Meet the Teen Girlbosses Who Started an All-Natural Tea Company

What were you doing your senior year of high school? If you’re anything like us, you were perfecting your back to school style and trying to decide whether there were enough good reasons to take a gap year. Most of us weren’t already launching our first side hustle, but that’s exactly what these badass teen #girlbosses are doing. Allie and Mystikal, two high school seniors from Cambridge, MA, founded Mystik Alley Teas, a company that makes organic, all-natural and super delicious-sounding teas.

Mystikal and Allie have been part of the Possible Project, a makerspace designed to help high school students become entrepreneurs, for three years. They do all the manufacturing, product design (with names like “lu·mi·nos·i·tea” and “tran·quil·i·tea” — so cute!) and marketing for Mystik Alley Teas themselves. Talk about some entrepreneur inspiration!

When it comes to balancing school and their business, these founders are pros. “We treat it like a job (however much fun we have with it!). We dedicate and organize time for both school and the company by setting schedules. We also divide work so that not just one person is responsible for all that needs to be done.”

Allie and Mystikal are true examples of what happens when passion and really hard work come together — no matter what stage of life you’re in.They have some advice for other young people with an entrepreneurial spirit.

“For aspiring teen entrepreneurs, choose something you are passionate about and then create a business around it — the rest will come naturally if you love your product and what you do enough,” they say. “Your business should be something you want to work on long-term… It should be something that attempts to solve a problem you care about. You should take pride in whatever you create and want to expand and make it the best it could be.”

And they plan to do just that — continue expanding their business while they’re at college next year. “Although we are going to separate colleges this fall, we believe this will only broaden our customer base. We hope to expand our online customer base as well, and potentially sell our tea in stores or restaurants. We are open and willing to deal with any problems we face to keep Mystik Alley Teas running.” If that doesn’t sound like seasoned #girlbosses talking, we don’t know what does.

Could YOU imagine running a business in high school? Tweet us your thoughts @BritandCo!

(Photos via Mystik Alley Teas)

In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward. Here, we meet Rita Suzanne, a marketing strategist for health and wellness businesses who learned to network, connect with other entrepreneurs, and build her business online and IRL.

What's an unexpected business challenge that you've had to face and how did you overcome it?

The hardest thing for me was my sister passed away and I ended up taking custody of my nieces. I ended up being a single mom of four kids. This is the thing that transitioned my whole entire life. I stopped doing web design and started my podcast Mom Owned and Operated. I wanted to reconnect with other moms and figure out how they were able to run their businesses and raise a family and take care of themselves because I wasn't able to do all three at the same time. Through that journey, I realized that I really needed to connect with other people and how important it was for my business. It helped me to create that community that I was yearning for that I didn't realize that I needed.

What's a recent small win for your business?

For me, the win was just pivoting back to something that I actually wanted to do. Also, I’ve started to say no to things that I no longer want to do.

Who is a woman in business that you look up to and why?

I have always admired and looked up to Amy Porterfield [author of Two Weeks Notice]. I listened to her all the time when I was starting out. I think that she's amazing and I love her stuff. She just seems like a very genuine person.

Is there a resource that has made an impact on you as an entrepreneur?

I listen to a lot of audio books. One of my favorites that has been huge for me is You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero. I was told when I first started my business, by a friend who was a business coach, that I have a mindset problem. Ten years ago, I had no idea even what “mindset” was. Sincero’s book helped me to see what she meant by “mindset” and helped me adjust that mindset and fix some of the things that I didn't realize were broken.

How has the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program helped propel your business forward?

There are a lot of things that I have loved about it. There are local networking and training opportunities, and that has been great, and the online training is very valuable. It's a great resource. I find that marketing needs a three-tiered approach, meaning you need to network it locally, socially, and then also have a very comprehensive online approach to your marketing. One of the Verizon Small Business trainings that I took was all about taking advantage of your local resources. I found that to be extremely valuable because often people think they need to just focus on social media. I don't think that people focus enough on their local community.

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Rita Suzanne.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces

We might just be getting into the holiday spirit, but for the Radio City Rockettes, it's been Christmastime since September! In addition to a very enlightening game of This or That, twins Caitlin and Courtney Sullivan gave Brit + Co an inside look at what it's like to be a Rockette — and what they do the rest of the year. Consider this the perfect trivia for your Christmas dinner after you've mastered that Rockette red lip ;).

