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If you've ever wondered about the life of a confectioner, or love hearing about anything related to chocolate this interview will appeal. Steve Shearer of Chocolate Storybook, shares stories of innovation that have led he and wife Meg to realize business growth. The "sweets" delivered here are words of wisdom. Enjoy!
"Ka-Ching" is all I've got to say on this interview with founders Julie Pickens and Mindee Doney of Boogie Wipes.They tell an informative story not only of the creation and launch of their product, but the roaring success that has followed in something close to 6 million in sales this year. You're going to love this story, and if you're a mom and female entrepreneur, you'll find it especially inspirational. Women having it all and on their terms. Enjoy everyone, and nice to meet you Julie and Mindee!
I'm hanging out in the wi-fi cabana at a local little coffee shop here in Red Oak, Iowa this morning. It's the bonus of being the relief driver for hubby peddling on RAGBRAI.
For a time, I sat with two gentleman bikers grabbing breakfast burritos and coffees before they head out. We talked about the general tone of the event this year; seems a bit quiet from my perspective but I don't know the overall numbers. One of these guys has been participating in RAGBRAI for over a decade and the other just started a couple of years ago. The latter mentioned the commercial aspect of the event; he thinks it's a bit much.
Definitely the communities and businesses hope to cash in on a little extra traffic, but I don't think anyone is raking it in, least of all the small businesses in the towns. This is conjecture on my part, so if YOU are a business growing rich on this event please find me and pipe up!
Last night, this particular shop put out all the stops for prospective dinner guests. They had loads of prepared sandwich wraps, egg rolles, sandwiches, cookies, and ice cream. I mean . . . there were LOADS of them, each individually wrapped in foil or cellophane. I asked the owner today how sales went and she said not good. The main square did seem quiet when we were there at 8 p.m. I'm not sure where the crowds were.
In the meantime, this owner announced that today is her last. She is moving on to a job working with handicapped people and glad to have the work, but the tone of loss is here. As I look at the main square of Red Oak (the old buildings and quaintness) I wonder about the stories behind the shops and the people. Unfortunately, a lot of the storefronts are quiet. Maybe Red Oak is doing well elsewhere, but here on the square I wonder.
photo by James Justin, powered by flickr
In this interview, Nancy Nehlsen speaks candidly about her experience of owning a communications firm for over 30 years. The wisdom that comes with longevity has helped Nehlsen Communications not only survive, in these current economic times, but actually grow. I found Nancy when I discovered the Boomer resource called Boomerful which she launched to help people address the unique issues facing us as we grow older. You'll enjoy meeting Nancy and gathering inspiration to carry you on your own journey.
The Des Moines Social Club is the convergence of plenty to do and see at an affordable price. More importantly, it is about connecting us . . . to each other through the expression of art. Zach Mannheimer takes us on a tour of this old building located on Locust, finagled now into rooms and spaces for everything from art exhibits, dance and yoga instruction, to wrestling events. Yep. You read right. Find out more about this unique venue and why Zach sees a very optimistic future for our community.
Each month on Entrepreneur People. Real Stories. it is a privilege to bring the stories of entrepreneurs to you via Blog Talk Radio. In these interviews, the people who aspire and realize their passions share experiences of what they’ve learned from the process.
July 7: Zachary Mannheimer, Director of The Des Moines Social Club, takes us on a tour of this visionary and eclectic venue located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa. Zach explains why he sees Des Moines as the perfect hub for this convergence of the arts, collaboration, and connection. (podcast #116)
July 14: Nancy Nehlsen of Nehlson Communications and Boomerful offers candid and thoughtful insights from her 30+ years of experience owning a business. Her story is the kind that everyone needs to hear in these tight times. Based in a small town on the Illinois and Iowa border, Nehlsen and her staff have not only survived in this past couple of years but thrived. (podcast #117)
July 21: Mindee Doney and Julie Pickens of Boogie Wipes share a captivating story of success. For 2009, these mom-preneurs expect to generate sales of $6 million. Learn from their experiences as they take us on the journey of developing these handy saline wipes, manufacturing and launching them, and how they’ve grown the business exponentially in just a few years. (podcast #118)
July 28: Steve Shearer, co-owner of Chocolate Story Book, waxes poetic on the subject of chocolate but relates a terrific entrepreneurial tale too. Learn how he, and his wife Meg, came to own this beautiful destination shop located in West Des Moines, and also built new avenues of sweet success. (podcast #119)
photo by MsPatt, powered by flickr
I first read about this business in a piece on Wall Street Journal and thought the idea was so interesting that I immediately e-mailed and asked for an interview with the owners of Parkingspots.com.I was thrilled when Aynsley Deluce agreed to be a guest, and then ecstatic when she turned out to provide a candid and informative interview. If you have a web based business, or think you want to take your business to the web, there are insights here for you to think about. As always, it is the power of the story that brings the lessons home. Find a detour in your day to park it and listen to this terrific discussion with Aynsley Deluce.
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