Experience

14 Years of Building.
Real Results.

My consulting is backed by over a decade of hands-on experience building one of America's fastest-growing consumer brands. Every recommendation I make is grounded in what actually works.

"I built Tiesta Tea by being relentlessly honest — with investors, with retail buyers, with my team, and with myself. That same commitment to transparency is what I bring to every client relationship."

— Patrick Tannous

Career Timeline

The Journey

2010 – Present

Co-Founder & President

Tiesta Tea · Chicago, IL

Co-founded Tiesta Tea as a college senior with childhood friend Dan Klein after discovering loose-leaf tea in Prague. Built the brand from farmers' market tables to a nationally recognized consumer brand.

$54M+ in lifetime sales
6,500+ retail locations including Costco, Target, and Whole Foods
4× Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies
Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 (2018)
$8M+ raised across multiple funding rounds
U.S. Patent Holder for tea formulations
Team of 12 full-time employees at peak
Managed full P&L, supply chain, and retail partnerships

2024

Mentor & Guest Speaker

UIC Summer Venture Accelerator · Chicago, IL

Served as a mentor and guest speaker for the University of Illinois Chicago's Summer Venture Accelerator program, coaching early-stage founders on brand building, fundraising, and go-to-market strategy.

Mentored cohort of early-stage startups
Covered fundraising, brand strategy, and retail distribution
Shared lessons from 14 years of building Tiesta Tea

Ongoing

Speaker & Advisor

SCORE Chicago & Entrepreneurial Community · Chicago, IL

Regular speaker and advisor for Chicago's entrepreneurial ecosystem, sharing expertise in consumer brands, e-commerce, web development, and AI business integration.

SCORE Chicago speaker
U.S. Chamber of Commerce featured story
Entrepreneur Magazine featured founder
Advisor to multiple early-stage consumer brands

Ongoing

Independent Consultant

Patrick Tannous Consulting · Chicago, IL

Providing web development, brand design, business strategy, and AI integration consulting to small and mid-size businesses across industries.

Built websites for JerseyDon, Eagle Fresh Transportation, Gina Renee's Hair, and Oscar's Flooring
Tiesta Tea brand strategy and digital presence
AI workflow automation for business clients
Growth strategy for consumer and service businesses

Recognition

Awards & Press

2018

Inc. Magazine

Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30

Recognized as one of the most promising entrepreneurs under 30 in the United States.

Multiple Years

Inc. Magazine

4× Inc. 5000

Tiesta Tea ranked among America's fastest-growing private companies four times.

Multiple

United States Patent & Trademark Office

U.S. Patent Holder

Holds patents for proprietary tea formulations developed at Tiesta Tea.

Featured

U.S. Chamber of Commerce

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Feature

Featured as an exemplary American small business success story.

Featured

Entrepreneur Magazine

Entrepreneur Magazine Feature

Recognized as a notable entrepreneur and consumer brand founder.

Recognized

Red Rocket Ventures

Tiesta Tea named one of Chicago's best new companies.

Skill Set

Areas of Expertise

Consumer Brand BuildingWeb DevelopmentBrand Identity DesignBusiness StrategyAI IntegrationWorkflow AutomationE-CommerceRetail DistributionInvestor RelationsFundraisingGo-to-Market StrategySupply Chain ManagementTeam BuildingP&L ManagementDigital MarketingContent StrategyCustom GPT DevelopmentSmall Business GrowthLogo & Visual IdentityWebsite Conversion Optimization

Ready to Put This Experience
to Work for You?

Whether you need a website, a brand, a strategy, or AI integration — I bring 14 years of real-world founder experience to every engagement.

14 Years of Building.Real Results.