Here are 12 surprising things about being a Radio City Rockette.

1. Rehearsing for the Christmas season is a full-time job.

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Once the holidays roll around, the Radio City Rockette shows might last 90 minutes, but prepping for the season is a full work week. "The rehearsal season itself is six weeks long, six hours a day, six days a week," Courtney says. "So it is a long process and I feel like the rehearsals itself are like a bonding experience for us."

2. The Radio City Rockettes get some serious bonding time.

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"You spend a lot of time with the girls around you and within Radio City, our dressing rooms too," Courteney says of the Rockette rehearsal schedule. "I feel like that's the time when you really get to form those bonds with your sisters and really create magic that can be seen on stage too."

"Yeah, once we move into Radio City, this becomes your family, truly," Caitlin adds. "We spend every day, day in day out together, we spend the holidays together. So you naturally just become very close with everyone."

Each Rockette dresses up her getting-ready station.

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"Everybody dresses up their station to make it feel very homey," Caitlin says. "I like lots of like decor and festive lights, candles, all that fun stuff."

The women love to have treats in their dressing rooms!

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I'm literally snacking on a chocolate bar as I type this, and I'm not the only one who likes to have sweets on-hand! "I love Christmas cookies," Caitlin says. "We will do something with our dressing room and bring in treats every day. I feel like someone's bringing in something new."

The Radio City Rockettes perform up to 200 shows at Christmas.

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"The Rockettes perform up to 200 shows in a season, and the way that each show feels so special and individual, it's just amazing how you never know who's out in the audience seeing the show for the first time," Courtney says. "And the way the ladies in the line put their best foot forward every single time is so inspiring and made me want to give even more."

"It just really amazes me how dedicated and how hard working all the Rockettes are," Caitlin agrees. "And I think we always knew that, but then once you're in it, you have a whole new level of respect for how hard all these women work."

And each Rockette can perform in up to 4 shows a day!

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"I think sometimes people don't realize we can do up to four shows in the day, which is unreal and amazing," Caitlin says. "That might be a surprise to people when they're coming to a show. They might think we just have that one that day, but we actually might have two, three, or four in the day, which is pretty amazing."

But the Rockettes also find time to goof off.

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The Rockettes might be known for their precision, but Courtney promises their smiles are real! "We are having so much fun," Courtney says. "It's really just an amazing feeling to be on stage and we find times to laugh and joke around, but really obviously give our all to our craft. And I think people don't realize like we are really having an amazing time on and off stage."

The Radio City Rockettes really support one another.

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As you can imagine, a career as a Rockette comes with its challenges, but the ladies on the line always support each other. "I was really proud last year was our first season together and just to complete one full season is such an accomplishment," Courtney says. "I feel like we're ready to take it on again and know like we absolutely can do it. And with the support of everyone around us too, you know, you're going to get through the entire holiday season and you're gonna come out even stronger."

The Radio City Rockettes can work a bunch of jobs during the summer.

MSG Entertainment

The Rockettes have a busy schedule during Christmas — but that doesn't mean they kick up their feet the rest of the year! "Every person on the line has a very diverse background and they go to different job opportunities throughout the year," Courtney says. "People are pulled in different directions when the holiday season is over. The Rockettes do work year-round [with] different opportunities."

"We're always looking to continue to dance and work on our precision," she continues. "The summer though, our favorite thing is to go to the beach. We're from New Jersey and the Jersey shore is like our home. So if we're not dancing, you can definitely find us relaxing on the sand."

The best thing about performing New York City can also be the most challenging.

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You know how, when people talk about New York, they say, "If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere?" That's because it's hard to live here y'all!

"This is just the city that never sleeps," Caitlin says. "There are people everywhere. It's always alive. There's just something magical about New York and I love that. And I think that could come with the biggest challenge as well: the city that never sleeps. You feel like you're going, going, going at all times. But that's pretty exciting to do at our age, living out our dreams. I feel like that will never get old."

"I feel like we have no complaints here!" Courtney adds.

Even as a Radio City Rockette, the work is never done.

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"I feel like there's always room for improvement," Courtney says. "Even today, as we're living at our dream, we're continuously working on our technique and our precision and going back to our foundation, I think the work is never done and you can continue to dream and accomplish some of those really major goals."

