Today’s Notable Young Entrepreneurs are Laura and Mike of Tealish, who founded the loose-leaf tea boutique in 2005 to engage people in modern tea culture and offer Canadians some of the world’s finest tea selections…
Elevator Pitch: Describe your job in a nutshell?
MR: The real answer to that question is both our jobs encompass just about anything and everything to do with Tealish. We collaborate on everything, however each of us handles different areas of the business that suit our strengths. I do the majority of our behind the scenes things like sourcing, production, and packaging, and some front of house work as well like trade shows and sales.
LC: I am in charge of all creative aspects related to our marketing and branding. I also help oversee sales and handle most of the administrative back-end of Tealish, including inventory management, financial management, and so much more.
Why did you start working at your company? What was the inspiration for this career route?
LC: We founded Tealish in 2005 after a) falling totally in love with loose leaf tea, and b) realizing we both wanted to be entrepreneurs. We were young, driven and confident in our passion. We had a feeling tea was going to be the next big thing, so it was an easy choice.
MR: Our inspiration came from our own passion for tea, and our desire to engage people in modern tea culture. We found so many people were uneducated about quality tea, so we were inspired to provide a concept that allowed everyone and anyone to come in and learn about tea in the way we wanted to experience it – in a warm, modern, and aesthetically appealing environment that was based on amazing customer service and tea education.
What is the best part of what you do on a day-to-day basis? The most challenging part?
MR: The best part of what we do is getting to connect with customers; introducing them to our products and seeing them fall in love with a tea blend. Tea is so much more than just a drink, it’s a necessity of day-to-day life for so many people, and it’s great to hear when people are really appreciative of our products. The most challenging is probably balancing all of the different roles we play, and keeping up on our mile long to-do list.
LC: My favourite part of the day is working on product development and design. I love creating new products and figuring out the best way to present and package our teas so they tell the right story. The most challenging part of running our business is the constant flow of new tasks and to-dos. The bigger your business gets, the longer your list is going to be and it can be a real challenge to keep everything organized and prioritized.
What is one sign that you’ve seen over the years to suggest that your work/life balance is off?
MR: Hmmm… maybe the bags under my eyes?
LC: For me it’s when something little – something that’s not a big deal at all – stresses me out. That’s when I know it’s time to take a day off!
Where do you see yourself in five years?
LC: I see us carried in grocery stores and retail stores all over North America. I also might see a few more retail locations in there… you never know!
MR: Laura’s got it right. We’ve been at this for almost eight years, so five years from now we’re thinking big!
What is one major challenge that you’ve had to overcome in your career? How did you overcome it?
MR: I’d say working with my wife… just kidding, I love you! We’ve worked on so much together over the years, and had to make so many decisions, it’s been quite a journey! To really work well together, and to understand what the other person needs to thrive in such an intense environment, has taken time, but we love being able to collaborate on things together and see our joint visions come to life.
LC: Working with your partner is not always easy, but once you learn how to get it right, it’s awesome. If we were separately self-employed, we’d never see each other! For me, the challenge has been learning how to prioritize and make big decisions quickly. As an entrepreneur, you don’t always have the time or resources to research a project the way a large corporation has, so you need to really know what your vision is and how to implement your strategy quickly. Overcoming that was learning to trust my instincts, and trust the knowledge I have in our business and products.
What does success look like to you? Does Money = Happiness?
MR: No. Freedom = Happiness. In my opinion, being in control of your own time is more valuable than money.
LC: Feeling good about the life you are living = happiness. If you love your job, that love will filter into the rest of your life.
What is the most memorable milestone in your career?
There are a few, but the most recent was setting up a booth at the Fancy Food Show in NYC this past summer. That was a goal of ours for years, so to finally be there and have had such an amazing response was a pretty good feeling!
Do you have any advice for other young professionals?
MR: My advice is for entrepreneurs, which is to get ready to work way harder than you though you would! The early years are hard, and you absolutely need to commit yourself to a frugal lifestyle, sacrifice your personal life, and work tons of hours. Be realistic about this, and how hard it’s going to be. Then ask yourself if you are tough enough to endure 2, 5, 10 years of building your business. Then you might be ready to start!
LC: Listen carefully, believe in yourself, and, most of all, work hard. It’s all about having a positive attitude and not letting anything get you down.
Where is your favourite place to wine/dine in your city and why?
LC: If I want a wine and dine experience, I love the atmosphere at Campagnolo on Dundas St. The food is amazing and the last bottle of wine I had there was one of my all-time faves. If I’m going for something quick and yummy, it’s Golden Turtle on Ossington. They make the best Pho and spring rolls in the city!
MR: I’d have to say Caplansky’s Deli on College St. I love the whole vibe of the place, with funny t-shirts, a really nice owner, and, of course, incredible food. I recently saw legendary Canadian band Sloan play a benefit concert there so now it’s become way more than just a deli for me!
When you’re not working how do you love to spend your “Me” time?
MR: When I have a lot of time I like to cook big meals, and I love to spend time with my family, especially when there is tasty food involved! I also like to play hockey, and do anything that involves a beach!
LC: I love to spend time with my son, first and foremost. But if I’m having personal time (which rarely happens anymore!), I love to explore the city or go for a spa treatment. A little bit of pampering goes a long way.
Where is your favourite place to travel? Why?
MR: Israel – an incredible place with incredible food, really nice people, the best beaches I’ve ever seen, and tons of history at every turn.
LC: Paris. I’ve been trying to get back there for several years, it’s such an inspiring place. The food, the culture, the art and design… I love it all!
If you had to choose a theme song, what would it be?
MR: Eye of the Tiger.
LC: Anything by Feist.
If you weren’t doing what you’re doing, what would you be doing?
MR: Something creative and definitely something entrepreneurial – freelance travel writer maybe?
LC: Something in design – interior design, graphic design – or maybe buying for Anthropologie.
Do you support any charities? If so, which one(s) and why is that important to you?
LC: We support two main charities, Willow Breast Cancer Group and the Florence Booth House, a local women’s shelter down the road from our store. We also donate gift baskets to charities all the time, for local school and community events and for larger charity events.
What to you is notable?
The huge emergence of food allergies and sensitivities is so concerning. It’s amazing to see so many young food companies trying to combat the issue with healthy food and snack options. We had food sensitivity tests done a few years ago and it changed our lives!
Blackberry, iPhone, Android, or Other?
MR: Androiiiiiiiiiid!
LC: iPhone.
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