Today we’d like to introduce you to Deborah Halstad.
Hi Deborah, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
RoyalTea Shoppe launched as a gourmet handcrafted loose-leaf tea business in June 2017 but was really birthed long before that. Since I was a child I dreamt of one day opening up a tea shoppe, hosting tea parties, and serving people. Growing up, I loved tea parties! I loved everything about them; the elegance, the tea with the fancy tea cups and saucers, the delicious scones, mini treats, and finger sandwiches (of course!), and really the whole aesthetic!
But my favorite part was and always has been the people. The conversations and the laughter. The shared enjoyment of company in a relaxed atmosphere. I love nothing more than seeing people happy and that is what sparked my desire to share the joy that I have with others through tea experiences!
Some of my treasured memories are of my mom and I drinking tea and eating treats as we watched old black-and-white classic movies. The movie characters were dressed so elegantly and drank tea using their finest china and silver sets, every day! I think the world would be a happier place if we didn’t wait until a special occasion to use our best dishes because every day truly is a special occasion!
Being the creative type, I began playing around with blending loose-leaf tea and experimenting with different flavor combinations. Once I had created a few unique blends, I launched my business. I started by selling my product to friends and family, expanding to an online presence, and then local markets and vendor shows. I love human interaction with my customers, building relationships, and having both fun and meaningful conversations.
RoyalTea Shoppe gourmet handcrafted loose-leaf teas are now available in our online store. Visit our mobile tea shoppe at local markets and vendor shows. We also cater events! We offer RoyalTea Parties, High Tea Experiences, and Wedding Day Tea Services. We service the Tampa Bay area and surrounding regions.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As with every business I assume, there have been some challenging moments in my journey as well. Starting a business from the ground up, having no business background of my own, but embracing my entrepreneurial spirit, I have had to navigate all the details that go into running a business by myself. It has definitely been a learning curve.
I remember early on having feelings of defeat when I didn’t see my business hit the goals I had, but I learned to have grace and patience with myself knowing that the reward would come with persistence and perseverance. Events that took place in 2020 temporarily brought my company’s growth to a screeching halt. That was a challenge all its own
I had some pretty big things in the works during that time and the shutdowns and event cancellations didn’t help to move things forward. I had to take a serious look at the future of my business and try to navigate what the next move would be. By the grace of God and support from family and friends, I was able to pull through! I have only been seeing growth since that time and am extremely grateful for the support I have received along the way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about RoyalTea Shoppe?
As I experimented with tea blending, I noticed there became an overall theme: Dessert. Because who doesn’t love a good dessert? And better yet, dessert without the calories! Needless to say, Dessert tea blends have become my specialty. Always aiming to provide the highest quality loose-leaf tea experience on the market, I thoroughly check the quality of my all-natural ingredients before blending them in small batches to ensure quality and freshness.
My customers deserve the very best, they are RoyalTea after all. We believe in treating people like the RoyalTea they are. While our name, RoyalTea Shoppe, may be a clever play on words it has a deeper meaning as well. According to scripture (Romans 8:14-17) we become children of God when we put our faith in Jesus Christ, through the Spirit of adoption. And with Him being the King of Kings, that makes us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, meaning we become royalty as well!
Every RoyalTea Shoppe product features an encouraging scripture from the Holy Bible. Because God has entrusted this business to me, I want to honor Him through it. The positive feedback I get from customers is amazing. They are so encouraged and thankful for the message. Many times they will tell me “That’s just what I needed to hear!”.
I have always been a people person and adore meeting new people and building relationships with them. At RoyalTea Shoppe we pay special attention to customer’s wishes and do our best to provide them with their request, build trusting relationships, and service everyone with a smile and a grateful heart.
There is simply nothing in this world like seeing my customers try our products and hearing their reactions when they smell and taste our teas. My heart is so full of joy and gratitude. I love to serve and this is my way of showing others I truly care about them and want them to feel seen and heard because everyone is special.
Our full range of services has grown to include Catering for any occasion, and providing our gourmet loose-leaf teas, scones, tea treats, and finger sandwiches. You can also book us for our High Tea Experience, Afternoon Tea Experience, RoyalTea Parties, Wedding Day Tea Service, and much more. You name it, we cater to it! While we aren’t a brick-and-mortar store, we will bring our services to you! Our Mobile Tea Shoppe can also be found at local markets, vendor shows, and events!
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
I am one who is definitely open to taking calculated risks and has taken several on my own business journey, finding it both beneficial and stretching. I don’t think growth can happen unless one takes risks. I know that risks look different for every individual and business. Sometimes those risks are small and sometimes they are a make-or-break decision.
The thing about taking a risk is that there is always a 50/50 chance of it working in your favor, but you never know unless you try. Starting a business is a risk. It requires commitment, financial investment, time, and energy. I do believe, however, the drive to see the goal and outcome of one’s dreams coming to fruition is enough fuel to take those risks.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theroyalteashoppe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/royalteashoppe
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/royalteashoppe
