Shownotes
Business Inspiration
How Celebrations Fun Food Factory got started and the evolution to what it is today [2:23] The reason they narrowed down to one key product line [3:35] Behind the thinking of a “made to order” product [8:08] New product development story. You won’t guess the flavors! [17:33]Candle Flickering Moments
Implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) [13:58]Business Building Insights
Having the right people is key to a strong business. [5:04] Tips on attracting and retaining business [9:14] What NOT to do at a trade show [10:11] A different approach to product sampling … you may be surprised! [12:25]Success Trait
Dave believes high energy is a must for any business owner. Luckily, both Dave and his wife, Cathy are full of energy. [21:33]Productivity/Lifestyle Tool
An optimistic and positive mindset. [22:40]Valuable Book
Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don’t by Jim Collins
Contact Links
WebsiteIf you found value in this podcast, make sure to subscribe and leave a review in Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts. That helps us spread the word to more makers just like you. Thanks! Sue
Transcripts
Gift biz unwrapped episode 79.
Speaker:Most things we did,
Speaker:we did well,
Speaker:but this is when we just felt that we could be
Speaker:great. Hi,
Speaker:this is John Lee,
Speaker:Dumas of entrepreneur on fire,
Speaker:and you're listening to the gift of biz unwrapped,
Speaker:and now it's time to light it up.
Speaker:Welcome to gift Bez on wrapped your source for industry specific
Speaker:insights and advice to develop and grow your business.
Speaker:And now here's your host,
Speaker:Sue Mona height.
Speaker:Hi there.
Speaker:I'm Sue and welcome back to the gift biz unwrapped podcast,
Speaker:whether you own a brick and mortar store sell online or
Speaker:are just getting started,
Speaker:you'll discover new insight to gain traction and to grow your
Speaker:business. And today I have joining us David Polis of celebrations,
Speaker:fun food,
Speaker:factory celebrations,
Speaker:fun food factory is a family owned and operated business established
Speaker:in 1990.
Speaker:For the last seven years,
Speaker:they have been a wholesale manufacturer of a popcorn part of
Speaker:their business model is that they don't sell directly to the
Speaker:general public this way.
Speaker:They aren't competing with their retail partners,
Speaker:Dave places,
Speaker:a high value on customer service and product quality and all
Speaker:popcorn is made to order to ensure freshness.
Speaker:And I can tell you from tasting their popcorn,
Speaker:that it is dull.
Speaker:Delicious. I am so glad to have you on the show.
Speaker:Thank you so much for joining me,
Speaker:Dave. Thanks for having me.
Speaker:I'd like to get started by having our listeners understand a
Speaker:little bit about you in a creative way.
Speaker:And that is by having you describe your ideal motivational candle.
Speaker:So if you were to share with us what color it
Speaker:would be and what the quote would be,
Speaker:what would we be seeing on your candle?
Speaker:Well, I guess the candle would be red and I'm not
Speaker:sure this is a Colt or a saying,
Speaker:but something that I kind of believe in is,
Speaker:is that you don't worry about things that you cannot fix
Speaker:Because so much energy goes into trying to overcome or handle
Speaker:something when you have no control over it.
Speaker:I think that's really important for all of us in business.
Speaker:Yeah. So most things we don't have control over.
Speaker:So just focus and spend your energies on the things that
Speaker:you can control,
Speaker:right? Yeah.
Speaker:Perfect. Something that we can all remember,
Speaker:gift biz listeners,
Speaker:let's go back and talk about how celebrations fund food factory
Speaker:started. Well,
Speaker:we kind of started way back doing school fundraisings.
Speaker:We did school carnivals,
Speaker:the order takers that kids go to your door and bother
Speaker:you with and holiday shops in the schools and doing the
Speaker:carnivals. We had a lot of destined equipment,
Speaker:snow cones,
Speaker:lush, cotton,
Speaker:candy popcorn,
Speaker:which all came from gold metal company in Cincinnati.
Speaker:Over a period of time,
Speaker:we had so much equipment.
Speaker:We became a dealer and in the process became a dealer
Speaker:that we sold to jam golden gourmet,
Speaker:which manufactured a caramel corn that we manufacture now.
