Sometimes the best business idea comes from the moments you would least expect.
Taking a stab at entrepreneurship or even in an unfamiliar business is something that would probably discourage most people. This is the story of Chaz Greene, CEO of Trill Tea, a culture-focused tea brand that was created in mind for the Millennial that’s ambitious, creative, passionate, and overall TRILL. Growing up and into adulthood, Chaz was never fond of tea. He always felt that drinking tea tasted like drinking “dirty water,” which is ironically one of the first names that Chaz had for his company. Roughly about two years ago, Chaz became sick at his job and decided to do what others do when they’re sick: drink tea. As Chaz sipped and then gulped down the “dirty water” ahem TEA, he wondered why no one had taken time out to modernize tea and make it taste better. As Chaz taste buds were being tortured by the tea, he felt that a tea should exist that could be ideal for consumers who were not avid tea drinkers, but wanted to enjoy a cup from time to time. He knew that tea had many health, wellness, and even social benefits, so he felt we should all be able to enjoy tea that would make our taste buds rejoice.
Soon after his horrific tea experience, Chaz began to do a ton of research on the tea industry and went to several tea trade shows so that he could learn from tea experts. He also studied tea companies and over the course of time, Chaz finally decided he definitely wanted to bring about the much needed change to the tea industry. Chaz knew early on in his adult life that he wanted to be an entrepreneur and was adamant about just finding the business idea that would best fit him. That idea just happened to be tea.
Recently I was able to chat with Chaz and I learned so much about Trill Tea and several business lessons he lives by. Chaz also shared his advice for Millennials that desire on being entrepreneurs. Here are the top 5 business hacks and lessons from Chaz for the budding entrepreneur. Get ready because Chaz is giving you the tea!
1. In every aspect of your life, always set yourself up for success
As Chaz told me, “I believe that you have to remove yourself from situations and people that will be a distraction. For example, let’s say you want to lose weight or get fit. You know you will need to work out and go to the gym. If you are the type of person that can only workout in the morning but have trouble getting up, set yourself up for success by going to sleep early and even sleeping in your gym clothes. Put your alarm clock across the room so that when it sounds off, you have to literally get up to turn it off. No matter what, always do what you can to put yourself in a place of success.”
2. Every free tool that’s available may not be the best for your business
I remember when I discovered my favorite graphic design site, I thought I had found a hidden gem. My graphics for my blogs and IG posts were so different and so appealing to the eye. Soon after, I began to see my same blog and post designs EVERYWHERE! The biggest lesson that I learned was sometimes you need to pay or be more aggressive in your search to find the best graphics and designs for your business.
Chaz and I connected with this notion as he told me about the main issue that he sees with brands and businesses, especially those by Millennials. “Often, I’ve found that many of us rely too heavily on stock images and stock templates for our designs,” Chaz told me. “I believe what ends up happening is that our marketing and our designs look just like the next person’s. My advice is that you should take a chance and do the exact opposite of what your competitors are doing so that you can stand out. Take more time to really design your brand so that you can differentiate yourself from your competitors.”
3. You do not have to give your money to big corporations to get the best quality
In the beginning stages of his business, Chaz needed to test out packaging and a few other product-related things. One issue that he ran into was trying to find a company that could produce what he needed, but on a limited scale. “Soon after I learned that if you need something produced on a small scale, look for a business that has ‘LLC’ at the end. Typically from my experience, those businesses are smaller and you can get a smaller amount produced,” Chaz told me.
4. Join organizations that relate to your business
During our chat, Chaz suggested that all business owners or aspiring business owners join associations in their industry or business realm. “That’s what I did when I decided to start a tea company. I can promise you that there is an association for every industry that you can think of. Through the associations, you can increase your network and gain valuable information that you may cannot find elsewhere,” Chaz exclaimed.
5. It’s true. The most successful people are the ones that have the audacity to believe in themselves
Have you ever noticed that most game changers, visionaries, and entrepreneurs have been ridiculed at some point in their life? As an entrepreneur, you may be subject to the very same treatment. People will not understand your passion and maybe in the beginning, they may not believe in your product or business idea. They may ridicule you or choose to not to support you. Nonetheless as my friend Chaz says, “You have to have the mentality to go after your dreams no matter what people think or what you think they may think of you.”
In every step that you make, in every relationship that you create, be intentional so that you are set up for success. Be patient while building your business and do your research. Join worthy organizations and attend valuable conferences that will benefit you and your business.
