Women-Owned Business Series: Allison from Leaves of Leisure

Welcome back to our Women-Owned Business Series! Today we’re spotlighting Allison of Leaves of Leisure — a luxury low- and no-caffeine tea company built on a beautiful belief: that slowing down should feel like a treat, not a compromise.
After her own journey cutting back on caffeine and discovering how much herbal tea could transform her sense of calm, she set out to create something the wellness world was missing — blends that feel elevated, joyful, and lifestyle-driven rather than purely medicinal. Leaves of Leisure exists for anyone who wants to savor small moments of reset, one intentional cup at a time. Read more about her story below!

First, tell us about your business and anything special we should know about it or you.

Leaves of Leisure (www.leavesofleisure.com) is a luxury low- and no-caffeine tea company inspired by nostalgic leisure activities and simple rituals that help people slow down. I started the business after my own decision to cut back on caffeine when I realized coffee was fueling my anxiety, emotional highs and lows, and sleep issues. Switching to herbal tea completely changed how I felt, but I struggled to find blends that felt exciting, elevated, and lifestyle-driven rather than purely medicinal. I wanted to create teas that made being caffeine-conscious feel joyful and beautiful, not restrictive. Leaves of Leisure exists to help people find comfort, calm, and small moments of reset in everyday life.

Why do you feel a connection to your work?

I feel deeply connected to this work because it came directly from a personal turning point in my own life. Cutting back on caffeine changed my mental health, my energy, and my relationship with rest, so every product I create is rooted in something I genuinely lived through. Over time, I’ve also met so many people who are becoming more caffeine-conscious for their own reasons—anxiety, sleep, hormones, burnout—and those conversations remind me how shared this experience really is. Tea became more than a beverage for me; it became a ritual that helped me feel grounded. Knowing the brand gives other people that same sense of comfort makes the work incredibly meaningful.

As a business owner, community is everything. In what ways do you serve your community and how has your community served you?

One of the earliest lessons I learned is that the people you expect to show up first sometimes don’t—and that was true for me. My earliest customers were other tea lovers, small business owners, and people I met through networking who believed in what I was building before many people in my personal life understood it. That community has continued to support the brand in meaningful ways, and I try to return that care by being highly responsive, sending surprise-and-delight gifts to repeat customers, and creating an experience where people feel genuinely seen. Sustainability is also part of that service, from compostable tea bags to thoughtful packaging choices. More than anything, I want Leaves of Leisure to feel approachable and personal, not transactional.

What advice would you give to others who want to start a small business?

Don’t wait until you feel fully ready—just start. You will learn more by doing than by overthinking, and so much of entrepreneurship only makes sense once you are in it. It is much harder emotionally than people often talk about, so staying positive on difficult days is just as important as having a good business idea. Celebrate the smallest wins because they matter more than you think in the early stages. And support other women the way you hope to be supported, because those relationships often become one of the most valuable parts of building something.

What women inspire you and why?

Honestly, other small business founders inspire me the most. So many of the women who have supported my business are juggling demanding jobs, family responsibilities, personal stress, and still somehow find time to encourage others, place orders, or share someone else’s work. I know firsthand how much mental load that takes, which makes those gestures incredibly meaningful. Some of the women who have become the biggest pillars in my business are people I have never even met in person. There is something incredibly powerful about women consistently showing up for one another in small but meaningful ways.

What do you think are the most significant challenges for small business owners or women in leadership positions?

One of the biggest challenges is access to funding and the ability to scale without significant financial backing. Many women are building businesses while managing multiple responsibilities and often without the same level of support or capital available to others. There is also the constant challenge of making strategic decisions with limited budgets, where every investment carries more weight. Growth often requires taking risks before resources fully exist, which can be incredibly difficult when you are already stretched thin. Support systems—financial, emotional, and professional—make a huge difference, but many women are still building without enough of them.