There is a distinct way of pronouncing things in the City of New Orleans. Most of them have nothing to do with pronouncing them as they look. Terms like: Melpomene (MEL-poe-meen), Dorignac's (DORN-yacks), Euterpe (YOU-terp), and our personal favorite Tchoupitoulas (chop-ah-TOO-liss). Today, we're spending time with Neauxla Sips (pronounced NOLA) founder, Rayshawn Estelle, to learn the scoop on quality tea the NOLA way.
Please, can you introduce yourself and your company? My name is Rayshawn Keanna Estelle. I’m 34 years young and the youngest of my mother’s 3 children. I’m a server of my church and community, a full-time entrepreneur, and a mail carrier for 5 years.
“Neauxla Sips” is an online Coffee & Tea Company, founded in February of 2019. My love for coffee came about at the age of 12 while sitting with my grandmother over breakfast and her cup of “Luzianne Coffee.” Over the years I started to acquire a taste for different Coffee roasts and Tea flavors. We offer a variety of Signature and Flavored Blends, uniquely paying homage to the city of NOLA we have named most of the blends by popular streets and landmarks.
What was your journey like getting to where you are? Honestly, I’ve had a lot of ups and downs through life. No more than the average person, but I had to break out of some of life’s cycles and make the transformation into entrepreneurship with a goal in mind to create a better lifestyle for myself, doing what I love…whatever it may be.
Could you tell us about the ethos and values, which your brand stands for? As it is my dream to make Neauxla Sips a household name, FAMILY, QUALITY, & HEALTH is what comes to mind when selecting our product. We research what customers are currently consuming and for which purpose, then introduce them to a healthier solution, which are our quality products.
What were you doing before you started Neauxla Sips? Building my other business “Grayteful Hands Cleaning Service” and working as a full-time mail carrier.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? Working on other projects, as I am now.
What do you do to stay current with trends?
Humbly Speaking… I don’t. I consider myself to be a trailblazer. I’m aware that certain things are done a certain way, but I tend to go with my vision. Not only do it minimize the thought of competition for me, it’s safe to produce, and it also creates a trend without trying.
How do you handle the daily pressures of entrepreneurship? Of course, I do the one thing that’s frowned upon… I see a therapist! Lol. Really, I consistently remind myself that it’s not a race, create goals for the week, educate myself, and take it one day at a time. But most importantly I seek God first in everything and don’t get consumed in the world, but I can make a difference.
What is your favorite tea and why? My favorite Tea is Our “Chamomile Flowers” Besides the unique floral scent, the health benefits is what make this my absolute go to at the end of the day. I personally drink a cup every night to relieve stress & anxiety, reduce inflammation from daily activity, and to get a great night’s rest.
What is your favorite quote and why?
“ What if I fall? Oh, but darling what if you fly?”
It reminds me that failure is only a choice, I have what it takes inside of me to fly.
There are so many studies out there proving the health benefits of tea. Could you tell us about the health benefits of tea and how to preserve our tea to maintain the quality of your teas? The great thing about loose tea is that its ALL NATURAL AND HAVE MULTIPLE BENEFITS IN EACH ONE. Most importantly they are all high in ANTIOXIDANTS which are substances that can prevent or slow down damaged caused internally by poor food, beverage intake and lifestyle choices.
Some benefits to name a few are… Controlling blood sugar, assist in hair and nail growth, skin rejuvenation, weight management, mental clarity, prevents, cardiovascular disease, energy boost, sleep aid, relieves anxiety, indigestion, relieves headaches menstrual cramps and more! I preserve my teas by putting them in a mason jar. It keeps the scents locked in protecting the life of the leaves to ensure a fresh taste every sip.
What does the future look like for you? Bright! I am working on a few other projects, and I plan to make an impact on the world with the greatness inside of me.
Rapid Fire Questions:
Favorite color - Black
Favorite food - Pepperoni Pizza &Lemon Pepper Wings
Favorite beverage - Sweet Tea
Favorite destination - Anywhere outside of my comfort Zone
Warm weather or cold - Warm
Favorite holiday - Christmas
#neworleans
#beyondthetable
#risingstars
