Our Story

It all started with a crazy idea: “What if I dropped out of college to pursue spiritual enlightenment?” As Jason, who would later become Co-Founder & President of Five Mountains, contemplated this question many years ago, the idea didn’t seem all that crazy to him; in fact, the answer seemed somehow obvious.

“The burning curiosity to make sense of the elusive meaning of life and purpose of existence was, for whatever reason, overwhelming to where I felt I had no choice but to venture out in search of some degree of deeper understanding,” Jason later explained.

Jason committed to his newfound path and soon found himself living as a monk in an East Asian monastery. He'd spend the next five years reflecting inward, studying ancient doctrine, and adhering to a rigorous meditation practice. While there, he was also introduced to the age-old Eastern tradition of tea ceremony and was immediately fascinated by it. He loved learning the intricate preparation techniques, artistic elements of the brewing wares, and the Buddhist and Taoist legends of tea’s mystical role in spiritual awakening. But mostly, he cherished the peaceful sentiment and joyful fellowship that sharing tea with the other monks provided.

After years of commitment to monastic life, he felt it was time to take the insight and discipline he was so grateful to have received, and return to the “real world” to begin life’s next chapter.

After earning a philosophy degree from Duke University, Jason made his way West. An opportunity to turn a passion into a livelihood arose and Five Mountains was born in San Francisco in 2008.

Jason spent the following years dedicated to building a sustainable brand. Under his leadership, Five Mountains pioneered in the innovation of recyclable/compostable plant-based and plastic-free tea packaging. By nurturing personal relationships with family-owned heirloom organic tea gardens, Jason has been able to maintain his goal of sharing traditional, unadulterated delicious teas - exactly as he had experienced them with the monks years before.

Following the arrival of their son, Jason’s wife, Danielle, joined the team, bringing years of experience from the corporate world. Now proud parents of three, they own and operate Five Mountains together and are truly grateful for their unique opportunity.

In Jason’s own words, “Being able to capture a piece of the very special and sacred experience I was so fortunate to have had in the monastery, and later share it with my community in California and beyond, has been truly gratifying. I can’t say for sure what level, if any, of spiritual enlightenment I achieved, but I can say for sure that I truly feel blessed. And sometimes I wonder: was that crazy idea really all that crazy? Or did it just get me to exactly where I was supposed to be?”