Are you in need of creative inspiration and lifestyle hacks? Then you’ve come to the right place!
Meet Tatjana Anders, an actress and founder of a mobile app called TeaPro. If you love tea, you’re very welcome to sign up to the waiting list, so they can notify you once the app is out: https://page.co/lzVl
Discover Tatjana Anders
We know how hard it is to be creative and start something new. Plus, it can be incredibly tricky to actually turn it from a hobby into a profession! That’s why Tatjana shares with us her hustling ways through the internet in search of new tricks, tools, and apps that can make our life as easy as possible.
Tatjana Joined Us For An Exclusive Interview!
Discover tips and tricks, her favorite inspirations, and ideas for a new + better world.
Where are you from originally?
I’m originally from Odessa. It’s a beautiful town in Ukraine, lovingly called “a pearl by the sea” by the locals.
When I was 10 years old my parents moved to Germany because my dad started working for a German company. The move brought lots of new opportunities as well as challenges with it. My knowledge of the German language was pretty much non-existent, so it was quite daunting to go to a new school and meet new people (with whom I had no idea how to communicate).
Determined to learn the language as quickly as possible, I started reading lots of books and painstakingly translating them into Russian to learn new words. A few months in I was consuming 2-3 books a week and after having conquered my first language hurdle found a new fascination for learning languages.
Today I speak 5 languages fluently (Russian, English, German, French and Spanish). I also speak some basic Hindi and am currently learning Italian.
What’s your career background?
I was playing theatre and singing in a band when I was in school, so I’ve always wanted to do something creative with my life. However, when the time came to make a choice, my mum convinced me to be reasonable. And so I decided to study International Management, which gave me the opportunity to learn more about different cultures and languages. As part of my studies, I came to the UK and graduated here. After graduation, a friend asked if I wanted to help him with his start-up idea, which was a fashion app called Looks Good On Me. This first venture really woke up the entrepreneur in me.
I’ve also decided to go back to my childhood dream of becoming an actress and started taking acting lessons. I signed with an agent and started building up my CV with commercials, music videos, and short films.
The Fox Magazine is all about inspiration, who inspires you the most?
I think that it’s very natural to get inspired by the people who are closest to you. My mum has always been a huge inspiration for me, teaching me to see the positive things in life and feeling gratitude for all the amazing experiences we accumulate along the way. I think that your attitude to life ultimately determines how successful and happy you are. It’s a real skill to stay optimistic and to persevere no matter which obstacles come across your way.
I also get inspired by my partner Tom who has shown to me, that sheer determination, confidence and hard work can get you wherever you aspire to be. Ironically, he also often reminds me to switch off and have fun from time to time, as I have a tendency to get bogged down with work, which isn’t healthy or particularly efficient.
What made you want to shift into launching TeaPro?
About 6 months ago my partner Tom and I decided to start a business together.
Since we both drink ridiculous amounts of tea there was a point at which we wanted to go beyond the typical brews you find in a grocery store. However, once we’ve dived into the world of artisan teas, we’ve discovered a staggering amount of tea varieties and blends from all over the world. That’s when we had the idea of TeaPro app. It gives users personalized recommendations about which teas they should try according to their taste preferences and their health needs. The app is due to launch around June this year and I’m very excited about it!
Sign up to the waiting list, so we can notify you once the app is out: https://page.co/lzVl
Biggest challenge you face as an entrepreneur today?
I believe that the biggest challenge when you start your own thing is to be as self-sufficient as possible. That’s where we’ve gone wrong with the first business. Looks Good On Me was a very cool personal styling app but required too much upfront investment, which turned out to be too difficult to pull off.
With TeaPro we’re constantly asking ourselves, how can we make the best possible app with the limited budget we have right now? It involves some really bold decisions, as you have to be incredibly clear about the core values of your business proposition.
What you hope to change with your new shift & it’s success?
I think that we can have a massive impact on society. Already, there is an emerging trend towards tea as a healthier alternative to coffee. While containing caffeine, tea also has another substance called L-theanine, which can significantly boost levels of attention and alertness and still keep you relaxed and balanced.
TeaPro will make it super easy to explore new teas and their health benefits, allowing people to improve their overall wellbeing.
If you could change one thing in the WORLD with the new app, what would it be?
We believe that sitting down and having a cup of tea makes you slow down and appreciate the moment. Our generation is always in such a hurry! Like machines, we’re programmed to get done as much as possible in a that we often forget to live for the day (and I know that sometimes I’m guilty of that too). And what’s the point in life if we don’t acknowledge the moment we’re living right now?
I think that this is the real secret of tea and it’s effect on people.
Best advice to anyone starting something new?
Be persistent in pursuit of what you want. I can tell you right now that lots of things won’t go your way and you’ll make tons of mistakes. The main thing is to learn from them and don’t beat yourself up.
Also, make sure to get advice on your business idea. I know that start-up founders are often so paranoid about other people stealing their idea that they forget to ask for opinions of others. Believe me, if I say that it’s not the idea – it’s the implementation that will make or break your business and without feedback, you are so much more likely to make annoying mistakes that could cost your business its success.
Follow Her Journey!
