Small Biz Spotlight: INI Sips
If there’s one thing we love more than featuring small businesses on the QCC blog, it’s a cup of tea.
When you love warm beverages so much you incorporate one into your logo…
So naturally, we’re a little obsessed with INI Sips. For the uninitiated, INI Sips is a small business in New Britain, Connecticut that specializes in a wide range of certified organic coffees and bespoke blends of premium loose leaf tea.
Veteran and family-owned, INI Sips has a sense of community at its core. After opening their first shop in January 2020, only to be hit with the outbreak of a global pandemic, owner-operators Davina and Gulaid changed the entire mission of INI Sips to prioritize giving back. They have since donated over 350 lbs of coffee to first responders, healthcare professionals, essential workers, and non-profits. If that wasn’t enough, INI Sips donates a portion of their monthly sales to community organizations — so when you purchase one of their products, you’re actively investing in the community.
Here’s more on how INI Sips got started — and pivoted during the pandemic — plus, Davina’s best advice for new business owners.
Q: Tell us a little about how you began INI Sips
A: We knew that we both love coffee and tea — and love being entrepreneurs. We decided that we would start this business together with a focus on quality, unique tea and coffee blends, and community. We’re excited that despite all the transitions we’ve gone through during this pandemic, we are still here two years later.
Q: How did the pandemic impact the way you communicate with your customers and clients?
A: When we first began our business in 2019, we started selling at farmers' markets around Connecticut. We then opened a coffee shop in January 2020, but after the outbreak of the pandemic, we had to close to the public in March 2020 due to quarantine restrictions. As a new business, we were concerned about the direction we needed to go in order to thrive during uncertainty. We decided early on that we needed to pivot from being a coffee shop to focusing directly on our online website. We also knew that we needed to translate our commitment to the community to our followers on social media. We started giving coffee to first responders, non-profit organizations, hospitals, and many more who were moving the community forward during the quarantine. For every two bags of coffee bought by our customers, we donated one to the various groups of community heroes.
Q: Are there any “pandemic strategies” that you will carry over into the future?
A: We encourage business owners to always have creative ideas and a plan to pivot when the unexpected happens. This pandemic taught us that there is no one way to do things correctly. You need to be creative and agile in order to be successful in business. Also, involve your customers in your entrepreneurial journey. Your customers are your biggest fans and they want to see you win.
Q: What is your biggest marketing challenge as a business owner?
A: The biggest marketing challenge is keeping your customers engaged in a social media driven society. It takes work to build a relationship with your customers. Staying creative, while also highlighting the benefits and quality of your products, is also very important.
Q: What is your best piece of advice for new business owners?
A: Stay agile and enjoy the process. You only need to get it right once, but until that time enjoy the memories created during your entrepreneurial journey.
To learn more about INI Sips, visit www.inisips.com or connect on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.
If you want to be featured in a Small Biz Spotlight, fill out our Q&A form. If you provide thoughtful, useful answers we may feature you and your company.
