After years of working a handful of jobs with little to no love for them and one fateful trip to the Czech Republic in the early 2000s, Anthea Cahill quit her public service job and turned an adventure into a new way of life.

From one taste of tea (it was love at first sip) in a tea house to a successful bigger-than-Ben-Hur business, Real Chai has become a success and a household name…and all in less than a decade.

But while you may think it has just been a case of good fortune, this Chai girl will tell you otherwise (as I soon discovered at a recent League of Extraordinary Women’s breakfast).

“It was about trusting my fear of the unknown and breaking free,” she shared among an intimate setting on the rooftop terrace of Burbury Hotel.

Easier said than done, I hear you say. Her secret?

“Find something that lights you up in the morning and find a way to make it your job,” confesses Anthea.

“You only get one life but I’ll be the first to admit—it does take guts to listen to yourself and follow your dreams.”

For Anthea it was chai. From one small market stall to selling chai in a brown paper bag, she had no plan or handbook—just a dream and a vision that she started to work towards.

“Trust that it will work out, even experiment because it will unfold in ways you will never imagine.”

It is this same trust and faith that has seen her regular weekly presence at local markets attract a strong following of people seeking Anthea’s advice and drawing on her success to inspire their own entrepreneurial desires. And she was always too happy to sit with them over a chai to share her trials and tribulations.

“People would (and continue to) approach me with their business ideas asking for advice and what they should do,” she says.

Having loved writing since she was a little girl despite thinking she had not a creative bone in her body, Anthea created I Quit My Job alongside Real Chai—a site dedicated to sharing her ups and downs, learnt lessons and advice about turning an idea in your head into a booming business. So it seemed like only a natural progression that after countless cups of chai with random strangers and customers seeking her out as a soundboard, that Anthea would launch her very own self-published book.

So forget business school because the stuff you really need to know (and for some bizarre reason nobody ever talks about) is all packed into 64-pages that it is Anthea’s How to Quit your Job (and do what you really want): The Dreamer’s Guide to taking the plunge & starting your own business. 

An easy read over coffee, on that one-hour lunch break or even while waiting to pick up the kids, the book is a nifty little tool that will have you highlighting, circling and flagging with post-its. You’ll be writing that resignation letter in no time!

Here a just a few of Anthea’s gems of wisdom:

• Start small. Dip your toe in the water and test the market. (For Anthea it was the mind-blowingly small suggestion from her husband that kickstarted her venture—booking a stall at a local market).
• Surround yourself with people who understand your creative state of mind; people can help and support you.
• Listen to your heart as much as your mind.

Having put in the hard yards and dedicating long hours to her chai ‘baby’ and self-publishing her first book, Anthea is about to embark on a new venture of a different kind—motherhood. Expecting a ‘real’ baby with husband Wes early next month, the mum-to-be is looking forward to the experiences and lessons that motherhood brings with it, although she’s certain there’ll be less sleep now more than ever.

So what does this mean for her other babies?

Real Chai will continue to grow, her book will inspire many and Anthea…? She’ll keep doing what she does best…smiling and enjoying her way of life.

…And to think that it all came about from a simple sip of tea.

MAKE 2014 THE YEAR TO GIVE YOUR JOB THE FLICK

Grab Your Copy Now!

Anthea is just one of many dynamic and creative Canberra business women who speak at the monthly League of Extraordinary Women breakfast.If you’d like to come along, just purchase a ticket and bring along your beautiful self. The breakfast series provides a casual and intimate atmosphere so that you can easily connect with other like-minded women, develop long-lasting business relationships and even friendships. Come along to meet other female entrepreneurs, just like you, who are determined to pave their own paths, make a difference and dream BIG.