Fund Your Business for the Future E46
In this episode of Arizona Good Business, Jason Lowry, with Local First Arizona, and Melissa Harlan, owner of Drink Me Tea Room in Tempe discuss opportunities for local businesses to access the Green Loan Fund.
Melissa shares her journey becoming a small business owner. Despite the challenges of opening during the COVID-19 pandemic, her tea room has flourished, providing a unique, allergen-friendly tea experience in a modern, Instagram-worthy setting. Jason highlights the challenges small businesses face in accessing capital and the solutions provided by Local First Arizona’s Green Loan Fund and green initiatives.
Drink Me Tea Room is now a green certified company with Local First, which has positively impacted her bottom line and helped her project a savings of 90,000 gallons of water a year!
The episode concludes by encouraging businesses to engage with the Green Business programs at Local First to achieve sustainability goals and enhance their community impact.
Tune in to learn how your business can access low interest financing to invest in sustainable infrastructure for your company, and sustain your business for the future! 
Drink Me! Tea Room is an inclusive, sustainable haven for tea enthusiasts. With an emphasis on organic teas, vegan & gluten-free food, and specialty cocktails, they offer a joyful experience to share with your favorite people.
Their organic tea selection is ethically and sustainably sourced. The menu caters to various dietary challenges and allergies, is 100% vegan and gluten-free, all house made and delicious!
Tea-infused cocktails provide a unique twist, blending our delightful tea blends with locally distilled spirits. Sustainability is one of their core values, with eco-friendly packaging, composting and Green Business certification. The tea room fosters inclusivity and celebration, creating a warm, welcoming space for all.
Over her career, Melissa Harlan has worked for some of the top companies known for their customer experience, including Disney, Southwest Airlines and Verizon.
She knows how important attention to detail is in creating an outstanding and unforgettable experience.
Now retired from spreadsheets and head counts, Melissa puts all her detail-focused talent into ensuring guests have an amazingly immersive time at Drink Me! Tea Room.
Follow Drink Me! Tea Room on LinkedIn and Instagram.
For 20 years, Local First Arizona’s mission has been focused on building equitable systems for Arizona’s small businesses, rural, and tribal communities to create a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable Arizona economy. As North America’s largest coalition of locally owned businesses, we are constantly exploring new ways to support small businesses in reducing their environmental impact and future-proofing their businesses.
Jason Lowry received his master’s in Sustainable Communities from Northern Arizona University. After graduation, he worked as a community organizer for 9 years in Texas and Arizona.
Since joining Local First Arizona in 2022 as the Director of Sustainability Initiatives, Jason has worked to increase the reach and impact of Local First Arizona’s statewide sustainability programs — the Green Business Boot Camp, Green Business Certification, and Green Lending Products, which support businesses and rural communities to save money by adopting sustainable practices.
About Arizona Good Business
What is good business? What are local businesses doing to build a better Arizona?
Join Arizona Good Business to hear from local companies who are:
- Centering purpose at the forefront of business
- Creating social well-being for the community
- Prioritizing sustainability and positive environmental practices
- Growing strong company cultures through building authentic teams
- Ensuring diversity, equity, and inclusion are involved in all business decisions
Arizona Good Business features local business leaders that are redefining what it means to do good business.
About Your Host
Thomas Barr is the Executive Director for Local First Arizona, the largest coalition of local businesses in North America. He advocates for a strong local business community that contributes to building vibrancy, equity, and prosperity across the state. A proud Arizona native and graduate of Arizona State University, Thomas leads the business coalition of Local First Arizona by advocating for the economic and cultural benefits provided by building strong local economies.
Thomas steers the strategic direction of LFA’s major programs and initiatives as well as the engagement of over 3000 businesses across Arizona. As Executive Director, Thomas guides a team of statewide senior directors overseeing the execution of LFA’s communication strategy, major initiatives and key partnerships, as well as the collaboration of over 30 staff implementing work in entrepreneurship programs, small business advocacy, local food initiatives, sustainability, urban development and community building. He frequently speaks to groups locally and nationally, presenting the impact of Local First Arizona and the importance of local economy work in building prosperity.
Outside of Local First Arizona, Thomas has participated in volunteering his time to many causes and organizations throughout the Valley including Young Nonprofit Professionals – Phoenix, Equality Arizona, Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits, Arizona Commission on the Arts, Heritage Square Foundation and Phoenix Legal Action Network. Additionally, Thomas is a 2018 Phoenix Magazine 40 Under 40 honoree, alumni of Arizona Leading for Change, and current participant in Valley Leadership Institute’s 40th cohort.
Connect with Thomas on LinkedIn and Twitter.
