Meet Stefanie Warner

We were lucky to catch up with Stefanie Warner recently and have shared our conversation below.

Stefanie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?

Like any starry-eyed teenager, I used to think that finding your purpose meant doing what made you happy. But as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to understand that purpose isn’t just about happiness, it’s about finding ways to use all your talents and skills in one place. Purpose is what drives you to grow, to keep learning, and to show up again and again. I found mine through my work with tea and by sharing that with others.

I went to art school to be an artist. I knew I wanted to do something creative with my life, so I picked a path; a label that felt predictable, categorizable. But no amount of mentorship or advice could have told me that my love of creating and connecting would eventually lead to running my own business. The path I’m on now looks nothing like what I imagined back then, and that’s what makes it beautiful. I stayed curious. I kept experimenting. And through that, I listened to myself.

Even now, I continue learning and adapting to the economy and to life’s changes. As my business ebbs and flows, my love for it never fades. I wake up each day and, even through the grind, I’m still a creative. That’s what fuels me. My business honors both my curiosity and my desire to build something bigger than myself, and there’s deep power in that. If I ever find myself stepping away from the tea industry, I know it will have already given me something lasting: the spark of what makes me feel alive.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Hello everyone! I’m Stefanie, an Angeleno native, lifelong creator, and writer. Over the years, I’ve built a path through businesses, conventions, productions, and nonprofits—each one shaped by creativity and community. My current focus is my work as a Tea Sommelier. I’ve been in the tea industry for nearly 15 years, and for the past half of that, I’ve been cultivating my small business, Tea Spectral.

Tea Spectral began as a personal exploration: my love for blended teas led me deeper into the rich cultural history and global traditions surrounding tea. I wanted to create blends that not only tasted beautiful but also captured moments of pause and mindfulness for modern tea drinkers. Since then, I’ve created over 30 unique blends, with many more still brewing in my imagination.

You’ll often find me at local markets, serving freshly brewed teas and connecting with my community. I also host pop-up events designed to offer rest and beauty in the middle of the daily grind – whether that’s a tea and sound bath, a guided tea lecture and tasting, or even a lively tea dance party celebrating a local artist. My heart is always in the same place: community first.

Another project close to my heart is my podcast, Authoress Café, which I co-host with my husband. We create a cozy café atmosphere and chat about books, creativity, and life—all over a pot of tea. Occasionally, we invite guest writers and educators who help shape our local and literary worlds.

My latest expansions for Tea Spectral have focused on legacy: how I can contribute to the world of tea in a lasting, creative way. I’m currently developing a series of workshops to help people build their palate and explore the vast world of tea with confidence. I’m also writing a book and creating a full-length Tea Tarot Deck, blending traditional tarot archetypes with global tea culture and history. It’s a heartfelt project that weaves together ritual, storytelling, and sensory experience and will be published next year.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1) Have Patience – If it doesn’t happen now, it doesn’t mean it won’t.
Wonderful but frustrating all at once, the brains of creative people are made to dream. And when we dream, we dream big! There’s often a touch of delusion in how we visualize things, we forget the time and effort involved, and we overlook the many steps needed to make those visions real.

But don’t dismiss those dreams. Instead, ask yourself: what are the steps in between? Pursue those steps as stretch goals. You may need to learn or develop new skills to bring your vision to life. Blockage is rarely permanent, it usually just means the dream isn’t quite ready for the present moment.

2) Stay Curious – Your questions have answers.
If something catches your eye or sparks a sense of wonder, it’s worth looking into. Some of my best creations have come from following my curiosity and expressing what I learned through my own lens.

That drive for knowledge is what led me to become a certified Tea Sommelier. It helped me feel like I was part of something bigger than myself. Tea is a global, living tradition; rooted in history while constantly evolving. That balance satisfies the part of me that always wants to keep learning.

The world hasn’t yet heard your specific point of view, and it needs it. Your questions might lead to the next breakthrough your field is waiting for, or even inspire others to take the next steps in the story you helped shape.

3) Embrace Fear – “Fear is Forward.”
My friend and I always remind each other: “Fear is Forward.” If something feels intimidating, it’s usually because the outcome is unknown. Planning and forecasting are helpful, but nothing compares to the learning that comes from doing.

If something gives you butterflies, or even a little sinking bit of overwhelm, it’s a sign. Deep down, you know it will take courage, effort, and growth to bring that vision to life. That weight is sacred. It means you care. It means this will change you.

This also applies to external voices. We live in a world where opinions fly freely, and some people will criticize or dismiss your work. Let yourself feel the sting: it makes the moments of connection, praise, and joy shine even brighter.

So please: hold the weight of fear and the unknown. Get to know them. Over time, they become lighter, especially when compared to the joy of being true to yourself and honoring your dreams.

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

Julia Child’s My Life in France was almost a call to action for me. I loved how the first third of the book plants a seed of who she was; how her dreams felt subdued as life pulled her in other directions. It wasn’t until she moved to France with her husband and experienced the local food that all her senses were awakened. That moment of discovery gave her a new drive: to wake up and chase her curiosity, simply for the joy of learning.

But she didn’t stop there. She wanted to share that love with the world she came from. With friends, persistence, and many errors along the way, she co-created one of the most famous cookbooks in history. Through that process—through the learning, failing, and sharing; she found her purpose. Julia had gone to college and did some threatre and creative writing, and what once looked like a buried, unrelated skill ended up becoming the perfect foundation for broadcasting her show and using media to spread her love of French cuisine.

The book reads like a romantic love letter to the pursuit of passion. It holds the sorrow of failure and the high of discovery. The most powerful takeaway for me, one that still gives me chills; is that her life didn’t truly begin to take shape until her 50s. When I first read it in my 20s, it helped me understand that real passion and living don’t run on a biological timeline. Julia’s fire had a slow start, but when it finally caught, it blazed.

She taught me to always entertain wonder and stay curious. What may look like success or failure in the moment might just be a stepping stone toward something greater.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.teaspectral.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teaspectral/
• Other: My podcast, Authoress Cafe.

  http://www.authoresscafe.com/

  My Ko Fi where updates on the Tea Tarot deck will be posted and prints will be made available

  https://ko-fi.com/teaspectral