A Race To The Bottom...What Value Do You Place On Your Product/Service

Hey there y'all...Welcome Back to Que-Licious!

I recently read a blog post about marketing and case study findings in the small food business industry that spoke directly to me. The complete article can be found here at Small Food Business; The Soup to Nuts Resource for Artisan Food Entrepreneurs. I enjoy this blog for several reasons; but mainly because I find the mix of business advice and food topics well balanced and relatable. The latest article; Don't Compete on Price - Also Known As Why I Failed My First MBA Marketing Project, was as if the author was speaking to me directly given that I am gearing up for my own product launch September 1st.

One sentence in particular stood out..."And so began what’s known as ‘the race to the bottom’ where companies are willing to give up profit margin in order to gain a bigger share of the market."

As it turns out, I had just finished working on marketing material to promote a couple of catering packages to list on Whiskey River BBQ & Caterings Facebook page, blog, and proofs for commercial printing. I was recently asked about my pricing structure from friends of mine whose opinion I value a great deal. I value their opinion because, yes they are friends and family; but they are also candid when they believe or don't believe in something; either way...you are going to know about it. That's what happened when I asked them to review an ad for some feedback.

At first, I will admit that it was tempting to consider offering our catering services at a lower price just to get our foot in the door and introduce Whiskey River BBQ & Catering's products  and services. Then I snapped back to reality. Yes I could undercut the competition on price, but at what real cost? The "Big Boys of BBQ" - as I like to call a couple of chains in my area - could very easily counteract any low-ball introductory offer I could advertise simply because they are just that...BIG. These same "Big Boys" have a loyal customer base, restaurants, and/or compete professionally on the barbecue circuit and have spent years building their brand and reputations. Inevitably, it would spur a snowball effect of price wars, not only in the barbecue food specialty market, but anyone offering catering services within our area would be inclined to do the same. For me, the race would be over before the starting gun sounded and quite honestly...it's just not a realistic approach to starting my business. Besides the obvious cost of purchasing ingredients, production costs, packaging expenses, and kitchen rental fees; I also did not want to overlook or "donate" my time in producing the product and running the business. Yes this is a labor of love and I honestly don't ever stop thinking about my business or trying new ideas; but I also realize my time is important and worth something. (OK...maybe not as much to some as to me, but worth something!) And let's not lose sight of the fact that my whole purpose and intent is to continue to grow my business successfully which means setting an attainable profit margin to re-invest back into the continued growth of Whiskey River.

When first researching catering vendors specializing in barbecue foods, specifically whole hog barbecue, I was overwhelmed at the different pricing structures and methods used and just ended up confused and frustrated trying to make sense of it all. Some vendors priced by the number of guests (example: 50-100 = $/person,101-200=$/person and so on) by the plate, by the pound, ribs are more than pork, brisket is more than ribs and pork combined...ughhhh! ENOUGH! Designing our catering menu was the single most challenging obstacle I had to overcome...period! Developing recipes for our bottled products...no problem; designing a mobile concession menu...piece of cake; trying to please the masses on barbecue catering...impossible! Somehow I managed to pull it off...please don't ask me how...but it's done! I take extreme pride in the quality of food that we produce for the events we cater; as well as our sauces and rubs we are bringing to the retail market and I don't feel that all of our hard work should be under-valued in hopes of being the front-runner in the barbecue market. I'm patient...I can wait for my day in the sun.

I realized from the onset of starting Whiskey River that there are elements of our products and services that stand out from our competitors that have nothing to do with price. This is also a good time to mention, be sure when you are comparing vendors for catering services that you are comparing apples to apples. If couscous and Peking Duck are on your top choice for your catered event; you probably aren't looking for a caterer specializing in barbecue food. (Yes...we got that call) The point is, weather you are selling barbecue or band-aids don't sell yourself short by under-valuing your product, service, and time. After all, you were the one smart enough to develop a plan for your one-of-a-kind product/service; be brave enough to see it through.

So why the big rant about price, product, profit margin and such...glad you asked!

I am officially introducing our new Catering page to the blog today! I am excited and scared to death all at the same time and it feels amazing!

Be sure to share this post with all of your friends, fans, and followers and until next post...

Keep cookin' y'all!

To Blog Or Not To Blog...That Is The Proverbial Question

Welcome Back to Que-Licious!

For the first time since I started this blog; for some reason, I have been blocked! And I don’t mean just a little stumped. I mean; I started this post almost 3 weeks ago and have come back to, edited, left it alone for a while, edited some more, reworked the title and just felt like calling it quits BLOCKED!

Which prompted me to ask myself a very important question: Is having a blog the right choice for your business and do you have the dedicated time necessary to write informative content to promote your brand effectively? Wow! If only I had answers as good as the questions I ask!

