Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting Emily at a local vendor fair. Her smile and good nature were immediately apparent, and I could tell that it had the same effect on other customers. What struck me was the cohesive look of the packaging, the color choices, and the booth layout, a design aesthetic that is evident in the website as well as her social media. It gives a sense of calm and inviting peace that draws you in, which is perfectly fitting with the teas available. It was clear that this was well thought out. Below, Emily shares some thoughts on her business, Gratitude Tea House.

Briefly describe what your business does:

We provide quality tea and matcha for people to enjoy during their quiet time with God.

Where did the idea come from?

God put it on my heart a few years ago, then started giving me dreams about the logo and colors and I had so much peace to just start in 2022.

What is your typical work day like?

A typical work day for me looks like waking up at 4 am spending time with God, enjoying tea, praying about the business, and asking for guidance. After I spend that time with God I usually work out then work on media marketing, contacting churches or retailers, and signing up for local pop-ups in Orange County.

What is your best-selling product?

Our best-selling product is our Matcha. It is premium ceremonial matcha and the typical cost is $35. I think it’s the best seller because people love the energy and concentration it gives them after drinking it.

What do you think sets your business apart?

What is unique about our business is that we glorify God in every step. We pray over each item and bless the people that are receiving them. We value great quality products and source from the best farmers in Uji, Japan.

How is social media important to your business?

We use Instagram the most because the reels and posts reach our target audience the best. We are able to create short videos on how to make tea or encouraging post about reading the Bible and drinking tea.

What are your thoughts on working with computers?

We use a Mac laptop and iPhone to create marketing pieces on Canva. For finances, we created a PNL sheet on google sheets.

What are your thoughts regarding outsourcing work?

I manage the website, social media, bookkeeping, etc. I think in the future I’d like to use a Virtual Assistant.

How do you manage customer retention and Email mailing lists?

For emails I like Klavyio.

How do you balance work and personal time?

I currently have 4 jobs at the moment. How I manage work and personal time is that I wake up at 4 am to start my day. I prioritize spending time with God each morning and before I go to bed I plan out the next day. My family time happens after 5 pm or weekends, and Sundays are my rest days.

What are your thoughts regarding the environment, social issues, and being a partner to the community?

Yes, it is very important to use products that help our environment instead of hurting it. We try to stay away from using any plastic bags for our packaging. We also use biodegradable tea sachets that aren’t harmful to the environment.

What is the future outlook for Gratitude Tea House?

I plan to have our tea and matcha in 50 major churches nationwide within 5-10 years. I plan on growing my business through word of mouth and using effective marketing. I define success by how many lives are changed through the message of our brand: “spending time with Jesus daily.”

Do you have any final thoughts for our readers?

If you are just starting I would say don’t let a day go by without praying for your business and asking God for his clarity and guidance on where to go and what to do next. I also suggest using “The Product Boss” course. This course helped me so much in understanding how to reach out to people, how to launch the business, how to start email marketing etc.

You can find Gratitude Tea House and Emily online via the following links:

Emily Deitz and Gratitude Tea House

Artist Jesstyne Johnson and WarPaint Watercolors

Cup-a-Bug by Justin Huang