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The Globe & Mail Interviews Tonia & Hatem

This article, featuring Steeped Tea founders Tonia & Hatem Jahshan, appeared on Friday, October 21st in the small business section of the Globe & Mail.

Case study

Steeped Tea brews a winning growth strategy

becky reuber

Special to Globe and Mail Update

Published Friday, Oct. 21, 2011 6:00AM EDT

Last updated Friday, Oct. 21, 2011 9:00AM EDT

THE CHALLENGE

Hatem and Tonia Jahshan didn’t really plan to start Ancaster, Ont.-based Steeped Tea, a direct-sales tea company. It just happened.

“In 2005, we were on holidays in Nova Scotia, and we had a cup of loose leaf Creme of Earl Grey tea that just blew us away. Before we knew it, we had visited the tea shop and bought a bunch of loose tea to bring home to try out,” Mr. Jahshan recalls.

Ms. Jahshan liked this tea so much that she started to make baskets of tea to give to family and friends, and then expanded to having tea-themed open houses.

At one of the open houses, someone asked her if she would do a tea party at her house, and an idea was born.

Could the couple start and grow a direct sales tea company, based on independent consultants throwing tea parties in people’s homes?

THE BACKGROUND

Ms. Jahshan had a sales background, as a rep for an electrical equipment supplier, and also experience with a direct selling company.

Mr. Jahshan, a chemical engineer, owned three Subway franchises and knew a lot about software systems, localized marketing and setting up effective training programs for retail sales.

The couple realized that direct selling was a big, and growing, business in Canada. At the time they started Steeped Tea, total industry sales were about $1.96-billion in Canada. During the next five years, according to figures from the Direct Sellers Association, industry sales have grown more than 11 per cent to $2.18-billion. And 1.3 million Canadians now work in direct sales.

However, the Jahshans had few financial resources available to start the business, and were hoping to start a family. To do well in this industry takes “deep pockets,” Mr. Jahshan says.

THE SOLUTION

It was possible to start Steeped Tea with minimal investment. The couple bought their tea in small quantities and stored it in their garage. They grew the business by selling their tea though independent consultants, rather than by building up their own sales force. These consultants are independent business owners – predominantly women –interested in a part-time income, who run tea parties in people’s homes.

There are benefits to being the party host – commensurate with the level of sales at a party – and the consultant is compensated through a combination of sales commission and bonuses for hitting certain milestones.

As the business grew, though, so did the costs. Having more consultants meant more complexity.

“We had to rethink our processes and make expensive improvements,” Mr. Jahshan says. “We needed to develop deeper relationships with suppliers to get volume discounts, we had more inventory to store and longer distances to ship it, we needed more complex software, we needed revised training protocols, we needed new communication mechanisms, and we needed higher quality catalogues that highlighted an expanded product line.”

For example, they started to offer services to their consultants to help them manage their business, such as a website with a shopping cart and a system for their customers to have online tea parties.

At first they hired IT expertise, but found that it was too time-consuming to supervise system development, and so they now rent the software for a monthly fee. “It’s great,” Mr. Jahshan says. “Now someone else worries about software development.”

The couple’s growth-oriented approach makes them stand out from the competition.

“There are several small competitors in the U.S.,” Mr. Jahshan says, “but they are unwilling to make the investment to grow. A direct sales business is relatively inexpensive to start, but you need to invest in growth. Every additional 50 active consultants requires a cash infusion for new tools, new types of support and different organizational structures.”

THE RESULT

The Jahshans’ growth-oriented strategy is paying off. The company now has eight employees and 400 affiliated consultants who sell their tea from coast to coast across Canada.

Their products are popular: Each tea party yields an average of $500 in sales.

They get phone calls every day from potential consultants wanting them to expand into the United States. The Jahshans realize that entering the U.S. market would increase their operating costs substantially from their current level of $250,000 a year, but it is tempting to participate in the $28.56-billion direct sales market down south with a formula that is known to work here.

Further, they see the business as recession-proof : The products are inexpensive and fun and people are looking for second incomes – and so they are exploring possibilities south of the border.

Special to The Globe and Mail

Becky Reuber is a professor of strategic management in the Rotman School of Management of the University of Toronto

NOTE: If you are in the Calgary area this weekend, you can meet Tonia and hear more about Steeped Tea, and perhaps your role as a future tea consultant, by popping over to the Calgary Women's Show!

