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Sweet @mayasky! You don't necessarily need a mother to get started, but it does speed the process along. See the reply to @lenin-mccarthy for a little more info and options :)

I just buy some Braggs vinegar at the store that comes with the mother. You can use this as your starter.
Same thing with Kombucha you can buy a bottle of Raw Kombucha the one that has the floaties that is the mother. Use some of the juice to make your starter.