Speaker:And the lady had some health problems and we walked business
Speaker:no eight years ago.
Speaker:And over the period of time,
Speaker:we sold off the order takers in this,
Speaker:the holiday shops.
Speaker:And then about four years ago,
Speaker:we decided that caramel corn was going to be our sole
Speaker:focus. And all we do now is of corn,
Speaker:Caramel, corn,
Speaker:and cheese popcorn.
Speaker:I know because it's my favorite of yours,
Speaker:Cheese popcorn,
Speaker:the fruit flavored glazes caramels and the,
Speaker:with nuts,
Speaker:without nuts with any flavor you would like All versions of,
Speaker:as we were talking about in your intro,
Speaker:the gourmet popcorn.
Speaker:Correct. And what was the reason why you narrow down to
Speaker:just one product Or I guess several reasons.
Speaker:One is that we found that the caramel corn was probably
Speaker:our best chance of being great at there's a book good
Speaker:to great.
Speaker:And you know,
Speaker:there's a lot of people that do things that you're good
Speaker:at because that's what you always did.
Speaker:And most things we did,
Speaker:we did well.
Speaker:Well, this is when we just felt that we could be
Speaker:great at.
Speaker:So that's why we kept doing the caramel corns.
Speaker:I really liked that.
Speaker:You say that because it might to some of our listeners
Speaker:sound counter-intuitive because in some ways you think,
Speaker:well, you know,
Speaker:you have more products,
Speaker:you're going to be more successful because there's more choices,
Speaker:but we continually hear as entrepreneurs,
Speaker:this whole idea of niching down and having one really good
Speaker:thing that you can do really well.
Speaker:And that's what you did.
Speaker:But you did this way before people were talking about,
Speaker:Well, that came from the good to great book,
Speaker:which is written probably 20 some years ago that compared the
Speaker:14 large companies and their consideration of a great company was
Speaker:that you weren't great.
Speaker:One year,
Speaker:you have your whole bet great quality for a span of
Speaker:15 years.
Speaker:So grade is really a hard thing to do.
Speaker:It's not like,
Speaker:Oh, we're great.
Speaker:We had the best year ever.
Speaker:You look back for 15 years or for 15 years,
Speaker:it's a hard concept to do.
Speaker:Do you think that's why?
Speaker:So often you see businesses come up and they start and
Speaker:they look like they've got a great concept.
Speaker:And then three years down the road,
Speaker:they're closing their doors.
Speaker:Oh, there's whole lot of things.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:you have a great concept,
Speaker:but almost before you have a great concept,
Speaker:you have to have the right people on the bus.
Speaker:If you don't have the right people going with you and
Speaker:working with you,
Speaker:even a great concept,
Speaker:won't succeed.
Speaker:Oh, that's interesting.
Speaker:Talk to us a little bit about that.
Speaker:What are you seeing in terms of,
Speaker:what do you need to do to make sure that you're
Speaker:getting the right people?
Speaker:Boy, that is really rough.
Speaker:He had,
Speaker:everybody has to have the same vision,
Speaker:the same passion for what you do.
Speaker:Even our hourly people understand that caramel corn is what we
Speaker:do and everything has to be right.
Speaker:And that's probably the hardest thing of all is getting the
Speaker:right people on the bus.
Speaker:So do you first,
Speaker:when you're interviewing people,
Speaker:are you hiring for certain personality traits,
Speaker:dedication, and commitment,
Speaker:that type of thing,
Speaker:or what do you look for to figure out if they're
Speaker:going to be a good fit for you?
Speaker:Well, personality traits and they fit with us also.
Speaker:It's just their dedication,
Speaker:no matter what job you have before the job you have.
Speaker:Now, if it was a job,
Speaker:you hated you,
Speaker:you still need the dedication and the willingness to do your
Speaker:job. I mean,
Speaker:every job is perfect.
Speaker:There's a lot of jobs I don't like,
Speaker:but I'm doing,
Speaker:because I'm dedicated to making caramel corn,
Speaker:although this isn't what I like.
Speaker:I'm still going to do it the best that I can,
Speaker:whatever portion of the job that happens to me.
