Success Story: Queen B’s Herbal Teas & More

Queen B’s Herbal Teas Turns a Health Journey into a Thriving San Joaquin County Business

Location: Central California | San Joaquin County | Stockton

Business Type: Food and Beverage and Retail

Small Business Center: Open Innovation Centers (SJC Incubator)

Assistance Received: E-Commerce and Digital Marketing

California State Assembly District: 13

California State Senate District: 5

Visit Queen B’s Herbal Teas online

Ursula Kemp-Paden’s path to entrepreneurship began not with a business plan, but with a health crisis. At one point she found herself bedridden, cycling through medications that brought more side effects than relief. Searching for another way forward, she turned to the natural remedies her mother had relied on whenever Ursula was sick growing up.

Her mother believed in healing through herbs and roots, and that belief became the foundation for Ursula’s own recovery. She began reducing her use of prescribed medication and leaning into natural remedies instead. Within six months, she had regained the strength she thought she had lost for good.

Reclaiming her health reshaped the direction of Ursula’s life. She earned an associate degree in Medical Insurance Billing and Coding, then went on to study Complementary Alternative Health at the University of Arizona Global Campus. Along the way, she fell in love with herbs and their healing potential, and she wanted to share that knowledge with the people around her.

Sharing that knowledge became Queen B’s Herbal Teas & More, a home-based and online business built around more than 20 herbal blends. Ursula now sells her teas at farmers markets and special events throughout San Joaquin County, where she has built a loyal following of hundreds of repeat customers.

Running the business, though, meant stepping into territory that didn’t come naturally to her: marketing. Ursula knew her products, but building an audience for them online required skills she hadn’t developed yet.

She found the support she needed at Open Innovation Centers, which runs the SJC Incubator program in partnership with the iHub San Joaquin, the San Joaquin SBDC, and SJC WorkNet. Through one-on-one sessions, Ursula worked closely with OIC team member John, who spent significant time teaching her how to use Canva to design flyers, Instagram posts, and presentation slides for pitch events.

The support reached beyond day-to-day marketing. With OIC’s guidance, Ursula also prepared for and took part in both regional and county-wide pitch events, pushing her to present her business in front of new audiences.

“It has been a learning experience, I have learned a lot, I have made some mistakes. But overall the experience has been a great experience for me. Each year, moving forward, I am growing. Even the experiences that are not as good, I have learned from them and I have become a better business person and how I look at things. Look at the pitch (County Wide Pitch Event)! It has gotten me out of my comfort zone,” Ursula said.

Today, Queen B’s Herbal Teas & More continues to grow, powered by a founder who has learned to tell her own story as confidently as she shares her herbal blends. What started as a personal search for healing has become a business built on the same belief that guided Ursula through her recovery: that the right support, at the right time, can change everything.

Visit Queen B’s Herbal Teas & More online to learn more, or find Ursula at farmers markets and special events across San Joaquin County.

And if you’re an entrepreneur in San Joaquin County looking to build your marketing skills or develop your business plan, connect with Open Innovation Centers and the SJC Incubator to learn about their free workshops, mentorship, and business development resources.

7/28/2026