Steeped Tea in the News, Again

The Tea Association of Canada recently featured an article on their Facebook page about Steeped Tea. In case you missed it, here is the article - author credits go to Tea Association of Canada

 

FLOURISHING SMALL BUSINESS PROMOTES FRIENDSHIPS AND HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

by Tea Association of Canada on Wednesday, February 23, 2011 at 1:57pm

It’s a chance to catch up with old friends. It’s a celebration for the bride or mom-to-be. It’s a change in your daily grind. It’s an opportunity to learn something new. It’s all over the best cup of tea you’ve ever tasted brought to you by a consultant from Tonia and Hatem Jahshan’s Steeped Fine Loose Teas & Accessories Inc. (Steeped Tea), and their one-of-a-kind Tea Parties.  This thriving small business located and operated in Hamilton is proud to offer Canadians unique and exclusive tea products as well as the opportunity for a tea-infused, healthy lifestyle.

It all started during a visit to Nova Scotia a few years ago, when the husband and wife team enjoyed a Crème Earl Grey tea at a bed and breakfast. “We were amazed at how rich it tasted,” recalls Tonia. “We quickly learned the store-bought teabags we had grown accustomed to were made of the lowest grade of broken down tea leaves. Loose tea, on the other hand, goes through a different process and when you steep it, you immediately taste the difference and quality. We were instantly hooked. So we decided to learn more and share its benefits with others. Thus, Steeped Tea was born.”

Steeped Tea is the only direct sales company selling high-end tea products in Canada. Not only has Tonia found a way to achieve balance between career and family life through her home-based business, but she is also helping other women across the country afford this luxury by hiring them as consultants. There are currently over 300 consultants across Canada. More than a sales job, these women run fun, intimate and educational Tea Parties at customers’ homes, providing a relaxing atmosphere where guests get to socialize, celebrate special occasions or make new friends.  Each Tea Party follows a specific educational format developed by Tonia to ensure attendees learn all the joys and health benefits of loose leaf tea.

 Most people are aware of the benefits of some common teas like Green Tea. However, Oolong Tea and Matcha, products sold through Steeped Tea, have much greater health benefits and taste just as good, if not better. Oolong Tea can help burn fat, reduce cholesterol built-up in the bloodstream, prevent heart ailments, and treat digestive disorders.  Matcha is a vibrant green powdered tea often used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies and made from the leaves of shade grown tea trees. Matcha is enjoyed in everything from smoothies to cupcakes.  Because the consumer is using the whole leaf, not an infusion of a leaf, the health benefits increase dramatically. Matcha contains a high amount of antioxidants, chemical compounds known to forestall aging.

 In addition to the popular Tea Parties, Steeped Tea has introduced theme tea parties for hostesses to choose from including a spa tea party, Indian Chai tea party and our very popular All about Chocolate themed tea party. Visit www.steepedtea.com to download their latest catalogue.

 The company remains true to its Canadian roots with 80 per cent of its product being bought within the country. Most of the teas are derived from a Canadian supplier, while the spa line is made in Toronto and the cookies in London. Looking to expand internationally and enter the United States market within the next few years, Steeped Tea is poised to become everyone’s cup of tea.

 

About Steeped: 

Founded in 2007, Steeped Fine Loose Teas & Accessories Inc. has quickly become one of the fastest growing direct selling companies in Canada. Built on superior quality, taste, and service, the company offers over 60 delicious varieties of fine loose teas, along with beautiful and functional accessories and scrumptious treats to go with them, including scones, jams, hand crafted soaps, tea baths, mugs, and more.  

Tea for (More than) Two

This month's Mompreneur magazine features several articles on direct selling, including this Q & A session with Steeped Tea founder, Tonia Jahshan.

Tea For (More Than) Two

Direct selling strategy helps Tonia Jahshan bring the goodness of tea into Canadian homes

 

Q: What made you start Steeped Tea?

 

A: Three years ago, my husband and I decided to start a family and were excited to find out I was pregnant in April of 2006. Things were moving along well until we suddenly lost the pregnancy. This was hard on both of us; our lives were at a standstill. We decided we needed to get away, so we took a trip to Nova Scotia.

 

The first B&B we stayed at was wonderful, and in the morning, our hosts served us a loose leaf tea called Crème

of Earl Grey. My husband and I love tea and were amazed at how good this one tasted. At that time, we had only

experienced tea bags and had come across just a few loose teas in our lives. This tea blew our socks off – we must have drunk three pots each morning! We decided we needed to bring the tea back home, so we asked the owners of the B&B where they had bought it. They directed us to a little tea shop in Mahone Bay where we discovered hundreds more loose teas. We taste tested so many that day, and ended up coming home with more tea than anything else!

 

I couldn’t wait to share the tea with our friends and family because I knew they were going to love it as well. I started thinking about ways I could get this exciting little secret out and it occurred to me that the best way to do it was through a tea party.

 

In the past, I had sold product for a direct selling company and thought this could be the perfect fit for tea. I took two months to research tea – where to buy it, what the health benefits were, and finally how good it tasted. We hired a graphic designer and together we came up with the design for our logo.

