Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alexa Savard, co-owner of Good Medicine Tea, a tea company specializing in tea and herbal wellness blends located in Hood River, Oregon.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We are a tea company specializing in tea and herbal wellness blends that are a pleasure and adventure to drink. We get inspired by the enthusiasm for adventure our friends, family, and customers bring to our home base in Hood River, Oregon. The area has a vibrant farming community, and we’re always working to source local ingredients.
Tell us about yourself
I have been drinking tea since I was a small child, but it really became a passion when my husband and I were living in Taiwan in 2009. Sharing gongfu-style Taiwanese oolong became a weekly ritual with a group of friends, and I could not get enough.
I was an early employee at GMT. For four years, I worked blending teas with one of the founders (an herbalist). I got a hands-on education in the herbal wellness side of tea blending. In 2018, the founders asked if I'd like to purchase the business— my husband and I went for it and haven't looked back.
Now, I blend teas with a holistic view of the interplay between herbal wellness properties, quality of ingredients, and flavor. I love crafting teas that include not only powerful herbs but also taste amazing (or surprising, or weirdly delicious). One of my favorite things about tea is that you can make it your own in any way that you want.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Having work/life integration. (I hesitate to say "balance"— for me, it's more about bringing the two together). I work hard to create flexibility and stay adaptable. As a business owner, I have the luxury of choosing my priorities. Making time with my family (we have two small kids) and time to unplug are central priorities.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Leaving "work" at the office. It's so easy to just... keep working, keep thinking up marketing strategies and new products, write one more email at midnight. It takes constant effort and intention to turn off work.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find a partner/team with superpowers that complement yours.
- Keep in mind that even though this is your passion, you'll still have days when what you're doing (admin, accounting, letting someone go) is not what you want to be doing. Those feelings are normal and don't mean that you've lost your passion for the business.
- Find other business owners who can act as a support community— for collaboration, inspiration, and bounce ideas off each other.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.goodmedicinetea.com/
Instagram: @goodmedicinetea
Facebook: @goodmedicinetea
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/good-medicine-tea/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.