The Power of Preparation with Blanch Henry

There is a season of preparation in every business.

Do your homework; be prepared and ready so you don't miss your opportunity.

Start and build each year bringing your client along in anticipation of the changes.

Prepare for change in your business.

No matter what remember (1) time, (2) patience, (3) flexibility & (4) money.

You must have working capital and whatever you think that is; double it.

Contact:
Website: www.serenitytearoom.com
Facebook: Serenity Tearoom & Fine Dining
Instagram: @serenitytearoom

Transcript

Hello, ladies, this is Barbara Littles, your high capacity architect, I am rolling in from the hills of West Virginia. And today I am so excited, because I am here to help you to structure to build and to lead in your business and in your life, high capacity style. Today I have a woman that's here, and she's gonna give us the tea. And I mean literally the tea. I have Blanche Henry here this morning, and she's gonna tell us how she built this great serenity tea room. And let me tell you guys, this serenity Tea Room. It's not just a tea room she built. She actually built this tea room in Maryland, and it was rated number one in tea rooms for 14 .....hear me 14 consecutive years, not three for 14 consecutive years. And it was rated number two out of 500 tearooms in the United States between 2006 and 2020. Now I think that Miss Blanche Henry has something to tell us about business. So get your tea, get your coffee latte, sit back and we're gonna talk to miss Blanch Henry.

She leads, she's powerful, she's strong,  unforgettable. She knows what she's about. And she's building from the inside out. And welcome to the high capacity woman show with your host Barbara Littles.

Hello, Blanche. Hello, Barbara Littles Good morning to the ladies. Good morning, ladies, thank you, ladies for having me today, you know, Blanche, we've known each other for a long time. Yes. And I'm just loved watching what you've been doing over the years. And just in amazement of how you grew this business, but we don't my goal in on the podcast is to share with women and some of the men that come in, you can come on and listen to let you listen to let women know how to structure their business to build a business and to lead their business, really in a high capacity style. Now we're gonna share with them and you know, what I didn't share I'm gonna bring in today is that your family was on the cooking shows, and we used to watch you on the cooking shows on it. And y'all were taking names that was taken out. So audience just stay tuned, because I mean, this woman that's top of her game. I mean, she didn't come to play, she came to take names. Okay. God is good. God is good. Blanch tell us your story. You have so many Tea Room. Okay, yeah, let's look at it. And tell us how you got started? Well, first, I got to go all the way back to my grandma. Um, you know, she was the person who gave me my first China set. And so the love of China came from her. And just being an entrepreneur, also, I realized in my life came from her because she was an entrepreneur in her own time and in her own rights back in the 60s in the 70s. So that started me for the love of China. And then I would do tea parties, like all little girls did in the south, because I grew up in South Carolina, South Carolina. So I grew up doing teas. And when I got married and moved to Maryland in 1985, I said to my husband, I wanted to experience a real tea. Because it was something about the love of afternoon tea for me that I did not explored back in when growing up, and I wanted to explore that more, and went to tea and felt so connected. And it was like connected from the inside. Laplace tell us this before you go. How old were you at the time? I was 20 years old. This is absolutely awesome. Yeah. You know, I love the fact that when you talk about it, when you use either your grandmother started you. Mm hmm. And we really think about things that we fall in love with are interested in as a child. Mm hmm. So something so important when we introduced our children to Yeah, I want to say that and the thing that I love about tea is tea was a thing that I did with my father. Oh, okay. Rob, and I were tea drinkers. And so I just love this story, but I'm gonna let you go ahead and tell the story. Okay, about tea. So now you are getting interested in this high this afternoon tea. Correct. Correct. And, like I said, I felt so connected that I said to my husband, Ronnie, that I I need to find out more about this inner feeling that I'm feeling I don't recall feeling this way about anything like the way I'm feeling today. Well, I started doing research. I had literally left four seasons down in Georgetown, and stopped at a bookstore, purchase a book and started reading on it. I mean, literally in the car. I started reading that's how connected I was feeling. And I wanted to explore that more. I just in my spirit, God was saying, This is for you. This is what you've been collecting tea cups and saucers, because I, I used to always look at the pattern that my grandmother had for me. And would we buy more tea cups and saucers even took Ronnie to the finer stores and showed him in the China? This is what I want versus this, you know, so if you want to surprise me, or get out of the doghouse, or just say I love you, then you need to come home with a tea cup and saucer. We have some time to tell our loved ones that are husbands what we want. Yeah, honey, this is how you get back in my good graces five. How you just really say Honey, I love you. You cry with the cheek. I'm telling you what I want. What brings me joy, right? I want to find bone China versus ceramic. He said you expensive woman. Well, he knew that when he started dating me. So he's. Look,

