Founder and visionary of Asheville Tea Company and Western North Carolina native Jessie Dean brings locally and regionally sourced handcrafted teas to the teacups of her customers across the Southeastern region. A tea connoisseur at heart, Jessie has traveled to many places throughout the world and experienced how tea is an integral part of different cultures.

Owner of Mary’s Mountain Cookies in Asheville, North Carolina Meghan Marshall knew she had a love of cooking early in life. After college, she considered going to culinary school and worked as a pastry chef and line cook at a local restaurant on the coast of North Carolina