From Lemons to Leaves: My Path to Building Domo Tea
I guess you could say this obsession with entrepreneurship started early. Like most kids, I had the classic lemonade stand, but my hustle didn’t stop there. One day, I noticed the Saskatoon berry bushes behind our house were bursting with fruit, just waiting to be picked. So I grabbed some containers, filled them up, and went door-to-door selling them. That thrill of turning overlooked resources into something valuable lit a spark in me that never went out. Still to this day I can't walk by a black berry bush without picking a few.....
Growing up in a working-class family, I was taught to graduate and find a stable job. But by 20, I already knew a traditional “job” wasn’t what I wanted. Life had its own plans, though. One day, while at a park, I was approached by a talent scout who suggested modeling in Asia. “You’re too short,” some people said. And later on, “You’re too old now to model.” But I pushed forward and spent almost a decade modeling overseas, collecting experiences I’d never have found otherwise. Eventually, though, I started wondering, “What’s next?”
When I returned to Vancouver, I took a job working with Bob Rennie, the “Condo King.” It was an incredible experience, but the golden handcuffs began to feel too tight. My boyfriend at the time thought I was nuts for wanting to leave such a amazing job, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I was meant for something more. So, I quit. I went back to modeling locally and wrote a business plan..... I had another idea brewing. Inspired by the tea culture I’d experienced in Asia and a tea shop in L.A. I’d read about, I started crafting a business plan for a tea bar.
I was living in Yaletown at the time, and I spotted a small cell phone shop with a “For Lease” sign. Everyone told me it was way too small for a café AND had no plumbing. Vancouver is a coffee town, they said. No one wants tea. But I saw potential. Peeking through the windows, I counted the floor tiles and sketched out a layout. With just 320 square feet, I could make it work. I have had a skill (you can ask my mom) of hearing 'no' and then regrouping and finding a way to come at it from a different angle. And that’s how Ocha Tea Bar was born—a tiny tea bar with a big heart.
And then came Domo Tea. After selling Ocha, life took another exciting turn: I became a mom. Between baby milestones, I dabbled in other ventures, from baby blankets to kids’ consignment fairs. But when the “baby brain” fog lifted, I knew exactly what I wanted to build. I returned to tea with a bigger vision: a product that would combine everything I’d learned and loved about tea. I knew how well tea lattes sold at Ocha so why wouldn't they retail.
There’s always someone eager to tell you why your dreams won’t work. I don’t know if it’s because people who fear striking out on their own don’t want to see you do it, or if it’s just human nature. But thank goodness I’m stubborn enough to keep going. I’ve learned not to let the naysayers—or my own inner doubts—get in the way of my goals.
The first venture may not always stick, but the lessons you learn along the way are invaluable. Looking back, I can see how each step along the way had a purpose, leading somewhere meaningful. Anyone who’s read The Alchemist knows the feeling—how life sometimes leaves signs, nudging you along a path, even when it’s hard to see why at the time. And here I am today, still following those signs, still chasing that spark.