The Third Act: Embarking on a Healing Journey Steeped in the Aroma of Herbal Tea

They’re not screenwriters, but Erika Boudreau-Barbee and Joseph Dale Harris are rewriting the script for health and wellness. Unique tea blends and guided healing practices are their main protagonists as they promote multicultural, holistic, and natural approaches to healing.

Their blockbuster business, Pixie Doodle Farm, peddles handcrafted, caffeine-free tea consisting of herbs sourced from reputable organic suppliers. The blends are packaged using compostable, reusable, and recycled materials, avoiding all plastics.

Peruse the products online (Pixiedoodlefarm.com) or in person at pop-up markets.

Erika and Joe began their careers as actors before realizing that their real passion was health. Launching Pixie Doodle Farm in 2021 was a no-brainer, but they found it difficult to convince investors of the company’s value. They never let up though, and business slowly started to grow.

As Pixie Doodle Farm bloomed, Erika and Joe acted on a tip from a performer friend and headed to the Entrepreneur Space, a food-and-business incubator that the Queens Economic Development Corporation administers in Long Island City. The E-Space provides a fully equipped commercial kitchen coupled with counseling, mentorship, and networking opportunities.

Is a Hollywood ending on the horizon? Thanks to the E-Space connection, Erica and Joe began receiving emails about programs and opportunities. One blast informed on the Cultivate Small Business Program that Santander Bank runs in partnership with Babson College. This program provides early-stage food entrepreneurs with business courses and capital grants. It was a turning point for the couple, arming them with priceless knowledge and $11,000 in grants. The funds helped enable their expansion into one of the East Coast’s largest holiday markets, the Union Square Holiday Market, in December. What a bargain, and now they’re headed to a pop-up at JFK Airport, thanks to the E-Space.

It was a good year, and Pixie Doodle Farm is projected to make $100,000 in revenue in 2024.

Eventually, Erika and Joe want a brick-and-mortar store to sell Pixie Doodle Farm teas and educate the community about herbalism and its benefits. Their journey has been long and full of twists and turns, but their success demonstrates that anything is possible with passion, hard work … and the E-Space.