One obstacle I have always struggled with, once I started Que-Licious,! is wondering if my style of writing is relatable…interesting…helpful…or just something that gets overlooked because of poor marketing on my part. (My money is on the latter) The problem isn’t that I don’t know what I want to share…it’s because for the first time since I started both the blog and the barbecue biz;  I have so stinkin’ much going on that I want to share I honestly don’t know where to start. For me, I have thought of Que-Licious! as documenting my journey from start, to middle, to end without giving much thought to if my style of writing is relatable or perhaps more amply put…just plain interesting.

I basically wanted a platform to share my experience starting my business, the pitfalls and the achievements, and maybe pass along some information that may help another struggling; yet, budding entrepreneur. There are so many food blogs out there that I didn’t want Que-Licious! to be just about recipes, competition secrets, and documenting dinner every night. I wanted to occasionally include those items in our blog, but I was aiming for something more. So I have gathered my thoughts and decided to put together some short informative posts to keep those of you interested in our little whiskey soaked barbecue adventure current and hopefully provide you with some interesting reading.

Speaking of interesting reading, beginning on September 1, 2013 Que-Licious! will have a brand new look and feel.  My hope is to become more interactive with my readers, followers, and fans and to create an “online front porch” environment if you will. I am almost finished with the page contents and want to make sure nothing is missed or overlooked and that people can find me! There is a lot more that goes into this blogging thingy than just putting words on the screen and hitting the publishing button. (If only it were that simple) I have learned a great deal about finding the right platform from which to blog, hosting, search engine optimization, social media, ad words, and a whole slew of other tidbits I will be sharing at some point or in some fashion on the new site.

After my last post, I really began to take a look at what it would mean for me to define success on my terms. What are my terms? What affordable opportunities are out there for me right now? Is this the right time to pursue my vision or should I just continue to wait until the timing is better?
Well, for me waiting for the right time to start a business is like waiting to have a baby once you can afford it…we all know how that works…so that answers that! My terms remain the same: be realistic, do my best, and be happy. So that leaves me with finding the opportunities that I can afford on a shoestring (ahem…that’s code for non-existent) budget.

With a little outside the box thinking and a day of phone calls and Googling I was able to find some surprisingly affordable avenues to pursue in taking Whiskey River to the next level. I will be sharing those opportunities with you during the next few weeks and, as always, welcome feedback.

As you can see I have decided to continue writing on Que-Licious! I still believe this blog can and will be my best method for promoting my brand; especially during the initial introduction phase of opening an online store. This little “writer’s road-block” that I encountered is just like any other I have stumbled upon in my journey; something to learn from. What did it teach me? That if you truly believe in what you are doing and you can see success in the future…keep going! Never before has the old adage “Where there’s a will there’s a way” been so important to me. I have always had the will and am beginning to find opportunities that will help me achieve my goals one small step at a time.

I hope you decide to follow me in my journey and share this whiskey soaked adventure with your friends.

Keep cookin’ y’all!

I just created my own Jalapeno Madness!

Hey Y'all! Welcome back to Que-Licious!

 I just created my first sweet heat dessert and wanted to share it with you! I don't even have a name for this recipe yet so for now we will go with the obvious...

Stuffed Chocolate Covered Jalapenos

Ingredients
15 oz. container of Ricotta Cheese
8 oz. container of Mascarpone Cheese
1 stick of butter (softened)
20 Jalapeno Peppers
14 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate
3 tablespoons Crisco
6 ounces white chocolate
Cayenne Pepper to taste

In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter with a wire whisk until smooth.
Next blend in Ricotta with whisk until smooth. This may take just a little longer because of the consistency of the cheese. Then add Mascarpone cheese and continue mixing with whisk until all ingredients are blended smooth. The mixture will resemble runny mashed potatoes with tiny little lumps. (from the ricotta) Sprinkle in cayenne pepper to your taste. Refrigerate until ready to stuff peppers.

In a medium stock pot, bring 2 quarts of water to a rolling boil on high heat. While water is reaching the boiling point, cut the tops off of the jalapenos and place in a bowl and set aside. These will be used later for display purposes.

Next, keeping the rest of the pepper intact, seed and remove the membranes from the inside of the pepper. I used an Avocado Peeler from The Pampered Chef. This works perfectly with out cutting the skin as a knife would, but allows you to remove all of the insides effortlessly.

Once the caps are removed and the peppers are seeded, the water should be at a full rolling boil. Keep the water boiling on high heat and drop peppers in water. This blanches the peppers and helps remove the remaining seeds. Do not keep peppers in water longer than 2 minutes. You want the peppers to be bright in color and still have most of the crispness. Place peppers on a baking sheet and let cool. When peppers are cool to the touch, spoon in cheese mixture into each pepper until full.

Once the peppers are stuffed, place the peppers on the cookie sheet and place in the freezer for about one hour. Once the peppers are slightly frosted on the outside and the center is set, they are ready to be dipped in chocolate.

