Inspiring Conversations with Orleatha Smith of Sip Herbals

Today we’d like to introduce you to Orleatha Smith.

Hi Orleatha, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I never planned on building a beverage company. I was just trying to feel like myself again. My body started reacting to caffeine in ways I could no longer ignore. My hormones were all over the place, my stress levels were high, and my gut was basically filing complaints. I loved my morning ritual though, so the idea of giving up coffee felt dramatic. I wanted something comforting that actually helped my body instead of fighting it.

Since I’m a former biology teacher and a master herbalist, I naturally went straight to my kitchen like it was a lab. I started playing with chicory, carob, dandelion and a lot of “let’s see what happens if I roast this a little longer.” Eventually I created a blend that made me think, wait, this might actually be good. That blend became the very first version of what is now Sip Herbals.

My co founder Kelly and I launched during the pandemic. We had no beverage industry connections, no fancy setup and no idea how wild this journey would get. What we did have was grit, two laptops, and the belief that people deserved a caffeine free option that didn’t taste like compromise. We fulfilled every order ourselves, packed boxes late at night, and built a community of people who were dealing with the same hormone and gut issues I struggled with.

Fast forward and Sip Herbals has now served more than 23,000 customers. We have been featured on Shark Tank, Entrepreneur, Forbes and Essence. I also became a Tory Burch Fellow which still feels surreal. We now offer loose leaf blends, compostable tea bags, and K cups and we are moving into wellness, hospitality, maternity and retail partnerships.

At the heart of it though, Sip is still personal for me. It started with me trying to heal my own body and make my mornings feel good again. I created something I needed, and it turns out a lot of other people needed it too. And honestly, we are just getting started.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Smooth road? Not even close. Building Sip Herbals has been equal parts rewarding and chaotic. If anything, this journey has taught me how to stay calm while everything around me is doing the opposite.

We have dealt with ingredients getting damaged in transit, stuck in ports, or delayed for reasons that made absolutely no sense. When your entire business depends on a very specific blend of herbs, one late shipment can set off a whole chain reaction. I have learned more about freight logistics than I ever wanted to.

We have also had contractors disappear on us or fail to honor agreements, which forced us to regroup quickly and rebuild processes we trusted someone else to handle. Those moments sting, but they also make you much more intentional about who you bring into your ecosystem.

Self fulfilling orders has added its own layer of unpredictability. Kelly and I have been the customer service team, the fulfillment team, the operations team, and the everything-else team. There were days we joked about giving ourselves employee of the month awards because no one else was going to do it.

And then there is the emotional side. When you are building something from scratch, every setback feels personal. Keeping my own health in check while building a wellness brand has been humbling. I have had to learn to rest, delegate, and let go of perfection.

The truth is that none of this has been smooth, but every challenge has made us stronger founders and a stronger company. Each problem has pushed us to improve systems, tighten communication, and build with more intention. It has not been easy, but it has absolutely been worth it.

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sip Herbals is a coffee alternative company, but at the heart of it we are a wellness brand that helps people reclaim their mornings without sacrificing flavor or comfort. We specialize in caffeine free, herb based blends made from roasted chicory, carob, and dandelion. These herbs naturally support gut health, hormone balance, and overall stress resilience, so our customers get that familiar cozy ritual without the jitters, crashes, or hormonal fallout that caffeine can trigger.

What sets us apart is our commitment to simplicity and transparency. No adaptogens that can overstimulate sensitive systems. No “natural flavors” that hide mystery ingredients. No caffeine sneaking in through the back door. Our blends are clean, intentionally formulated, and made to taste like the real thing. People are always shocked when they take a sip and say, wait, this tastes like coffee.

We offer loose leaf blends, compostable tea bags, and fully recyclable K cups. Our goal is to meet people where they are, whether they brew old school or on a Keurig. We are also expanding into hospitality, maternity centers, wellness spaces, and select retail to make it easier for people to access better-for-you options wherever they go.

Brand wise, I am most proud of the community we have built. Sip has become a safe place for people dealing with burnout, hormonal imbalances, gut issues, pregnancy, postpartum recovery, autoimmune conditions, or simply the desire to feel better in their bodies. Our customers tell us that Sip helped them enjoy mornings again, and that is the part that never gets old.

What I want readers to know is simple. Sip is not about giving something up. It is about getting something back. We are proof that you can have a warm, flavorful, satisfying ritual that supports your health instead of draining it. And we are just getting started creating products that make wellness feel attainable, enjoyable, and sustainable.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The biggest lesson for me has been learning to trust myself while staying flexible. Building a company looks glamorous from the outside, but behind the scenes it is a constant mix of problem solving, gut checks, and pivoting faster than you thought you could. I used to think success came from having the perfect plan. Now I know it comes from having the courage to keep moving even when the plan falls apart.

Another huge lesson has been that people matter more than anything else. The wrong contractor, partner, or advisor can set you back months. The right people can change the entire trajectory of your business. I have learned to protect my energy, choose relationships with intention, and walk away when something does not feel aligned.

And honestly, I have learned that rest is a strategy, not a reward. You cannot build a wellness brand while burning yourself out. Every time I slow down enough to listen to my own body, the business benefits. Clarity shows up. Creativity shows up. Better decisions show up.

If I had to sum it up, I would say this: trust your instincts, stay adaptable, and take care of yourself like you are one of your customers. It is impossible to build something sustainable if you are running on empty.

Pricing:

• $15-$30

Contact Info:

• Website: http://sipherbals.com
• Instagram: @drinksipherbals.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/orleatha/