Speaker:And so you talk a little bit about the culture and
Speaker:that everybody understands the vision of the business.
Speaker:The vision is your product is caramel,
Speaker:corn. Do you have regular meetings with all your employees?
Speaker:Or how do you make sure to instill that message and
Speaker:the understanding of where the business is going and keeping everyone
Speaker:motivated? We are still rather small.
Speaker:So we're pretty much a hands-on business.
Speaker:So myself or Cathy,
Speaker:my wife,
Speaker:or one of us,
Speaker:we are always working with the people.
Speaker:So, you know,
Speaker:we do have regular meetings,
Speaker:but they see us do it every day.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:they do,
Speaker:as you do.
Speaker:So if we keep the attitude and everything positive,
Speaker:they understand the quality we expect.
Speaker:It seems to fall fairly.
Speaker:And it's a good point there too,
Speaker:because the culture of the business starts from the top.
Speaker:So you and Kathy are involved in the business and just
Speaker:the attitude that you have,
Speaker:where, where you were saying,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:it's not my favorite thing to make the caramel corn,
Speaker:but still you're doing it.
Speaker:Just the attitude and the commitment then funnels down to all
Speaker:your employees.
Speaker:For sure.
Speaker:Right? So let's talk about how you are different from other
Speaker:people in that is,
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:I saw you and Kathy recently at a trade show,
Speaker:which is how we started talking and I tasted your popcorn.
Speaker:I actually have it here now in my office.
Speaker:And you're so proud and committed.
Speaker:And I saw when both of you were speaking,
Speaker:just the idea that you make it to order.
Speaker:So in other words,
Speaker:there is not popcorn sitting there waiting for people.
Speaker:Remember it's not direct to the public.
Speaker:So it's businesses calling in,
Speaker:but they're not just pulling it off the shelf and putting
Speaker:it in boxes.
Speaker:They are making it based on orders that are coming in.
Speaker:So a little bit more cumbersome in terms of the product
Speaker:fulfillment, David,
Speaker:but how did you come upon the idea that this is
Speaker:what you were going to do Caramel corn to begin with?
Speaker:It has a six month shelf life.
Speaker:So it has a fairly long shelf life,
Speaker:but you know,
Speaker:everybody, particularly small businesses are worried about turnover and their product
Speaker:to stay fresh.
Speaker:And that was just our thought from the beginning was that
Speaker:our product is gourmet.
Speaker:You probably won't find it a heavier coated product in the
Speaker:industry, our product,
Speaker:we stay away from artificial flavors as much as we can
Speaker:to keep things natural and make sure it's the most squirmy
Speaker:there is on the market.
Speaker:So to do that,
Speaker:we thought that the freshest was as important as how gourmet
Speaker:the product is.
Speaker:So everything,
Speaker:as you said,
Speaker:is made to order,
Speaker:we get customers that order one case at a time,
Speaker:we have customers order hundreds of cases at a time,
Speaker:but still they're all made to order.
Speaker:Got it.
Speaker:And so how do you get the out I've noticed as
Speaker:I was asking you for information for the show,
Speaker:you don't do a lot of social media,
Speaker:which in a way makes a lot of sense because you
Speaker:aren't directly to the consumer and social media might confuse everybody.
Speaker:You might get lots of calls that,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:you're not going to fulfill the product,
Speaker:but how do you get your message out?
Speaker:And how do you attract new business?
Speaker:Our primary method is trade shows where we met you.
Speaker:We do very well at keeping business.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:like any business,
Speaker:it's much easier to keep a customer.
Speaker:It is to get a new one.
Speaker:So once we get a customer,
Speaker:we want to make sure that we keep them as long
Speaker:as they're selling caramel corn,
Speaker:then the trade show is the best route to go.
Speaker:And there's some thumb networking we do with people we're small
Speaker:and probably on that end of the scale,
Speaker:not the best we're best at making caramel corn,
Speaker:our sales approach.
Speaker:Probably not as good as their caramel corn.
Speaker:So you let the product speak for itself.
Speaker:Yeah, that sounds good.
Speaker:What do you do?
Speaker:Are there any tips that you would give for people who
Speaker:are working trade shows?
