Today we’d like to introduce you to the mother & daughter duo and owners of S & K Tea & Coffee, Sabreen and Kamirah
Hi Sabreen and Kamirah, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
S & K Tea & Coffee was launched on September 2nd, 2020. The leadership and management skills I developed from my military career propelled me into a desire to become a business owner. I had the desire but no real plan on how it would happen. The pandemic caused me to be forced to work from home. This gave me the time I needed to gain more knowledge and come up with a plan on how to execute my business.
I did a lot of research and also had mentors to assist. During these stressful times, I knew how important it was to be a blessing to others and provide a product that brings joy, relaxation, and other health benefits. Whole leaf tea is organic, has more nutritional benefits than commercial bag tea, is rarely sold, and is hard to find in local grocery stores. Fresh, locally roasted coffee is also hard to find in local grocery stores.
I have always loved authentic Tea and Coffee that I can make from home, so I turned my love for this into something I can share with the world. It is a wonderful experience making gourmet tea and coffee from home. It is a time when you can slow down and enjoy each sip or drink on the go. My daughter was right alongside me throughout the business planning process. Her motivation and curiosity propelled her to be a pivotal part of the business.
As a result, S & K was born to represent my name Sabreen and my daughter Kamirah. During our time in business, we have accomplished several milestones and continue to expand. I and my daughter started out creating all the labeling and completed all the packaging. This became very time-consuming so I now have employers to assist with labeling and packaging to meet the higher demand for our products. We have our products in-store at Corazon Holistic Health located on Main St in Downtown Columbia.
We also attend three local farmers’ markets. We attend Clemson Sandhill Farmers Market on Tuesdays; Blythwood Farmers Market on Wednesdays; and Soda City, a year-round Saturday market in downtown Columbia where we have built an amazing community of supporters. Our online platform is our website sandkteaandcoffee.com where we have received orders from people all over the U.S.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We have had some struggles along the way. We source from different tea farms all over and getting quality organic tea is not always easy. I’ve had to build good relationships with farmers to ensure the quality and timeliness of my products, but sometimes there are issues with the product or the shipping. Another ongoing struggle is leveraging social media to market and advertise products.
Learning how to create content that resonates with our target customers can be a hit or miss. Content creation can be enjoyable but it is hard work and we are still learning the best way to navigate Facebook, Instagram, and Tik Tok. We are constantly working to improve our social media platforms. Another obstacle is hiring help and ensuring the work is done efficiently. We have fell victim to scams in order to try to improve the business. We have also had difficulty hiring people that are as passionate as we are.
Lastly, owning a business is continuous and sometimes hard to maintain alone. You are continuously serving others and providing good customer service. We have to practice time management and self-care routines to keep our energy up so we can provide great care and service.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
S & K Tea & Coffee offers a variety of whole-leaf tea and locally roasted coffee. We offer green teas, black teas, white tea, oolong, chai, and herbal teas. Each of our Tea offers health and wellness benefits. These organic teas are rarely found locally and we are the only Business that sells a large variety of Whole leaf Tea at Soda City Farmers Market.
We offer whole bean and ground coffee that includes a variety of flavors ranging from light to dark roast. The coffee beans are locally roasted in Blythewood SC. Buying locally roasted coffee not only guarantees freshness, flavor, and aroma but you’re also supporting the local community and farmers who produce the coffee.
I am most proud of the excellent feedback we receive and the continued customers that we have. We are constantly getting good feedback and good reviews on our online platforms. We have built an amazing community of supporters that tell others how much joy our products bring them. It is so fulfilling to know that we are contributing to others’ health and well-being. Spreading peace, relaxation, and a healthy lifestyle is our main goal.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check out?
It is so important for me to improve my mindset and ensure I stay positive. I am always listening to or reading motivational and inspiring resources. Books; Think and grow rich by Napoleon Hill; Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki; Feck Perfection by James Victore; The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz; The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle; Rocket Fuel Podcasts; Earn Your Leisure, Therapy for Black Girls; The Mindbodygreen Podcast; Girl CEO, The His, and Her Money Show; On Purpose; Who you Calling’s Holistic?; Garyvee Audio Experience
Clubhouse: Breakfast with Champions- Millionaire Breakfast Club; Business Over Breakfast
Contact Info:
- Website: sandkteaandcoffee.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/s.k.tea.coffee/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandkteaandcoffee/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@s.k.tea.coffee