That's the whole story there. Ladies, you know, we we we've been talking about that. That's a whole story there. Let me tell you something. She has a wonderful husband. And look, he knew that when he started dating me. That's right. That's right. Let's come back to that one day, ladies. Yes, ma'am. So What was he saying? What was your husband actually saying when he saw this interest that that you obviously had been developing it more and more of a passion? Correct. I know the tea cups. What was he saying? What was he asking? He was asking what was this about? And then of course, he would go with me to afternoon tea. And he became a tea Connoisseur  himself. So he loved it as well. And he just wanted me to connect to whatever God purpose was for me. And back in 1990, when God really started showing me through my women's Bible study group for my church, we did a year long study of connecting with your God given gifts and talents. And at that point in my life, I knew I like to do some things. But I didn't know what my purpose was. Okay, that's how deep it went for me, if I connect it to my purpose, what God birthed me for, and I believe in my heart of hearts, we as individuals, we as women, we as human beings, we as males, need to connect with God, of what we were birthed for, and what is our purpose here on earth. And once you connect us the proper to that is peace on the inside is peace and joy. So you get joy, even when you exhausted. You can't You can't fathom being able to pull another stitch of energy out of yourself. It comes because you're doing it from joy, peace, in the connection of what your purpose is, you know, blast that is so important, because a lot of times when people start business, they like it. But it is a total different thing when you when you recognize that something's happening here, and I'm connecting to something that's much greater, correct. I just like this is how I was when you realize I was born to do this. Right. So you know, and I know that your background was your background in accounting. Yes, yes. It was in the county. I want people to know that because I remember Yes. And then then you going into T and I said, Wow, I said, Well, one thing for sure ladies should be able to count my money. Correct. But you know, and I started out in law, law while I was doing it, but um, when I started coaching and training and working with women, okay, like you said the piece, that action, Mm hmm. And even if I'm tired, but I say before o'clock in the morning, correct? Do what I need to do it. So there is a difference. It's not that you don't get tired. It's a different tiredness. Correct. And you're not striving against something correct. Not for you to do. Yes, yes. Now you're finding this connection. Tell us how you got the Tea Room started. Well It was 15 years of prayer, it was 15 years of collecting tea cups and saucers, business material. And God has said to me back in 1990, come up with the name. And he gave me the name. He gave me the name in all honesty, because my favorite prayer is the Serenity Prayer fail. Ready for those of us who don't know the Serenity Prayer, I know most of you. It is, God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. That's powerful. And that was powerful for me powerful for me back in when I started really accepting God into my life, because I was one of these individuals that thought everything was happening because of what I Blanche was doing, yes. And that if i.my i's and cross my T's, then it was going to all work out. And that was probably some of the training of being in accounting, is that that's what I thought that I was in control. And who that prayer God taught me. I never, ever was in control. Wow. Because of the blessings and the grace, and the unconditional love that he had, for me, that allowed those things to happen.

