When Tania Lodi opened up her colourful coffee shop just over a year ago, it would have been hard for outsiders to predict both her regional and international success. But speaking to the entrepreneur, she reveals her business savvy and ambition that’s got her this far – and it shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
If you haven’t visited Tania’s Teahouse yet, you surely would have seen it pop up on your Instagram feed – whether you’re a Dubai dweller or not. Since opening in April 2018, the cafe and tea house located on Jumeirah Beach Road nearby the Burj Al Arab has become the go-to space for girly get-togethers, solo study sessions and even group talks about health and wellness for residents seeking a space with style and substance.
And recently, Tania’s Teahouse has been named the 7th most Instagrammable cafe in the world, cementing its position as an entrepreneurial powerhouse that has appeal to customers across the globe – as Founder Tania Lodi explains to us.
Chatting to A&E, Lodi talks through her vision, how social media has shaped her business and how she plans to keep things fresh in an ever-changing industry.
Tania Lodi, Founder of Tania’s Teahouse
What do you think makes Tania’s teahouse different from anywhere else in the UAE?
I sincerely believe that our vibe and our space is unlike no other. Our interiors are so welcoming, on-trend and full of life. Our food is delicious and so intricately plated and Instagrammable, our puns are very much intended, and on point (and have actually spurred quite a trend here, where lots of cafes have copied us!) Our communi-tea feel (boardgame/bookshelf wall, classes, workshops, and welcoming space for events) are unlike other cafes, and most importantly, our specialized tea flavors and focus on health benefits are truly unique
How has social media impacted the success of your business?
Social media has definitely been the catalyst to boost our reputation. I mean, being featured as the 7th most Instagrammable cafe in the world in only about a year of being open has been unreal! We’ve received so much press coverage and people coming in after finding us on Instagram, because Tania’s Teahouse is a place that you want to be seen at, and a place that makes you feel at home.
You’ve recently been named the 7th most Instagramable cafe – how does that feel?
It feels amazing, I can’t even describe it to you! I’m so proud and grateful for our amazing tea-m, my family, and everyone who made this possible. However, I’ve always had the heart of a dreamer. I want to make it to number one next year.
Tell us about the plans you have to expand the business and keep things fresh?
My dream has always been to open multiple branches, in major metropolitan cities (such as Dubai, London, Toronto, Tokyo, etc). I would love to do spin-offs of culturally related puns for each different country, and just have a space in each that harbours positivi-tea, good food and vibes, and prettiness oozing out of everything. Keeping things fresh, we have to keep revamping and adapting to what’s in! It’s a lot of work, but it’s fun stuff.
You recently held a wellness week at Tania’s Teahouse. Where did this idea come from and why was it important to you?
I always envisioned hosting useful events at Tania’s Teahouse, and wellness especially is a way of life that I think is super important for everyone to implement into their daily lives; whether it’s concerning sustainability, self-love, clean eating, mental health, etc.
Our tea-riffic marketing and events manager Roha Daud onboard wellness week as her child and did an amazing job connecting with people within the industry (including Lush Cosmetics, who held a bath bomb making workshop). We both felt we needed to host events that give back to our communi-tea, and address relevant issues in terms of well-being.
What do you consider your biggest achievement to date?
Being so well-known in different countries, and having people travel all the way to Dubai, just to come to TTH! We’ve had guests come straight from the airport, with their suitcases in hand, exclaiming that they’ve come all the way here for us, and straight from the airport in excitement! In addition to our amazing guests from all around the world, we’ve also had a lot of international coverage.
What has been the biggest challenge?
The biggest challenge has been separating my personal and my professional life. Having a business with my name on the door and being so directly involved in it can be super stressful, especially being involved with all customer reviews, messages, and feedback. In the first few months of being open, having an unpleasant customer experience would ruin my day or leave me in tears the rest of the day. I take things to heart and I would find it super unfair if we would receive criticism that didn’t have any truth to it. However, in this nature of the business we have to always have a decorum of respect and understanding, even if it’s lies! Now I’ve developed tough skin and I can accept that we aren’t everyone’s ‘cup of tea’.
What’s your personal motto?
If the ocean can calm itself, so can you – we are both salt and water mixed with air. I’m a huge advocate for deep breathing and mindfulness, and I really think implementing this into my life has decreased my anxiety and calmed my mood. As an entrepreneur, you oftentimes feel as if there are not enough hours in the day to work on things, and getting stressed, overwhelmed, and frazzled happen every few minutes!
And your professional motto?
Kill with kindness. I believe in karma, and I’ve been raised to believe that if you do good, good things will happen to you. I don’t believe in tearing others down to succeed yourself, and I really think kindness can go a long way. Even with rude, nasty, unreasonable people, I believe in being gracious but assertive and never stoop to their level.
If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
Being weird and quirky is cool! In grade 2, I had hexagon-shaped glasses, and I carried a butterfly net with me in my backpack. After school, I would bake cupcakes with my mom, and I would draw with chalk on the sidewalk, and read my favourite books. I was always into thinking outside the box, creativity, and things to do with food and aesthetics. Craftiness was happiness for me. My mom used to always bring craft kits for my sister and me, and we were always thinking of ways to DIY things. Crafts were definitely not cool back then, and I’m glad I stuck by it and let my creativity grow and define who I am as a person.
What would you tell yourself 10 years from now?
I would tell myself to stick with the ‘5 by 5 rule’ don’t focus on something for more than five minutes, that won’t affect you five days, or even five years from now. Don’t catastrophize things, and keep things into perspective. Go with the flow, and always have faith that any hurdle that comes your way is manageable. Engage in self-care, whether it’s watching re-runs of Grey’s Anatomy and drooling over McDreamy, yoga, deep breathing, facial rolling, and find a few minutes out of each day to do things that make you happy!
What do you say ‘no’ to?
People who make me feel small and undermine me. I face bullying of all sorts in this industry, including people trying to hustle for discounts/special treatment/unreasonable requests, companies or individuals who treat me like a child, or people who think I’m weak and emotional, as a woman. No way! I have self-respect, I know my self-worth, and even with humility, you shouldn’t let people walk all over you.
How do you want the world to remember you?
I want to be known as someone who has left their mark of positivi-tea on the world. I hope that the customer experience I provide brings happiness, and allows people to escape the daily nuances of their lives. Everyone has something going on or is struggling in some aspect or another, and for me, cafe culture has always been my escape. Bringing a book, or my laptop to a cafe and basking in its energy got me through my toughest times, and I hope I can do that for others.
What do you still want to achieve?
I would love to open new branches in different cities/countries and explore the boundaries of creativity with embracing different cultures, creating puns and menus around them, and different types of Insta-worthy installations.
Who is the person that inspires you the most?
I would have to say, my parents and sister. I was very lucky to grow up in a household where I was always supported with my hopes and dreams, and especially in terms of TTH, my parents invested, and my sister helped me out a lot. Having TTH start as a family business was super fortunate, as I was 21 years old with zero business experience when I approached my family with this idea, and they had utmost faith in me.
See more at taniasteahouse.com.
