Nicole Lamond
Stories for a brighter tomorrow | Entrepreneur
Nicole is CEO and Founder of fair-trade tea companies
When she was 16, Nicole Lamond jumped headfirst into a seven-year-long relationship with competitive skydiving. Today, after spending over 15 years in the tea industry, Nicole has observed a number of surprising similarities between the two ventures.
Nicole Lamond, CEO and Founder of fair-trade tea companies
“When you're an entrepreneur, there's a great deal of fear to contend with,” says Nicole. “Just like in the seconds before a skydive, you always reach that point of no return – that moment when all of your fear, adrenaline and excitement culminates, and you leap into your next adventure.”
A simmering passion
Nicole's dive into her newest company, Eloments Tea, began over two decades ago when her international volunteering ignited her passion for the Fairtrade movement.
“I started my first business, Universal Village, back in 1999 after visiting a tea plantation in Kenya,” says Nicole. “I met and connected with several families working on the plantation, and I couldn't believe that despite working full time, they didn't earn enough to afford so many amenities we take for granted.”
The foundation of Universal Village marked the beginning of Nicole's mission to bring fair working conditions to thousands of workers across the globe. In 2003, she became a founding board member of the Fairtrade Association of Australia and New Zealand.
"When life presents you with new experiences to prioritise, it's so important to hang onto your dream and remember it's never too late to rediscover that passion."
However, the road ahead was far from straightforward. “Although my business was growing steadily, I had three kids and couldn't work much for a number of years during that period,” says Nicole. “When life presents you with new experiences to prioritise, it's so important to hang onto your dream and remember it's never too late to rediscover that passion.”
Taking the plunge
After spending many valuable years prioritising her family, Nicole knew it was time to take the leap and immerse herself in the business world.
While she originally enrolled in a Swinburne course to develop her financial skills, Nicole then decided that the university was the perfect environment to foster her budding entrepreneurial journey.
“Completing Swinburne's Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation was instrumental in growing my business,” she says. “I learned so many invaluable skills and joined a growing support network that connected me with some of my closest mentors.”
"Being at Swinburne really inspires you to reflect on the importance of innovation and taking a future-focused approach."
Nicole sees herself as a natural innovator and believes that Swinburne's values of innovation and enterprise helped her harness the power of these principles.
“Being at Swinburne really inspires you to reflect on the importance of innovation and taking a future-focused approach,” she explains. “It's an approach that matched perfectly with my own, as I was determined to be a part of Australia's transition to a more ethical, sustainable future.”
Alumni Impact Awards 2021
Nicole Lamond is the Innovation Impact Award Winner for 2021.
New beginnings
With her newfound skills and wealth of knowledge, Nicole's business went from strength to strength. However, rather than coasting on her success, she redoubled her efforts to build a fairer world for all workers.
Nicole's passion for the Fairtrade tea industry was reignited when she met her business partner, Julie Hirsch.
“Julie and I actually met in a writing group,” says Nicole. “But as we got talking, we discovered we had a shared passion for creating a more sustainable future – and for tea!”
Julie's experience in the not-for-profit sector as the Deputy Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition sparked her interest in other avenues for positive change, and Nicole's experience with Fairtrade beverages created the perfect opportunity. In 2016, they joined forces to research and create a new range of organic vitamin tea.
Putting the 'tea' in innovation
After two years of research and preparation, Eloments Tea was launched in 2018. As the world's first 100 per cent natural vitamin tea, Nicole and Julie had created a truly one-of-a-kind product – and it showed. Just six months after the launch, Eloments Tea was available in over 1,000 stores worldwide.
“We were thrilled to see such a positive response from the public,” says Nicole.
"I think our message of promoting ethical, Fairtrade ingredients and our commitment to sustainability really resonated with people."
As well as being Fairtrade Certified, Eloments Tea offers an impressive range of natural health benefits. Developed in collaboration with a local nutritionist and dietician, every cup provides over 40 per cent of your recommended daily intake of nine essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin B1 B2 B3 B5 B6 B7 B9 C and Zinc. “The ingredient lists are specially formulated to promote health and wellbeing,” says Nicole. “So while you're enjoying your tea, your body can enjoy benefits such as improved sleep, skin health and immunity.”
Eloments Tea offers an impressive range of natural health benefits. Every cup provides over 40 per cent of your recommended daily intake of nine essential vitamins and minerals.
As well as being Fairtrade Certified, Eloments Tea offers an impressive range of natural health benefits. Developed in collaboration with a local nutritionist and dietician, every cup provides over 40 per cent of your recommended daily intake of nine essential vitamins and minerals, including Vitamin B1 B2 B3 B5 B6 B7 B9 C and Zinc. “The ingredient lists are specially formulated to promote health and wellbeing,” says Nicole. “So while you're enjoying your tea, your body can enjoy benefits such as improved sleep, skin health and immunity.”
Learning from the past, innovating for the future
Reflecting back on her journey, Nicole notes several life lessons she learned through her time at Swinburne that have been imperative in her business success.
“One of the most valuable lessons I learned at Swinburne was the importance of asking for help when you need it,” says Nicole. “Your peers and mentors around you are a wealth of knowledge – you just have to ask, and there will always be someone there to answer.”
The innovative spirit at the heart of Swinburne is another value that Nicole continues to hold dear.
“Innovation is incredibly important in any business – not just for its role in financial success, but for finding new ways to make this world a better place for all of us.”
“We are extremely proud of the innovative nature of Eloments Tea,” says Nicole. “By continuing to strive for the most ethical trading practices and natural ingredients, we aim to be the number one vitamin tea company in the world.”
"By continuing to strive for the most ethical trading practices and natural ingredients, we aim to be the number one vitamin tea company in the world."
Nicole encourages all budding entrepreneurs to stick to their values and take a future-orientated approach.
“No two paths to entrepreneurial success look the same, and challenges are an inevitable part of the journey,” she says. “But as long as you stay true to your values and your dream, you'll never have regrets.”
