Lisa Biafore grew up in Cape May County, New Jersey, and moved to Morgantown with her husband, Michael, in 1996. She has a BS from Glassboro State (now Rowan University) and an MBA from Drexel University. Lisa spent over 30 years in the corporate world with her last position as a Sr. Program Manager for a consulting firm providing support to a large federal government agency. Starting the Tea Shoppe was to be a ‘fun’ retirement option. Lisa continues to learn about the tea industry and has obtained certifications as a Tea Specialist, a Tea Professional and a Tea Blender.
Lisa and Michael have two daughters that have worked at The Tea Shoppe since they were both 16. Her daughter, Rachel, has a Culinary Degree from Pierpont Technical School and is a certified pastry chef as well as a BS from WVU in Entrepreneurship. Rachel is responsible for the Front of the House and Event Planning. Lisa’s other daughter, Regina, has a BS from WVU in Psychology and is the Kitchen Manager and is also responsible for all social media platforms. Both daughters are instrumental in the growth and running of the shop.
The Tea Shoppe, located in Morgantown, West Virginia, carries over 180 teas, teaware, accessories and giftware. The Tea Shoppe serves afternoon tea, gourmet sandwiches and paninis, fresh salads, quiche, scones and freshly baked sweets. The Tea Shoppe provides the tranquility for anyone to relax, refresh and reflect with a great cup of tea!
SHOW NOTES:
- 3:50 Lisa, take a minute, fill in some gaps from that brief intro and give us a little behind the curtain look into your company.
- 5:34 How did you get started in this business?
- 7:03 What is the thing you’re most excited about for your business right now?
- 8:03 What is the geographic market that you serve?
- 9:01 Can you tell us more about your e-commerce platform and where those customers come from?
- 10:05 Can you tell us more about the e-commerce side of your business?
- 10:55 What has been your best business moment so far?
- 11:38 How did winning The Taste of Morgantown award in 2015 affect your business?
- 12:38 What is the worst moment you’ve had in business so far?
- 14:00 PWV Commercial Break
- 14:23 What is the long term vision you have for The Tea Shoppe?
- 15:24 What can new customers expect when they visit The Tea Shoppe?
- 16:48 How do you attract new customers?
- 17:33 What social media platforms are you using right now?
- 17:57 Outside of Covid-19, what is the biggest challenge your business is facing right now?
- 19:04 What is one piece of advice that you’d give to young entrepreneurs in WV?
- 20:24 What is one thing that you do everyday that you think contributes to your success?
- 20:52 What is one resource that you use in your business that you couldn’t live without?
- 21:59 What is one book or podcast that you’d recommend to young entrepreneurs?
- 23:08 What role do you see yourself playing from that book in your own company?
- 24:47 Is there anything else you think our listeners should know about your story or The Tea Shoppe?
- 25:18 What is the best way for our listeners to learn more about The Tea Shoppe, and maybe even get in contact with you?
- 26:29 Outro
https://www.theteashoppewv.com
304-413-0890