Wow. That's a big lesson in life. It really is, like you said, because you're an accountant. You know, one on one, one plus one is two. So there's a formula, you know, and I think it's hard for those of us who are strategic people, you know, the law, you know, I figured, okay, if I do this, this and this, it should equal this. Yes. And so that when God comes along, let you know, how are you a good job? Right. I created you with purpose. Correct. The master designer, I already decided what you're going to do. Your job is to discover it. Correct. That Blanche is discovering what she's here to do. blesses you said 15 years because I think that what we overlook sometimes in business is the time of preparation. Oh, yes, most definitely. Most definitely. Because people will say to me, you know, I hosted teas at my women at church for the women of the church, for the women's ministry. I did that on a regular basis. At least twice a year, I hosted teas for girlfriends and family members and neighbors here at my home. And everybody would walk away saying, you know, when are you going to open up a tea room because I was share my dream. It was I was putting it into the atmosphere. Okay, I was putting it out there. You can see me flailing my smile. I was putting it into the atmosphere speaking it speaking into the future. So they would say, you know, when are you going to open up a tea room, we're ready. We'll be your customers. We love everything you do. And I said, whenever God says it's time, I'm not going to do it until God says it's time. And it was 15 years of consistent prayer, dedication, collected collecting of work going to seminars, I went to a take me to T seminar in Vegas where me and Ronnie had to foot the money for that because I did not have a legal business yet. I started you know, a little dessert type of business where it was called delicate pastries where I would do my cakes and pies and bake that and but it wasn't anything that was really bringing in a lot of money. It was things because I enjoyed doing those things. And it was, you know, my friends and church members and some of Ronnie's co workers enjoyed my desserts. So I started doing that. And then God was saying, okay, I had a little piece of paper in a book where I had already wrote the name serenity tea room, and I was gonna be smart about it because God had already said do it two separate words do serenity than tea room. And I was like, well, it'll look nicer and a little bit more elegant. If I take the wire off and you know, and put the T EA with it and have it like serenity tea, you know, and he was like, that's not what I told your daughter. So I was like, okay, Lord, I'm gonna do what you say. And I did the little design and had it in my book and showed Ronnie You know, this is you know, this is gonna be it and this is how it needs to look. And literally, that was that was my logo. Listen, you know, this is so important. And I love what you're this this gold that you're giving us because in that time of preparation, a lot of times ladies will during different seasons of my life, yeah, I saw women just because you get a vision. Okay. I love the fact that you are hearing her ladies say first of all, she connected. Secondly, she did her research. Yes, the car going to the library getting a book, she started reading, she started getting connected. And she's getting connected to this feeling that she's having that is giving her this type of joy. Yes, talking about it. And and the other thing that's so important that that you're saying Blanche is, you know, I did this with my church members? Yes. And there's one word that you said. And we're gonna be talking about this ladies this week. You said I was consistent? Yes, yes. insistency is important in business. And so really, these 15 years, okay, you're getting prepped, you're learning more and more that you didn't I love the fact that you just didn't run out and decide what I'm going to do. And so now here we are, you are looking at your design, your logo and everything. And God's given it to you. And he's saying, Hey, don't judge it this way. I gave it to you. Amen. Amen. 