Speaker:What are you seeing if that is your single most visible
Speaker:spot it's got to work for you.
Speaker:It's got to pull in customers.
Speaker:What do you see as any tips that you would have
Speaker:in terms of helping people in the booth or just working
Speaker:trade shows overall,
Speaker:We're not very pushy.
Speaker:We don't push our product people.
Speaker:They go by,
Speaker:but it's really important to engage people say hello to them.
Speaker:How are they doing?
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:we have conversations with people at shows that we've been to
Speaker:film since we started eight years ago,
Speaker:we talked to every time,
Speaker:but have not yet bought a product from us,
Speaker:but it's just important to engage people.
Speaker:Then if they do want to see your product,
Speaker:they'll talk to you.
Speaker:But if you just sit in your booth and hopes,
Speaker:it will come to talk to you.
Speaker:It's not going to happen.
Speaker:What do you say about sampling?
Speaker:Oh, it's 100% necessary trade show.
Speaker:Many years ago,
Speaker:not many,
Speaker:maybe four.
Speaker:We went to and we always give out stuff like cups
Speaker:with samples of all the different flavors we used to sample
Speaker:three or four and people would have them,
Speaker:but there was another caramel corn company that sent out a
Speaker:bag, like maybe an eight ounce bag.
Speaker:They gave everybody a bag of caramel,
Speaker:corn, and people were concerned that isn't that gonna hurt you.
Speaker:But everybody came by with that bag.
Speaker:And pretty much I just showed them the color of ours,
Speaker:the coding,
Speaker:ours, and,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:sample ours.
Speaker:They just looked at what was in the bag.
Speaker:And you can tell just by comparing to that,
Speaker:there wasn't any comparison.
Speaker:So, So were they giving bags in that sampling?
Speaker:I believe so.
Speaker:Everybody just got a bag and,
Speaker:and, and you know,
Speaker:you want to taste it.
Speaker:You want to see it.
Speaker:And then when you do taste and see you and make
Speaker:sure you're showing your absolute best product.
Speaker:Sure. I asked you that because I have been to a
Speaker:number of shows and it seems so crazy to me where
Speaker:people will be showing the product and not giving samples.
Speaker:Glad you told that story because there is a perfect example
Speaker:of the same thing,
Speaker:but you bring up another point too,
Speaker:which is specially I think for consumable products that it has
Speaker:to look delicious.
Speaker:Like you just want to get your hands on it and
Speaker:taste it.
Speaker:Yes. Correct.
Speaker:You always see people say that they're good give away,
Speaker:or they give this away.
Speaker:But if you're giving something away,
Speaker:you don't give something away because you haven't left over.
Speaker:You make it special to give away.
Speaker:So you're always giving away your best product.
Speaker:He absolutely can.
Speaker:Right. And so of course you make it because everything's always
Speaker:fresh. You make it special then for the show,
Speaker:bring it to the show.
Speaker:And then you do have samples because I got someone I
Speaker:was coming home in the bags too,
Speaker:right? Yeah.
Speaker:We always have samples in the bags.
Speaker:And then in the little souffle cups for people that tastes
Speaker:while they're there,
Speaker:we do a lot of shows that are chocolate based,
Speaker:most of our shelves.
Speaker:So we also learn over a period of time,
Speaker:look at your samples and where you're going,
Speaker:what you want to take.
Speaker:We take all the samples,
Speaker:but we particularly take heavier on the savory,
Speaker:the cheeses because when people have been through a hundred booths
Speaker:of chocolate,
Speaker:they no longer want something sweet.
Speaker:They want something savory just for a different taste.
Speaker:Oh, good point.
Speaker:You blend it to the show,
Speaker:but then you also consider the customer's experience as they're going
Speaker:through because you're right.
Speaker:We were just at four gift business listeners.
Speaker:We were just at the national gourmet candy show in Atlantic
Speaker:city. And boy,
Speaker:is there a lot of chocolate there?
Speaker:It's a dangerous show to be at.
Speaker:There are quite a few samples.
Speaker:Not everyone was sampling.
Speaker:They are either.
Speaker:I might add.
