I never had a sweet tooth for anything until TeaCo opened, but I not only was obsessed with the drinks and foods, I was addicted to the atmosphere TeaCo created! I had the honor of interviewing my friend and owner of TeaCo, Trang Nguyen, and ask her questions about owning a small business.
What is Teaco?
Around the same time last year, the idea of TeaCo was born when Trang went to her friend’s wedding. She had heard her friend mention opening a bubble tea store, and her family was inspired! They wanted to try something new, so Trang quit her corporate job of eight years to help her family start TeaCo.
Though this new path was difficult, COVID-19 helped Trang reflect on her aspirations to pursue something more. TeaCo, for her, was more than bubble tea; hence the ‘Co’ in TeaCo stands for the community. However, this led to separating her ways with her partnership with the licensed people because they had different paths on TeaCo. Nonetheless, Trang had help from her friends and family to build this community by collaborating with local businesses and holding extra events.
Trang wanted TeaCo to be a place to share a common love for foods and drinks and a sense of adventure for those who’ve never tried the menu served at TeaCo. She surely succeeded with this idea! Right as you walk in, you are greeted with a smile. Since the beginning, TeaCo has been a safe place for people to share their uniqueness.
What helped motivate you to build a business?
During the interview, Trang mentioned, “you can’t give when you’re bleeding.” There are many stressors when running a business, so her friends and family were the ones who held her up during the whole process. Whether the stressors were from TeaCo or not, Trang had people who would always have her back, and so she was able to make TeaCo a comfortable community for everyone.
TeaCo was built from the inspiration of friends, and she could continue because of her friends. She felt comfort from her chosen family in sharing her burdens and stresses, and this idea spread into her own business. She wanted TeaCo to be a place for people to build stronger connections with the people around them.
What are the joys of owning a small business?
Meeting new people and seeing customers coming back are some of the most important joys in owning TeaCo. When Trang sees returning customers, a piece of themselves is always left behind as she learns something new about them every time. Returning customers also have gifted books, board games, plants, and plushies to decorate the store!
Trang loves to educate new customers about the drinks and foods they serve there. If you have never had bubble tea before, you’re seriously missing out!
do you have any tips for girls who want to start their brand?
Trang told me the best advice she could give is that you need to know what works for yourself and start. You should do what is right for yourself. The more you try, the more outcomes you can realize that work best for you. There were times personally when I thought what I wanted wasn’t what I needed at the time. More time with yourself would help guild you to a decision, and you shouldn’t be afraid to take risks.
When it comes to being afraid of criticism, Trang told me I need to ask myself if the person who is criticizing me has my best interest for me. Do they want to see me fail, and do they truly care about my future? Once I figure out what I want to pursue, I shouldn’t wait for my future to come to me. There will always be too many noises that will speak otherwise, so when I’m inspired, I should take the chance to do something about it.
How do you see teaco in the future?
Trang doesn’t only have aspirations for the future of TeaCo, but she has multiple plans for her own future. She doesn’t want only to be defined as the owner of TeaCo because she has so many ideas that she wants to continue executing these ideas!
She said as people change, so do their future aspirations and business plans. Trang was thinking of trying new things like starting a podcast, her own clean skincare brand, and a coffee shop.
Though TeaCo is her first business adventure, she doesn’t only want to be constrained to this one place. She does have ideas of starting a bubble tea bus, hosting more community events, sourcing from more local places, and bringing the bubble tea culture to more places.
Trang was not only the sweetest when interviewing her, but when she talks about something she is passionate about, she gets really excited. So right after talking to Trang, I knew right away this is someone who I always want to look up to! I’m really proud of how much Trang has accomplished since the opening of TeaCo, and I can not wait to see what Trang plans for herself and TeaCo in the future!