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What do you do?

I started Tiesta Tea when I was 21 years old with my preschool best friend. He's the CEO and I'm the President. I was just a waiter at Chili's and a senior in college. Our mission is to make loose-leaf tea understandable, accessible, and affordable. We have 27 employees and two facilities, and we sell tea to Mariano's, Jewel, Target, Kroger, Costco, and more. We've sold over $50,000,000 of tea since we started the company, and we've also built three water wells in underserved communities for our farmers.

What inspired you to start your business?

I didn't really know what I wanted to do with my life. Nothing in my college field interested me. Having resources like SCORE helped me realize that I didn't need to have decades of experience to start my own business.

What's special about your business?

1. We have a product that makes you healthier and really tastes good.
2. We give back to the communities in which we serve and that serve us.
3. We're proof that friends can do business together, and that you can have success at a young age.

What have been the high and low points of being a business owner?

Oh man, tough question. The high is certainly when you win. That can be defined in many ways but a few for me are: getting a new account, having a profitable sale, giving out bonuses/raises, and building water wells.

What is your relationship with SCORE? SCORE client How SCORE helped.

I'm a successful entrepreneur. I have 27 employees and my business will sell over $10mm in tea in 2021.

What's great about my mentor?

Robert was extremely giving with his time and knowledge. He was a former executive so he'd been there and done that. He gave me the confidence I didn't have that I wasn't doing it alone.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of starting a small business?

Don't be afraid to ask for help. People love to help entrepreneurs.

What have you learned from your experiences as a business owner?

I have learned that honesty will always win, no matter how tough the conversation is.
I have learned that people are your most important asset.
I have learned to use the resources around you when you have a challenge. Don't try to solve everything by yourself.

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