Rachel B. Jackson, founder of Adornleaf Tea Co. has been a member of Local Pop Up since 2022, and is officially a featured maker inside Local Supply 🤩🩷
What started off as a daily routine grew into her own hand-blended herbal tea business in 2019. “Life and work can be so demanding,” from feeling sick or sluggish, having a scratchy throat, or needing a boost at the end of your work day, Rachel loves how many uses tea has. Rachel was originally motivated by creating her own tea because she wanted flavors that catered to her own taste opposed to commercial brands. She has also found learning about herbs and herbal wellness has helped scratch an itch to learn new things.
Because of how useful and accessible tea is, cultures have taken advantage of teas for their own uses, rituals, and ceremonies for centuries. Due to its versatility, Rachel is able to make blends that fit any taste preferences, budgets, wellness needs, and routines. She believes that as long as you find what works for you, then everyone is able to like tea. For example, Rachel doesn’t like licorice or teas that taste like licorice. She’s been able to target and cut out this taste in her blends, leading her to like just about every other tea. Since tea’s are weak infusions of herbs, they make an easy way to receive health benefits, such as vitamins and minerals, that are found in these herbs. Rachel has found that you can either drink herbal tea, caffeinated tea, or even blend them together, because “there’s always a blend out there for anyone who is willing to try.” Currently, one of her popular blends is her elderberry tea, Respect the Elders. As an alternative to a thick elderberry syrup, the tea helps support a healthy immune system and digestive system, which everyone can benefit from.
While Rachel enjoys the small business community, she also appreciates the encouragement and honesty she receives from the community. As a Black maker having to face systemic challenges, like less access to capital and having to work harder to start a business, being able to build relationships with other Black women business owners has helped her learn and grow as both an individual and business owner. Another local Black owned business and Local Pop Up member, Elle Mouton and Keidrick "Sensei" Alford of Ellemnop.art, is one of Rachel’s favorite businesses in the area because of the work they do that involves working with our local school district to highlight young artists. Rachel would love the chance to collaborate with this inspirational duo one day.
With her background in nonprofit management, Rachel would like to eventually marry her knowledge of community development and tea by starting a consulting business. As someone who is currently running her own business and working towards other endeavors, Rachel advises anyone who is trying to start a business to start off with something that “intrigues you, challenges you, and that you genuinely enjoy doing.” She states that even though it’ll still be hard work, that baseline of doing something you enjoy can help keep you grounded in your journey.
Thank you to Rachel for being my second Maker Monday for Black History Month! You can now find a selection of Rachel's hand blended teas inside Local Supply, and keep an eye out for her at the Local Pop Up markets!
