Today we’d like to introduce you to Alana Reina.
Hi Alana, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Initially, I started this business as a meetup group for women who wanted to enjoy matcha & mocktails, while chatting about mental health, self care, and being a woman in today’s world. At the time, I was still doing therapy full time for a group practice, and trying to get my holistic wellness business up and running. In July, I quit my therapy group practice job to focus on my private practice, host wellness events, and find funding to open a holistic center in Miami. That same month, I was asked to serve matcha at someone else’s event. Although it was not something I’d done or planned to do at the time, I figured why not, and it ended up growing into the business I have today. At the beginning of this year, I decided to step away from therapy altogether, put my wellness business on the back burner for a bit, and put all my energy into growing my matcha business. I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Absolutely not! Starting and running a business on your own has so many challenges – and it’s never what you think it’s going to be. Money is obviously a huge one – profits do not come in the first year, and making this my full time gig has been challenging. But the hardest part has been making all the decisions on my own, like finally deciding to focus on this business instead of being torn in a bunch of directions, or leaning on therapy for income, when I knew I was too burnt out to continue with that. Being a business owner is about 10% hard work and strategy, and 90% mindset. If you don’t practice abundance mindset, set healthy boundaries, and practice positive self talk, you will not last long! It is also crucial to find reliable support, whether that’s in the form of practical support or just emotional support. I am leaning heavily on my self care practices, going to therapy, leaning on friends and family, and learning to ask for help more than I am used to!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Unlike a lot of other matcha businesses, I have been drinking matcha for 10 years. I discovered it while living in San Diego, and fell in love with it when I visited the first matcha cafe to open there the next year. It was pink and green with plants everywhere, and I instantly fell in love! I remember wanting to open my own cafe, but feeling like that was just a silly fantasy or day dream. I had just finished grad school, and was planning to move back to DC to live with family and find a nonprofit job. I hadn’t even started my therapy career at that point! In 2022, I moved BACK in with my family after a couple years of living in my own apartment, and decided to paint my room matcha green and decorate it with pink. It was a pink and green explosion – it felt like living inside a matcha latte! Fast forward to end of 2025, when I was painting my pink matcha cart and decorating it with my logo and green tiles, preparing to level up my own matcha business. It felt like a full circle moment – I am always in awe of the twists and turns life takes you on and grateful for the journey. Now, I love that I can connect with the community in a more light hearted way, sharing joyful moments over matcha, and seeing the excitement when they see my pink matcha cart, the same way I felt when I walked into that cafe the first time. I believe what sets me apart is not just the quality of my matcha (which I never compromise on!), but the overall experience. I want everyone to walk away feeling uplifted, with a full cup in more ways than one!
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I have taken so many risks in my life – starting over multiple times in different cities by myself, solo traveling around the world, starting this business and investing into it fully with no back up plan. I like to take leaps of faith, and trust that things will always work out. Although my faith is strong, it doesn’t mean it’s not terrifying! I have to have a strong self care practice, but I also lean into my spirituality heavily for reassurance. When I need extra support, I turn to other friends who are entrepreneurs or have their own businesses, and understand the struggles. I also use ChatGPT for EVERYTHING, which is controversial now, but has been a lifeline. More than anything, I just feel I had to bet on myself, and I can’t wait to see what happens in the next chapter!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/matchamocktailsmiami
- Other: https://tiktok.com/@matchamocktailsmiami