 

 

In October of 2006, we launched the company Steeped, Fine Loose Teas and Accessories, and by April of 2007, I was doing up to 15 parties a month in the Hamilton and Kitchener Waterloo area – the business was growing far faster than I had anticipated.

 

 

We decided it was time to take the next step and hire ‘tea consultants’. We incorporated our company in April 2007, hired a lawyer, and had the consultant agreements drafted and ready. Our first consultant from Waterloo, Ontario came on board in September of 2007. We are very lucky that our consultants have the same vision we have for this

company, and together we keep moving to the next level.

 

Q: Where do you manufacture or find your products? Do you have any tips on manufacturing or negotiating those agreements?

A: We love Canadian products and try to keep within our borders. Our accessories are mainly purchased through Canadian distributors except for a select few. We also try to feature a Canadian artist every year who makes a featured limited-quantity item for us, like our Steeped Tea Porcelain Teapot. Our tea, however, is grown all over the world in temperate climates and then gets shipped to us.

 

 

A good tip when negotiating agreements is to always be prepared with sales forecasts. The bigger your numbers are

for purchasing, even if they aren’t only for one year, the more likely you will get a better deal. Also never assume product quality is a given in an agreement especially if you are dealing with someone overseas. We clearly specify

quality requirements in every agreement we make and double check our deliveries to make sure.

 

 

Q. What is your best source for finding new sales reps?

A. Tea parties! Our consultants conduct tea parties all over Ontario and offer our business opportunity to everyone they meet. We have grown to nearly 100 consultants today mostly through word of mouth and people’s experiences at tea parties.

Steeped Tea parties are a great way for friends and family to get together and enjoy each others’ company. The whole idea is to make the gathering even more enjoyable with a brief tea presentation (facts and tidbits of information) and a whole lot of warm, tasty tea. There is no hassle of preparation that takes too much work or time, and no one is under any obligation to buy anything. Our catalogue also makes it affordable to recreate the same party in your own home with a bag of tea for under $6. Steeped Tea consultants have a lot of fun meeting new people, and there is never a dull moment when the product you are serving or discussing is as tasty and enjoyable as ours. The social aspect of our parties is very appealing, not to mention all the free gifts the hostesses earn!

 

We have had the privilege of being featured in the Globe and Mail, National Post, Hamilton Spectator, Ancaster News,

and the Kitchener/Waterloo Record to name a few, as well as a few local TV shows. The response we get from this exposure is always amazing, whether it’s to book tea parties or to become a consultant. People are looking for a healthier lifestyle and what better way to start than to brew a cup of green, rooibos or white tea.

 

Q. How do you manage your team of sales reps? Do you include a training program?

 

A. At Steeped Tea we realized right from the beginning that our sales force is the heart of our business. We have gone to a lot of effort to make sure training materials are readily available for our consultants and their leaders. We encourage direct contact between consultants and we hold monthly meetings where we share our ideas, thoughts and experiences. We introduce new products and policies during those meetings so everyone can participate and questions can be directly answered. Since we started we have created training videos for all aspects of the business including conducting parties and handling the paperwork. We also have a training blog where consultants can get updates on recent news and happenings at Steeped Tea.

 

Right now, we are working to create ‘back office’ software that will cut consultant paperwork out altogether. Consultants will be able to directly access our inventories and can place their orders online. This will help us make consultant orders simple to place and clearly accessible for updates in shipping or product availability.

 

Q. What are your biggest challenges?

 

A. Currently, our biggest challenge is handling the rapid growth of Steeped Tea. Training consultants and continuously connecting with everyone are difficult tasks as our numbers increase each week. Every member of our consultant family deserves our attention and we try our best to reach out.

 

 

Space is also another challenge as our inventories are always pushing our warehouse limits. Yet another challenge is the changing economic environment and the fluctuations in the Canadian dollar. This makes international purchasing difficult to predict which could jeopardize inventory stocks as we try to maintain profits.

 

Q. What have been your biggest successes?

 

A.  We have enjoyed a number of successes with one being rapid growth. Since we started nearly three years ago, the word spread quickly about our fun, informative and entertaining tea parties. We have collectively done nearly

5, 000 tea parties and have hired more than 100 consultants Canada wide.  The number increases every month and so do sales.

 

It’s a great feeling knowing we help families across Canada earn an extra income doing something that is fun, healthy, and informative. Our consultants are a terrific team and they always prove their drive at every party they hold. Spreading the word about the health benefits of loose tea has become our mission and the mission of all our consultants. We are converting people to loose tea, one tea bag at a time.