"Yeah, the work is never done is I think is kind of our motto," Caitlin adds. "Just keep, keep pushing, keep driving and just keep dreaming. And never give up."

The Rockettes are like one big family.

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Just like so many of our favorite TV show and movie casts, the Rockettes love to bond! "The Rockettes truly feel like a sisterhood and we are so lucky that we are real sisters on the line together," Caitlin says, adding that to dance "with your sister is everything we always hoped for."

And those connections make a magical experience like New York at Christmas even more magical. "[To] be welcomed with open arms has been such a dream come true for us," Courtney says. "We just love the holiday season and to celebrate it at Radio City, I feel like I can't imagine anything better."

Read 35 Magical Photos Of Christmas In New York To Inspire Wanderlust for even more holiday cheer!

In our Take 5 series, sponsored by Verizon, we ask women in business about unexpected challenges, their inspirations, recent wins, and how the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program has helped propel their business forward. Here, we meet La Wuandia, singer, songwriter, and promoter behind the Chicago-based global entertainment company Agape Vibes.

La Wuandia of Agape Vibes

What's the most unexpected business challenge you've faced and how did you overcome it?

When I began in the late ‘90s, it was not a surprise that financial institutions would not lend to unconventional or non-traditional businesses like a performance company and even further to a person of color, and even to a female person of color. That was one of the initial road bumps. Then, when the pandemic hit, I had to figure out how to still perform for profit. The audio isn’t great on Zoom, so I started reaching out to other groups and we started performing outdoors, and traveling around the country. They were practically giving hotel rooms away!

What’s a recent small win for you and your business?

Staying Alive. Staying Alive. [laughs] During the pandemic, so many doors closed. But I was able to support my band members who did not have nine-to-fives to fall back on. Now, whenever I do have a performance, if they have something booked, they'll find a sub for that book and come and perform with me. You got to love that integrity.

Who is a woman in business that you look up to and why?

I had the opportunity to meet [a late Supreme Court Justice]. I was a flight attendant, and when she was leaving the plane, she told me she had never experienced a flight with my service ever before. Of course, I was floating. For someone of that caliber to stop and actually recognize and acknowledge my services is truly amazing. I love her story, how she was able to balance work and life and family, then to be able to go as far as the Supreme Court. That was amazing to me.

What's a book, podcast, or resource that has made an impact on you as an entrepreneur?

I love motivational speaker Jim Rohn’s practical applications and how he helps an individual to recognize that a lot of what we are hoping to obtain is already within us, it's a matter of focus. It's a matter of keeping our thought processes positive and moving forward. And also to keep our circle with positive like-minded individuals.

How has the free Verizon Small Business program helped propel your business forward?

The one beautiful thing that I love that Verizon did was to analyze my website [via 1:1 coaching]. I started to learn how my website was being utilized in terms of the traffic and how I can make better use of it. Their digital platform also offered peer networking, peer coaching, mentoring, and it was not a long drawn-out type of programming or training. It was to the point, and then offered a way to get more information. Finally, what I learned from the Verizon program is how to pay myself and how to assess my worth. I was paying myself whatever was leftover, but I realized that was wrong. I needed to give myself a salary.

Learn more about the free Verizon Small Business Digital Ready Program and Agape Vibes.

Illustration by Daniela Jordan-Villaveces.

There's one popstar who's ready to get her "love on" — Selena Gomez is engaged! And in addition to Taylor Swift throwing her hat in the ring for flower girl and Hailey Bieber seemingly sending love to the happy couple, Selena continues to feel great as we get closer to the big day. Here's the latest news on Selena Gomez & Benny Blanco's engagement, because I simply can't get enough.

Here's how Selena Gomez's feeling after her engagement to Benny Blanco — and how they celebrated.

Benny Blanco's proposal to Selena Gomez proves how well he knows her.

Benny Blanco reportedly popped the question on December 11, and we know from Selena's photo dump that the engagement began in a park with a Taco Bell picnic. And honestly? I've never had more respect for someone. And ever Selena Gomez's ring found its permanent home on her finger, sources says she's been "glowing."

“They’re so supportive of each other,” a source tells People. “He wants the best for her and she wants the best for him. They’re perfect together. They really are.”

These two know each other inside and out, and considering Benny Blanco grabbed Sel's favorite meal from Taco Bell, the proposal proves it! "It was very her," another source says. "It was a total surprise to Selena."

