They Quit Their Jobs In New York City To Start A Tea Company, Even Though They Had No Experience And Had To Live Off Their Savings

20 years ago, Kevin and Meaghan Borowsky were living in New York City when they decided to quit their jobs to start their very own tea company.

The year was 2003, and Kevin and Meaghan knew in their hearts that their high-drive city lifestyle wasn’t going to permit them to give their future family the life they pictured.

So, they decided to look around and visit some areas to see what could be more hospitable for their dream life, and they settled in the greater Capital Region, close to Albany.

They had basically zero experience and had to live off their savings as they got their tea company started, and it certainly didn’t make it easier on them that they were expecting their first child while all of this was happening.

That’s how The Whistling Kettle was born, and Kevin and Meaghan opened up their first location a year after they quit their jobs in the city.

“We started The Whistling Kettle in 2004 with the mission to make tea more accessible to all…the democratization of tea, if you will,”  Kevin and Meaghan explained.

“We started with cafes designed in a way to not scare off men and with a laid-back approach versus the traditional tea house…no dainty lace allowed! Our modernized tea house concept became a perfect destination for friends getting together, dates, business luncheons, and our goal has always been to provide an elevated tea experience.”

“We started the ‘campaign for real tea’ to educate customers about the benefits of loose tea. Those who state they don’t like tea have most likely experienced low-grade tea bags or an improper steeping of tea. Therefore, it is OUR job to teach about the numerous flavor options and proper techniques, as well as how easy it really is to brew the perfect cup of tea. You know that saying, ‘It’s not my cup of tea.’”

Now, Meaghan is in charge of all the recipes and the designs and also manages their restaurants, while Kevin is the one who handles tea procurement, flavor and blend development, and business management.

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