THE LAST WORD Managing Director, TAG Drinks HOVIG YARDIM

Founded in 2020, TAG is an independent café in Eastcote, celebrated for its high-quality tea, coffee, and freshly made food.

Home to the patented TAG Tea Latte, TAG redefines tea culture with innovative flavours. Committed to sustainability and community, TAG actively supports local causes and businesses. In 2025, TAG won Hospitality / Leisure Business of the Year at the Hillingdon Chamber Business Awards, further cementing its place as a beloved local hub for quality, connection, and exceptional experiences.

What was your first job and what was the pay packet?

At the Pinn Medical Centre – temp receptionist when they were testing being open on weekends. Generous pay of £12.50/hr, about 18 years ago!

What do you always carry with you to work?

My phone. It has my to-do list of to-do lists on it!

What is the biggest challenge facing your business?

Cost increases since we opened 5 years ago. In some cases, basic raw ingredients have increased by +300%. If prices reflected cost respectively, a flat white should cost around £8.10!

If you were Prime Minister, what one thing would you change to help business?

Abolish business rates or at least include something of benefit directly to the business – bin/recycling collection or similar.

What can you see from your office window?

In store, nothing – the windows are frosted. From my office at home, a beautiful view of fields and nature.

If you could do another job, what would it be?

I wouldn’t. I love what I do, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’d pick this again.

As a businessperson, what are your three main qualities?

Resilience / determination – this is crucial to picking yourself up and carrying on.

Optimism – I’m more of a realist, but we must be optimistic in this game. Hope is what drives us.

Flexibility / ability to adapt – COVID saw to this, and destroyed businesses that didn’t adapt. The world is ever-changing, so change with it or be left behind.

What was your biggest mistake in business?

Going into business with someone else. Saying that, I learnt so much that I wouldn’t be who or where I am without the current business growing from the ashes of the previous one.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Plan, plan, and plan. Start at the end, and work backwards to today, with achievable goals and milestones. And make decisions – don’t sit on stuff…just do it.

Who do you most admire in business?

Anybody who has made it past the 10-year mark. It’s a phenomenal achievement to sustain a business for that long.