And I'm gonna tell you, sister, Barbara, it throughout the 15 years, I'm not gonna tell anybody or lie to anybody and say, it wasn't hard. Because it was, it was and I had people that I saw around me, that was starting businesses, and they thought of it like, almost overnight. To me, they weren't putting in the work like I had put in. So I started questioning God, why not me? I've been diligent. I'm, I've been collecting this information. I'm a mom, I'm raising my children. I'm a wife. I'm being a good wife. I am. I've gotten the material. I've collected everything. When am I gonna be blessed? I love it. Because he's gonna be patient. Yes. You're telling women, ladies she's telling she's, I mean, I hear you loud and clear. Because we always think is going to be one time. No, it's a certain time. And then we start looking around at other people. I'm thinking, Okay, well, what am I sitting here twiddling my thumbs for what? Why isn't my time wasn't my time. But what happens Blanch, I tell you, and I say this with all sincerity. Ladies, do your homework, gather your information. Because God's timing is definitely not our timing. And when he says, I'm going to open up the windows of heaven and pour you out those blessings to you, you got to be ready, prepared, because you don't want to miss that blessing. Wow, God sent a world whirlwind blessing to me and my husband in 2015, that immediately there was a little tea shop that opened up downtown Frederick, the 2014. I found out about it used to go down and support them, you know, tell them I'm so excited for you. Because you opening up a business gives me hope that it is possible, it can happen. I wish nothing but goodness towards you. That you know, because it was I waken it for me that I can do it. If they can do it, I can do it. The reality is I'm excited for you. And I'm looking forward to what God's gonna have for me. And this couple, in 2015, beginning of 2015, they were couples. They decided that one couple had a baby, the other one was having a baby. And the husband started running it, but then they realized they wasn't financially stable, that they decided that they needed to close the business. Hmm. I had gotten somehow another guy had it where I had gotten wind of it. I went down to see them to just, you know, the encouraged them. And they said, Do you want to buy the business? Because and I said, Well, I don't want to buy your business. But if God is saying this is the location for me, I love this location. It The door was the color the the window, things was the color of what the color God had told me I needed to add. It was the dream of things that I already saw in my dreams. That was there that God said this is where you need to be. This is the value of preparation time taking preparation. I asked them I said you know what? I'm not sure I said but I know I don't want to purchase your name because God has already been given me a business name, and I'm going to stick with that name. And I said, but if you have a proposal, I'll take the proposal. And they said, Yeah, so they handed me a proposal. I came home sister, Barbara, and I read that proposal saw all the prices they had, because they were selling everything, all of their merchandise, everything and they wanted to sell, they wanted to do a, what do you call it a latch key, where they turn is a turnover business. And I said, Okay, scratch through that. You don't want to buy that, because you already got your business name. And guess what? You know, and they were trying to encourage me to purchase their business name. And I said, No, because guess what? An accountant. I know through business law. If I purchase your business name, that means I'm purchasing your debts. I am not purchasing your debt. Well, well, what Wait a minute, wait. So be responsible. Ladies, I don't want you to miss this.

Now, this Blanch is in accounting. Mm hmm. And she has a passion, though. She sees that she is going and she doesn't know quite yet the fullness of what God has given to the fullness of the vision for tea. But see how he will take what you know. Correct? And what you learn. Yeah, season and grace full circle and say, Okay, that was not for naught. So now she's looking at this, you're looking at your dream, you're looking at where they're trying to get you to go. But you say no, no, no, A, B, and C, Correct. Correct. And I'm saying I want God to continue to bless. Okay. And so which means I got to be obedient. I got to be obedient. So I sat on this proposal for like, two days. And Matter of fact, the chair I'm sitting in right now is the chair I was sitting in when I was talking to my husband. Wow, is I informed him that you know, what was going on with the company down in downtown Frederick. And he said, You know, he said, What? Well, why don't you go get a proposal from them? I said, Ronnie, I already have it. He said, Well, where is it? Let me see it. So I handed got up, got it, brought it to him. Let him look at it. And he was like, What is God telling you, honey? I said, God is saying it's time. He said, Well, then we gotta move forward. I love it. Love you. I gotta give you ladies to the side. Okay? See, when you when you marry a man. The beauty of him being led by God is he didn't go initially to what he thought. Correct? he asked his wife. What are you hearing from God? Yes. Yes. So he valued number one, her relationship with God that she heard from God. And he said, if that's what God's telling you that we need to move? Yes. Okay. And the other thing about this, we need to let the ladies know, my husband is a pastor. Yes. And at the time, he was an assistant pastor, he was assistant pastor at a church. So he was very anointed. And no, I was not going to walk out of the wheel of God, as well. So, you know, we looked at it, we went down there. And I had rewritten over the proposal, and we wrote up and typed up a proposal to them, and an offer. And I said to them, because they wanted us to take over their lease. And I said, No, I'm not going to take over your lease, actually, we need to get the information of the owner of this property. And we want to set up a meeting with the owner of the property. So they gave me the information. I can't we contacted the gentlemen and set up with a meeting with him the next day. Because their thing is they wanted me to take over there since they were breaking their lease. Their landlord has said to them, if you get somebody in here to pay your lease amount, then you and I said oh no, because the person that I am, you may have paid that, but I'm not paying that much. Okay, ladies, this is this is such good information. Let me tell you why. Because in your season of preparation, and of learning and blanch, reading and having gone to school and all those types of things. And because you really took time to sit down and and hear what God was saying over these years in reference to this business, yes. When you get to that place, and Blanche, I've worked with businesses for over 30 years and lonely. Okay, and I would have people come into my office after they've already signed leases. Uh huh. And, and the work that you're talking about now, this pre word is consideration this thing? Yes, 95% of business owners, if not 98. Never take these things into consideration. So when they're sitting down, they really don't know what they're doing. Okay, gotcha. Okay. You've thought into this. And you know, number one, what you already heard God say, yes. And then take that with, even with your business knowledge. And you're saying, No, I'm not taking on that debt? I'm not. And look, I'm a negotiator. Yes. Hi. blanch our negotiators? Yes, ma'am. I am a negotiator. It's about saving for me. So if I get a high a natural high out of getting something at a good quality, but at a lesser price, quality at lesser price,