 

Other successes include the wonderful exposure we’ve had in the media. Our first experience on CHCH TV in Hamilton three years ago proved to us that media does work and that our product is something people are interested in and want to learn more about. Since then we have been on CHCH TV three more times, A Channel Ottawa and BT Halifax. We have also been nominated for the Savvy Mompreneur award twice!

 

Q. What are your plans for the next five years?

 

A. Every year brings its own challenges, but ultimately our goal is to enable enough consultants nationwide to throw parties in almost every household of this country. We hope our consultant base reaches a few thousand within the next five years.

 

Another goal is to establish a large warehousing facility within the next five years to meet the demands of our business. Space should become a problem of the past once we’ve picked out a larger and more versatile location.

 

 

Finally, an increased online presence will help us reach people where it may be difficult for consultants to go. We hope to pursue international development after five years.

 

Consultants LOVE their business!

Kelly Hochevar recently was featured in her local paper, the Tillsonburg News, and tells readers why she loves her Steeped Tea business and what her goals are! The article is reprinted below:

Hochevar loves her new business

Steeped Tea

Kelly Hochevar, a new transplant to the Tillsonburg area from Hawkestone, says she always wanted to start her own business but didn't have the confidence to take the initial plunge.

After hearing about Steeped Tea Inc. and the unique opportunities this growing business offered, she approached company's top consultant Kim Dickson. The result - success, increased earnings and a new found confidence in her abilities as an entrepreneur.

Kelly is steadily growing her business selling through the fun and interactive Steeped Tea Parties. So far in 2009 Kelly has sold over $10,000 in Steeped Tea Products. She has clear goals to double that sales figure by the end of 2009.

“When I first brought the possibility of becoming a Steeped Tea consultant to my husband, he was very supportive,” she said in a release.

“He said I had to do it because no one can talk about tea as much as I do. Right then I knew I was the right person to do this," recalls Kelly.

"I was very nervous before my first party and almost cancelled. But it just took one Tea Party, and I was hooked! I felt welcomed and appreciated for sharing my knowledge and passion for tea in an intimate environment with an incredible group of women. Now I look forward to each party, meeting new people and teaching them about loose tea."

This passion has translated into Kelly going above and beyond a consultant role and taking the initiative to recruit more women to the Steeped Tea team. Her goal is to bring on 50 more in 2009.

"During this difficult time, with an economic recession underway, it's a responsibility and honour to be able to introduce other women to this opportunity for independence and increased earning potential in a fun, rewarding job," says Kelly.

"One year after starting at Steeped Tea, I am a team director with a vision to share the same success with other women. It just thrills me to be able to see other women grow their business like I have grown mine through Steeped Tea!”

Joining Steeped tea has been an amazing experience for here and she can not wait to see where my business goes in the next five years!

Founded in 2007, Steeped Fine Loose Teas & Accessories Inc. has quickly become one of the fastest growing direct selling companies, providing opportunities for men and women to start successful independent consultant businesses in their communities across in Canada. Built on superior quality, taste, and service, the company offers over 60 delicious varieties of fine loose teas, along with beautiful and functional accessories and scrumptious treats to go with them, including scones, jams, hand crafted soaps, tea baths, mugs, and more.

Another Consultant Making News!

The following article was published in the Woolwich Observer this past weekend on the Business page, highlighting local Steeped Tea consultant Becky Strauss's passion for tea and her tea business.

A business that’s just her cup of tea

August 28, 2009

By: Joni Miltenburg

When it comes to tea, Becky Strauss thinks outside the bag.

The Heidelberg woman is a consultant for Steeped Tea, a Hamilton-based company selling loose tea and accessories.

Tea is the most consumed drink in the world after water. Although coffee is the beverage of choice for most North Americans, tea is gaining in popularity on this continent and specialty teas are the fastest growing sector.

Strauss sings the praises of loose tea, which she says offer higher quality and richer flavour than teabags. She’s been a tea lover since she was a young girl, and selling tea was a natural fit. Strauss learned about Steeped Tea from a friend who had gone to one of their tea parties. First she hosted a tea party of her own, then decided to become a consultant herself.

“It’s new, it’s fun, and I was sure I wasn’t the only one looking for a good cup of tea,” she said.

Steeped Tea was started in 2007 by Tonia and Hatem Jahshan. The company offers more than 60 varieties of loose tea, including white, green and black tea, herbal and fruit teas, rooibos (bush tea) and oolong.

Strauss has tried nearly all 60 of the varieties, and her favourite is Crème Carmello. The rooibos tea has a rich caramel scent and Strauss likens it to “liquid dessert.”

Strauss has been in direct sales for 12 years, selling Tupperware, candles, scrapbooking supplies and now tea. The direct sale model allows her to balance working with being a mom to her three kids.

