I wasn’t going to say anything until it was closer to opening day but then I got my paycheck today and realized, I probably need to hype up things a little after all.
As you may know, EMS ain’t paid very well. Last year I started to think about ways to complement my income. I missed having my own business. I missed the interaction with customers. So I was brainstorming. Couldn’t come up with anything that I felt was suitable for me. Until I had a conversation with a coworker about something he wanted to do. It wasn’t really closed to this but for some reason one thing lead to another and the idea of selling Tea came to mind. He wanted to open a coffee/beer/cigar cafe.
So I started doing research. I drink a lot of tea. I don’t drink coffee whatsoever. Cold or hot, doesn’t matter to me, I like them both. I learned some about tea when I lived in Singapore for a couple of months and on a trip to China in 2008. I found a vendor, well a couple as a matter of fact that I contacted and got great responses and help. And the wheel was spinning.
I actually already have a LLC, Harlequin Solutions. I put it to rest when I started EMT school back in 2018. But it was time to start it up again maybe? Oh yeah. So here we go, Harlequin Tea… Now I had to redo the logo because the old one was quite boring to begin with and it wasn’t where I wanted to go now.
As always I started early with claiming the social media accounts. Facebook, Instagram & Twitter. Kind of a unique name so it wasn’t any problem with getting it. There is actually a Harlequin Coffee & Tea Cafe in York, UK… on the other side of the world so I’m not worried about that.
I decided that I was going to be quiet about it until I knew more. At least had an opening date and more plans. It was so much to figure out and deal with first. So that is what I have done for the last couple of weeks. Tea tasting, graphic design, business plan, budget, all that kind of stuff. Yesterday I did the final order to be able to start the business.
I am working on an online shop, of course. Then I will also attend events, farmers markets and festivals with a booth. I can combine this with my photography as well, not too crazy I think. The first event I’m planning on being at is the Wills Point Spring Festival in April. That gives me plenty of time to start up and get organized for something visual. There are two weekends in June and July where I won’t work and can attend Canton First Monday so I plan to be there as well. That’s how far I am now with events. Of course, if you live within Wills Point I will be able to deliver your tea to you, but since I have the online store, shipping world wide will also be available. And if you have the path to Wills Point, you can also come and pick your tea up at my house!
Tentatively my first official day will be February 1st. That is when I hope the webstore will be open and running. I have ordered products and when they arrive work on different blends and I have ordered tea pouches as well. I am so pleased with the design on them!
So hopefully people will like the products, and support another small business in town… If not, I’ll have to drink a lot of tea for the rest of my life! Please go and follow the social media accounts. Kind of crazy but the instagram account almost have 60 followers without doing any advertising about it at all! The tea community is huge out there!!!
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