Yes, ma'am. So we met with the landlord. And I told him and my husband, we had a conversation with him, we told him what we wanted to do there, that we wanted to go more in depth because they the previous owners, was more of a merchandise store. They wasn't doing the full afternoon teas. And we wanted to come in doing all of that. And he got excited about it. But I told him, I don't wish to pay that price. And he said, Well, how much are you looking to pay? So when he opened up that door, money funny you asked correct, then you gave me the opportunity to give you and negotiate. So and we did, and it was less, it was probably like four to $500 less than what they were paying on a monthly basis that now four or $500 less than what they were paying, and they were trying to get you to take over a lease. Correct. So we signed a three year lease and went in and re renovated some of the main rooms and stuff. And we were there for 10 years. Wow. And throughout my time there each year. And this is what I want to encourage ladies to do is don't feel like you've got to do everything from the beginning. Okay, you don't have to have tons and tons of things to do. I added every year my goal for the anniversary of the business was to add something new, to grow the business and to entice my customers who was my normal regulars, to continue to come and be excited about the new changes. All right. All right. So ladies, this is a good time to get your notebooks if you don't already have them cuz she's giving you a gold already. But we're going into this next section because I think that right now this piece that she's giving us is absolutely critical. So refresh your coffee, your tea, your latte, and sit back and take notes.

All right, let's start us off, I want you to go back in this segment to this piece that you just mentioned, because I think this is critical. Okay. You start out and we look at somebody else's thing. And we want to do everything at one time. Right? You were very deliberate in how you did that. So just refresh for us what you were saying about, you know, adding on each year, and then your customers were excited about that? Yes. Well, the first year when I first started out in 2015, I did the traditional afternoon tea, where that was it. And I had about 30 loose leaf teas that I was offering to my customers. So then my, for my first year anniversary, I decided and the thing is I started making it exciting. I remember, you know, I worked in preschool for a couple of years that it was and I know this through my children is that if a change was about to come about for them, that I need it to prepare them for that change. And I will be preparing them like months out, getting excited about it, making it who who Why, why, why you're going to be so excited for this new change in your life. And let's get ready for it. This is the date and you know so weekly, I will be putting out promotions about it of saying you know, we're going to now be having something new and exciting for our first year and the first week. You're gonna want to stay tuned for this because you're gonna love it. You know, we're looking forward to it. making a big deal about it. You know, I was my best PR person. She was a best PR person. Yes, you can. Let me tell you ladies you can hire People, there's no doubt I'm not saying anything is hiring people at some point. But you've got to first be your best PR person. Correct, then buy into the visionary before they buy into the vision. Correct people have they bought into Blanche. Yes. All right. Go ahead, visionary. So I bet that for the first year anniversary, I decided to add on high tea. Hmm. So it was just a little it got me a little bit more money. It gave them a little bit more food. And then the men's felt like, Oh, this is for me. But then there was lady's like, well, I want that, too. So that's what I did. And I started doing it every single year, if it wasn't anything, but add on new teas to expand my tea collection menu, adding on a different menu item two, to grow the business. I just wanted to add something every year. So for my 10th year anniversary, that's when God said it's time to expand the business. You don't have to start off with everything correct. help people to anticipate, prepare them for the change. Because what I hear is Blanch, you saying is that the people start getting excited with you? Yes, as you were bringing them along as you were making these changes and these additions. So they were excited with you. And this is this is really a part of building your brand that people get excited with you. So now you're getting ready to make a change a shift. What was that shift? The shift was growing the business to becoming a tea room at a fine dining restaurant. Now how are you going to do that? Well, God sent me to new people. Oh, to get ready. Have some fun here, ladies. Hey, man, ah, daughter, our youngest daughter, my baby girl had went to culinary school. And her thing was she was never, ever coming back to Frederick. And I would say to her, don't say never ever, ever say that. Oh, no what God has in store for you. And that's when he really gonna show you. You're gonna do what I inform you to do because you're not in control. Okay, so he comes back, Sierra meets a young gentleman in college. All right. He is from Southern Virginia. And they fall in love. And they do some things outside of the will of God.

