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.

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. 

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:

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.