Meet Urvashi Agarwal, founder of JP'S Originals

Urvashi Agarwal joined her family business in natural stone, fresh out of university and equipped with an engineering degree. 11 years later, after an unexpected battle with an autoimmune condition, she decided tea was her calling - and out of lockdown 2020, JP’s Originals was born.

Making high-quality blends accessible and educating people on not only the art of tea making but the enjoyment of a perfectly brewed cuppa is what it’s all about. After experiencing the benefits of CBD, a trio of functional blends soon became a prominent range in the JP’s collection.

What’s the most common problem your customers approach you with?

The lack of information surrounding CBD. Considering that the market is worth more than that of Vitamin C and D combined, it deserves a lot more transparency on dosing and content. I have tried to break down the misconceptions of CBD being solely for relaxation by creating three blends that support our evolving energy states throughout the day.

What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?

My grandfather, JP, was an extremely well-respected tea grower in Assam. Drinking tea regularly, I found it hard to find high-quality leaves made accessible, with information on leaf grading or provenance, so I decided to set up JP’s Originals. A sudden spell of health issues, medication, and the diagnosis of an auto-immune condition made me turn to CBD.

The end goal is to educate, increase transparency & encourage sustainability in the tea industry. I would ultimately want to set up a charity to support the education of the children of tea pickers in Assam.

How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?

JP’s Originals was built on the premise of conscious consumption and awareness around knowing where your tea leaves were plucked- the same degree that is afforded to coffee and wine. There tends to be a tug of war between premiumisation and sustainability. Aside from us being plastic-free, our recent launch of The Daily Drinker and refill packs are geared towards reducing waste.

What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

Hit the ground running with your idea. It is an iterative process, and you will always find areas for further improvement but will only know once it’s out there. My biggest lesson has been in learning to trust my product, launch it and tweak it in response to the market.

What are your thoughts on failure?

Failure is essential. If I’m not encountering failure, I’m not taking enough risks. Failure allows us to grow more resilient as well as make necessary changes.

Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?

How I start my day sets the tone for how it goes. I let my brain warm-up steadily with a gentle alarm and stretching. I don’t check my phone for at least 30 minutes from waking up, and sip on hot water and lemon as I get ready. Most days I listen to a podcast or music on the way to work- this is something that helps to get my creative juices flowing. How you start the day dictates what the day brings and the energy you share with your team.

If you could be in a room with 4 entrepreneurs, who would they be and why?

Elon Musk – a real visionary, sees problems as opportunities. 

Jeff Bezos – incredibly innovative and one step ahead. He invests in perfecting his service offering and is focused on the customer.

Phi Knight – evidence of how perseverance allows you to overcome adversity.

Sara Blakely – especially love her approach to failure. Extremely inspiring.

How important is company culture and what is your top tip to get it right?

It is crucial for collective and individual growth and to keep everyone motivated. Personality tests are a great metric to ensure you are communicating with individuals in the way that best allows them to thrive.

Any new product launches we should know about?

By popular demand, we have created Nana’s Chai and Rose Chai, two new blends that will be released very soon. Nana’s chai is a recipe that has run in my family for generations and so I am excited to share it with everyone. We have also created a CBD Collection box that will house our CBD trinity, perfect for anyone new to the scene and looking to try all three blends.

How did you conquer those moments of doubt that so often affect entrepreneurs or stop many with great ideas – what pushes you through?

Remind yourself what you are working to achieve and what the end goal is. That should be enough to push you through the toughest of times.

Any moments where you thought you’ve bitten off more than you can chew?

Absolutely! I found this the case especially as my vision became a reality and encountered make or break issues. There have been many small hiccups I hadn’t factored in before launching the brand. For example, the unforeseen payment processor issues relating to selling CBD products, and subsequent rebuilding of our e-retail site.