For our second Spotlight On interview we got to speak to Lucy from her amazing tea company, ZigZag. We’re currently working together on creating new work and volunteering opportunities for women after they leave prison. She told us more about how she got into the tea business and her hopes for more connected and balanced societies.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your personal background.
I live in East London and was the first person in my family to go to University. I went to Leeds and studied History of Art. After studying East Asian Art during my study abroad year in Canada in 3rd year, I knew I wanted to know more about East Asian culture & philosophy. In my final year, I was awarded a scholarship to study for a Masters in East Asian Art in London, which is when I visited China on a field trip and fell in love with tea and its ancient history.
What is your job? What does the average day at work look like for you?
I start at 8:40pm and finish at 5:30pm if I'm working from the office, but always take a few walks during the day and lunch to help clear my head throughout the day and regain focus. Otherwise it's time in storage sorting deliveries or visiting new and existing stockists all over the U.K, but mainly London. I wear many hats as the sole founder; sales, marketing, finance, business development, operations. But I do really love my job.
How did ZigZag tea come about – what inspired you?
During my trip to China, I was blown away not only by the taste of truly fresh tea, but also the manner in which it was often served and the setting. This ritual was both different and similar to the 'tea moment' I grew up with and wanted to see how we can learn from the East Asian way of drinking and enjoying tea together to help bring a more balanced mindset.
How did you hear about Essence?
I heard about Essence through our work with Kahaila as their tea supplier in London. It was during a quiz night at their cafe on Brick Lane that allowed me to hear a speech by one of the support workers who works directly with the women and some of their success stories, which really touched me. It made me realise that we all have a responsibility to help those who have not been as fortunate as ourselves with various opportunities in life and how important it is that we as a society support one another.
What is it about Essence's work that motivated you to want to get involved?
Being a female myself, I can appreciate certain difficulties in terms of the way we are sometimes treated in certain contexts which made me want to help. Also because, more generally speaking, if there is someone willing to do good and offer work and in return you are also helping them in a small way to turn their lives around, or offer a little step on their way to improve their lives and get back on their feet then what could be bad about that? I feel it starts from a will and if ZigZag can help support that person and allow them to re-connect with society and work then we would love to do that.
What would you most like to see change in communities as a result of partnerships like Essence and ZigZag?
I would really love to see this kind of partnership take place in big corporations across the city to create a culture and community of well-being that starts from both the bottom-up and the top-down, coming together to set a better example. We are handed certain cards in life and it's how we use them that can help us to live better lives, but sometimes we all need a little help and it's those who are fortunate enough to have been given them already that now owe some help back to help create stronger, more connected and balanced societies.
Find out more about ZigZag’s brilliant tea on their website — https://zigzagtea.co.uk/