Brian Lai, Co-Founder, The Only Bean
Brian is a first-generation Asian American who embraced an entrepreneurial spirit early while helping his parents run their restaurant. He started his first business when he was 14, and after graduating from MSU with a bachelor’s in marketing, he spent his early career in sales and marketing. In 2015, he got his master’s degree at Hult International Business School in Shanghai and Dubai. In 2015, he started an eCommerce business while traveling and in 2018, co-founded The Only Bean.
Kristine Yang, Founder, The Only Bean
Kristine Yang grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan, where she was surrounded by a family of food scientists. After graduating from Michigan State, she spent her early years in retail and international business while obtaining her MBA. Her business experience and curiosity for innovative food products led her to create The Only Bean, a plant-based food company using beans to develop innovative food products that are sustainable, healthy, and delicious.
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