Laurel Fleming

Laurel Fleming is a sales professional with over 20 years of experience in the industry. She began her career helping establish an import company for European foods at the request of her husband's employer. She later developed her own product line of frozen beverage mixes after identifying a market need among coffee businesses, working with a chemist and an Arkansas packing facility to create and distribute the products. Her first trade show led to interest from major companies, and she contributed to the development of Starbucks Frappuccino through R&D collaboration. Due to health challenges, she closed that business in her 40s and has since focused on smaller ventures. She now works at a local business center in the mountains of North Carolina, handling sales, purchasing, displays, and retail management for a company that serves builders and real estate professionals while also operating a downsized retail booth selling antiques, collectibles, and jewelry. Her educational background includes three years of culinary arts training completed alongside high school graduation, which initially shaped her interest in food-related products.