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NYS SBDC Female Entrepreneur of the Year: Melissa Wawrzonek, Clipper Ship Tea Company

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from the Farmingdale SBDC While sailing aboard oil tankers in the United States Merchant Marines, Melissa Wawrzonek began planning for a career after she retired from the sea. She decided to translate her love of tea and passion for traveling into a business. To prepare herself, Melissa studied all she could about tea and visited tea producing countries such as India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, China and Japan. She completed a 3-year certification course through the Specialty Tea Institute (STI), which certified her as a Tea Specialist and Tea Educator & Speaker. In 2010, with certifications in hand and start-up funds in the bank, Melissa retired from the Merchant Marines. During the summer of 2010, she consulted the Farmingdale SBDC for assistance in finalizing a business plan and leased a 1200 square foot retail space in Northport Village. Melissa and her family completed a restoration of the 110 year commercial space, with original tin ceilings and tin walls, a hotel concierge de