Not at all! Back then, I was a medical science student at Birmingham University. Tea wasn’t on the career plan — but I’ve always been drawn to herbs, flowers, seeds and roots. I love experimenting with flavour.

One day, when my Egyptian best friend came round to revise, I brewed hibiscus tea — it’s Egypt’s national drink. He absolutely loved it and told me I should sell it. That was the spark. Around the same time, I kept noticing people drinking herbal teas that smelled amazing but tasted bland. Companies add flavourings that evaporate in boiling water. But when you use genuine fruits, herbs and
spices, you get the real taste. That fascinated me.

I created three trial blends and asked people to try them. Everyone said they were amazing — but of course they’re friends and family! I realised I needed feedback from strangers. After graduating, I found a phlebotomy job that let me work mornings and build my tea idea in the afternoons. I ordered ingredients for ten teas, mixed and packaged them at home, and launched with a name that included a dash — terrible idea! Nobody ever noticed the dash.A friend encouraged me to try Camden Market. I listed every reason not to do it, but eventually I called and discovered they had a promotional stall rate before Christmas 2013. I signed up. The stall looked unprofessional, I was freezing, and I’d never stood that long in my life — but I made £20. I was thrilled.

I did! As Christmas approached, sales grew rapidly. One weekend I took around £1,000 - even if my pricing meant I made no profit. What mattered was that customers loved the teas. That gave me confidence. By April 2014, I committed to a permanent stall, seven days a week.

Yes. The first shop I took was in a terrible location and barely anyone visited. But it taught me a lot about running a shop. Then a better space opened in the Lock Market. It was small, but it allowed me to expand into green teas, white teas, fruity blends, Rooibos, and even teapots and cups.I’m naturally creative, so I kept redesigning the shop - papier-mâché teapots, antique cups, quirky displays. People often came in just to take photos, which gave me the chance to talk about the teas. Eventually I realised running two shops was unnecessary, so I focused on the smaller, better-positioned one.

Definitely. After winning a Young Entrepreneur award, a competitor’s old space became available, and I jumped on it. It had room for a tea bar and retail shelves where customers could smell teas, taste things, and ask questions.But the real aim was to create an experience customers would remember - something warm, personal and different from the usual market stall approach. We genuinely care about finding something each customer will enjoy, whether that’s a flavour they’ve never tried, a tea that connects with a meaningful memory, or the perfect gift for someone they love. And we want them to learn something too - about the tea, the ingredients, the culture behind it.That was the concept behind the Camden Tea Bar. I wanted a cozy environment where customers could explore and experience the teas. I wanted a team that not only were proud of the products they were selling and could educate the customer but also genuinely care!We now offer all 100 flavours to drink in-store of for takeaway and all of the teas packed to be enjoyed at home. There’s no hard sell. The priority is that people leave feeling inspired, understood and excited to explore more.

Online sales really helped, and a government grant made sure we survived. After that, sales grew year on year. We expanded our menu and used customer surveys to shape the next stage of the shop.

When friends at university tried my teas, they’d often say things like, “This reminds me of a holiday,” or “This tastes like Christmas at home.” A smell or taste is emotional. I want the shop to be a place where people feel transported - to a place, a moment, a memory. That’s what led to our “tasteful travellers” range.

Yes! We have just added two new fantastic ranges of tea, Viva Sativa - Naturally high CBD hemp teas and USO! Matcha- Ceremonial grade matcha the pure way or with some tasty natural flavourings. On top of this we are always improving ingredients and ourselection. We’re also developing our wholesale side. Long-term, I want a flagship Camden store - something iconic - and then we can expand outward with branded accessories and more locations for the Tea Bar and to sell online.

Start before you feel ready. Experiment, stay curious, work hard, and trust your passion. Great tea, and great experiences - can take you a long way.