“Flexibility and curiosity are great traits to nurture, especially if it helps you look at things from multiple angles.”
Thaedra Brondum ’11 majored in Japanese Language & Culture and minored in Business during her time at Puget Sound. From an on-campus job, to working overseas, to now running her own business, Thaedra has had a wide range of experiences.
Brew a pot of tea to sip while you read Thaedra’s insights from her career path!
Tell us about your current work.
I am the owner of Serenitea, a new tea shop in the Westgate South Shopping Center at N 24th and Pearl. We sell brewed tea to enjoy on premises, along with loose leaf tea and tea-related merchandise.
I opened this shop to spread my love of tea and to offer a space for people to come sit and read a book (there are sci-fi and fantasy books you can pick from, or bring your own!), work on a project, meet with your book club, study, or visit with a group of friends.
What’s your career path been like? What inspired you to start your own business?
I’ve had a rather varied career path, never really settling on just one thing.
During my time at Puget Sound, I worked on campus for Security Services as a Dispatcher and during school breaks I worked as Admission/Store Manager at a local observatory in my hometown.
After graduation, I spent 2 years working in Japan on the JET Program, helping teach middle school English. Following that, while working on my graduate degree from Thunderbird School of Global Management, I worked as an Orientation Leader and TA for Statistics.
Prior to opening Serenitea, I worked for the British Consulate in Boston for a year, then in San Francisco — helping UK companies expand their operations to the US. I mainly worked with UK Technology companies but also assisted with wider Consulate events, like when the Red Arrows (the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team) toured around the US.
The nearly 7 years I spent helping companies with their international expansion, both directly and indirectly, led me to decide that the indirect work I was doing (by helping up-skill the teams) along with the network wellbeing-focused volunteer work that I’d picked up, was what I preferred to focus my time on.
The pandemic really gave me time to reflect on my life and work. I realized I needed a break from corporate life, and decided to instead follow a dream I’d had from a young age – opening my own cozy tea shop – and I’ve spent the last 2 years working towards that goal.
What advice do you have for students who are interested in entrepreneurship?
Opening your own business is a lot of hard work and it’s expensive, but it’s also fulfilling.
Definitely make sure to do your research and be very mindful of when the data in your research was gathered. As an example, when I was researching the costs that I could expect for opening a tea/coffee shop during the pandemic, the numbers I was using to calculate were based on data from 2017 to early 2020 – recent and relevant. However, I forgot to take into account how the pandemic was affecting various industries and thus what that would mean for pricing and timelines. Opening my shop ended up being a whole lot more expensive than I had originally planned for.
“…you need people who you can go to when something goes right — to celebrate with. And also for when things go sideways or wrong.”
Another piece of advice — have people you can rely on. Not just who you’re working with to get your idea running (lawyers, consultants, architects, etc.). Those people are important. But you need people who you can go to when something goes right — to celebrate with. And also for when things go sideways or wrong. You need people who will give you space to complain and then help remind you why you’re doing this, and maybe even help you think through whatever the current ‘disaster’ is.
How did Puget Sound prepare you for your career path?
My experiences at Puget Sound helped me understand that while a direct focus and plan was good, understanding that there’s not just one path is better. Flexibility and curiosity are great traits to nurture, especially if it helps you look at things from multiple angles.
Also, the people you meet and interact with at Puget Sound will stick with you just as much as the lessons you learn in the classroom.
Did you use CES when you were a student?
I wish I had used CES more than I did. I took a partial credit course that CES was offering (covering things like how to write resumes and cover letters, create a LinkedIn profile, and answer interview questions), but did not utilize them beyond it. Which is a shame – there are so many more things I could have learned from the team, and help I could have received that I just wasn’t aware of at the time.
Who are mentors in your life? What benefit do they provide? What advice do you have for students who want to find a mentor, other than to join Logger Link?
I’ve had a few different mentors, even if they have not held the title. I participated in a circular mentorship program while at the Consulate with someone in the HR Department (mentoring them and receiving mentorship from them at the same time). By the end of our mentorship, she had gained a better understanding of what my department does and I was better at recognizing the thoughts that went on behind big picture decisions.
Before that, my Technology Sector Lead was a mentor to me and definitely helped me shape my career while at the Consulate; helping understand which parts of my role were my strong points, create situations to strengthen my weak points, and shift my work to better suit both me and the wider team while working with the constraints of the role as written.
While in graduate school, a fellow student was a mentor to me as well. He helped me refine my resume as well as figure out the type of work, location, and company I would want to be a part of.
“Mentors can help you think through an issue and offer advice based on their experiences or knowledge.”
While most of mine have been career-related, mentorships don’t always have to be about that. They can be school- or life-related as well. They can be long- or short-term, which is something to agree upon when you enter into a mentorship. Mentors can help you think through an issue and offer advice based on their experiences or knowledge. Your relationship with your mentor can be as formal or casual as is comfortable. It definitely works best if you are both clear on what the goals for the mentorship are, but those goals can change as needed.
Final advice?
Make use of the resources and opportunities that Puget Sound offers; and if you don’t know what they are, don’t be afraid to ask someone! Wander through campus buildings and see what Departments are doing; explore and expand your experiences.
You never know what random experiences you’ll get to have at school or in life without putting yourself forward — like when I got the opportunity to wade into an Ocean Spray cranberry bog with my Consul General during harvest season while working for the British Consulate-General in Boston.
*****
Serenitea is only a 5-minute drive from campus. Drop by to say hello, enjoy some tea, and support this Logger-owned business. Bonus: Show your Puget Sound ID to receive a discount!
📷 Thaedra Bromdon; @serenitea_tea_shop | Collage by Kris Hay
