We had the good fortune of connecting with Patrique Goodall and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Patrique, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
People always say to work hard in silence & let success be the noise. While I strongly believe that you shouldn’t let people know all the moves you’re making in business, especially if you’re in a competitive industry, I find that many people take it very literal and we’ve gotten to a place where it has gotten problematic. For me at least.
I find that people don’t want to talk about their journey in business until after they’ve succeeded, and so people looking on, have this notion that entrepreneurship is easy. I want people to see me working hard, so they know that success does not come easy, and luck as they say, is where hard work meets opportunity.
People should talk about the journey, and share some of the missteps they’ve taken along the way, so people can avoid making those same mistakes. I also feel that too many people think that sharing advise on the come-up is bad because they’re afraid of criticism. What I have found in sharing my journey and the roadblocks I’ve encountered, is that people who have gone through similar experiences can share how they overcame them, and give me advice, networks and opportunities that I would have missed out on, if I had not spoken up. Not everyone will have good intentions in their advice, but if more people shared the journey, we’d see more people willing to put in work to succeed.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I own and operate a loose-leaf tea company on the beautiful island of Jamaica. At the time when I launched there was no company that sold loose leaf teas, nor locally flavoured teas for that matter. Many people have asked me why tea? ….and why tea in a country that produces the best coffee in the world, I ask them, why not? Jamaica and the Caribbean for that matter has had a strong culture of infusing herbs, roots and botanicals for medicinal benefits and for their enjoyment from the days of our enslaved ancestors. Likkle Tea fuses the tea plant or Camelia Sinensis, with local botanicals to create a unique tea experience. I use my brand to tell stories and experiences of Jamaica and our culture, from the food, idyllic parishes, music and nostalgic moments. Portland Bliss, Mahoe Bay, Galloway, Coconut Pone, Moonshine Darling, Jamaican Breakfast, Highgate Chai are some of the blends that have a story behind it. My packaging is vibrant and colourful just like the beauty of the Caribbean, and are made from bio-degradable material – paper and repurposed bamboo because I am doing my part to help to preserve the world that we’ve been handed..
It has not been an easy road because I at the time when I started the business, the local regulatory body did not even have a standard for tea, and classified any infusion as tea, which in itself is a plant, and no country in the world does this. I have had raw material seized at customs because they do not know that tea is an actual plant that does not always come in a powdered or bag form. And when the items have landed, there are high customs fees that are associated with raw materials. Jamaica has one of the highest custom fees in the world, and unless you’re a large investor coming into the country you will never benefit from any start-up relief. All in all, doing business in Jamaica is an extreme sport. My brand outside of Jamaica would be considered a Certified-B corporation and would be exempt from many of the tariffs and duties charged here, and yet still, my business is here, because I believe that if I can do something to help to challenge some of these red tapes, it will be easier for the next tea company that follows behind me. I believe in my country and I think that we are heading in the right direction. I have not yet solved many of these challenges and it’s a series of asking questions and building relationships to make the processes easier.
I started this business with US$200 and I have been blessed with a community of friends who believe in the brand and who’ve all helped me along the way.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Where to start? I am a MoBay girl so the day has to start on the North Coast with breakfast at the Pelican Grill on Jimmy Cliff Boulevard, after having Likkle Tea at home of course. The fried dumpling is the same as it was 30 years ago as a child. We would head down the street to my favourite beach – Doctor’s Cave for a wade and some sun- because your girl cannot swim. We’d also have to take a drive to the South Coast and as we get to St. Elizabeth, we’d have to stop at the Sip Man. Sip is an ital peas soup. We’d then head to Border for fish and bammy and then the Middle Quarters for shrimp. Floyd’s Pelican Bar is also a must visit. It’s a sandbar in the middle of the ocean made completely out of driftwood. Fresh fish and lobster is prepared on location and is perfect with an ice-cold Red Stripe Beer. Since we are now heading East – a trip to Strawberry Hill for tea is a must do, and not because they serve Likkle Tea, but the view and ambiance are to die for. We’d also have to hit up the North East coast for a trip to Summerhouse in St. Mary – a quaint restaurant ran by the Rosseau Sisters – Suzanne & Michelle. And what’s a trip to Jamaica without rafting on the Blue Lagoon or a swim by San San Beach in Portland.
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 god-mother, who has now taken on the role of my Mother since losing both my biological parents a little over a decade ago, has always been a superwoman of sorts while I was growing up. She did it all. As a child, Aunty Janet was always on a plane visiting some amazing country, but was never too far away to give me a scolding over the phone when I was misbehaving. She was a journalist, but found time to be a mother to her own and many others, a philanthropist and a business owner running multiple businesses, and still finding time to have fun and show up for the big moments. Now juggling my 9-5 and running a business, whenever I feel like giving up, I ask myself, “What would Mom do?”
Website: https://likkletea.com
Instagram: @likkletea
Linkedin: https://jm.linkedin.com/in/patriquegoodall
Twitter: @likkletea
Facebook: @likkletea
Youtube: @likkletea
Image Credits
Anezka Libovicka Justeen Bailey