TABITHA TURNER
There’s no shortage of success stories in Nashville, and many of those stories belong to the incredible women who are paving their own path and opening doors for generations to come.
Whether they’re building an idea from the ground up, crunching numbers, or working to make a difference in the lives of others, these are the trailblazing women of Music City — and their stories are sure to inspire you.
DAY IN THE LIFE
I have spent the past 30 years traveling the world in search of the most vibrant and extraordinary teas, formulating them into nourishing blends, and starting businesses to enrich lives with them. I am also a yoga teacher, a reiki master, and a tea ceremonialist. Viewing tea through this lens, I share tea not only as a healthy beverage, but also as a ritual and a meditation. Tea Huntress offers clean and vibrant teas, an online Tea School, and in-person experiences like retreats, tea ceremonies, and gatherings.
STEPS TAKEN
I spent my 20’s working on organic farms in California and Montana, learning about herbalism and living close to the earth. In 2000, I was hired to kickstart Thistle Farms here in Nashville, developing the original product line, brand, and business. I started my first tea company, Firepot Chai, two years later, while working at a Tibetan teahouse in Bozeman, Montana. That opened the door to tea and put me on my path. A few years later, I pioneered fair trade tea, coffee, and chocolate into the Australasian market with a brand called Scarborough Fair Foods and won a Congressional Merit Award for that work. I returned to Nashville to start a company called Partners Tea Company in 2007, which involved a group of local female investors, and eventually sold that company to The Republic of Tea in 2011. I became The Republic of Tea’s head tea buyer until I had my first child, at which time I brought Firepot back to life and ran it until selling it in 2024. It has been an adventurous and entrepreneurial story, culminating in Tea Huntress!
WORK PERKS
I love working with plants and sharing their healing, pleasure, and empowerment. It is such an honor. I also love the dynamic nature of my work; every day is an adventure. Lastly, I love how much Tea Huntress expands me. I have grown so strong emotionally, spiritually, and intellectually in the last 7 years of growing this business, and that makes me feel purposeful and alive.