Sibahle Teas (pronounced See-Bah-Clay) was founded in 2020 by Regina Brewton-Smith, a working mother who was looking to share healthy alternatives to highly-processed, sugary beverages with her community. Sibahle is a premium loose leaf tea company that sources their teas directly from farmers in different countries in Africa. “There’s plenty of companies here in the states I could go get teas from, but I am making it a point to get the teas directly from the farmers in Africa,” Regina shared. “When I was introduced to African teas specifically, the flavor profiles just blew me away, which is why I decided to focus on teas from Africa. I am really looking to educate people on the bounty of teas that come from there. A lot of people think of tea and only think of China or India.”
On top of her dedication to the mission of Sibahle Teas, Regina was drawn to entrepreneurship for the independence and freedom that comes with running your own business. “Being a small business owner, there is a whole sense of freedom,” she reflected. “I’ve watched this thing go from nothing to something, and I’m super proud of what I’ve done and what this is becoming.”
“Being a small business owner, there is a whole sense of freedom. I’ve watched this thing go from nothing to something, and I’m super proud of what I’ve done and what this is becoming.”
Regina, Owner & founder of Sibahle Teas
For Regina, the freedom and independence of entrepreneurship does not mean working alone. “My daughters have been a great help, it really is a family business. I have the support of my husband and daughters who come to do events with me and stuff like that,” she explained. “My start in tea is associated to my long standing Coca Cola addiction. I was very much addicted to the sugar. This grew during the period caring for my son who was going through Chemo battling cancer. I on the other hand was neglecting my own health drinking and eating poorly. I turned to tea to wean myself from the nasty habit. Although we lost Ryan, I honor him and my girls by pursuing my dreams.”
Regina is also a member of Naturally New York, an organization that fosters community and opportunity for entrepreneurs who sell sustainable, natural, and organic products. It was through one of their community events that she was first referred to Hot Bread Kitchen.
“It’s a really good feeling to know that I’m making an impact on my daughters’ lives, for them to see their mom doing this.”
Regina, Owner & founder of Sibahle Teas
Excited by the idea of working with an organization that specifically focused on supporting food entrepreneurship, Regina decided to join our Seed program to finalize her business plan. For Regina, “Hot Bread Kitchen provided the structure of how to do a business plan, what to do, and when to do it.” She continued, “I think for a long time my business plan was just in my head. Having it more formalized will give me more opportunities to apply for grants, and to apply for any financial opportunities where having a formal business plan is a requirement.”
Another benefit of joining Hot Bread Kitchen for Regina was the sense of community and access networking opportunities. In her Seed cohort, Regina was able to connect with other entrepreneurs and share ideas and gain different perspectives on common small business issues. She commented, “Throughout the course of Seed I also had a lot of opportunities to go to events on site at Chelsea Market, different networking opportunities. I had a lot of opportunities to put my business out there and talk to people.”
The importance of community and connection in the world of entrepreneurship is something that Regina holds very closely. “I’ve already recommended Hot Bread Kitchen to all my friends in the food space, it’s such a great networking body, ” she said. For anyone considering starting a business and joining Hot Bread Kitchen, she says, “Don’t think too little of yourself or your business, the hands of support are there at Hot Bread Kitchen.”