“It gives me the freedom to stay at home with my kids and work around their schedule as well as mine,” she said.

Since starting in March, Strauss has set up about 18 tea parties at customers’ homes. She said the tea parties are a good way to get together with family and friends, and involve no more work for the host than inviting people and boiling a kettle of water. Strauss advises on which four flavours of tea they should try and takes care of preparing both hot and iced tea.

“You provide the family and friends and I provide the tea and the teapots and all the accessories,” she said.

Along with sachets of tea, Steeped Tea sells teapots, cozies, presses, spoons, infusers, candles and soap. For dedicated coffee drinkers who need their fix of java, the company has added two flavours of organic, fair trade coffee from Guatemala.

Strauss herself enjoys a cup of coffee first thing in the morning and then switches to tea. Later in the day, she drinks herbal and other decaffeinated teas.

For more information, Strauss can be reached at 519-699-5652, or by e-mailing beckythetealady@sympatico.ca.

Tea Parties are a Way to a Boiling Success!

Steeped Tea consultant, Kim Dickson, has recently been featured in the business section of The Record, the newspaper serving Waterloo region and much of southwest Ontario. We've reprinted the article below:

Tea parties brew business success

August 05, 2009

By Rose Simone, Record staff

WATERLOO – A tea party sounds quaint and old-fashioned, like sitting in the garden with grandma and the aunts, sipping tea and making polite conversation.

Kim Dickson is having none of that. She turns tea parties into modern, exciting events that also generate a tidy part-time business income.

Dickson, 40, is a tea party consultant for Steeped Tea Inc., a direct-selling business that’s similar to Tupperware, Pampered Chef or Epicure Selections. It was started in Hamilton by her friend Tonia Jahshan in 2007 and became a huge success.

There are now 100 consultants like Dickson across Canada, including 10 in the Waterloo Region area, selling a wide variety of loose steeped teas, tea accessories and related products. The company will soon will branch into a fair trade coffee line as well.

The company is looking for more consultants, Dickson says.

Dickson, who got in on the ground floor, runs 10 to 12 tea parties a month at the homes of different hosts, selling about $50,000 a year worth of teas and accessories. She gets a 25 per cent commission, plus bonuses and incentive gifts for being a top seller.

The commission supplements her full-time income as a store manager for an electrical distribution company in Kitchener.

“You can take on as much or as little as you want to,” says Dickson, of Waterloo. “You can decide to do one party a month or one party a week.” Unlike some direct-selling companies, there are no minimums or entry fees.

For Dickson, it is also a lot of fun. “Sometimes, women will dress up and come with their hats and their gloves,” she says.

She makes the parties as trouble-free as possible for the hosts. “I’ll even bring my own tea cups, so the only thing the host has to do is to have some boiling water and provide a light snack for the guests,” Dickson says. Some hosts enjoy using their own tea cups, taking pleasure from bringing beautiful fine china out of the cabinet.

The Steeped catalogue now includes about 60 different loose teas that can be served hot or cold, including traditional English teas, herbal teas, white teas, black teas, green teas, specialty teas, and flavoured Rooibos teas.

Some people prefer coffee, so the company plans to introduce two fair trade coffees in September.

During her presentations, Dickson discusses the antioxidant health benefits of teas. She offers tasty samplings of products, such as a refreshing cold herbal berry tea which is a great low-sugar alternative to pop or juice for children.

Accessories include stainless Henley teapots, tea cosies, sugar bowls, creamers, platters, Bodum tea kettles and jugs, as well as scone mixes, cookies and honey sticks. There are tea bath products, natural soaps, soy candles and other items that promote relaxing with a comforting cup of tea.

When Dickson was approached two years ago, she jumped at the opportunity to get involved. “It was a chance to get in at the beginning of something that could be really huge,” she says.

There are still many opportunities for new consultants in this area, she says.

A new consultant starts by hosting a party and inviting as many friends and relatives as possible. The sales from that “starter party” go toward paying for the first sales kit, which includes about $600 worth of teas and accessories for future parties. The new consultant also commits to having at least four booked parties at the homes of people who come to the starter party.

“That’s important because if they were to have a starter party without having parties being booked from that, it can become discouraging, so it’s best to go out ahead of time and book as many parties as they can.”

That was the key to Dickson’s success. She had 22 parties booked in advance of her own starter party, which helped bring her business to a quick boil.

It’s a perfect fit for someone like Dickson, who enjoys the products and meeting people. “I just love the business, and I love what it has to offer,” she says.

rsimone@therecord.com

Steeped Tea Inc.

Kim Dickson, Steeped tea party consultant

Web: www.steepedtea.com

Email: kimsteaparties@rogers.com

Tel.: 519-884-5894

Yummy Mummies Love Tea!

