Trust Your Gut with Elena Liao
“Just try to circulate your mind, body, and your well being. That is what you have, one of the most important things to keep yourself healthy, without that you can’t do anything!”
Summary of Episode:
Jenn speaks to Elena Liao, founder of Té Company, a Taiwanese tearoom based out of New York City. A former retail corporate managing big-box apparel retailers with no former background or association with Taiwanese Tea except for her Taiwanese American heritage. Elena talks about how she decided to leave corporate in 2015 and start her tea business with no prior experience at all, what she learned along the way, how she dealt with covid, how to find your niche and what’s to come!
I don’t remember how I got through the days that were really stressful for work. In fact, when I was really stress out at work, I would channel my energy on my passion project.
About Elena Liao:
Native to the island of Taiwan, Elena grew up in a household where tea is consumed more than water. The local choice is full leaf, handmade, and produced seasonally in small batches. The kettle is on throughout the day and the steepings are free flowing. In Taiwan, this beverage is essential and readily accessible.
Good tea satisfies the palate, great tea transcends the mind. A carefully made and intentionally brewed cup can enlighten and guide the path to self-reflection. When shared communally, it is the glue that facilitates the conversations and strengthens the bond. The spiritual joy of tea drinking should be practiced frequently, casually, and most importantly mindfully. That was the ethos behind Té Company: make teatime more delicious, more intentional, and more accessible.
Elena grew up in Taiwan and moved to America in her early teens. She was a career retailer for a decade before she opened a tearoom in the West Village of New York City. All the teas were sourced directly from generational tea makers of Taiwan. Té Company offers their teas, tea snacks, and accessories via their physical tearoom and an e-commerce website.
