Wise Mouth Teas: Lei Nichols

Three women sitting on stage for a business fireside chat

Co-founders Thyme Sullivan and Denielle Finkelstein Are Revolutionizing Workplace Wellness with Equitable Period Care

SBA THRIVE Emerging Leaders Program Graduate Lei Nichols, owner and founder of Wise Mouth Tea Inc. will be celebrating the grand opening of a new manufacturing facility in Fall River, MA.   Nichols completed the SBA's six-month THRIVE curriculum and built a three-year expansion plan that would support her in finding kitchen space, scaling up marketing, hiring advisers, working with bigger distributors, and increasing sales sixfold by the second year; in year three, she would start selling internationally.  She obtained a guaranteed loan of fifty thousand dollars from M&T Bank with the help of the SBA, and this past February began leasing space for the business in an old textile mill in Fall River.

With STEP Grant funding, UNICORN expanded its distribution throughout the U.S. and entered the Canadian market, supplying clients including American Express, Scotia Bank Plaza, and Hallmark Housekeeping.

“We built UNICORN to advance women in society. Periods should never stand in the way of progress,” say Sullivan and Finkelstein. “No man has ever had to think twice about toilet paper. Period care deserves the same dignity. When women have what they need to thrive, wellness and workplace performance improve for everyone.”

Beyond the workplace, UNICORN is committed to community impact. The company partners with organizations nationwide to ensure access to high-quality period products in underserved communities. Drawing on deep experience in basic-needs distribution, UNICORN supports non-profits with competitively priced products and technical assistance to build sustainable distribution programs.

Since its inception, UNICORN has distributed millions of period products through its non-profit partners and continues to make significant in-kind donations to amplify its mission.

In 2024, UNICORN supported Free. Ministry, a faith-based organization serving the South Shore of Massachusetts. UNICORN facilitated the delivery of over 2 million period products to more than 300 schools statewide, supporting Free’s school-based distribution efforts.

This article does not constitute or imply an endorsement by the SBA of any opinions, products, or services of any private individual or entity.