Recently, an article written by our founder was published on the Yummy Mummy website. You can read it here:

Health Benefits of Tea
by Tonia Jahshan

It all started during a visit to Nova Scotia a few years ago, when my husband and I enjoyed a Crème Earl Grey tea at a bed and breakfast.

We were amazed at how rich it tasted. We quickly learned the store-bought teabags we had grown accustomed to were made of the lowest grade of broken down tea leaves. Loose tea, on the other hand, goes through a different process.

The main difference between loose teas and bagged teas is the size of the leaves. That's what affects the resulting cup of tea. Tea leaves contain essential oils, which are the basis for the delightful flavor of tea. When the tea leaves are broken up, those oils can evaporate leaving you with a tasteless tea. Typical tea bags are filled with the tiniest pieces of broken leaves, called fannings. Loose teas are typically whole leaves or at least large pieces of leaves.


If you rip open your tea bags and compare its contents to loose tea you can actually see the difference. But when you steep it, you can taste the difference and quality too. We were hooked. So we decided to learn more and share its benefits with others. Thus, Steeped Tea was born.
 

Most people are aware of the benefits of common teas like Green Tea. However, Oolong Tea and Matcha, have much greater health benefits and taste just as good, if not better.

• Green Tea as most people know contain catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant which has been proven to help prevent and sometimes treat:
  
      cancer
      rheumatoid arthritis
      high cholesterol levels
      cariovascular disease
      infection
      impaired immune function
  
  It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. Not only good for your health, but it is also great for your teeth and gums, just ask my dentist!

 

• Oolong Tea

can help burn fat (who wouldn’t like that!), reduce cholesterol built-up in the bloodstream, prevent heart ailments, and treat digestive disorders. It improves cognitive functioning and mental well-being and gives you a healthy radiant glow.

• Matcha is a vibrant green powdered tea often used in traditional Japanese tea ceremonies and made from the leaves of shade grown tea trees. Matcha can be enjoyed in everything from smoothies to cupcakes and of course tea.  Because the consumer is using the whole leaf, not an infusion of a leaf, the health benefits increase dramatically.
  
  Matcha has:
  10X the nutrients of regular green tea,
  8X the beta carotene of spinach,
  70X the antioxidants of orange juice.
  
  Matcha has one of the highest natural antioxidant levels of any food on the planet!!
  
  I enjoy making myself a Matcha smoothie every morning for breakfast. It’s an incredibly healthy, filling and yummy way to start my day. Here’s how I do it. I use my incredible Magic Bullet, add a few ice cubes, any milk of your choice (I use vanilla soy milk), ½ banana, 1 tsp honey and 1 tsp of Matcha. You can also add some protein powder for an additional boost. Blend it all up and enjoy this healthy breakfast.
  
  Rooibos is another up and coming tea that is full of antioxidants. In fact it has all the same antioxidants as green tea but without the caffeine. This is perfect for moms-to-be or moms who are nursing. Rooibos comes in some amazing flavours like Crème Carmello, Chai, Lemon Drop, Orange Burst and Pina Colada to name a few. The Roobios Pina Colada is great as an iced tea in the summer. Just add some chopped up pineapple with the juice, ice cubes and a splash of Malibu Rum.
  
  Enjoy!

 

About the author:

  Tonia Jahshan and her husband Hatem went on a passionate search for a great cup of tea. During a visit to Nova Scotia in 2006, they stayed at a small bed and breakfast and enjoyed a cup of tea called Crème Earl Grey. They had no idea tea could be this good.

When Tonia got home, she quickly put a business plan together and started Steeped Tea Inc. The tea party idea took off within 8 months and she knew she could not do 15 parties a month on her own anymore. They incorporated the business and hired their first consultant in September of 2007. The rest as they say is history.
 
Tonia and Hatem have a beautiful little girl named Layla and hope to have another one soon. Hatem is currently finishing his MBA at the University of Toronto while managing Steeped Tea and their Subway store.

There are “Steeped” Tea Party Consultants all over Ontario who would love to throw you a tea party. Book one today by visiting SteepedTea.com!

Getting Great Coverage!

The following article was just published in the Brantford Expositor, featuring one of our Brantford consultants and her Steeped Tea story. What's your Steeped Tea story???

Business suits mom to a tea

Posted By VINCENT BALL

Posted 3 hours ago

tea party, that is.

She's a consultant for Hamilton- based Steeped Tea and spends two or three nights a month hosting tea parties for people in and around Brantford.

"I'm a single-parent mom and I work full-time," said Giosi, of Brantford. "This is a great way to supplement my income.

"It'll help pay for renovation or help with my daughter's college or university education."

And, she added, there are a few other benefits.

