Meet Lauretta Nkwocha | Entertainer & Entreprenuer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauretta Nkwocha and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauretta, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I hadn’t intended to be a business owner. I trained as an actress in London, and have performed professionally since 1996 on various British TV shows, stages across the UK, as well as TV shows here in America.

In 2009, I was pregnant with my first child; the nausea was relentless, so I used Ginger ale as a remedy. In 2014, while pregnant with my second child, I decided that this time, I didn’t want to use Ginger Ale to help calm the all-day nausea. I wanted something more natural, so I tried various ginger teas. None of them were strong enough, and therefore did nothing to ease my discomfort. I tried ginger crystals, but they tasted too much like candy. My doctor recommended anti-nausea medication, but I was uncomfortable with taking medication during pregnancy if it wasn’t a life-threatening situation! So….my husband offered to get me some ginger root from the grocery store, and suggested we slice it, and boil it to make our own ginger drink. We did, and it worked INCREDIBLY!!!!!!

This ginger drink became a staple in my household because I LOVED the flavour, and the added bonus was finding out how healthy it was!!! Over the years, I would make batches of it for my friends when they became sick with colds or the flu…

In December of 2020, while I was wrapping small gift bottles of this drink for my mummy friends in my town of Babylon, NY, my sister asked me why I wasn’t selling my ginger drink. I didn’t know what to say, so I said that I would try. In September of 2021, I made my first official sale of Lauretta’s British Ginger T.

Today, Lauretta’s British Ginger T is in 16 stores, with a growing direct to customer aspect of the business as well…!!

What should our readers know about your business?
Being a first-time business owner, I have had to learn EVERYTHING about running a business in a relatively short amount of time, and I probably haven’t even scratched the surface!!!!!!!!!!

I think the first thing I have learned is that if, like myself, you have very little patience, starting your own business will force you to learn patience.

Coming from a career performing in front of live audiences and cameras, I am MORE than happy to represent my brand, and talk about my product allllllllllll daaaaaaaay, because I truly believe in it, and love it like it is my third child!!!!!! However, every other aspect of running a business is a challenge to me, and therefore, I have learned to surround myself with people that know more than I do, and use available tools and resources to school myself! Having little patience and even less knowledge, I have had to go easy on myself; take things one step at a time, make lists, create space in my day that is set aside for attending to that list, delegate, ask for help, but commit to furthering my knowledge. The more I know, the better it is for my business and for my customers!

I believe that we all have the right to thrive, and therefore, over the years, those batches of my tea that I would make and give to my friends when they got sick, helped to make them feel better; it benefited them, their families and the community in which they live. It didn’t dawn on me until recently that I actually haven’t had the common cold or flu since I started drinking my tea on a daily basis the way that many people drink coffee, which tells me that if more people get to make this tea part of their daily routine, then they too can benefit the way that I, my family and my friends have….!!!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am from London- one of the most fabulous cities in the world. I now live in Babylon, NY, and I am about an hour away from New York City, the largest city in America and arguably one of the most exciting cities in the world!!! I just got back from a few days in Miami (a 50th birthday trip for me and some girlfriends) and Miami is certainly one of the sexiest cities I have frequented over the years….!!!

When friends or family visit me in New York, if it’s in the summer months, we visit one of the many beaches that are within 7-20 minutes of my house; we have the bay on one side, and the beach on the other side!!! Some of the beaches are for Town of Babylon residents only, and therefore are quieter; other beaches are for the general public, and they are busy, with restaurants that offer live music after 6pm!! Ocean Beach on Fire Island is a favourite little getaway. It is accessed mostly by a 20 minute ferry ride. It has a “no car” policy and we love it (we go every year!!) It’s close, it’s quaint, it’s very child-friendly but also has a bustling night life!

If you enjoy wine, then an afternoon trip to one of the many wineries on Long Island is a must!!!!!! Enjoy the wine tastings, the hors oeuvres, the scenery…..

It is definitely a requirement to go and see a Broadway show (or 2) in NYC, and maybe enjoy the whole theatrical experience by eating at Carmine’s before or after a show!! For some late night cocktails, we could visit one of the many contemporary rooftop bars in some of the most fabulous hotels- a regular for me is the Public hotel…!!

I also love doing the “tourist thing” by catching a hop on/hop off tour bus and visiting Lady Liberty….Top of The Rock….and the World Trade Center…

To finish the week off, Sunday brunch is a lovely, relaxing way to end the trip. Once again, a lot of the NYC rooftop restaurants & bars host great brunches. We could also travel out to Westhampton Beach and enjoy the outdoor seating in one of the restaurants that line Main Street. We can people-watch, sip Mimosas then stroll and shop in the beautiful, quaint boutiques….!!!!!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My shoutouts definitely start with my Mummy. She was the reason I even felt like I could follow my dream to live and work in America. She loved, encouraged and supported me throughout my career. Having that foundation certainly makes a person feel like they can aspire to do, be and achieve anything!!! Thank you forever Mummy….

I also want to shoutout my husband Michael, and my sister Helen: the idea of making my own ginger drink was totally his, and the idea of selling this delicious, healthful and helpful drink was totally hers. Thank you both!!!!

I want to shoutout my mentor and friend, Six Montgomery who has patiently and generously guided me along this journey ever since we were introduced by another generous and helpful entrepreneur, Sal Gervasi. Thank you gentlemen….!!

I have to shoutout Guy Raz and the “How I Built This” podcast. It continues to inspire, entertain and “Wow” me!!!!

Lastly, but definitely not least of all, is my brother-in-law Brian, who introduced me to the aforementioned podcast, and who was a supporter of Lauretta’s British Ginger T as soon as he tasted it! He has made me think intentionally about my product so that I never give anything to the public that I am not immensely proud of. Thank you Brian for your time, your patience, and your way of challenging me to make this the best that it can be….

Website: www.laurettasbritishgingert.com

Instagram: @GingerTLady

Linkedin: http://linkedin.com/in/lauretta-nkwocha-94500039

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/LaurettaNkwocha/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GingerTLady

Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCl9gArEfusGuDufyilzSscQ

Image Credits
*Alex M. Wolf *Anita Maynard *Photos By Siobhan *Money Healer Helen