And my lovely, I love him. Awesome grandson  came about. So Tierra, decided after she completed her culinary years of school. She got her degree, she was going back for her bachelor's in business. And they got they conceived Liam. And so she came on home and she could do online classes. Brandon proposed to Tierra and so they decided to make Frederick their home. Wow, that we talked about Frederick, Maryland, Frederick, Maryland, they decided to make Frederick Maryland their home. So I got my daughter back, that came back to live. And then a new son in love. And now you're here and you have a granddad and I have a grandbaby and you're getting ready. And so then you open up the the restaurant part. Correct. We expanded the business in 2020 15 we expanded the business and decided to bring Brandon on because Tierra was already working back with me. Okay. And Brandon, because there was restaurants that wasn't allowing him to be creative, okay. And it is a very creative chef takes his gift that God has given him for flavors, and tastes to another level. And there was a lot of restaurants that was not allowing him to be creative in the way they wanted them to do it their what they wanted him to do, they would say they was looking for creativity. But then they were shutting down. And so God was saying, okay, you need to move into a larger location because my first location could only see 25 people, okay, and I was turning away large groups of people. And God said Okay, it's time to expand the business so that way you have more seating to be able to accommodate more. For the afternoon teas, you will have more space For lunch people as well. And so it all worked out that we expanded the business, Brandon came on board, help us do the expansion of the new business of opening up the new restaurant. And we opened up and 2015. So okay, so now I want to fast forward here, because the next thing I know, my husband's coming and telling me that Blanche All right, you all here is that Blanche and her family, her daughter, she's talking about her son in law, they get ready to be the cooking show. Yes. TV now, TV, you know, those cooking shows you like to watch when people are competing? Well, here's my family. And so my husband and I sit down and watching this cooking show. And I thought I read that you all want five out of the six seasons that you want. We want five times out of six. Yes. Wow. Did you hear that? I remember seeing them when and I was like, Oh my god, and seeing the whole process of them going to the grocery store with the grocery cart. plan on how they gonna buy this food. But tell us how you got to that point because everybody wants media attention. And they want to do this. How did that happen? How did the cooking show happen? Well, Brandon was applying for cooking shows. You go on and you you'll see little segments on television. And they will say, you know we're looking for this type of chef apply, you know, he would go on Food Network and apply. And at the time that he was applying for some shows, and thought he was getting ready to go to this show called beat Bobby Flay. Yeah, I have received a phone call from a producer out of California, that they were doing a new segment show of clash of the grandmas. And since I was a tea room, they knew that grandmother's go to tea rooms. And they spotted that I was the number one tea room in the Frederick area. I was been in the morning tea room for the state of Maryland. And so this producer loved tea. So they they do whatever research they need to do to find the guests, the contestants. And so she called. I called her back she left me a voicemail message on a Monday when I was close. I call back on that Tuesday. She was like yeah, we're looking for, you know, grand moms who may want to come and do this cooking show. 

And she was like, are you a grandmother and I said and so we did the whole interview, she talked to me and she was like, I love what I'm hearing from you, I'm a move you to the next stage, you will be executive producer will be calling you asking you some questions, they're gonna want to Skype you and do those things. So I went through that whole process. Well, it wind up that I was considered to be too young looking to be a grandmother. But I was I was in the category as a runner up that if someone had to drop out, then they would have called me. Okay, come up. And so they said, but we're gonna keep your information on file because we really enjoy talking with you. We think you're going to be a good fit for television show, etc, etc. Tell the black don't crack.

