WHO’S NEXT Self-starters in Arizona business
Editor’s note: Five entrepreneurs’ photos were not available as of print. Not pictured: Chase Albright, Josh Elizetxe, Angelina Greer, Dustin Johnson and Sarah Rhodes.
Allison DeVane knew she wanted to start her own business, but she hadn’t settled on an idea. ❚ Then her dad asked her, ‘If you were given a million dollars to do something what would it be?’ The answer came easy: make coffee. But she wanted it to be different. So because she loves tea, also, DeVane decided to combine the two. ❚ In 2015, she launched Teaspressa. ❚ “When I first started, I would literally wake up every morning at 7 and make phone calls to publications and brands I wanted to work with,” DeVane says. “I just wanted to see if people wanted to be part of it.” ❚ The idea picked up steam online and at an Arcadia shop, but it really took off after she appeared on the television show “Shark Tank.” She didn’t walk away with a deal but Teaspressa went national. ❚ DeVane is one of 25 Arizona entrepreneurs being honored by azcentral’s Who’s Next, a recognition program for under-40 up-and-comers in a different profession each month. Previous lists have celebrated emerging leaders in the fields of non-profits, culinary, health/fitness, design and more. ❚ Nominations are being accepted through June 4 at whosnext.azcentral.com for mixologists, distillers and others who fall into the “drink” category.