Meet Cheng An Lee | Tea Shop Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Cheng An Lee and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Cheng An, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking risks is the key to getting me to where I am today.
My university major was psychology, but because of my ambition, I chose to cross fields began to study law and take the national examination, and become a police officer in Taiwan.
Later, when I started a family and have 3 children, I chose to enter the workplace. All my police colleagues at the time advised me not to do so, but I took the risk because I needed to be a better father for my young children at that stage, the inconsistent hours of a police job did not allow me to care for my children well.
After several years of hard work, I became a business manager. At this time, I began to think about owning my own business. After evaluation, I chose a place that was 12,000 kilometers away from my hometown Taiwan, which is the United States to start my business. Giving up a familiar job field to open a store in a foreign country is also extremely risky. Since every adventure I had taken before made my life much better, my personal experience made me brave enough to take risks after I clearly knew what I wanted.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I think what makes me different from others is that I do more research and investigation. This is also because I am a foreign investor and it is difficult for me to bear the consequences of business failure.
I investigated the density of similar stores and customer groups in multiple areas to decide where I wanted to run my business. Finally, I chose a location that was perfect for me, my store is located in a high-consumption and cultural area with convenient transportation, and there are fewer tea shop competitors in this area. There are Cinemark Theater, Buffalo Wild Wings, JC Penney, and Kroger… these stores being neighbors can bring a stable flow of people.
And I also did a SWOT analysis on myself to help me determine the direction of my business.
For example, I know my weakness is that I am a beginner and have no experience running a tea shop, so I chose to be a franchisee as a starting point. Even though Taiwan is the birthplace of bubble milk tea, I didn’t choose a brand from my own country. I chose Kung Fu Tea which is an American company, in addition to the delicious drinks, it is also because I believe they understand the U.S. market and needs better. Their supply chain provides high-quality Taiwanese tea leaves and quality products, the good brand image makes it easy for consumers to choose. So I can cover my weaknesses and turn them into my strengths.
It is also important to make adjustments based on the analysis results, considering our store is surrounded by schools and residences, I adjusted the style of decorations, arranged the environment in conjunction with various festivals, taught our staff how to treat customers cordially and courteously, I want children and families customer can feel more comfortable in our store, provide community customers with the best experience.
However, what I am most proud of is my staff. I try to hold some employee events in the store, such as hot pot parties, lucky draws, birthday celebrations…etc., which this store has never had before, and the staff’s participation is very high; gradually, everyone is becoming more cohesive and improving the store. This is something I can’t do alone.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Honestly I haven’t been in Houston long enough so I probably can’t give good advice. I’ll just share a few places that impressed me.
Children’s Museum Houston- This place is located in downtown Houston. Compared with ordinary museums, it has more lively colors and many interactive devices. My kids love this place.
Water Wall- Also located in the city center, it seems to be a must-see attraction in Houston.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir- I am not a Hindu, but the architecture here is unbelievably beautiful. You can also taste authentic Indian cuisine in the cafe inside.
Kemah Boardwalk- A unique leisure-style outdoor playground with a wooden roller coaster. If you still have time you can go to the nearby beach for a walk.
Washington-on-the-Brazos State Historic Site- There are historical markers and trails to walk. Most important, this is where the documents for the independence of Texas were signed and the capital of the Republic of Texas. If you want to learn about Texas history, this is a perfect place.
Brenham- A very beautiful and artistic town. First, you can go to the famous Blue Bell Creameries factory to see the ice cream production process and taste the freshest Texas ice cream. Then you can go to the Visitor Center in the town to get directions on where to view the most beautiful Texas Bluebonnet Wildflower!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people to thank.
The most grateful is my wife for sure, she always believes in me and supports my choices for full heart.
I also want to express my special thanks to Derrick and Jerry. They are tea shop owners just like me, the difference is that they have been running business here for a long time and are very experienced in all aspects. I had just arrived in the United States, and they gave me a lot of help, not only with business stuff but also valuable life advice on everything without reservation.
When I came to open a store, I had to negotiate various business contracts and deal with many business people. Derrick and Jerry made me feel the warmth that had nothing to do with business for the first time since I came to the United States.
I’m grateful that they have such sincere care for an outsider like me, and it also made me decide that I would help anyone I could in the future.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kungfuteacypress/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088703001358

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kung-fu-tea-cypress-3

Image Credits
Photos are all taken by ourselves.