Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Andrew Moore, Co-Founder of Waisamama Guayusa Tea Co., located in Calgary, AL, CA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Waisamama is a Calgary-based business that brews organic and energizing beverages made from the Amazonian super leaf, guayusa. Our mission is to help preserve the Amazon rainforest by selling guayusa products that support sustainable farms and Kichwa farming communities in Ecuador. One of the things that I love about this business is the synergy between the Ecuadorian farming communities and our fellow Canadians. We pay the former 15% above Fairtrade standards, which helps these communities preserve their way of life. We make it into a product that we hope helps Canadians achieve their daily best.
Tell us about yourself
I first conceived of Waisamama as a burnt-out University student in my final year at UBC finishing my Undergraduate degree. As a student, I relied heavily on coffee at the time and noticed some unpleasant side effects. I was getting anxiety, bad breath, acid reflux, and headaches, so I knew something had to change. I had been introduced to guayusa a few years earlier while traveling in Peru. Some locals told me that it was known as "Waisamama" by some of the tribes indigenous to its native area, namely the Kichwa people of the upper Napo in Ecuador. They explained that 'Waisamama' meant the power within rivers and streams, and the Kichwa believed that one could cultivate this energy within themselves by consuming guayusa. I loved it when first trying it, but all but forgot about it once returning home and quickly fell back into my routine with coffee. Upon remembering my experience with guayusa while in the middle of Final exams, I promptly found some online, tried it in my home setting, and was blown away. I was focused, awake, and felt good, with none of the side effects I had come to associate with coffee. I later looked at its availability and awareness in Canada. I was shocked to see that it was completely unknown by most. I shared it with my great friend, Dan, who had just completed an Honours business degree, and he too became a believer. We decided it was our mission to build a business that helped preserve the beautiful diversity of flora and fauna of the Amazon Rainforest by helping our fellow Canadians be their best selves. So, we went to work formulating, brewing, packing, and spreading the word about the wonders of guayusa, which has led us to where we are today - providing Canadians with a diverse product line of Organic, Cold brew, ready-to-drink guayusa beverages, and loose-leaf guayusa.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Painstakingly perfecting our recipes over many months and finally seeing the completed product hitting production in our partner's co-packing facility. Putting in the sweat equity of brewing it all by hand by ourselves in the early days and seeing an incredible team of people do in a day what would have taken us a lifetime was amazing. We have put so much care and attention into our products, so to hold them in my hand and know that they are every bit as good of a product as when we were making small batches by hand makes me feel very accomplished.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Digging deep and carrying on when things get tough—realizing it's all on us. The successes and the failures are all the product of my and Dan's work, which requires radical accountability. Outsourcing is great, but no one will care about our product and company as much as we do, so fastidiousness is required.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Only start something you love and will stick with when things get complicated. A passion for your business might be the only thing that keeps things together someday.
- Ground your fears and anxieties of failure and be prepared to give it your all. Be realistic with your goals, but don't hesitate the follow through.
- Have fun! You will inevitably spend a lot of time on this project, so why spend that time in a frantic ball of stress? Life's too short
trust and enjoy the process.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.waisamama.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Waisamama
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/waisamama/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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