Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kevin Gascoyne, tea buyer/taster of Camellia Sinensis, located in Montreal, QC, Canada.

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

Camellia Sinensis started as a humble teahouse in Montreal's Latin Quarter almost 25 years ago. A shared passion for tea had the four owners of the company traveling annually to the tea fields of Asia and beyond, developing their trade and solidifying friendships with the artisans that produce some of the World's finest teas. The Camellia Sinensis team opened three stores, then two schools to educate the public about the teas and cultures of the tea lands as the company grew a wholesale offering developed along with a sophisticated web-sale department. An award-winning book now translated into six languages helped expand interest in their now global clientele. To complete the cycle, Camellia Sinensis partnered up with Indian tea folk to build the Tea Studio, a small 'state of the art' tea factory where they experiment and develop their own teas for their now World famous catalogue.

Though known for selling some of the finest leaves on the planet, they have a fundamental belief in the democratization of tea. Tea is the drink of the people, and the vast demographic of their clientele reflects this. From college students to Michelin star restaurants, from teenage bloggers to Tea Academies, neighbours to sommeliers, from all ages, walks of life, and income brackets.

Tell us about yourself

As tea folk, our connection to this enchantingly wholesome and wondrous plant can be profound. While some are intrigued as passionate tasters, others are drawn in by the authentic romance of its origins. For a few, the bond is outright spiritual. More often than not, our motivations for getting into the tea industry are driven by our personal relationship with this special product. This unusual attachment is a necessary element in this industry. If the financial reward were our only motivation, the economic realities of the tea business would discourage many.

Camellia Sinensis is really a lucky coming together of 4 partners with very different but complementary skill sets and the same values of respect and community. They are driven by a shared passion for the product they sell. A product that cures and invigorates stimulates the body with its magic and fills the mind with the exotic stories of its origins.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

These four partners have remained best friends, worked hard, kept the focus, and stayed humble in their ambitions. Their friendship and respect for each other have spread and become the very fiber of the company, shared by all their employees. This mood sets the tone for the way clients are greeted and made to feel part of a greater community. This 'vibe' of respect is at the core of all their business activities and achievements.

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

Keeping an 'even keel', not panicking or making a rash move when each day throws you an unexpected decision or problem to solve. Staying calm and respectful with partners, staff, and clients at all times so as to retain clarity of thought and a focus on the essential priorities of the company.

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

  1. Keep your focus. There are always thousands of possibilities and tempting ventures that can tempt you off course. Pay attention to these possibilities. But think carefully before you add to your plan or change directions. New business elements can distract from the focus you have on your original endeavour.
  2. Remain flexible. Entrepreneurship is all about making decisions and putting out fires. Though you are 'sticking to the plan,' you may also have to jump sideways or make a carefully considered but drastic decision. The pandemic has been a great lesson for us all in this.
  3. Check your values regularly.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://camellia-sinensis.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CamelliaSinensis.T
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camellia.sinensis/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ7m_UwehOgp4syRy4HSFHg
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/camellia-sinensis-tea-house/

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.

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