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Local tea shop to appear on 'Shark Tank'

Posted at 2:37 PM, Feb 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-26 20:32:24-05

At 25, Allison DeVane hardly knows what a quarter-life crisis is (a term most people in their 50s would probably mock millennials, and this writer, for even using).

A year ago, the Goodyear, Ariz. resident founded her business, Teaspressa, a local company focused on premium teas and concentrated tea shots. She had a cart with all her supplies and pedaled around Phoenix stopping at local farmers markets.

Tonight, we'll watch as she goes head-to-head with the sharks on ABC's Shark Tank hoping to convince one of them to invest in her company.

"[I have] lots of feelings. If anything, I'm overly excited," DeVane said in a phone interview with ABC15.

She said walking through those large doors and standing in front of the sharks is nothing, but nerve-wrecking, even a little exhilarating.

"Oh yeah. It's like real, super real life," she said. "It all happens so fast."

The big question is, did she get the deal? Unfortunately, she could not tell us that so we'll have to watch to find out. The show starts at 8 p.m. on ABC15.

A majority of her business is online selling loose tea, artfully designed sugar cubes and various accessories. Although, her tea is made and sold at a few businesses in the Valley, including at DeSoto Central Market's Tea & Toast.

Soon, she'll be opening up her own brick-and-mortar store in Old Town Scottsdale with Ruze Cake House, another Arizona business. That is still being worked out so a specific opening date has not been announced.

"It all kind of happened within the same time frame. Life just kind of got shook up," she said. In a good way, we imagine.

DeVane said she had spent the day prepping her website for the sure-to-be spike in traffic once the episode airs and packaging teas to fill orders.

Why Shark Tank? DeVane said she's watched the show and it's part of the reason she started her own business. Now she hopes tonight's episode will inspire someone else to do the same.

"It worked out for me," she said.

Watch <em>Teaspressa</em> on tonight's episode of Shark Tank only on ABC15. The show starts at 8 p.m.