It's those tiny moments that are the most romantic to me because they prove you're willing to go the extra distance on tiny details other people would overlook. "Benny and Selena were so excited to share the news right away with their loved ones," the source continues, mentioning that the couple had an "impromptu gathering" with some friends and family members after Selena said yes. "It's such a true partnership between them."

And Selena Gomez has talked about how much Benny Blanco means to her.

Selena Gomez has spoken about how much Benny means to her, saying "he is my absolute everything in my heart" in the comments of an Instagram fanpage, while Benny told Howard Stern in May 2024 that he couldn't imagine his life without Selena in it. "I just know that when I look at her, I just say, ‘I don’t know a world where it could be better than this.’ That’s what I always say to her.”

And in March 2024, Selena Gomez posted the sweetest tribute for Benny's birthday, honoring his "emotional endurance, positive disposition, unbelievable talent (that blows me away), undeniable humor and loving, kind heart." Now they get to spend every birthday together!

Check out Hailee Steinfeld and Josh Allen's amazing proposal pictures for more celebrity engagement goodness.

If Gilmore Girls andThe Marvelous Mrs. Maisel have shown me anything, it's that creator Amy Sherman-Palladino always has an incredible story up her sleeve. Her new show Étoile, which is coming to Prime Video, promises to be a beautiful and sophisticated look at the world of dance, and if the fact that it's from Amy wasn't enough reason to watch it, it's also Prime's first new show to get a two-season order! Here's everything we know about the series.

What is the next Sherman Palladino show?

Writer/Producer/Director Amy Sherman-Palladino, Writer/Producer/Director Daniel Palladino seen at Netflix's Gilmore Girls: A Year In The Life premiere.Eric Charbonneau/Netflix

Following our beloved Gilmore Girls and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Dan and Amy Sherman-Palladino's next series is Étoile, which is set at two world-famous ballet companies in New York City and Paris. When both companies run into some trouble, the decide to swap their most talented stars in a last-ditch effort to save themselves.

And based on the first set leaks from New York City, it looks like Étoile will definitely be packing on the drama. This short clip shows Luke Kirby standing outside Lincoln Center in a serious conversation (probably about the fate of his ballet company, TBH).

"Well, guess that plan for early retirement will have to wait," Dan and Amy said in a joint statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). "Instead, we’ve decided to embark on an international journey with an unbelievable group of players and the most talented ballet dancers in the world. We will sleep when we’re dead."

But this isn't the first time ASP has forayed into the world of ballet! Her ABC Family series Bunheads (which premiered on June 11, 2012) follows Michelle (Sutton Foster) who moves to her hometown of Paradise and starts working at her mother-in-law's dance studio The Paradise Dance Academy.

Who will star in the new show?

Photo via WB

The best part is that the role of Michelle's mother-in-law is played by Emily Gilmore herself, Kelly Bishop!

When does Étoile premiere?

Anya Juárez Tenorio/Pexels

We don't have an official release date yet, but considering THR recently revealed the show will finish filming soon, we're hoping to see Étoile in 2025. Just like Gilmore Girls is the ultimate fall rewatch, maybe Étoile will be the ultimate winter rewatch!

Who's in the Étoile cast?

Luke Kirby attends the The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Finale Celebration at the Fonda Theater in Los Angeles on Mon, May 22, 2023. Todd Williamson/JanuaryImages/Prime Video

So far, we know that Étoile will star Luke Kirby, Gideon Glick, Camille Cottin, Simon Callow, Lou de Laâge, and David Alvarez. Yanic Truesdale, who played our favorite Gilmore Girls concierge Michel, has also joined the series as a recurring character! I'm so excited to see Yanic working with Amy Sherman-Palladino again — it's like a Gilmore Girls reunion!

What does Étoile mean?

Jeremy Thomas/Unsplash

Étoile translates to "star," and there are so many different connections here! We have the ballet stars themselves, but you also wish upon a star and reach for the stars when you're working towards a dream. If you ask me, Étoile is the perfect name for this series.

How many episodes does Étoile have?

Merve Sehirli Nasir/Unsplash

The first season of Étoile will have eight episodes total, but considering Prime Video ordered two seasons, we'll definitely be getting more episodes.

Are you excited to watch Étoile? Check back here for the latest news on the series, and stay updated on your favorite TV shows and movies on our Facebook!

This post has been updated.