I did.

The melanin in our skin. So my grandma's but we're at the age of grandmas. I actually did and I and I said to the producer when he called me, I gave him the face. I was like Yeah, right, really, you know, I'm but I am a grandmother. And I said, you don't you? And I said that phrase Did you hear black don't crack, you know, I'm just not cracking. It was so funny. But any case the next week, God was working it out that my son in law got a call. And when he got a call in his questionings and stuff, the the producer said, well wait a minute, seem like we just had someone that we was interested in that it didn't work out. And then he said Do you know someone by this name, and my son in law in love said that's my mother in law. And so then they decided, you know what, we got another thing that we wanted to do a family taping. So let's get all three of you your wife and your mother in law. At the time, it was supposed to be four it was they were thinking about doing a group of four, and my other daughter was gonna be in it. And then they decided no, it was going to be, I guess another family that they was going to go with was only three of them. So then we had to ask Angel did she mine and she said, No, y'all the better cook, so I will step out. And so that's how we got on guy's grocery games. And we know it without a doubt, sister, Barbara, it was all blessings from God. It was God working in his miracles, working his way through things that it just happened that we got on guy's grocery games. And I tell you, it was such an experience. Ladies, I want you to look them up, I want you to look him up. Because I'm telling you to when to be on there six times. And when five out of six, okay, you taking names. So that's preparation for this. And then what we do is we do the work of the preparation. And it's all in God's timing and leading, what he's requiring us to do is okay, when the opportunity when I open this opportunity, I just want you to be prepared. Yes. So our job is to be prepared. So Blanche, we're coming down to the end of this. Okay? 

If you were to give like four bullet points to women, to the ladies out here, in terms of business, what would those bullet points be? The bullet points for me is no matter what type of business you're going to go into, is remember (1) time, (2) patience, (3) flexibility, and (4) money. You've got to have a working capital, no matter what you think that working capital is. double it. Double it? Yes. Okay. Because you don't know what may happen. Or how things may go. And you need that extra funding to back yourself. Because sometimes, you know, as a black woman, I couldn't go to the bank and get a loan back in 2005. Okay. Me and my husband, use our ss, to find our business. And I am so grateful that he came on board and was willing to do those things for us to start this business, the business a sacrifice. Correct, no matter what even if you go today, ladies and get a loan for whatever from the bank now that you can. This is a sacrifice. And you know, I hope that you all heard as Blanche was talking today, the time of preparation. Season The preparation. Yes. And it wasn't as though even though that season she wasn't doing anything she was preparing. She was reading she was learning so that she knew when she entered into places, you knew what the right things were for your business. Yes. So you can't skip the the season of preparation. I know today, everything's microwave, oh, it's gonna happen overnight, and I built a six figure businesses and some people do. Okay. But that is not the norm. If you're going to buy if you're going to build something that's sustainable. Correct. One of the things I wanted to mention that Blanch said earlier, which I thought was absolutely critical. And I think it's critical for women to remember this. When you were talking about Blanch dealing with the other couple before you got your building you used to go down and look at theirs, and you would encourage them and you would bless them? She was blessing. what she wanted. Correct. Amen. Amen.

