What motivated you to start your business and what is your vision for the future of the company?

5 years ago, I was on a trip to Taiwan, which is the birth-place of my favourite drink, bubble tea. On a fateful, hot, summery day, I somehow ended up purchasing 3 cups of bubble tea throughout my day (I blame the weather!). When I went to throw away my third empty cup of bubble tea into the trash can, I suddenly noticed the astronomical amount of waste that this drink produced, from the plastic cup, lid, and straw. It was from that point on that I knew, something had to be done. Fast forward to 2020, I had just completed an exchange semester abroad where I learned about e-commerce, and finally decided to start my business. When it came to ideation, I had no hesitation in coming up with the concept for Teaboco, a reusable drink ware brand that inspires people to sip sustainably. Over the past 2.5 years, I have grown my business beyond my wildest dreams, selling to thousands of customers in 5 continents. Even with difficulties due to Covid-19, which resulted in supply chain issues, rising costs of materials, etc., I still pushed myself to continue working towards my vision of a more sustainable and conscious world. I have grand visions for Teaboco, including a zero-waste Teaboco cafe, zero-waste at-home drink making kits, selling at brick-and-mortar stores, and having a team of employees who are excited and inspired to promote the positive message behind the brand. I also aim to continue my sustainability advocacy of ocean conservation by continuing to donate to various organizations, as well as leading shoreline cleanups in the near future (starting from this summer!). I am so excited to see where Teaboco goes in the future, and I am so grateful for all the support my company has received thus far.

Why do you deserve to win the Best Youth Entrepreneur Award?

To those of you who are hearing about Teaboco for the first time, thank you so much for being here and for reading my profile! My name is Julianne Nieh, and I am a recent graduate from the Sauder School of Business (BComm 2021). I founded my brand, Teaboco in 2020, due to my passion for sustainability and conscious living- I am so grateful to be considered for the 'Best Youth Entrepreneur Award'. Ever since I was a child, it has been my dream to be an entrepreneur. My mom recently reminded me of an endearing story from my childhood. She told me that when I was around 10 years old, she asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up and why. Somehow, my 10 year old self said "I want to be a business owner, because I want to create jobs for people"! This goal is still true today, but it goes beyond that. I believe that business can be a force for good, a force for change in the world we live in today. With each cup I sell through Teaboco, I know that I am not only providing a product to a customer, but I am also changing the way they live their life, in a small but meaningful way. I believe that my mindset around business can inspire other young people who aspire to become entrepreneurs as well. If I were to win this award, I am confident that I can graciously represent Small Business BC's values and mission. Over the past 2.5 years, I have worked tirelessly to grown my business, and encourage people to be more sustainable in their day-to-day lives. Through social media, I have garnered a large community of loyal customers and supporters who love our product and mission as well! I believe in purpose-driven entrepreneurship, and I predict that this will be the future of business. If you resonate with my approach to entrepreneurship, I would love your vote for this award! With the earnings, my intention is to use part of the proceeds to organize a shoreline cleanup this summer, with the remaining part of the award going towards building a campus ambassador program, which will encourage students to be more sustainable. Thank you so much for your consideration and support!