Speaker:Wonderful. So really good tips from David in terms of working
Speaker:shows, make sure that you are out and interacting with people
Speaker:who are coming by your booth,
Speaker:make sure your product makes sense for the show that you're
Speaker:at. So if you do have multiple products,
Speaker:make sure that you're understanding the customer's experience and sampling is
Speaker:all important for sure.
Speaker:Okay. I want to jump over now and talk about a
Speaker:time when maybe you've had some challenges in the business,
Speaker:something hasn't gone exactly the way you'd want.
Speaker:And I like to use this example as a learning for
Speaker:our listeners.
Speaker:So can you bring us somewhere in the course of business,
Speaker:where there were some struggles for you and how you overcame
Speaker:them? There's a lot of struggles needed saving.
Speaker:Self-important ongoing struggle that comes and goes.
Speaker:We are regulated by the FDA,
Speaker:the food and drug administration.
Speaker:And this is a very important process because it's very important
Speaker:to keep the food supply chain sake and we update and
Speaker:we do whatever.
Speaker:When we started,
Speaker:they just went through an update.
Speaker:So there was a lot of things to do,
Speaker:but they just came out with FISMA,
Speaker:the food safety modernization act.
Speaker:And they came out with about a year ago.
Speaker:I went to classes last week.
Speaker:It took a year for the FDA to put out a
Speaker:book of guidelines of how to enforce the new regulations.
Speaker:So this is a three-year operation to get everybody up to
Speaker:this new act for a big business,
Speaker:they have a person or a group of people that control
Speaker:everything for a small business like celebrations.
Speaker:It's a major undertaking it's to the point where every process
Speaker:you do now is tracked.
Speaker:Every process is written down.
Speaker:It's written down between allergens.
Speaker:When you wash always done,
Speaker:you always clean equipment between allergens.
Speaker:You always wash your hands and you go in out of
Speaker:the room.
Speaker:But every process now has to be tracked.
Speaker:And for a small business,
Speaker:this is just a major undertaking.
Speaker:And that's what we're in now.
Speaker:But on the other hand,
Speaker:when the consumer gets your product,
Speaker:they're always sure that you don't have cross-contamination allergens.
Speaker:You don't have micro organisms or anything else.
Speaker:So it is a very important process,
Speaker:but it is probably over the years,
Speaker:one of the most difficult ones to handle And you get
Speaker:announcements or whatever,
Speaker:when things are changing,
Speaker:of course,
Speaker:the big one.
Speaker:Now this food safety modernization act,
Speaker:you have three years,
Speaker:you said to implement it,
Speaker:to get it into your business.
Speaker:We're down to about two now.
Speaker:So we've got two more years.
Speaker:It took them a year to figure out the guidelines of
Speaker:how to implement it.
Speaker:We're a bigger company,
Speaker:such as general mills would have their own people designing the
Speaker:implementation where smaller companies can't afford to do that.
Speaker:So you wait until the FDA people give you a gun.
Speaker:So good for consumers,
Speaker:of course,
Speaker:somewhat challenging for you guys and especially smaller businesses.
Speaker:I'm sure,
Speaker:I guess this is a great reason to have a smaller
Speaker:number of products then too,
Speaker:for you,
Speaker:Of course,
Speaker:the bigger your skews are as far as ingredients,
Speaker:the higher it gets to be.
Speaker:And as far as the great thing about the food safety
Speaker:act is everything.
Speaker:Now, you know,
Speaker:we have our food safety here,
Speaker:but we get sugar in.
Speaker:You get all their certifications.
Speaker:So all our product is now tracked back from when it
Speaker:came out the ground to when we get it for food
Speaker:safety. So when we get it,
Speaker:we're assured by the manufacturer,
Speaker:the grower,
Speaker:whoever of the safety,
Speaker:and then we continue on with our safety.
Speaker:So it's really good for the consumer.
Speaker:When they get a product it's been carefully inspected from one,
Speaker:it popped out of the ground until they received Through the
Speaker:whole chain.
Speaker:Yes. And that's good to know from a consumer standpoint,
Speaker:let's talk about your,
Speaker:your whole customer base now,
Speaker:our businesses.
Speaker:So your retail partners is what you call them.
