Who is Christa Dionne, could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Christa Dionne. I am an avid tea drinker, Highland dancing judge and instructor and former Compensation and Organizational Design Consultant. I am now the Chief Organizing Officer of my wonderful family including my husband of 26 years and our 2 wonderful teenagers!
What is your business and when did you start?
I am an Independent Consultant with Sipology, which is a loose leaf tea company based out of Ancaster. It is a family owned tea company (and Dragon’s Den success story!), which blends over 100 unique teas using all natural ingredients. While I drank black tea with milk & sugar all my life (thanks to my grandmother and dancing trips to Scotland), 3 years ago I became hooked on Sipology teas and never looked back!
What inspired you to start your business?
I didn’t realize how versatile tea is! All of a sudden I realized there is a world of delicious, hydrating and healthy teas that I loved and could share – even with my children! I now enjoy tea – hot, cold, as a mocktail or a cocktail – with or without caffeine and, of course, the ever important, all natural ingredients! And, if I am adding milk, it’s because I am making myself a delicious latte!
What were the challenges in the initial stages of your business and how did you overcome them?
I was not familiar with the direct sales industry nor had I ever “sold” anything before. Sipology has a great training program and the team I joined is supportive and fun. I figured out how to use FB and IG, kept up with some direct sales marketing tutorials and most importantly – talked about the product!! That’s easy to do when you love it and use it every day!
What motivates you about your business?
I love tea and I love sharing it with others! Helping people find delicious drinks that they enjoy makes me happy! Also, some people are looking to cut down on soda, caffeine or alcohol and tea is a great way to do that. We also have a whole line of medicinal grade teas which help a variety of ailments. They work and I love helping people feel better! It is important to me that the teas have all natural ingredients and that we offer a wide selection of caffeine and naturally caffeine free blends. There is something for everyone to enjoy!
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs?
Touch your business every day in some capacity. Customer follow up is key. Surround and connect yourself with people who help, support & motivate you in your business goals.
The best business advice I ever received was…
Be yourself. You won’t connect with everyone and that’s ok. Connect with people who “get you” and “like your style”. Those are the sorts of clients that become the backbone of your business.
My definition of success is…
Meeting my monthly goals for sales while enjoying and sharing tea!
If I could go back in time when I started my business, I would tell myself to…
Go LIVE on FB, take some IG tutorials and subscribe to the Canva pro package!
My personal tagline is…
Sip happens!
