Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina Cook.
Hi Tina, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started to write poetry in 2015. It was a source of healing for me. I would write about experiences I had throughout my life. The writing provided an opportunity for me to reflect. After writing for a couple of years, I was encouraged to speak on stage. I performed my first poetry piece on stage in February 2019. It was a wonderful experience. I knew I wanted to do more. My vision included tea, poetry and a community for women to explore self-love.
Tea with Tina was brought to life in March of 2019. I chose a local black-owned tea shop to host tea parties. Tea with Tina serves as a women’s empowerment platform focused on self-care, self-love, mindfulness and healing. Today, we have our own tea (Sereni-Tea) and it’s so soothing and delicious. Sereni-Tea provides a calming and relaxing experience. I also became an author in 2020! I decided to write a book that is combined with short stories and poetry. ‘I Poured into Myself’ was released in the fall of 2020. Tea with Tina took a pivot in 2020 and remained visible through social media by having live IG par-teas, zoom par-teas and one-on-one consultations.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path of Tea with Tina definitely pivoted to in 2020 due to the pandemic. I had to shift from the original business model. As a result, I had to increase my presence on social media in order to stay connected to my audience. I decided to soar ahead with Tea with Tina and it has been an exciting journey. Learning to shift taught me so many valuable lessons. For example, I learned to remain authentic and show up for my audience through social media platforms. In addition, I took advantage of various resources for black-owned businesses in 2020. I gained so much knowledge as a new business owner. As I faced challenges throughout the pivot, I started to gain a new community of entrepreneurs that were like-minded and provided a bountiful amount of support.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Tea with Tina is a space designed for women to explore self without any judgments. It’s a very unique space that includes poetry, tea and self-care that focuses on mindfulness. I do believe being a poet and author and with a mental health background (Master’s in Community Counseling) sets me apart from other brands. I have taken the time to craft a brand that consists of a wonderful Sereni-Tea, a book and a poetic voice that provides a solace experience. In addition, I truly enjoy creating customized mindfulness audios for my customers. It is amazing to utilize my poetic voice throughout the audios. Tea with Tina is a unique brand that specializes in self-care that guides women to remove those negative stories they often tell themselves in order to be the best version of themselves through mindfulness. Mindfulness is the focal point for all services rendered by Tea with Tina. The services/products include the following: *Private Tea par-teas *Customized Mindfulness Packages *Sereni-Tea *Book- ‘I Poured into Myself’ *Speaker (Self-care/Women Empowerment) *Coaching.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I would advise anyone starting out to ensure you have taken some time to write out your goals and aspirations for your business. It will definitely help you along the way. In addition, build a circle of support and accountability partners for yourself in your business. You are not able to do it alone. I would advise a new business owner to ensure you care for yourself first. Self-care is wealth! Pace yourself and take a break when needed. Being an entrepreneur is a lot of work and you must be patient with yourself and the process. Learning how to manage your time will be key to your success. Ask for help when needed and invest in yourself and your business. Do not give up! Success is so close! Enjoy the ride!
Pricing:
- $20 Book (I Poured into Myself)
- $10 Sereni-Tea
- $47 Mindfulness Package #1
- $97 Mindful Package #2
Contact Info:
- Email: teawittina@gmail.com
- Website: www.teawithtina.com
- Instagram: teawittina
- Facebook: teawittina
- Youtube: Poetic Visions
Image Credits
Immaculate Lens Photography Pointblankperiod Media
