Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in food and beverage but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ranmu (Maggie) Xue, Founder of Us Two Tea, located in New York, NY, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Us Two Tea is an Asian-founded and owned premium farm-to-cup Asian tea and lifestyle brand. After noticing a lack of widely known and distributed Asian-owned tea brands in the United States, I founded Us Two Tea with a clear mission to make Asian tea culture—and Asian culture at large— more accessible to discerning millennial consumers and tea lovers at large.
Tell us about yourself
Tea is at the heart of Asian culture, and it has always been a part of my life. Yet the tea brands we know and love are not Asian. I couldn't help but wonder why. I have lived in the US for 10 years now, and I have realized that we cannot just wonder. It is our generation's responsibility to claim our culture and create a brand that represents us.
Us Two Tea is not a traditional Asian tea brand. We are a reflection of the Asian American experience, a unique combination of the east and west. Unfortunately, being a minority group in the US makes us a target for discrimination and racism. Constantly trying to fit in, we sometimes get lost in the process and forget who we are.
I hope this brand encourages our next generation to be more confident about our culture and stay true and authentic to who they are - to be proud of being Asian American. I hope it inspires them to pursue their dreams and gives them the confidence to do what they love. We can dare to defy expectations and stand out, not just fit in.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We have brilliant and passionate people working with us to build this brand together. Everyone on our team believes in our mission and is willing to move mountains to accomplish it!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
To keep believing yourself and your business when no one else does. Remember why you started the company in the beginning and keep reminding yourself every day, especially when things get hard.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find a good business partner who compliments your skills.
- Find your "why."
- Be prepared not to make any profits in the first 36 months.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.ustwotea.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ustwotea/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ustwotea/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ustwotea/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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