Member Article

You can’t beat a good brew: Jules Quinn tells us about the success of the Tea Shed

Its hard to believe that the TeaShed has only been up and running for five months, when you look at the number of accolades Jules Quinn has already won for her business.

Gold Award at NewcastleGateshead EAT! Festival, Business Viablility and Retail and Service Awards, a regional Blueprint award… oh and she only graduated from university in May.

“I always knew I wanted to run my own business, so when I was at university I lived at home for two years to save up so I could start something up after graduating.”

The Tea Shed is an online retail business specialising in unusual teas and beautifully designed tea ware. Jules got the idea for her business during a placement year as part of her Fashion Marketing degree in London.

“Before I went to London, I didn’t really drink much tea,” she recounts. “But while I was there I noticed how many people enjoyed it, and it really got me thinking about what a trend it is.”

Over the following year, Jules developed her idea as part of a university project, which required her to come up with a viable business concept.

“While others just did mock plans, I used the project as an opportunity to create my own business plan.

“I started looking for suppliers, tasting teas and finding stockists and the day after I graduated my tea was on the shelves in Fenwick in Newcastle!”

Jules believes the business has grown relatively organically, but it is clear that her own hard work and sacrifice is what has helped the business along so quickly.

“I lived at home for two years when I was at university to save money, and all the prize funds I have won have gone straight back into the business.

“My parents have also helped me along the way, and my mum is still actively helping with the business, packing tea and working in the office.”

As well as selling her products online, Jules regularly attends trade shows and markets to showcase the Tea Shed, and is now even in talks with several national retailers who are looking to stock her wares. Ironically however, she often finds it difficult to appeal to older clientele.

“Some people at the markets we go to don’t quite get what Tea Shed is and think its not for them,” she continues. “Its quite funny sometimes though because they think I’m the Saturday girl working for the company rather than the owner!

“Fortunately buyers never look down on me, which means that we’ve managed to secure a great supplier, who produces high quality Tea Shed blends.”

Jules is now looking to branch into coffee, with a new range of low calorie, flavoured blends.

“The company has been forecast to make a profit in year 1 which is really exciting too,” she concludes. “ So starting up alone has certainly paid off!”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .