Spotlight on: Natural Wellbeing with Theenk Tea

THEENK TEA is a 21-day herbal tea program designed to naturally support brain function and mental wellbeing. Each box is packed with 12 herbal nootropics, adaptogens and stimulants divided into 3 functional blends for mornings, afternoons and evenings.

I may be biased, but I truly believe that THEENK TEA is for everyone! It’s great if you want to create a self-care routine but you’re not sure where to start. It’s perfect if you’ve been feeling anxious, overwhelmed and if you’ve been experiencing brain-fog. It can help you balance the mind and feel more focused, energised and calm.

We also have a Wellness Gift Box, which includes our 21-day program, along with luxury wellness pralines with bee products, an aromatherapy candle and a purifying amethyst crystal.

As a teenager I used to suffer from depression and anxiety. I was prescribed antidepressants which gave me some bad long-term side effects. That’s how I started looking for natural products that could make me feel better. It was a long time ago, and at the time, turning this idea into a business hadn't even occurred to me.

A few years ago, I came across a ‘teatox’ brand that showed up on my Instagram feed with some photoshopped models, promising to make me thinner in 28 days - no work required. This actually made me really angry and sad, because so many brands tell us we’re not good enough - just to sell us their products.

At that moment I started thinking about my own mental health and how I wished there were more products helping us support that: making us feel good instead of putting us down, and helping us to feel our best on the inside, instead of feeding us lies that our appearance is responsible for our happiness. This is when I first thought about creating THEENK TEA.

I officially launched the business at the end of 2019, although the product and brand were in the making since 2017. Up until recently I’ve been a solopreneur, which means I had to wear many hats and juggle millions of different things to run the business. I am however very fortunate to have a partner who is a big part of the company and helps out whenever he can. I’ve also just hired our first brilliant employee - Alexandra - who’s our new PR & Social Media Assistant.

Before I started the business I listened to a ton of entrepreneurial podcasts, read a lot of books and stories of founders which definitely helped me understand what I’m getting into. I don’t think, however, there’s anything that could prepare anyone for actually launching and building a business.

I was definitely pleasantly surprised that the food and drink industry in the UK is so supportive! I've met so many amazing people who I now get to call my friends.

We launched about 5 months before the pandemic, so we had to act quickly and reevaluate our whole strategy for the first year in business. I do think, however, that it helped me focus on what I want to achieve in the long term.

I’m really proud of the brand I’ve built and of what it stands for. From the very start I knew I couldn’t just start any business - it had to be something I’m passionate about and something promoting a positive change in the world. We’re not only advocating normalizing mental health and promoting self-care but we also don’t use any plastic in our packaging - our teabags are made out of compostable corn starch!

We also plant a tree for every box we sell. I strongly believe that small businesses have the power to drive change and soon the big corporations will have to follow - and that's where the real difference can be made.

I can’t stress the importance of supporting small businesses enough! 99% of businesses in the UK are small businesses. When you’re buying from a small business you’re directly supporting people behind it - families, friends, couples and solopreneurs like myself. Many people become an entrepreneur because they’re tired of the poor quality of the products or services out there, they couldn’t find what they were looking for, or often they wanted to bring a breath of fresh air into a category that hasn't changed for years.

Whatever the reason, by supporting a small business you’re helping bring more interesting choices to the table and you’re fuelling a positive change in the world. How? Because small businesses are extremely flexible, they are often a power for good and on a mission to make the world a better place. You’re also supporting someone’s dream, and what’s better than that?

I’ve got big plans for THEENK TEA for the next few years. My main goal is to build a team of people equally passionate about the brand who can help me move the business forward. In 5 years time I’d like THEENK TEA to be widely available in most health stores in the country and abroad. I’d also like to add more amazing products to our offering. Most importantly I’d like the company to help normalise mental health, spread positivity and help people feel their best!

On working with Virgin Experience Days

Virgin Experience Days is my go-to platform for any unforgettable gift. When they started including at home experiences and products I was over the moon. ‘DIY wellness’ has been on the rise this past year and I’m so happy to now be able to offer it to the Virgin Experience Days’ customers. On top of that it’s amazing that they work with small brands backed by Virgin StartUp Loans. Once you’re in Virgin - you’re part of the whole family!