Earnestly

Meet some of UVA & Darden alum entrepreneurs!

Meet some of our UVA & Darden entrepreneurs who helped make this gift box possible.

Our Founders
Gretchen Pace, Founder

Goose & Willow

Goose & Willow is an artisan home goods company whose mission is to bring people together with artwork through celebrating America and the Veterans who served. At Goose & Willow, we partner with US military veteran artists, featuring their work on a variety of home decor and gifts.

Our Founders
Griffin Spolansky, Co-Founder

Mezcla

Mezcla creates feel-good moments with plant-based snacks. Mezcla was born out of a great friendship between our founders Griffin and Coco. Griffin was a senior at The University of Virginia and Coco was a guest presenter in his social entrepreneurship class. Together in Coco's kitchen, they mixed recipes and stories as they created the first bar.

Our Founders
Alan Fischer, CEO

Perc Coffee

The team started slinging bags at the Forsyth Farmers Market and brewing pour-overs at local events, which really helped them get to know the community. Soon after, they secured a handful of wholesale accounts. No matter where they go, they'll always be a bunch of down-to-earth coffee hustlers excited to share good times and awesome coffee with everyone they meet. Perc's story is one of hard work, know-how, and determination. Importantly, they're honored to have the support of many amazing folks along the way.

Our Founders
Elizabeth Blankenship, Founder

By Eilly

Sustainable Luxury Fashion - What if the clothes we buy could also heal the planet? At By Eilly, all of our fabrics were made by the world's top luxury designers. How did we get them? They were headed for the landfill and incinerator before we stepped in. Now you get to enjoy sustainable, zero waste clothing made from high-end, guilt free materials. A win for you and a win for our planet..

Emily-A
Emily Ashtiani, Founder

EarnestlyCo

I started Earnestly out of frustration from witnessing thoughtless gifts from companies leading to waste. Many of these gifts end up in storage cabinets, junk drawers, or on a Goodwill shelf. I knew from experience that companies need a lot of help when it comes to adding a personalized touch to their gifts. I launched Earnestly to fix broken gifting. But what ended up as a business based on providing solutions to financial and environmental waste, turned out to be one of my biggest joys. Above all, I love to support and uplift small businesses and highlight cool products that my follow UVA & Darden alum are working on like these ones you see here!