Speaker:You're attracting new retail partners from trade shows primarily,
Speaker:and then you're continuing to stay in communication with them in
Speaker:some shape or form.
Speaker:But how else are you making sure that you ensure because
Speaker:the whole key for you is going to be repetitive business
Speaker:reorders, Correct?
Speaker:We do follow up with customers after they receive product to
Speaker:make sure that that they're happy,
Speaker:particularly new customers.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:we have customers that we had since we bought the business
Speaker:and there's some of the men you talk about their kids,
Speaker:their grandkids now.
Speaker:So yeah,
Speaker:it's really important just to build a relationship with everybody.
Speaker:And if they know they have an issue,
Speaker:they can call a nice story is,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:we manufacture all the different flavors,
Speaker:but we had a person that ate our product at a
Speaker:retail level.
Speaker:They have four restaurants in Toledo and their Hungarian restaurants.
Speaker:And he called up one day.
Speaker:He said,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:I got your product at the farmer's market or wherever it
Speaker:was. And he said,
Speaker:can you make pick up flavored popcorn?
Speaker:And we said,
Speaker:well, we think so.
Speaker:So he brought us some samples of his Hungarian style,
Speaker:sweet and spicy pickle.
Speaker:We found a flavor manufacturer.
Speaker:We got a pickle from,
Speaker:we had some spicy.
Speaker:So we worked in probably 10 different batches to,
Speaker:we found one that tasted like his pickles.
Speaker:Since then we had made a chili cheese to matches chili
Speaker:flavor, and we do an Apple dumpling to match on his
Speaker:desserts. And this is all from follow up and the man
Speaker:coming from any retail product.
Speaker:But what's really,
Speaker:really cool about the story is it's a market.
Speaker:We never really thought of,
Speaker:he came to us saying,
Speaker:can you match this product?
Speaker:No, I can make a spicy pickle popcorn and never sell
Speaker:a bag of it.
Speaker:He puts it in all his restaurants next to his pickles
Speaker:and they buy a jar of pickles and a bag of
Speaker:popcorn. The next time they come in,
Speaker:they still have pickles left,
Speaker:but ate the popcorn.
Speaker:So they buy another bag of popcorn.
Speaker:And it was just an interesting thing,
Speaker:how all worked through to the,
Speaker:to the whole retail line that this gentleman came back to
Speaker:us and how it worked through that a little different market
Speaker:than they were used to that we really never thought of
Speaker:before. Right.
Speaker:That is really interesting.
Speaker:So when you're doing that,
Speaker:so you're devoting time then to figuring out a recipe that
Speaker:is then just for him,
Speaker:is that an exclusive recipe than just for him?
Speaker:The pickle one is just for him,
Speaker:his chili cheese.
Speaker:We had a chili cheese with the chili spice that we
Speaker:use, but his chili cheese,
Speaker:this is chili spice.
Speaker:So that's history.
Speaker:I'm also in the Apple dumpling.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:we don't make it in our line.
Speaker:It's really not that special,
Speaker:but it's just for him.
Speaker:Also, When someone comes to you,
Speaker:do you have a minimum order that they have to purchase?
Speaker:No, it's just the CA everything is a case to keep
Speaker:our gourmet quality,
Speaker:one batch where you're on small batch machines,
Speaker:many of them,
Speaker:but small batch machines in one batch is basically one case.
Speaker:And that is how we keep the freshest.
Speaker:When you order one case,
Speaker:it's one batch,
Speaker:we baggy shit and it was shipped to you and in
Speaker:Chicago. And you know,
Speaker:your product is two days old.
Speaker:Oh, that's crazy.
Speaker:And it's delicious.
Speaker:We did break into one of those bags,
Speaker:sorry. Well,
Speaker:no prompts.
Speaker:So, you know,
Speaker:we'll try to make a product for anyone now.
Speaker:Hopefully there's some reasonable sales involved afterwards,
Speaker:but you,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:if you don't try it,
Speaker:you don't know.
Speaker:So if somebody was listening to the show right now,
Speaker:and these shows now are evergreen.