It is a heck of a lot of fun, you get to meet a lot of different and interesting people. And, she added, there's no pressure.

She can take on as much or as little work as she wants.

Right now, she's hosting two or three parties a month, which suits her schedule just fine.

Giosi became a consultant for Steeped Tea after attending a tea party in Brantford last July. A friend had invited her to attend.

"I must say, back then, I was a bit more of coffee drinker than a tea drinker," Giosi confessed. "But I really enjoyed my night out.

"We tasted a couple of different teas, but one really stood out. It was creme carmello and once I tried that, I was sold."

She soon joined the Steeped Tea team and has been hosting tea parties ever since.

For a tea party, Giosi will typically arrive at the home of the host about 30 minutes before it's scheduled to start. She will prepare three different teas for guests to sample in addition to one iced tea.

She will talk about the history of tea as well as its health benefits and guests have an opportunity to ask questions. Guests will also have a chance to purchase a variety of Steeped Tea products.

It's a very relaxed, social atmosphere that for many guests is a wonderful, inexpensive night out. Some people like to have a theme to their party, while others see it as a pleasant night out.

Established in 2007, Steeped Fine Loose Teas and Accessories was started by the husband and wife team of Tonia and Hatem Jahshan following an earlier trip to Nova Scotia.

They were served a creme Earl Grey tea at a bed and breakfast.

The couple were amazed at the richness of the tea and discovered the difference between loose tea and the store-bought tea bags.

"Teabags are like the hot dogs of tea," Tonia said in a telephone interview. "There's a real difference in quality.

"Loose tea goes through a different process and when you steep it you can taste the difference in quality."

When they returned home, they decided to learn more about the benefits of loose tea and share it with others.

"One of the biggest selling points is the health benefits of tea," Tonia said. "Most people are aware of the benefits of green tea, but not everyone knows about the benefits of oolong tea and matcha," she said.

Oolong tea helps burn fat, reduce cholesterol, prevent heart ailments and treat digestive disorders. Matcha tea contains a large amount of antioxidants, chemical compounds that help forestall aging.

After preparing a business plan, Tonia started hosting her own tea parties and the idea caught on. She started hiring consultants, women who could host tea parties and sell products carried by Steeped Tea directly to consumers.

The catalogue of Steeped Tea products can be found at www.steepedtea.com.

Most of the company's teas are derived from a Canadian supplier, its spa line is made in Toronto and the cookies come from London. An artist in Simcoe hand makes the unique limited edition teapots.

The company is continuing to grow at a rapid pace despite the recession and is looking to move into the United States market in the next few years. Steeped Tea has already added consultants from Nova Scotia, Calgary and Winnipeg to its team.

The consultants work on a commission and it can be quite lucrative, Tonia said.

"We had one consultant make $34,000 last year and that was working part-time," she said.

Steeped Tea offers more than 60 different varieties of fine loose teas, as well as accessories and treats including scones, jam, tea baths and mugs.

With Steeped Tea, You're in Good Company

Steeped Tea was featured, along with 2 other leading direct selling companies, in this National Post article about direct sales in the current economy. Says Steeped Tea founder, Tonia Jahshan, "It's wonderful to see Steeped Tea on the same page as two other major direct selling companies. This says a lot about our company, the products and the consultants who are a part of this growing company."

Laid off? Why not throw a party?

Direct selling firms doing well in economic downturn

Mary Teresa Bitti, Financial Post  Published: Monday, May 25, 2009

One of the positive aspects of an economic downturn is a return to simple pleasures and entertaining at home, and that can only be good for direct sellers.

Mother and daughter, Sylvie Rochette and Amelia Warren and their team know that first hand. "We are conscious of what's happening in the world and we are in tune with the needs of our customers," says Ms. Rochette, who launched North Saanich, B. C.-based Epicure Selections in 1997. The 100% Canadian, family-owned, women-led party plan direct sales business now has $40-million in annual revenue, with about 6,000 consultants coast to coast -- and growing. Many of the new recruits are coming from southwestern Ontario, where the manufacturing sector has taken a hit and layoffs have left families struggling.

Its products, which include more than 200 spice blends and gourmet food products, are hitting all the right notes with consumers. "For our recipes and products to make the cut in the catalogue, they need to be affordable, healthy, fast, easy and delicious," Ms. Rochette says. "We are trying to make our main course no more than $3.50 per serving."

While economies around the globe are contracting, Epicure Selections continues to grow. Since 2001, the company has grown 1,269%; almost 40% a year. Revenue for this March rose more than 55%, compared with a year ago.

Epicure Selections sells more than three million products a year and recently was named Employer of the Year and Business of the Year by its local Chamber of Commerce. More importantly, it has given thousands of women a chance to become small business owners. "How much you earn is directly proportional to the amount of energy you put in to the business," says Ms. Warren, who joined the company three years ago. "Last year, our top consultant earned $280,000."

