‘Family Was Against It but We’re Happy’: MSc Grad Quits MNC Job To Sell 50 Types of Tea

When Serena, an MSc graduate, opened a tea shop, her family opposed the decision. She used to work at a multinational company but later decided to run a tea shop in Kochi.

“My husband was an underwater scuba diver in the Gulf. But he lost his job because of the [COVID-19] pandemic. That’s when we decided to start this venture together,” recalls Serena.

Along with her husband, she set up her tea shop at Willingdon Island in Kerala and named it ‘Dining Island’. From strawberry tea, hibiscus tea, cinnamon tea, pepper tea, and English breakfast tea to al-kubus and chamomile, they serve 50 varieties of teas along with cold drinks and snacks.

However, opening the tea shop was not an easy task. The couple had to shut the shop just two days after they started the business due to legal problems. The shop had to be remained closed for two months before they could restart the business.

Even after reopening the shop, the couple struggled to get customers. But, they provided quality food and interacted with all their customers and managed to create a good customer base eventually.

Today, despite their initial struggle, the couple is living their dream while earning a neat profit.

Every morning after dropping off the kids at school, they come to the shop together, work, and leave together. Between the couple, her husband Liju prepares the tea while Serena cooks the snacks and serves them hot and fresh. In the absence of Liju, Serena also takes care of the tea. The couple also has a helper who takes care of the cold drinks.

“It’s been over a year now; Alhamdulillah, we are running it happily,” says Serena, who advises people to follow their passion whether it is small or big.

Watch this video to learn more about her inspirational journey:

Edited by Pranita Bhat