The Birth of a Tea Business: My "Why" for Creating SpeakTEAzy™

From Poetry to Passion

SpeakTEAzy™ was born at the intersection of two lifelong loves: tea and poetry. Growing up, I was captivated by the art of arranging words — sometimes in rhyme, sometimes freeform — and I spent countless hours entering poetry contests and attending spoken word events. Poetry was my outlet, my craft, my first love.

But as I grew older, life shifted. I found myself working high-stress customer service jobs, writing less and less, and relying on coffee just to face the day. Poetry faded into the background, and fatigue became my new normal.

Discovering Tea at Teavana

Everything changed in my mid-20s when I wandered the halls of Towson Towne Center Mall in Baltimore, MD. A heavenly aroma stopped me in my tracks. To my right stood a tea paradise — Teavana.

I stepped inside and was instantly immersed in walls of loose-leaf teas, vibrant tins, sugar assortments, and cast-iron kettles. I was hooked. Within weeks, I applied for a job and quickly rose from team member to Team Lead.

There, I learned the beauty of tea: how freshness impacts flavor, how colors and aromas tell a story, and how blending could be as creative as writing a poem. I even created off-menu blends that I shared with coworkers and customers. Tea replaced coffee in my daily rituals — not just because it tasted better, but because it carried health benefits that truly changed my lifestyle.

The Loss of Teavana

But like many beautiful things, Teavana didn’t last. Rumors swirled of closures and eventual acquisition by Starbucks. At first, I didn’t want to believe it. When the day finally came, I was devastated.

I tried working for Starbucks for a short time, but my heart wasn’t in it. I didn’t have a passion for coffee. My passion was for tea — and for poetry, which I had nearly forgotten in the shuffle of life. That’s when it clicked: why not combine the two?

SpeakTEAzy™: Where Poetry Meets Tea

SpeakTEAzy™ didn’t start with this name. She went through many identities before I found the one that honored both of my passions: words and tea.

I feel as though I have a knack for speaking in general, especially in a poetic sense, but I've learned over time that I also have an affinity for storytelling...and I do love a good story. If you haven't already noticed, each of my teas have an intricate name and an even more detailed description of them behind it.

I love to describe things in great detail and don't let me be passionate about it...it turns into an entire mental cinema of the senses. That's what I'm providing with my teas. Not simply a delicious drink, but an entire experience starting with your tastebuds and eventually entering into your Mind, Heart and Soul ultimately captivating you into a swirl of past nostalgia and forthcoming futures.

My Why

Believe it or not, I’ve tried to start this business three different times:

• Once during the early days of COVID in Colorado.

• Once in North Carolina after my twins were born.

• And now, for the third and final time — the version you see today.

Life pulled me away before, but not this time. Even now, as I type this with my toddler tugging at my arm demanding cartoons, I know I won’t stop. SpeakTEAzy™ is more than a business. It’s a legacy.

Through all the delays, distractions, and detours, one truth has become clear: if you are truly passionate about something, you must make space for it. Whether you’re a single stay-at-home mom, a creative fighting fatigue, or a dreamer navigating life’s noise, your craft deserves attention.

That’s my why. SpeakTEAzy™ is my promise to myself — and my gift to the world.

🌿 Tea Ritual for Remembering Your Why

When life feels overwhelming and your purpose feels distant, pause and prepare a grounding cup of tea.

1. Choose a blend that feels like “home” (Like my Back to Me™ blend) — comforting, steady, familiar.

2. As the water warms, write one line that begins with: “My why is…”

3. While the tea steeps, close your eyes and imagine your passion as a flame — steady and unshaken.

4. With your first sip, whisper: “I return to my why. I return to me.”

✨ Affirmation

“My passion is worth protecting. My voice, my craft, and my dreams deserve to grow. No matter how many times life tries to pull me away, I always find my way back to my why.”

Allow this tea ritual to carry you through your Sunday and through the rest of this week. And at the end of each day, never forget to return to YOURSELF.

Through Leaves & Love Always,

Dominique W. - Tea.E.O & Founder of SpeakTEAzy™