I want you all to know that so cuz sometimes Blanche, you know, and sometimes is women that I'm talking about women because we're talking women, okay. I know, we can see other people doing things and and we're not as positive because we're not doing that yet. Yes. And I when she said that I wanted to bring that out that she went down and she blessed them and she encouraged them. And she supported them. Because it was something that she wants to do in the future, and then the way God connected them. Correct. And then she went on to get her tea house party. We don't need to block our own blessings by being jealous. Absolutely. Absolutely. So plus anything else that you want to tell the ladies before we go into how they can contact you? Yes. Well, I want to say also that when God said in 2015, you know, to do what I did, I did it. When God said to me in 2019 it was time to close the business because he was ready to move into my new season. I had to accept it. Because he said do it. And I trust him that I knew he was the reason why I was so successful over the last 15 years is because I had trusted him for 15 years before I got the business, then I'm still trusting him in the 15 years of operating the business, that now I had no choice but to trust him when he said it was time to come out of that business. So tell us what you're doing now. Now I started with the help of my daughters at online tea business. Everything's online. Now. Everything is online. And let me tell you, sister, Barbara, God had it where my daughter was adamant that we had to have the online business up and running and starting March 1. Okay, first of what year 2020. Now, you all know what happened. Watch March 2020. Right? Yes, I just held her in 2019. And the year to close the business down. My daughter is adamant. We have to have it up and running by March 1 of 2020. That's when the pandemic we became aware of the pandemic, it hit like a ton of bricks. Yeah. So the people that were online, yes. And run the business. They thrived. Yes, yes. So you're online, you have how many cheeses you have online. Now I have 70, loose leaf tea online, and some tea accessories. And I also do occasional stone pop up where I do local pickup, where we do the scones, and also ups delivery. So for people who want to have them shipped, but that's what we are doing, it has been accepted. And like I said, my loyal customers was like, where are we gonna get our tea from? Where are we gonna buy it? And God was saying, Tell them you're going to be selling online. So for the last few months of being open, you know, when customers came in, I will inform them and my employees would inform them, we're going to be starting an online business. So you can still order your teas, ladies, you've got to be able to pivot. Yes, most data you can't be so you can't be so you know, dedicated this thing that starts does not hear the voice of God, your faithful person, because it's for those of you who you have a relationship god, it's your faith that fuels your business. Correct. So you have to hear him because he knows see he knew what was gonna happen. 2019 Okay. Are you close? I'm taking you into a new season. He allowed me to go into new season with what she's still new. Yeah, but she was still doing. But he said, I'm taking you online because he knew Yes, he did. Online was a place to be in 2020. And I'm telling you, sister, Barbara, when March the middle of March hit, and things started shutting down in Frederick, me, God, my heart just like wept. Because I just thought about if I had because I did debate with God, I'm not gonna tell you all I did not debate we do. We did. Because I was saying, God, we don't want Food Network.

We're now getting promoted. We're now people. There's people who didn't even know about us now know about us because of the television show. And all of the other ads in the magazines. And we, you know, we're on the upside now got the business is making more money than we've made ever before. Why now? That was my question, Why now? And he said to me, if you don't close it now and be obedient, you may have to close it, and be down to the bottom. Wow, listen, stop when you're on the top. I got you on the top. Now. You need to stop now. Because you could stop on the bottom. And let me tell you the beauty of this is with all the success and especially those TV shows, not just being on TV shows but one of the winning them. Yes, a lot of people would not have stopped. Yes, because it doesn't make sense. And we know we have another lady is coming on the podcast, Blanche and she's written she wrote a book called obeying God makes you look stupid. I'm gonna have to get that book. I want you wherever you are segment and ladies, I want you to clap wherever you are for Blanche Henry and I want Blatche. I want you to tell people how they can get to your teeth. Okay. follow you on social media, etc. serenity tea room.com is my website. Facebook is serenity tea room and fine dining. So we already had that set up and had followers. We didn't want to delete that page. So the Facebook is serenity tea room. fine dining. And then Instagram is the at Serenity Tea Room. Wonderful, wonderful. I enjoy joy. Ladies, I know you have enjoyed our time with Blanche. And surely the information that she has given us today is really helping us a structure build and lead high capacity lives and businesses. I want you to like this podcast below and make sure you subscribe to the podcast. And then I want you to go to high capacity woman dot high capacity woman on facebook and join our Facebook group, go to high capacity woman and join the Facebook group. It's a free Facebook group. But we are having some great learning that's going on and support for each other as women in that group in terms of how to build and structure and run business. Blach, thank you so much. Thank you. I enjoyed you too. All righty. Bye bye. Be blessed.

Bye bye. She she's powerful. She's unforgettable. She knows what she's about and she's building from the inside out.