We had the good fortune of connecting with Shane Barela and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shane, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I focused on the employees and customers overall happiness and experience from the very beginning. This means that both parties need to have a positive experience and that means spending the necessary time to develop that relationship. This also means being there for them when they really need it. Furthermore, respecting their time and who they are is very important.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
How it all started….

It was 2010, during our honeymoon, and we were dead broke. The housing and financial crisis was in full swing, but we promised ourselves when we first met each other, many years prior, that we would go to Spain before we started our family. To make things more stressful, we learned that we were pregnant a week before our trip, so cancelling our dream trip was sounding more prudent than going, but we had a voice in our head that said to make it happen. Good thing we did.

While in Granada, Spain, we stumbled upon a small gift shop off the beaten path that would forever change our lives and kindle a flame within our hearts. It was here that we found the elusive loose-leaf tea, with its fragrant tendrils weaving an intoxicating spell that united souls in its embrace. Before this point in time, we only had mediocre bagged tea in the United States, which offered very little of what the whole leaf is capable of doing in terms of health benefits and culture. Needless to say, the light bulb went off and from that very moment, our destiny was etched, and a fervent passion for tea was born deep within our beings.

Now, after 10+ years in the tea biz, we have served tens of thousands of customers in our 3 brick and mortar tea houses with the emphasis on community and premium quality tea, making sure each and every customer gets to experience something special. Our new goal is to extend our boundless love for tea to you, our online customer, cherishing the opportunity to share these remarkable brews that have stirred our souls. With each sip, may you be transported to the cobblestone streets of our beginnings, and may the exquisite flavors envelop you in a world of pure enchantment. So, raise your cup and join us in a heartfelt toast to life, love, and the mesmerizing power of tea. Salud!

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Sabino Canyon to experience the desert.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My staff that handles all my changes each year and my leadership team for making huge progress in their professional development.

Website: https://www.thescentedleaf.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scentedleaf/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shane-barela-269b885/

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