Steep, Three to Five Minutes, and everything will be Irie.

When was the last time you spent four full minutes in intentional stillness?

Four uninterrupted minutes—the time it takes to steep looseleaf tea—without compulsively scrolling, shuffling through junk mail, thinking about the endless to-do list, or getting a jump on unloading the dishwasher. Two hundred and forty seconds of conscious peace.

Before meeting Joe and LaShanda of The Irie Cup, I hadn’t considered the question. Quite the opposite, I had spent the morning before our video chat as I typically do, bustling through work tasks between sips of their Serenity tea—a blend of apple, lemon, and raspberry pieces with a title that was completely lost on me. 

It makes for a cozy, comforting, delicious mug of happiness, and I was eager to meet the creators.

Joe and LaShanda are those rare and magical kinds of people who immediately set you at ease. Meeting the two of them feels like catching up with old friends: Despite the inherent distance of a video call, they warmly welcomed me into their relaxed world of familial smiles and premium fruits and flavors, where everything is Irie. 

They’re husband and wife as well as equal business partners, a duo of dreamers who genuinely believe in making the world a little bit brighter, one cup of tea at a time.

During our chat, they shared their vision where the act of brewing a cup of tea becomes more than a beverage: It’s a ritual of calm in an otherwise chaotic world, three to five minutes of waiting for a steaming cup of Irie.

I sheepishly admitted to never having created that moment—not on purpose, but out of ignorance—and wholeheartedly committed to this new perspective. 

As Joe and LaShanda explained their goals and hopes for the business, their love of family and passion for their culture shone through, and there was no doubt of their expertise. These two are the authority on premium looseleaf tea. 

Now, after an explosive year of growth, LaShanda and Joe had decided to put real energy toward defining their company’s identity.

Who was The Irie Cup? What were the mission, vision, and values of the business?

Whether you’re part of an established empire or an expanding business, it’s difficult to prioritize the time, space, and energy to dig deep into who you are and your reason for existing, but Joe and LaShanda knew that answering those questions was key to sharing their vision with others.

That’s where ColorWord Creative’s expertise came into play.

Our conversation gave me everything I needed to craft The Irie’s mission, vision, and values statements—ideas that Joe and LaShanda felt instinctively in their bones but needed a little help to get on paper. 

Here are a few highlights:

What does The Irie Cup value? 

• Creating space for relaxation

• Life’s everyday joys

• Improving our community

• Practicing mindfulness

What do they work to do? 

• Blend new recipes that brim with unexpected tastes and flavors, using only the finest ingredients.

• Partner with farmers—both in the US and around the world—who share our values.

• Share Jamaica’s rich culture through story, smiles, and steeping.

And the clincher: Why does The Irie Cup exist?

• To share high-quality, responsibly sourced teas with an ever-expanding community of tea lovers while encouraging wellness, mindfulness, and relaxation through a perfectly brewed cup of tea.

You can find the rest at theiriecup.com/pages/about-us.

This January (National Hot Tea Month), I hope you embrace your steeping time, unencumbered by the madness of daily life—after all, it’s only four minutes. 

-Amy Huckaba, Communications Director

Do you have your mission statement memorized? How about your elevator pitch, or your organization’s top three guiding principles?

If your organizational identity could use a little love, send us a message to get started.