Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brittnee Lau. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Brittnee, appreciate you joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

At Treehouse Teas, we purvey 100% Hawaii-grown teas and botanicals. We do not import any ingredients and only engage in direct trade. We are committed to using no flavorings (natural or artificial) and strive to respect the tea in its purest form, allowing the unique terroir of Hawaii to shine. Although Hawaii is the largest tea-growing region in the United States, many people (including locals) are unaware that tea grows here. Despite being the largest tea-producing region in America, we produce very little compared to other tea-producing countries. Therefore, it is essential for us to showcase the authentic taste of Hawaii-grown tea.

Many small-scale tea purveyors source from online merchants, making the process simple and convenient. Although we are a small-scale company, our sourcing process is entirely different. I have meaningful conversations with our farmers about the state of farming in Hawaii, the challenges they face, and I take the time to truly know them. I have visited their homes and farms, I and have witnessed firsthand the exceptional land stewardship they practice. The farming methods of our producers are also quite distinct from those in most other parts of the world. Much of the tea in Hawaii is grown without the use of pesticides or herbicides using regenerative farming practices. Minimal machinery is used, and most harvests are done entirely by hand.

Brittnee, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was in grad school when I found myself thinking, “What am I doing here? Really.” I have always loved tea and gong fu cha, and I saw that there was a tea sommelier certification happening in my city. It was a bit random, but I decided to go for it. After finishing school, I was hired as the tea room manager at one of Hawaii’s most iconic resorts. They allowed me to revamp the menu and create all their tea blends. When I left that job, my former food & beverage director encouraged me to start a business so they could continue buying my teas as a vendor. That’s how the first iteration of my brand began. For years, it was very much a hobby sustained by referrals, until one day I had enough business from referrals to make it more than just a hobby.

During the pandemic, while facing supply chain issues, I saw a unique opportunity to pivot toward Hawaii-grown tea. I had met my first farmer about 10 years ago and stayed in touch. She eventually became my first farm partner, and now I consider her a very dear friend.

Over the years, I met more farmers and was able to bring their products to the public. All the credit truly goes to our incredible farmers. They let the environment and terroir shine through in their teas, and their processing methods improve each year. I’m just the fortunate person who gets to be the conduit bringing these amazing teas to the public.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

I started this business with $0. My very first merchant was a Sri Lankan gentleman from Ohio, and I still work with him today. He offered me net 30 payment terms, which I didn’t fully understand at the time. Buy now, pay later? Cool. He explained the whole process and trusted me, it was really lucky to meet him actually.

Because of this, I was able to take client orders (my first being my former employer) as COD, order the tea on net 30 terms, and then use the payment from the sale to pay off the tea. I held no inventory because I only ordered what I needed, when I needed it. I was essentially a drop shipper before drop shipping became a trend.

I designed my first logo using Adobe Illustrator and bought a $50 stamp. I think my first order of stand-up pouches was around $300. The stamp was a “fill-in-the-blank” label featuring my logo. I stamped the bags and handwrote what was inside. If you think you can’t start a business, I can’t stress enough: YES. YOU. CAN.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I just recently have been reading traction, the first book in the series for the Entrepreneurs Operating System (EOS). I help my partner run his business and as we are growing, our systems are growing. The little tools form EOS that we have implemented is helping us build efficiency and communication.

As far as my philosophy on management, I’m a chill person so I’m a chill manager. I try to treat people like adults, with respect but also outline expectations. So far so good, but I’m sure at the team grows new opportunities will arise.

As an entrepreneur . . . I don’t really have a philosophy. I’m just trying to survive like everyone else.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thetreehouseteahouse.com | www.shopamimei.com
• Instagram: @treehouse.teas @amimeimatcha

Image Credits

Richie Bulan, Rena Shishido, Ash Keneko