KISH: Tell us about you..
I used to rely on coffee to get me through my long days or when I felt moody at day’s end. Coffee felt like a great option until I experienced adrenal fatigue. Caffeine and adrenal fatigue do not go hand-in-hand. Lol. I often heard about the benefits of tea and had consumed it in the past. However, it wasn’t until I ran across rooibos and discovered how healing it was to my body and mental health that I fell in love with it and wanted to share that essence with the world. Upland Tea House was born shortly after. I now look at tea as a healing practice or “the great balancer” in my life. I consciously slow down and have moments of stillness because of this.
KISH: What is your dream and how will accomplishing your dream benefit you and others?
April : We have built a tribe that serves as a haven for education, accountability to using tea as a method of self-care, and gathering in real life to fellowship in a supportive environment. As with many things in life, having support from like-minded people carries weight in our lives. It is our dream to assist our community in finding inner peace, with moments of solo mindfulness, as a means to breakaway from daily
distractions. The multitude of information and fantasy that we encounter daily is overwhelming. And, to fully keep self-care front of mind – we need constant reminders and influence from a tribe of people just as aligned as you.
KISH: Who or what inspired you to pursue this dream?
April : I started in book publishing and fell in love with the industry. I was in a position to meet new creatives, work with them closely on bringing their dream to fruition, and watching the results of our labor play out at retailers. For nine years, I was excelling but was also burning the candle on both ends. At this time, I knew I needed to slow down and figure out how to realign my lifestyle so that it wouldn’t cause detriment to my health, peace of mind, and my business. The inspiration was truly choosing a better pathway through a tea ritual.
KISH: What challenges have you encountered while pursuing your dream?
April: We launched eagerly in April of 2021. After getting logistics underway, our storefront prepared for sales, and marketing campaigns running our biggest hurdle was inventory. We put so much preparation into smooth sales processes that we didn’t take into consideration having enough supply to meet the demand. Especially with shipping still being impacted by the pandemic. While America began to slowly open up, India was still under lockdown. This affected our friends and partners ability to work but also their way of living. We should have taken all of this into consideration to not overwhelm them during such a critical time.
KISH: Who or what inspired you to keep pushing regardless of the challenges you’ve encountered?
April : My faith plays a major role in motivation. It takes a strong commitment to a higher purpose to not lose yourself, or your principals, in business. Most days I rely on my meditation practice to seek resolution and remembrance of my purpose. I begin with what I’m grateful for from the day: the things I have accomplished and even the tasks I wasn’t able to get too. I follow that up with prayer and then sit in silence as clarity and peace comes to me.
KISH: Please provide final thoughts/advice for others by finishing this sentence… dream.
April: I believe in order to truly reach your dreams, consider ‘slowing down to catapult faster’. In life it seems we are so quick to set the trend or move the needle to be recognized that we often miss the details in the journey. When you slow down you give way to learn more as a business woman, build sustainable relationships, carve out a niche in your industry, and serve your community better. The sum of all these steps catapults you even further towards your dreams than rushing ever could.
