We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Eleftheria. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Eleftheria below.

Alright, Eleftheria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I’m not just happy. I’m fulfilled. I worked in marketing for almost ten years. It wasn’t a bad job at all. In fact, I really loved it, especially because of the people and the creativity involved in the role (which actually helped me a lot in building my own business). My team felt like family, and some of them are still close friends today. That sense of connection and support was a big part of what kept me going for as long as I did.

But even with that, something still didn’t feel right. I’ve always been more of a free spirit, and trying to fit into a structured office environment felt unnatural, like trying to house-train a wild goat. I wanted to work for SOMETHING, not for SOMEONE. A clear sign that I wasn’t doing what I was meant to do is that I was always running late. And for a long time, I just brushed it off as part of the routine. I’d tell myself things like, “I just hit traffic again.” (to be fair, my commute really did feel like a daily road trip).

Over time, though, I started to see it differently. It wasn’t just the traffic or the hours. The truth is, my mind and body were quietly protesting. I began to realize that the constant struggle to get moving in the morning wasn’t about discipline or motivation. It was a signal that was trying to say, “Why do you do this if you don’t want to?!”

Starting my own business changed everything. I finally had the freedom to build my days around my energy, not around a clock. Some weeks I work 24/7, fully in the zone, and then take a few days to completely unplug. I don’t have a boss telling me what to do or when to do it. I set my own priorities. I decide what matters. And because of that, I get more done, and I feel more alive doing it.

There’s a quote I really connect with: “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it’s stupid.” That’s exactly how I felt in the corporate world. I was trying to succeed in an environment that didn’t suit me. I just needed water, not a tree.

Of course, running a business comes with challenges. But I’d rather face those challenges knowing they’re mine to solve. And when your business is something you truly love, something that feels more like your child than your job, it’s not just work anymore. Greek Superherbs isn’t just a company. I’m not the CEO. I’m the mom. And honestly, I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

Eleftheria, 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?

Yia sou! I’m Eleftheria Karakatsina. My name means “freedom” in Greek, and that meaning has shaped a lot of who I am. I’m the mother of Greek Superherbs, a small but deeply personal herbal tea company that was born from homesickness and a lifelong love of nature.

I’ve been living in the U.S. for the past five years, but I grew up in a village outside Athens called Drosia, which means “dew.” The mountains were my playground. My childhood was full of barefoot summers, sun-warmed rocks, bees buzzing around wild thyme, and my mom calling out, “Grab some rosemary on your way home!” so she could toss it into the food or make a healing tea. Herbs weren’t supplements or trends. They were part of daily life. Whether it was sage for a sore throat or chamomile to help us sleep, we always turned to plants first.

I spent nearly ten years working in marketing and creative strategy. I appreciated the work and the teams I was part of, but something inside me felt off. I was always behind, always tired, and slowly growing more disconnected from myself. Eventually, I realized my body was sending a message. I wasn’t living the life I was meant to live.

After moving to the U.S., I couldn’t find the herbs I had grown up with. Not the real ones. Not the wild, sun-dried, fragrant plants from the Greek hills. So I started sourcing them directly from Greece, reconnecting with small-scale growers, and blending teas in my kitchen. At first, it was just for me. But it quickly became something I wanted to share with others.

That’s how Greek Superherbs began. I create and offer herbal tea blends that are 100 percent wildcrafted, sun-dried, and full of real flavor and real benefits. All of them come from Greece, with many sourced from the Blue Zone of Ikaria. I focus on blends that support energy, digestion, immunity, sleep, and stress. Each recipe is based on traditional remedies passed down through generations.

So, what truly sets me apart from others?

1. I don’t see my business as a business: I see it as my child –> I’m personally involved in every single step. I source every ingredient with care, design every label, pack every pouch, and even ship many of the orders myself. I’ve taken time to understand the science behind the plants and have worked with researchers to make sure my blends are safe and effective. But more importantly, this isn’t just a business. It’s my lifestyle, my heritage, and my way of caring for others.

2. I don’t see my partners as partners: I see them as a family –> Most recently, I visited Grevena in northern Greece to meet my new organic herb producer, Vasilis Karapas. He’s around my age, and we instantly connected through our shared passion for nature and healthy living. He introduced me to his family (it’s a family business, of course!), and from the moment I stepped into their workshop, they embraced me like one of their own. It didn’t feel like a business meeting. It felt like joining a family. Most of our “business meetings” took place while walking through the fields or gathered at a warm local taverna, sharing homemade wine and the most delicious wild-foraged mushrooms I’ve ever had. While there, we also did a photoshoot in the mountain tea fields with Sokratis Mittas, an incredibly talented young photographer from the area. I can’t wait to share that content when I launch my organic line. That trip reminded me why I started this brand in the first place. It’s about connection, trust, shared values, and staying grounded in what truly matters.

3. I don’t see my customers as customers: I see them as a community –> Some of them have been with me since the very beginning. We exchange messages, stories, and sometimes even Christmas cards. People reach out when they’re not feeling well or when they want to ask which tea might help with sleep or digestion. That connection is the heart of what I do.

What I’m most proud of is staying true to my roots. Greek Superherbs isn’t about trends or wellness fads. It’s about slowing down, reconnecting with nature, and building daily rituals that feel nourishing and real. I want people to feel cared for.

Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?

I started Greek Superherbs with less than $400. I had no capital, no funding, and honestly, no idea how people even got funded. One morning, I just woke up with a strong feeling that I had to start. I brainstormed the name, registered the business, and ordered a few kilos of herbs from Greece. I still remember the farmer saying, “This is almost a retail order, not wholesale.” But that’s what I could afford, so I went with it.

My background in marketing helped a lot. I didn’t have to hire anyone. I built the brand, designed the website, created the packaging, set up social media, and ran the ads myself. It wasn’t perfect, but it felt personal and real. I started slowly. At first, I was getting maybe one order a week. But that didn’t discourage me. I believed in what I was building.

Of course, during that first year, Greek Superherbs couldn’t fully support me financially. So I continued working as a freelancer in marketing, helping other businesses with their strategy so I could pay my bills and keep the business alive. I often called it my child, because that’s truly how it felt.

Looking back, I’m proud I didn’t wait for perfect timing or funding. I started with what I had, stayed consistent, and kept learning.

How did you build your audience on social media?

Everything you see on my brand’s social media is created by me. It reflects how I see Greece, how I grew up, and what I believe in. It’s not filtered through a faceless agency or made to look perfect. It’s simple, honest, and rooted in real life. People who follow Greek Superherbs know who I am. They know the face behind the posts and the story behind the herbs.

I often share little moments from my time in Greece. You’ll see me cooking traditional plant-based meals in Ikaria, picking fresh herbs or figs straight from the trees in the summer, or walking through the mountains with my friends and family. These aren’t curated for likes. They’re pieces of the life I came from and the values I carry into this business.

That’s what (in my belief) makes my presence online different. I don’t focus on pushing products. I focus on sharing a way of life. A life connected to nature, to simplicity, to wellness that feels intuitive. I believe people respond to that because it feels familiar and real.

If you’re just starting to build your presence, here’s my advice:
Start with your story. Be real. Don’t wait until everything looks perfect. Show people who you are and WHY you do what you do. Share what makes your life meaningful and how your product or craft fits into that. And most of all, stay consistent with your values. People can tell when something is honest, and they gravitate toward that.

My community has grown slowly, but it’s strong. People don’t just follow to buy tea or get a discount. They follow because they feel inspired, and connected.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://greeksuperherbs.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greeksuperherbs/?hl=en

Image Credits

Sokratis Mittas