Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with LaTonia Cokely, CEO of Adjourn Teahouse, LLC., located in Bowie, MD, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Adjourn Teahouse is an artisanal loose leaf tea company specializing in organic, hand-crafted, full leaf tea blends. Our blends are luxurious, creative + nurturing, begging our customers to pause, if even for a few minutes at a time. This practice is a simple, sustainable investment of our time + to the overall wellness of our community. In a world where we prioritize hustle culture and moving fast, we know how important it is to pause the noise + busyness of our daily lives to give back a few moments to ourselves. Tea making + sipping is an amazing way to prioritize this practice, from observing and smelling our blends to creating + sipping the perfect cup of tea.

At Adjourn, we believe in creating moments to re-center and balance our whole selves through rituals that allow us to Adjourn™️- the practice of pausing intentionally. Our customers are practitioners who believe this as well and choose to practice Adjourning or to pause daily and unapologetically. They are consumers of products and content that help to ground them and add a bit of ease.

Tell us about yourself

As a self-proclaimed tea lover, I began crafting a vision for a small tea and wellness brand as a teen in Richmond, VA, more than 15 years ago. Tea drinking was a major part of my upbringing. Growing up, we routinely enjoyed warmed apple juice, sleepy time tea, and the occasional hot toddy. I am also from a community where sun teas + iced teas are LOVE on hot summer days.

In 2014, I lost my dear mother to breast cancer almost ten years after losing my father to cancer as well. While difficult, their lives inspired me to move forward in designing a life + career I loved. I want my time to be well spent. My parents, rest their souls, led me to pursue the idea of starting a tea and candle shop as a high schooler in a business planning competition. I have been a tea lover/blender/drinker/maker ever since.

I have had the incredible fortune of watching hundreds of students bloom in my previous career as an educator. They continue to inspire that lens through which I see my role as a wellness creative + business owner. My experiences, both bitter and sweet, encourage me daily to keep moving and to find my "sweet spot," which, in this incredible season, happens to be Adjourn. I am inspired by all of our customers who've chosen to give our blends a chance and who have come back to share their experiences with our products with me. I am forever grateful and committed to moving our brand forward.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

I have had several incredible opportunities in the past few years. Starting in 2019, I had no predetermined goal. I was creating simply to share with a small community of tea drinkers. At the time, I was only focused on carving out a bit of space for me to breathe and share my creations with those who'd have me. However, 2020 and the pandemic had other ideas! I was an educational consultant and, as schools and businesses closed, a lot of the work I'd been doing also paused. In that time, I was able to focus on cultivating a community around our brand, and as I look back, I am SO proud of this moment! Since then, we've been featured in many national publications like ESSENCE Magazine, Forbes, Oprah Magazine, Magnolia, Buzzfeed, Refinery 29, and more. We've also had our products on the shelves of more than 30 stores nationwide, including Macy's and Nordstrom. In addition, we consistently see some of our customers from day one returning to purchase again and again. That, to me, is absolutely incredible!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

There is a steep learning curve. As a former educator, I am easily able to pivot and go with the flow. However, running a business is so much more nuanced. There is so much to learn if you want to be a sustainable, growing business. I think I've had to have some serious chats with myself about how large I'd like to grow because my primary goal for starting this business was a lifestyle change - I needed more space to breathe. Figuring out how to run a business is hard! I also think fiscal management and finding financial support are challenging. While there seems to be a lot of support available, it can be difficult to access specifically for Black and woman-owned businesses.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Do it! The passing of my parents reminds me that we have one life, and we should be able to explore many things in our time here. Explore running a business. Put some plans together. Create and iterate!
  2. Don't be consumed by others in your lane. Consider the "bread aisle," and remember that NO one is YOU! Carve your own path and feel good about your offering.
  3. Challenge your perfectionism. You WILL make mistakes. You WILL fail at some things. You will ALSO see incredible growth both in yourself + your brand. You will ALSO feel amazing when you are able to take a step back and look at what you've created. Pro-tip: Go to therapy and try to find someone that works specifically with entrepreneurs. My therapist has been incredibly helpful in helping me navigate imposter syndrome and make important decisions about the growth and trajectory of my business.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

Find your thing and DO IT! Get messy and make mistakes. ITERATE and trust the process. Breathe through it. And find time to step back and experience what you've created. You deserve!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.adjournteahouse.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/adjournteahouse/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adjournteahouse/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/adjournteahouse
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adjournteahouse/about/

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.