Black Business Profiles: KēWi Teas

There’s nothing like sipping a cup of tea, whether you’re doing it to start your morning or before bed. From black tea to green tea, and oolong too, tea has a variety health benefits in addition to being a refreshing beverage, served hot or cold.

With so much to love about tea, it’s no wonder that sisters and holistic wellness advocates, Kristina and Erin Walden, established their own brand, KēWi Teas. The sisters are founders of Soul Stir – A Tea & Wellness Company, so it’s safe to say that they’re experts on the subject. For the Walden sisters, tea is not just a drink, but an experience and a means of self-care. In fact, Soul Stir offers tea tastings, ceremonies, gift boxes and more.

I spoke with Kristina about how she and her sister got started, the benefits of quality tea and the advice she has for other Black business owners.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

The Cravings Queen: What inspired you to start KēWi Teas?

Photo courtesy of Kristina Walden/Soul Stir Tea & Wellness

Kristina Walden: My sister and I started our business, Soul Stir LLC, which is a tea and wellness company, back in 2018. We also created our artisan tea brand KēWi Teas™ shortly after we launched. We are true tea lovers, who come from a tea drinking family, and holistic wellness advocates. We founded our company and brand to share our love for tea and inspire others to use tea ritual to support self-care and wellness. We also wanted to introduce broader audiences to premium loose leaf tea and mindful tea practice.

How has the experience been starting your own business?

Overall, it’s been an amazing experience and one of the greatest decisions we could have ever made! Of course, starting and building a business and brand from scratch, and keeping it running, can have its challenges. However, we felt divinely guided to start this business and we’ve been blessed in so many ways throughout the process.

What sets KēWi Teas apart from other tea companies in the industry?

There are lots of tea companies out there, but customers shop with us because of the quality of our products and for our signature tea blends. We are tea artisans, so we love to craft new blends that taste amazing and support wellness in different ways. Also, we use all natural ingredients, and our products are sustainable loose leaf teas, which means they are eco-friendly, provide more flavor, and you get to experience more of the health and wellness benefits. Furthermore, our company, Soul Stir LLC, doesn’t just sell teas, we also curate experiences centered around tea ritual and holistic wellness. We put our heart and soul in everything we do, and we believe it can be felt!

What’s been the most rewarding part of owning your own business?

Outside of the feeling of providing others with products and experiences that they really benefit from, love and enjoy, I’d say the freedom of being able to make our own choices and schedule. Just like we advocate for others to create wellness in their own lives, owning a business (although very busy at times and not necessarily for everyone), has provided a lifestyle that is more balanced, sustainable and holistically fulfilling.

What advice do you have for other Black small business owners?

You’ve got to start somewhere! You don’t have to wait until everything is figured out or perfect. You'll make some mistakes, but you'll learn and grow as you go!

Be willing to stick it out long enough to see the success. It’s tempting to throw in the towel when times get tough, but it takes time for a business to flourish. Remember, most businesses and business owners aren’t overnight successes, so be patient and resilient.

Lastly, be true to your vision and your “why,” and know that it’s okay to do things your way, even when it’s unpopular or if others don’t fully understand or agree.

What are some of your most popular teas? Do you have any personal favorites?

A few of our most popular teas include our Rose Amber Tea, Women’s Wellness Tea, Passion Punch and Spiced Chai.

I, personally, also really love our Burgundy English Breakfast tea. People might think breakfast tea is boring or average, if you’re just used to standard commercial bagged tea, but our signature breakfast blend is sooo good, smooth and rich like a fine wine.

When you aren’t working, how do you like to decompress?

With tea of course! Always up for a relaxing cup of tea or a shared tea time with others.

Love to walk and be in nature. It’s good exercise and nature helps me to refresh and disconnect, when needed. Also, hanging with family and enjoying a good meal are our most favorite, stress-relieving things to do.

To learn more about KēWi Teas, visit KeWiTeas.com.