Speaker:So this might even be a year from now who knows,
Speaker:but if someone's listening to the show and they're like,
Speaker:boy, you know,
Speaker:we have a restaurant similar to what you were just talking
Speaker:about. The story you were just talking about,
Speaker:they could call you up and talk about a special flavor
Speaker:that they might be interested in having in their shop.
Speaker:Maybe it's even,
Speaker:they're known for cherries.
Speaker:They're a town that's known for cherries.
Speaker:You would work with them in terms of customizing a product.
Speaker:Certainly we do.
Speaker:We do do some cherry things for people.
Speaker:We do some Wilder,
Speaker:flavorings. We have a customer.
Speaker:All they sell in their store is lavender items.
Speaker:Everything has to have lavender in it.
Speaker:We do a caramel corn with lavender flavor,
Speaker:not necessarily my favorite.
Speaker:It sells really well in lavender country.
Speaker:For sure.
Speaker:All right.
Speaker:Gift biz listeners is a perfect example now of how to
Speaker:customize your product for different areas,
Speaker:different venues,
Speaker:different neighborhoods,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:whatever it might be in terms of cities and what they're
Speaker:known for.
Speaker:So think about this and how this might relate to your
Speaker:product. Are there different things that you could be doing to
Speaker:attract more business because you're making it super custom,
Speaker:really great story.
Speaker:Thank you so much with that.
Speaker:Let's move now,
Speaker:David, into the reflection section,
Speaker:this is a look at you specifically and what types of
Speaker:things you're doing with your day and a little bit about
Speaker:you and how you've been successful.
Speaker:Is there one natural trait that you've always had that you
Speaker:call upon regularly in your business life?
Speaker:I guess it's just me and Kathy,
Speaker:or I guess we are both high energy people.
Speaker:A friend of ours has a small business.
Speaker:It's really a cottage business and nothing they need to live
Speaker:off of.
Speaker:And it's just,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:they said,
Speaker:why didn't you work after dinner?
Speaker:Why do you do this?
Speaker:I, so you go home after dinner and you go to
Speaker:the gym or you watch TV.
Speaker:There's 24 hours in a day and I sleep six or
Speaker:eight. So what I do with the other 16 are up
Speaker:to me and I do like to go off vacation and
Speaker:enjoy things.
Speaker:But some days the other 16 hours may be work,
Speaker:which is a terrible thing to say.
Speaker:And I like to keep it eight,
Speaker:10 hours a day.
Speaker:But if necessary,
Speaker:if they have 16 hours of work,
Speaker:it's 16 hours of work.
Speaker:The joys of being self-employed Well,
Speaker:it's true.
Speaker:You get to steer the ship.
Speaker:So, you know,
Speaker:if you get to do what you enjoy doing and what
Speaker:you've created yourself,
Speaker:even though you've already said,
Speaker:you don't like doing the carbo corn production.
Speaker:There's a lot of other stuff that goes along with the
Speaker:business as well.
Speaker:So it's just a high energy level,
Speaker:I think is one of the attributes that keep us going.
Speaker:And what tool do you use regularly to keep productive or
Speaker:to try and create some type of balance?
Speaker:Well, back to my candle,
Speaker:don't worry about things that you can't fix.
Speaker:You can spend a whole lot of your life worrying about
Speaker:things that you will never solve.
Speaker:So that's just that mindset.
Speaker:Keep your energy and your focus going on,
Speaker:things that you can control and effect.
Speaker:Correct. And you may have already alluded to this.
Speaker:What book have you read that you think our listeners could
Speaker:find value in?
Speaker:You're self employed.
Speaker:It's good to great.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:it's good for your personal life.
Speaker:It's good for your business life.
Speaker:I mean,
Speaker:it was probably 20 years ago with the comparison of different
Speaker:businesses, but I probably read it four times every couple of
Speaker:years, I pull it out and read it again because there's
Speaker:just so many things like the right people on the bus.
Speaker:And it's just so many things in there that will just
Speaker:hit something you're doing right then and say,
Speaker:maybe I should do this different.
Speaker:So it's a good book to read and read over and
Speaker:over. And if I recall correctly,
Speaker:cause I've read that book as well.