Ms. Warren, who serves as vice-president and runs the Epicure Foundation, which supports food security initiatives across the country, is proud to help grow a legacy that is part of her childhood . "There is no glass ceiling. We are making products that are healthy, wholesome, made by Canadians with integrity and at the same time we are empowering women, giving them more options and more freedom."

The direct selling model -- think Tupperware and Avon -- generally done through house parties led by consultants, is proving to be a bright light in dark times. According to the Direct Sellers Association of Canada, direct sales grew by 25% in the past two years, to $1.96-billion from $1.57-billion. In Canada, direct sales employ about 4,000 people full time and 1.3 million direct sellers. In this market, going direct to the consumer seems to make good business sense. And the party plan model seems to be tailored to women.

"If you have a retail environment, you have to get in your car and have consumers come to you," says Janice Gerol, vice-president and general manager of Pampered Chef Canada. "When we go out and host our cooking shows people come because its fun, they get to eat, they get to socialize with their friends and family. While they are there they get swept up in the opportunity. They see good value and at the end of the night, they can bring something home for their family." That something is Pampered Chef's line of cooking tools.

Ms. Gerol was a teacher for 12 years before entering the direct selling workforce and bringing U. S.-based Pampered Chef into Canada in 1996. She has clear thoughts on why direct selling is faring so well in the current market.

"Direct selling is resilient in [tough] economic times because our business is dependent on our consultants being excited and motivated." They are certainly motivated. At a time when layoffs are routinely announced, direct selling is looking for people, for example, she says Canadian recruitment at Pampered Chef is up 19%. And that translates into growth in sales.

"We offer a new consultant kit with tools, recipes, paperwork, apron -- everything you need to start your business and do your shows," Ms. Gerol says. For just $195 you're in business. "There is no inventory to carry, no hidden costs, no downside. You have to go out and do the shows to earn your commission. If you are willing to do two shows a week [at three hours each] you can earn $1,000 take home in a month. That's a concrete average. Worst case scenario: you have these products and you get to keep them. There are no sleepless nights."

Tonia Jahshan, founder of Hamilton-based Steeped Tea Inc., attributes the recent growth of her company to the down economy.

The business started as a hobby after a trip to Nova Scotia in 2006. "We were going through a difficult time," she says. "We had lost a baby to a miscarriage and wanted to get away. At our first [B&B] stop, the owner gave me a cup of Cream of Earl Grey which was fantastic. It was a loose tea. I had always been a tea drinker but this blew my mind."

The couple stocked up on loose tea from a little shop in Mahone Bay and brought it home. "I felt it was important to get the word out about loose tea and its health benefits -- it has more antioxidants than a tea bag. These are the things we talk about at our tea parties."

Ms. Jahshan drew up a five-year business plan based on the direct selling party model, something she was familiar with because she had been a direct selling consultant for years. Almost immediately after launching Steeped Tea in October, 2006, she was booking 15 to 18 tea parties a month. By the following May, she had reached her five-year goals and revised her business plan. She incorporated the business, hired a professional designer to make up the catalogue and hired her first consultant.

"We are now close to 100 consultants in less than two years," says Ms. Jahshan, who notes sales in 2008 were up 300% from a year earlier.

"We are one of the few companies offering jobs. Since January we have recruited almost 30 women. There are no startup costs. You have a starter party, one of our consultants will come to your house, you invite all your friends and family for a tea party, and the sales you generate at your party pay for your kit."

Consultants work on straight commission, earning 25% of everything they sell. They also earn a percentage of the sales from their recruits.

"I knew it was a good idea. I knew it was going to work. I didn't know it would happen this fast. That's why I had a five-year plan, but I met all my targets way before," Ms. Jahshan says. "Even with the recession, nobody is going to stop buying tea. Tea is one of the hottest selling beverages on the market and it's only going to get hotter."

Another Great Review

Women's Post recently reviewed and enjoyed our handy travel mug. Here's what the reviewer said:

Steeped Tea Gets Moving

It would be wonderful if every cup of tea involved zen-like peace, quiet, and time for reflection, but who are we kidding? This creative gadget lets tea drinkers take their leisurely beverage to go. Steep your tea in one of two ways using the removable strainer. Either put a spoonful of loose leaves in the bottom of the traveller, fill with water, and then attach the strainer so that the leaves never hit your lips as you sip. If you’ve got 5 minutes to wait, you can steep the tea in the strainer and then remove the strainer and run out the door.
View all products on the Steeped Tea website. Fill out the "Contact us" form for information on how to buy the Tea Traveller specifically.