Sharyn Wortman of Today was Fun.

Today was Fun manufacture a range of herbal teas and wrap their philosophy of life around them. Sharyn Wortman who conceived the Tea & Philosophy range while visiting Los Angeles puts it down to the excessive amount of sunshine in LA, which must have over-stimulated her brain. Their range of teas includes ‘happiness tea’, ‘expectancy tea’, ‘sleepy tea’ and ‘green, green tea’. They have attracted rave reviews and awards, among them a silver in the Soil Association Organic Food Awards 2006 for the carbon-neutral ‘green, green tea’.

• Where in the UK is your business located?
  We have just moved from a boat on the river to our new premises in Wandsworth, London.

• Can you give a short history of how you got to where you are now, including why and when you 'went organic'?
  I used to work as an art director in advertising and got tired of selling everyone else’s baked beans. I wanted to start up a company that put something nice out into the world. Tea was an easy choice as it is something that is lovely to share with people and it being organic was the only option. Having grown up in Australia our focus was always on healthy eating and fresh food. I have only ever been involved in organic enterprise since I started my business. There was no question for me that if I was going to produce something that people “put into their bodies” then it had to be the best it could be, and for me that is organic.

• Can you describe a typical day in your life?
  An early morning walk along the river, sales calls, production liaison, and if I am lucky lunch at Freedom café in the sunshine in the park. Ah yes and endless pots of tea.

• Who are your customers and where are they?
  All across the UK, predominately female (25 +). We are now selling into Spain, Holland, Scandinavia and as far reaching as Singapore. Our teas are available in high-end speciality department stores and independent food stores.

• Organic principles – why do they matter?
  Treat others, the earth and yourself with respect. Celebrate everything, especially the small things in life. If we do this the rest of it will take care of itself.

• What does the Soil Association mean to you?
  The Soil Association is the guardian of organic and best practice principles when it comes to food and farming.

• What is your greatest achievement?
  Being able to say, “Today was Fun” at the end of each day.

• How do you plan to progress in the future?
  For the business to continue to grow along the principles that I set out originally. To find lovely people to work for and with and to continue to make each day fun for myself and all who come into contact with my business.

• If you were starting all over again, what would you do differently?
  Nothing, it has all been an amazing learning curve and I wouldn’t swap a thing (even the tears over those early spreadsheets!)

• What is the most important lesson life has taught you?
  Keep at it. Listen to others, be as clever as you can but most importantly be stubborn and keep chipping away a little each day.

• Who or what's your biggest inspiration?
  This changes all the time but today it’s Susi Rajah.

• What is the key to your success?
  Treating people with respect and being open and honest with everything that I do.

• What do you love most about what you do?
  The letters I receive from people who have been touched by the messages on our teas.
  Just to say thank you! My mum is very difficult to buy for, she likes interesting trinkets and teas and bangles etc. There are a couple of shops that do these sorts of things in Liverpool, but the prices are way too high for a 13 year old with low allowance! Thanks to you I have now secured her Xmas prezzie and her birthday prezzie too. I love your stuff!
  Ruby (age 13), Liverpool
  Or
  Good Morning! Its 6.15 in the morning and you have already made my day. My sister bought me your happiness tea. I just love it! I haven’t even tasted it yet but the whole idea is fab! Love your website, love your whole attitude. Thanks for spreading happiness around.
  Love Nida, Living in the bogs of Ireland with Fiddle player Scottish husband Gerry, daughters Katie- Anne, and Seana, dogs Angel and Mayo and canary Buddy. Life is wonderful!

• What keeps you awake at night?
  Nothing.

• What single thing would most improve your life?
  Having more time to reflect and exercise.

• What do you find most frustrating about what you do?
  Trying to figure out ways to deliver our product into market.

• Any unusual hobbies or past careers?
  I decided when I started the company that I wanted to re-start my career as a painter, so on Friday’s I don’t work, I paint. I thought that this would be vastly unfair on anyone who ever works for me, if the director of the company was off having a nice time in her painting studio. So Today was Fun doesn’t work on a Friday. See what we get up to on Fun Friday’s at www.todaywasfun.com/fridays.htm

• How can the organic market be improved?
  More education, awards and media profile but I think we are getting there.

• How can we get more people to buy organic?
  Continue to educate people about the importance of organic farming and how it helps to preserve the environment that we live in.

• What's the main benefit of being organic for you?
  It is a mark/seal of quality and an assurance for my customer that we are doing all we can to protect the earth that we live in.

• What other organic ventures do you admire and why?
  Abel and Cole for their box schemes, Howies for their cool attitude to life and their organic cotton clothes. We also love La Spezia cosmetics, they’re just great gals.

• What is your favourite meal?
  Any kind of food that is created with integrity.

• If I was Prime Minister I would...
  Give everyone back their Friday’s to do something they love.

• Is the customer always right?
  Not at all. Sometimes they can be out of order but luckily we attract really lovely people to work alongside so this doesn’t really come up much.

For more information about Today was Fun visit www.todaywasfun.com