Being featured on The Business Review, produced by Livingston + McKay and the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor University, gave us the chance to pause and reflect—not just on where CatSpring Yaupon began, but how it began.
This conversation wasn’t about growth metrics or trends. It was about perspective. About curiosity. About the quiet power of asking why—and being willing to follow the answer.
Listen to the interview here.
It Started With a Question
The Texas drought of 2011 was merciless.
Century-old oak trees died. Vegetation withered under relentless heat.
But one plant didn’t.
Yaupon remained green. Strong. Unbothered.
That contrast sparked a simple question on our family ranch in Cat Spring, Texas:
Why was this plant thriving when everything else was struggling?
As Abianne Falla shares in the interview, asking why often means seeing something familiar in an entirely new light.
From Nuisance to Native Tea
For generations, many ranchers viewed yaupon as invasive—something to clear, burn, and remove from pastureland.
We chose a different approach.
By following the trail of why, we began to uncover a deeper story:
-
Yaupon is the only caffeinated plant native to North America
-
It has a long history of use before imported teas became dominant
-
Research from Texas A&M and the University of Florida showed antioxidant levels comparable to blueberries and polyphenols similar to green tea
What had once been dismissed turned out to be something quietly remarkable.
Asking “Why” as a Way of Doing Business
Today, CatSpring Yaupon is locally sourced, sustainably grown, and enjoyed by customers across the country. But the habit that started it all hasn’t changed.
We still ask why—constantly.
Not just about the product, but about:
-
How we package
-
How we grow
-
How we communicate
-
How we avoid leaving value—cultural, environmental, or human—on the table
As Abianne reflects in the interview, this process can be exhausting. Each stage of growth requires putting assumptions back on the table and answering the same questions again, often with new context.
But that discipline has shaped everything we do.
Why This Feature Matters
This conversation with The Business Review captured something core to our story—not just the rediscovery of yaupon, but the mindset behind it.
Curiosity.
Perspective.
And the willingness to question what’s been overlooked.
We’re grateful for the opportunity to share that process—and for the reminder that asking why is often where the most meaningful work begins.
