons but I was unhappy at my job and it was having real consequences. It was affecting me mentally and physically so I needed to make this decision for myself. I was hoping that while running a business is stressful in it’s own ways that how I felt would improve. I am happy to report that after a full month, I can’t remember the last time I was this happy. I will admit that the holidays might have contributed to this. The happiness feels more like a freedom. Stresses still exist but they are different and I have more control over them. I feel fortunate to be in this position. I can run an errand when needed, take time when needed etc. The issues I’m dealing with are my own and not from others. Most important, I feel as though I‘ve worked myself to the bone the last several years trying my best to build up Tea Thoughts and I’m finally getting a real chance at it. I don’t know what the future holds but I’m grateful already for the short time I’ve had. It was a mental reset that I needed. I feel like my work wasn’t wasted. I have so many projects brewing and everyday I wake up with a grateful heart and determined mind!

I hope to continue to be able to share more on social media and on the blog about the shop and behind the scenes.

Thanks for coming along on this journey with me!

Small Business/Creator Spotlight: Tea With Jann

Today, I am sharing a dear friend that I’ve had the pleasure of connecting with over the last few years, Jann! You all probably have at least seen Jann’s wonderful Youtube videos or gorgeous tea cup collection! Jann is such a lovely person and you can watch her videos and just feel the happy vibes!

Jann also recently started a shop where she sells her lovely designs and a wonderful Brew Kindness box. I was able to grab one in here last release!

Check out all the goodies I got: Brew Kindness Box

You can also check Jann’s shop and I highly suggest heading over to her Youtube Channel for Vlogmas! Jann is currently posting 2 videos a day opening and tasting teas from all her tea advents!

Check out the questions below that Jann kindly answered to get to know her a little more!

1) Can you give us a little introduction about you/ Tea with Jann?

Sure! My name is Jann and I love creating a welcoming community while making videos about tea and sharing bits of my life on YouTube.  I live in a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada with my wife, Jeanette and our kitty, Gary. 

I have memory issues from a stroke, so often times it’s like tasting new teas all the time (silver lining) ;) 

2) When did you start drinking tea? 

I had consistently started drinking tea when I started working at an office when I was 17. I wanted the ability to take a break, while my coworkers would reach for coffee or cigarettes (wasn’t into either of those), so I searched out tea. Barely dunking a teabag into the hot water, but having that moment to leave my desk, watch the kettle boil, and wrap my hands around the warm mug was such a comfort. 

3) What inspired you to start Tea with Jann and the Brew Kindness Box?

I started Tea with Jann as a place to share my love of antiques, tea, and technology. I chose YouTube and video as a method for my need to be creativity and as a way to challenge myself, while looking for a place of community that anyone could feel welcome and comfortable. 

I have a collection of my own teacups, turquoise Aynsleys, and I love them. I also love searching out other teacups and wares. I love chatting with the previous owners, or imagining the cups life prior to me finding it. I wanted to bring those cups into the life of someone that would love them again. That would use them again. That would give them purpose again. 

4) What does your personal tea ritual look like?

Hmm, that can change everyday, so perhaps it’s not so much of a ritual. Sometimes it’s a quick morning cup with breakfast, others it’s a cold brew with lunch, or an evening cup to sooth my thoughts. 

Perhaps the only ritual is the first sip.  

5) Do you have a current favorite tea?

I have three tea containers that are on our kitchen counter for the daily drinking favourites. One is dedicated to my wife’s tea, the other two for me.  While one of mine is always the same, the other one switches to my current obsession. For the past year it’s been The Silk Tea Co’s romantic floral blend called Desert Rose. It’s so soothing and calming for my evening cup. 

6) Do you have a process for curating the Brew Kindness Boxes? 

Since they are still a very new part of Tea with Jann, I do not. I’ve been thinking a lot of what I want to accomplish and how I want people to feel, and what that means to me. 

7) Is there anything upcoming for the holiday season or beyond for Tea with Jann that you're excited about and want to share? 

For the holidays I’m focussed on my Vlogmas series on my YouTube channel. Each year I have filled a box, adding a new tea or tea related product every day from December 1st to the 24th as an annual giveaway prize to my viewers. This year I’m excited to be working with tea business to fill a giant Brew Kindness Giveaway box for vlogmas!  I think I need a larger box, haha! 

As for the new year, I have a few ideas, but I think I need a hot cup of tea and some solo time to allow my ideas to steep. 