Speaker:They give a lot of live examples of big businesses,
Speaker:ones that have done well and ones that haven't and why
Speaker:correct. Give biz listeners just as you're listening to the podcast
Speaker:today, you can also listen to audio books with ease.
Speaker:And I know that good to great is on audible because
Speaker:that's how I read it.
Speaker:I've teamed up with audible for you to get an audio
Speaker:book just like this for free.
Speaker:If you haven't done so already,
Speaker:all you need to do is go to gift biz,
Speaker:book.com and make a selection that's gift biz,
Speaker:book.com and gift biz listeners.
Speaker:You know,
Speaker:you can go to the show notes page.
Speaker:I will have information so that you can see celebrations fund
Speaker:food factory if you're a business.
Speaker:Okay? So not just a consumer,
Speaker:but if you're a business and are interested in what Dave
Speaker:has to offer,
Speaker:then you can absolutely get in touch with him.
Speaker:So go ahead and connect up with the show notes page.
Speaker:And I think the best thing for people,
Speaker:Dave, who are listening while they're walking,
Speaker:while they're cleaning up their shops,
Speaker:et cetera,
Speaker:would be to go to your website,
Speaker:correct? Yes.
Speaker:People today seem to like the website.
Speaker:I personally like to talk to people but busy people.
Speaker:Yeah. I would use the website.
Speaker:Okay. And I love that you said that reach out and
Speaker:give Dave a call.
Speaker:I think that's what you're saying,
Speaker:right? Yes.
Speaker:Super. Finally,
Speaker:Dave, I'd like to present you with a virtual gift.
Speaker:It's a magical box containing unlimited possibilities for your future.
Speaker:So this is your dream or your goal of almost unreachable
Speaker:Heights that you would wish to obtain.
Speaker:Please accept this gift and open it in our presence.
Speaker:What is inside your box?
Speaker:Oh goodness.
Speaker:There's a lot of things I could think of.
Speaker:Let's keep it very simple.
Speaker:And what I like to be would always be able to
Speaker:see the good in whatever situation I'm in.
Speaker:And there are a lot of things that happen in the
Speaker:things that happen to us recently that you just don't understand
Speaker:why, but you need always to be able.
Speaker:And I wish I could always be able to see the
Speaker:good in every situation Always stay positive and always stay on
Speaker:that side of the fence if you will.
Speaker:Yes. Thank you so much,
Speaker:Dave. I really appreciate,
Speaker:you know,
Speaker:I knew that I wanted to talk to you when I
Speaker:saw you and Kathy at the booth and please give my
Speaker:best to Kathy.
Speaker:When you see her,
Speaker:she's probably right next to you or in the room somewhere
Speaker:right now.
Speaker:I don't know She is.
Speaker:She's drinking your coffee,
Speaker:which I'm not,
Speaker:but she is.
Speaker:All right.
Speaker:Well, hi to Kathy.
Speaker:Thank you so much,
Speaker:really some great information that you've shared.
Speaker:I love the fact that you niched down the product so
Speaker:much and are seeing such great success.
Speaker:Anyone who's in business,
Speaker:who does not already carry gourmet popcorn and thinks they should.
Speaker:I give it a personal recommendation,
Speaker:continued success to you.
Speaker:I'm thinking I'll see you at another trade show real soon.
Speaker:And may your candle always burn bright?
Speaker:Where are you in your business building journey,
Speaker:whether you're just starting out or already running a business and
Speaker:you want to know your set up for success.
Speaker:Find out by taking the gift biz quiz,
Speaker:access the quiz from your computer at bit dot L Y
Speaker:slash a gift biz quiz or from your phone like texting
Speaker:gift biz quiz to four four,
Speaker:two, two,
Speaker:two. Thanks for listening and be sure to join us for
Speaker:the next episode.
Speaker:Today's show is sponsored by the ribbon print company,
Speaker:looking for a new income source for your gift business.
Speaker:Customization is more popular now than ever grant your product of
Speaker:your logo or print a happy birthday,
Speaker:Jessica bourbon,
Speaker:to add to a gift right at checkout,
Speaker:it's all done right in your shop or cross BBO in
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Speaker:for more information after you listened to the show,
Speaker:if you like what you're hearing,
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