Every now and then, I get asked: “So... what made you start this ah?” Honestly, I never have a perfectly crafted answer for that question because it all feels so deeply personal. But if I had to sum it up, it boils down to this: I love nature. I’m in constant awe of its beauty, and I want to encourage people (including myself) to slow down and appreciate the simplest things in life.
It all started during university. I spent a semester diving into Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)—learning the basics, flipping through pages of the 本草纲目 (Compendium of Materia Medica), and trying to wrap my head around this centuries-old practice. Through TCM, I began seeing nature in a different way. There was this idea of balance that really struck me—not just in terms of hot and cold or yin and yang, but in how everything in life works together. Joy and sadness. Highs and lows. Darkness and light.
It was a reminder I needed, especially when life felt like this endless race to nowhere. TCM taught me to pause and find harmony, instead of constantly chasing something.
That’s where my love for herbs came in. I started making tea blends for myself—learning how each herb worked, what it could do, and how nature quietly supports us in its own way. And as I was doing this, I realized something: if nature shows up for us every single day, why can’t we do the same for her? That thought stuck with me, and it’s probably the reason Tea Buds exists today.
Of course, deciding to turn this into a real “thing” didn’t happen overnight. It took me months to figure out if this wasn’t just another fleeting idea of mine. But slowly, I started piecing things together—researching, talking to TCM practitioners, testing blends (so many failed ones), and figuring out suppliers. After what felt like forever, Tea Buds, 茶伴, finally came to life.
The name “Tea Buds” felt just right. To me, it represents both flower buds and buddies—being a friend to nature and, in turn, letting it nurture us.
But I’ll be honest: when I first started, I wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence. I didn’t know if anyone would resonate with what I was trying to do. But here we are today, far beyond what I could’ve imagined, and I’m so grateful for how far we’ve come.
If you’ve made it this far into my rambling, thank you. You’re already part of this story—just by being here, reading this, and giving this little dream of mine some of your time.
I hope Tea Buds brings you a moment of calm in your busy day, a reminder to slow down, and a sense of joy in life’s simplest things. Here’s to slowing down, sipping tea, and being buddies with nature. 🌿
With love and gratitude,
Cheryl