Tea Thoughts and BFCM

You may have noticed that I haven’t shared any sales coming up for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I’ve been running Tea Thoughts since 2016 and I have done these sales before. I did them because I felt I HAD to. I thought that if I didn’t participate, my customers would write me off and I would lose out. I felt like every year, I would read blog posts about from businesses and how amazing these shopping holidays were and that it would be silly not to participate. What I noticed however is that I ended up selling my product at a price that wasn’t good for my business. This was especially difficult when I was even smaller than I am now and had less products.

You’ve probably read that people inflate their prices so that they can afford these deep discounts. I can’t speak for other businesses but I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s like free shipping, I would make a bet most places that offer free shipping likely inflate the product prices to afford it because free shipping, even at a higher minimum is a killer!

Last year I decided that I would only participate in Small Business Saturday and I would provide deals that wouldn’t hurt me. The truth is, while my prices are likely higher than purchasing from a big brand it’s because I am ordering/making small amounts because I’m still growing versus their orders of thousands and thousands of pieces making the price per piece lower. I already try to provide prices that are fair and in line with other brands selling similar items whenever possible. I also have several volume discounts standard in my shop for things like stationery already. I try to also offer bundle deals now and again!

Deep discounts on an item or two for a flash sale is usually fine or if I really need to get rid of stock but discounting everything like 40% -60% or more would really hurt Tea Thoughts. So…I’m not going to do it!

I do love the spirit of Small Business Saturday though and I’ve decided to offer a couple deals as well as using my platform to raise up some of the small shops and retailers I’ve featured on my blog in the past!

As always, I appreciate your support! That includes orders, kind notes, encouragement, sharing my products and following along on my social channels!

If you need a gift for yourself or someone on your list and want a little treat, check out what will be happening on Small Business Saturday! None of these items will require a code but they are only valid for Saturday November 27th!

Nifty November Update

I’m back to talk about my November Shop Update, Nifty November!

Why nifty? Well, honestly, I like alliteration and I think a lot of the items are kind of nifty!

Mini Countdown Box

As you might know, the advent/winter countdown box sold out in ONE HOUR! This is insane. It certainly helped my fears about it selling that I always have but I know this was upsetting for a lot of people who wanted to box. In the aftermath, I had enough materials to make 5 extra somewhat smaller boxes and send them to those who claimed them first.

For this next update I am going to offer a limited run of mini countdown boxes. It will be 6 days that you can countdown to whatever day you want or open all at once. There will be one piece of teaware, a complete brewing vessel and 5 teas. The teas will be one of each: pu’er, black, oolong, white and green. All will be lovely for this time of year and all are purchased from some lovely vendors!

I do have enough penguin wrapping paper to wrap these up so you will get some penguin wrapping paper if you missed out on the advent!

These will be released on 11/19. There will only be 20 available and will cost $36.

Gold Plated Ear Cuff

I’ve had so much fun designing jewelry that I decided to try something new! I only have one piercing and it’s on my upper right ear. Often, I will wear an ear cuff on my left ear. Originally, I had my simple leaf design engraved on sterling silver ear cuffs but they ended up not showing up enough.

Since these are gold plated copper, I figured they would show up a lot better and they did! Since I still have all the silver ear cuffs, I will be including a free one of those with every order of an ear cuff while supplies lasts!

Cloud Gaiwan Stud Earrings

This year I came out with 2 new stud earring designs and I’m so excited to be able to bring you a gaiwan themed one. I was inspired to include clouds. I feel like clouds get a bad reputation, they’re often seen as something gloomy. They can be gloomy but they can also be so beautiful and I made these gaiwans light blue so that it looks like the clouds are floating in the sky. I hope you love these!

These are made with nickel free silver with stainless steel posts and measure 1 cm.

Cloth Pouch

A small addition to the shop will be these cloth pouches that you can get for $5 each. The are a softer cloth with a pocket, my logo and a string to tie it up. I think they would be great for storing jewelry !

New Packaging

As I design more jewelry, I wanted to create packaging that is a little bit nicer, keep the goods more secure and if you are gifting, make it a prettier gift! Earrings and ear cuffs will now be shipped in these white drawer boxes that are hot stamped with my logo in gold color!

Digital Journal

I’ve been playing around with designing a physical journal but have run into a lot of hurdles and am pushing it back to next year. In the meantime, I wanted to create something for those who are interested. While I am a lover of paper things, this will be a digital journal that you can download in PDF and either write into it if you have adobe or print pages out.

There will be:

-Tea Tasting pages (a few designs) based more on visual aspects like drawing the tea

-Self reflective journal prompts

-Lists to write what is in your stash and what is on your wish list!

Spider Tea Cup

THESE WILL BE BACK IN STOCK, YIPEEEE!