"I feel women entrepreneurs have to constantly work on their mindset"
Erin Lindwall Tweet
Unashamedly obsessed by Matcha Green Tea from her many trips to Japan, Erin Lindwall’s mission is to help others enjoy the many health benefits of regularly drinking it, while also looking after Planet Earth with their Eco-friendly home compostable packaging.
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Table of Contents
Thank you for joining us, please introduce yourself to our readers.
Erin Lindwall: Erin Lindwall of Matcha Yu Tea. I’m a lover of all things Japan and a Matcha Green Tea addict!
Can you tell our readers in what ways you are disrupting your industry?
Erin Lindwall: I’m disrupting my industry of Tea as there are not really many other brands that are offering tea in a 100% home compostable packaging solution. Particularly when it comes to delicate Japanese Green Teas like Matcha Powder that need a high barrier effective package to keep it fresh. I have been lucky to find Econic, a NZ brand offering 100% home compostable, resealable pouches which I use to package my tea in. Many of my customers shop with me with this eco packaging being a main factor. I wish to inspire other businesses to take a step in the right direction to use packaging that doesn’t pollute the Earth.
Did you become a disruptor by choice or by necessity? Tell us more about the journey.
Erin Lindwall: By choice – it was a no brainer for me to offer this type of packaging.
On the environmental front, I do all that I can in my daily life to minimise waste and only positively impact our Mother Earth so naturally I want to give my customers the same opportunity. This is why we offer all of our teas in home compostable packaging.
I’m an active volunteer, participating in regular beach clean-ups and work with local environmental groups and government to create change that benefit the environment. So needless to say, I’m very passionate about reducing waste!
This is why I spent a long time looking for a home compostable pack that was suitable for Matcha tea, which is sensitive to light and heat. I had samples sent to me from all over Australasia and the only pack that provided the premium barriers I needed was Econic.
I want to make sure the tea reaches my customers in the best possible condition, and I’m confident it does in Econic home compostable packaging.
Now for the main focus of this interview: Many readers may wonder what are the biggest challenges women entrepreneurs must overcome to be successful?
Erin Lindwall: I feel women entrepreneurs have to constantly work on their mindset. Many times in life we are put down or told we shouldn’t aspire to the heights we hope for. Our confidence gets battered and we have to fight for equality. It’s SO important to see the value in the work we do, to be paid accordingly for it and not apologise for charging our worth.
Working for yourself is hard too as you don’t have a sounding board to bounce ideas off and you are in your own head a lot. It takes a lot to keep moving forward despite the obstacles faced and to keep your mindset positive and have a can do approach. We need to support fellow women entrepreneurs – build community over competition. We are often trying to change the world in our own way, maybe on the eco front, maybe financial freedom for ourselves and our family. Whatever it is, we can do it if we surround ourselves with cheerleaders and know our self worth.
How did you overcome these obstacles? Who helped you during these difficult times and how did they?
Erin Lindwall: Having business besties that can boost me up and restore my confidence when I feel like throwing it in. A supportive partner and family who believe in my dream. Reflecting on what I have achieved so far, not what I haven’t. Practising gratitude for the opportunity to live out my passion and love for Japan and tea and share that with others. Focusing on my why (that is why I started in the first place – to share high-quality Japanese tea and the culture of Japan to others) to make sure I keep powering forward and enjoy what I do.
How did these lessons shaped the way you conduct business today?
Erin Lindwall: I try not to let obstacles consume me, no matter how challenging. After the last 2 years of the Covid pandemic, I really have put into perspective what’s important in life and you don’t need to sweat the small stuff. There are always solutions if you’re willing to be open to them. I’m trying to be a lot more strategic and less rash in my decisions to move the business forward. This year I am also able to free up more time to work on the business so I can really consider decisions made instead of rushing them. Planning is something I also am working on improving as without a plan you’re just winging it and not really shifting the dial.
What advice you wished you had received when you started, that you’d like to share now with aspiring women entrepreneurs?
Erin Lindwall: That overnight success hardly ever happens, it’s usually years in the making. So don’t feel disheartened if you’re not moving ahead as quick as you thought or not ticking off the goals you had on your list. Each step forward is an achievement, each little thing you do or learn is always helping the business grow. Pay attention to your community, your loyal customers are your biggest fans who will support you and your brand because of the way you make them feel.
Out of all of your proudest moments as an entrepreneur, is there a particular one that stands out the most?
Erin Lindwall: Visiting the tea fields of Japan and seeing tea picking take place was a beautiful memory i will cherish forever.
Winning many Golden Leaf Tea Awards for the Matcha Green Tea I sell. It has won Awards in 2018/2019/2021 which makes me feel thrilled that a team of judges also believe the tea I import is of a high quality.
What do you plan on tackling during the 2022 year? Share your goals and battles you expect to face.
Erin Lindwall: Growing my wholesale customer base – I would love to reach more people so they too can enjoy the high quality tea I offer so a big opportunity is wholesaling into cafes, shops and so on.
I also want to grow my direct to customer base – I know there are so many people out there who would experience many health benefits from drinking Matcha and I have a passion to transform others and make them feel fantastic. I also want to help those who may have tried a poor quality Matcha and is after something that tastes delicious and that they can incorporate into their daily routine.
I’m sure our readers will be very thankful for the insights you have shared. What is the best book you’ve gone through lately and please share some take away lessons from it.
Erin Lindwall: Fearlessly Failing by Lola Berry. Key takeaways is 1) don’t take yourself too seriously 2) you have to work hard to achieve your goals and dreams 3) you will fail many times in life but the lessons you learn are priceless 4) if you want explore an idea, just do it!
Thank you so much for your time but before we finish things off, I do have one more question for you. When was the last time you did something for the first time and what was it?
Erin Lindwall: I started roller skating in Lockdown last year and found it a great way to let my hair down and relax, laugh and feel like a kid again. It’s all a great workout for the butt, thighs and core!
Jerome Knyszewski, VIP Contributor to ValiantCEO and the host of this interview would like to thank Erin Lindwall for taking the time to do this interview and share her knowledge and experience with our readers.
If you would like to get in touch with Erin Lindwall or her company, you can do it through her – Instagram
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