Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Pogoda.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
The Tea Drop Trailer and all the accompanying projects related to it are all the result of ideas that have been brewing in my mind for years now. For over a decade now, I’ve been involved many kinds of festivals and events as an artist, performer, and photo/videographer.
As a result, I’ve adapted to living a nomadic lifestyle by remodeling vintage travel trailers… some would say I’ve mastered the art of festival-ing in style and comfort. I started realizing that one of my favorite aspects of these events was the connections that were formed with this diverse collection of like-minds that I encountered.
More often I’d find myself back at my trailer, making tea for friends and striking up the conversation. I’d even go as far as taking my portable jetboil and tea supplies out to dance floors and make tea right then and there. For many people, this was a welcome reprieve from the chaos. Taking time to sip tea and warm up on chilly nights was grounding, healing, and just downright enjoyable.
Looking out at the gathering that began to form around me, and the real-life human interactions that were being made, as a result, brought a new kind of joy that sparked the idea of creating a tea trailer just for this purpose. It was like I had found my new calling.
I spent a few months planning and researching what I needed to start this endeavor, and after a lot of hunting, found the perfect little teardrop trailer. Made myself a logo, built a website, got some social channels going, and eventually The Tea Drop Trailer was born.
Since then, I’ve spent a summer taking it around to events, figuring out the actual plan of operations, and allowing it to evolve in an organic way. Before I even created a product, I was selling an experience, building a brand, and gathering a following. The reception I’ve gotten has been incredibly rewarding and encouraging.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I’ve started quite a few endeavors, so I’m no stranger to bumps in the road. I’ve created brands, but starting an actual business is still somewhat foreign to me. Learning how to translate my passion into monetary income has been the biggest challenge.
I do a lot of things in my life for the sheer love of the experience, but if I want to expand to impact a larger population, I realize the need for being business-minded. Luckily, I have a lot of people in my life who I trust, and they can guide me through the struggles.
Please tell us about The Tea Drop Trailer.
The Tea Drop Trailer is a mobile cafe cart and tea house on wheels that features teas to compliment any time of day, occasion or event. You can find us at festivals, farmer’s markets, movie sets, private events, and anywhere you’d like us to drop it.
We also offer to-go loose-leafs, tinctures, extracts, tea-tree toothpicks, and tea accessories for sale at certain locations. Our trained tea-droppers are roaming ambassadors to tea and plant medicines. What sets us apart from other cafe carts is that we don’t do coffee, we specialized solely in teas and tisanes, and other plant medicinals.
We also do more than just serve tea, we create an atmosphere with a similar vibe to a coffee shop (minus the coffee) where people can come relax, be entertained, share ideas, and interact with each other. Tea is something that is a large part of many cultures, and my goal is to create a culture around it here in America as well.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Well, this question is from out of left field, lol. I’d have to say my favorite memories of childhood were related to getting my first dog Ben when I was four years old. Being an only child, he was my brother, and I spent the majority of my time with him. Anyone who knows me will tell you that my love for dogs is borderline obsessive.
I’ve always loved animals, even stuffed animals. I had an extraordinary amount of stuffed animals as a kid. They all had names, I made them clothes, I even hosted events for them like weddings and birthday parties. My first photoshoots were of my stuffed animals with props posed in front of backdrops that I painted, I was probably five years old.
Contact Info:
- Website: theteadropspot.com
- Instagram: theteadroptrailer
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