for the community to pay it back for the social services that I was receiving, so I got myself elected to the Norwood School Board. And the San Miguel Horse Racing Board. And the San Miguel County All Around Board. (They are in charge of the county fairgrounds). And the San Miguel Resource Center Board. (Domestic Abuse). I got a new school built and a park created in Norwood during my 12 years there. Most importantly, my children have all graduated from college and I was able to raise my son to be a wonderful, loving and non-abusive man. I did these things because I had to. It was my choice to run from my husband and my responsibility to do the best for my kids that I was able to do. It makes the challenges of building my own business easy in comparison. There is no obstacle that I face that can compare to what I’ve already conquered. And I know from hard won experience that there is a solution to every problem.
Any advice you can give women about following their passion and becoming an entrepreneur? Ask for help. So many people feel that asking for help is a sign of weakness. I used to feel that way as well. But then I realized that if I didn’t ask for help, I literally would not survive. I spent close to a month, including Christmas, in a women’s shelter with my children. If that isn’t asking for help, I don’t know what is. I had to beg friends
for money in order to make it across the country. Once I got where I was going, I had to ask for help from social services. After I got established and made friends, I asked for their help in launching my business. Every step of the way, I asked for help. And I got it. And I learned an amazing thing along the way: People like being asked for help. They like helping. I have come to believe that asking someone for help is actually a gift to them. Try it.
Over the last year, have you struggled with the current economic status? If so, what are you doing to combat the slower economy? Yes, I have. I created two new flavors of toffee. I designed really gorgeous, new packaging. I hired someone to help me with sales, marketing and social media. And I created little one-piece sample packs of all the toffee flavors and have been passing them around with coupons to people all over town. I have also left baskets of samples in shops of vendors with whom I do business.
Who are the best people for you to connect with in business or who are your ideal clients? The wonderful thing about Lone Cone Toffee is that it is a perfect gift for any occasion. Do you want to thank a client? Or someone for a referral?
Do you have people you send gifts to at Christmas or Rosh Hashanah? Do you need a hostess gift? Keep a stash of Lone Cone Toffee in your freezer and give a box of it instead of a bottle of wine. It always makes a perfect gift. It comes in a beautiful package and I can send it anywhere for you or deliver a case of it to your office. Everyone who receives it will remember you sweetly. So, anyone who gives gifts is an ideal client. The ideal people for me to connect with are the people in business who are in charge of corporate gifts. They can send me a list and I will send everyone on it a delicious box of Lone Cone Toffee. That way they can be sure that the people on the receiving end will be delighted. People tell me constantly that Lone Cone Toffee is the best toffee they have ever had. And it really is. Even after 14 years, every time I taste it, I still think it’s fabulous.
We are a few short months away from 2010 – What is your number one goal for the New Year?
In 2010, I would like to see Lone Cone Toffee become the go-to gift year round instead of just at Christmas. I want to see it be given by realtors with every house they sell, by luxury car dealers with every car. I want to get it into some catalogs and I want to get into my own year-round kitchen and have enough business to justify it.
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November 2009 | The premier women’s business resource guide
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