Place the semi-sweet chocolate and 2 tablespoons of Crisco in a microwavable bowl and heat on your microwaves highest setting for 1 minute. Stir mixture and repeat hight heat setting for an additional 1 minute. Repeat as often as necessary until the chocolate is melted smooth. Dip each jalapeno into the melted chocolate coating each side and place on wax paper to cool. You may refrigerate if you want to speed up the cooling process.

In a separate smaller microwavable bowl, place the white chocolate and 1 tablespoon Crisco. Repeat the melting process and stir until chocolate is melted smooth. Once the jalapenos have cooled and the chocolate has hardened to the pepper, hold the jalapeno over the white chocolate and drizzle the white chocolate over the jalapeno with a spoon in a small stream or you can dip the tip in white chocolate. Your in charge of the creative process here.

Alternative Filling: I also found this to be a slightly sweeter version of the filling and cuts the heat of the pepper quite a bit. So if you are a fan of more sweet and less heat this would be a good alternative filling for your peppers. Also, look for the mild jalapeno peppers in your produce section as well.

Mascarpone Cream Filling:1 stick(s) unsalted butter, softened
1 container(s) (8-ounce) mascarpone cheese , softened
3 cup(s) confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract

Either version will give you an exciting twist on dessert that is sure to impress! Enjoy

Keep cookin' y'all!

Success On My Terms

Hey y'all...Welcome back to Que-Licious!

I have taken the time to be still and listen to that little "inside voice" we all have but all too often ignore. Today is the day I define my own terms for success.

 

I admire those outside of the box thinkers and doers; the ones who take the risk of all risks to pursue the life they were meant to live. After all; we were put here on this earth to live not sit on the sidelines and observe. It's so easy to allow ourselves to become overwhelmed with what we think is expected of us in order to be successful; when we should be defining our own terms of success. We blog, we read e-books,we  talk to anyone who will listen to us babble on about our ideas, we find everything Pinteresting, then we follow and tweet until our head spins. There is no question that we have some pretty amazing "techie-tools" for social interaction that allow us to quickly access information on topics from food to becoming your own Pharmacist.

The problem to having access to such an overabundance of information is that we allow ourselves to think maybe we don't have it all together and that we should be doing things differently. After all, "Super Susie Blogger Queen" (yes I made this up) says to follow these exact steps and success will be yours. Not even close Susie. It's hard not to be envious of others success who create products and provide services similar to your own; yet so easy to believe we must be doing everything wrong. But here's the thing..."Super Susie Blogger Queen" doesn't have the first clue about me, my life, my capabilities, my limitations, my likes, my fears, my strengths...but I know. Success is not so simply defined by a cookie cutter pattern that applies to everyone. Success is above and beyond just following a core set of principals and business practices.

Once I became still and listened to that "inside voice" I discovered I was trying to attain success according to other people's definition and not my own. I not only began to pay attention to that gut feeling but acted on it as well. I realized that stepping out of your comfort zone is exhilarating and necessary.  I believe in the dream I am pursuing, even if I am the only one. I have stopped reading so many articles, newsletters, and the like and started to focus more on my own. I feel as if I am finally in command of my own success.

Keep cookin' y'all!

Starting Small

Hey y'all...Welcome back to Que-Licious!

When I set out on my little barbecue adventure 6 years ago, my plan was simple really. Buy a nice smoker, a canopy, a few packaging supplies, get booked at some popular events in my area, and cook for people. Turns out achieving simplicity is not easily attained. As I began contacting event organizers in hopes of setting up our little barbecue stand, I soon discovered several factors at play that I simply did not take into consideration. (Ignorance is not always bliss)

Most events such as local weekend festivals, county fairs, or even craft shows book their vendors at least six months to one year in advance. In addition to the advance booking, there is also the rule of being a preferred vendor...which means as a new vendor, you are offered a spot on their waiting list and generally have to wait until the preferred vendor is no longer interested in securing a spot in the event. Now I do understand the concept of not wanting to duplicate the food selections of event goers, but for the record, I am currently on waiting lists for almost every event within a five county area.

A recent follow-up call to one such event committee turned into a very enlightening conversation. Turns out there was an opening for my type of food! Please hold your applause and cheers of joy and jubilation...there's more. As I calmed myself down and began the process of exchanging information, getting the set-up fee and times, the voice on the other end of the phone asks me a very real and important question..."What would you say your feeding capacity would be per hour"? Darn good question. She then proceeded to let me know that during the course of the three day festival at any given time there are between 150,000 to over 200,000 visitors to the event who at some point will want to eat. My heart sank...and then it sank again. I had to remove myself from the list. My little pig cooker is amazing and we produce some of the best barbecue you have ever put in your mouth, but I did not have that kind of capacity. Not yet anyway.

I guess this conversation could be considered as my "ah-ha" moment. After spending about all of an hour being down and discouraged; I asked myself a question..."Why am I waiting to be set-up at some over-crowded event when what I really wanted to do was provide my food on a more personal setting"? Another darn good question...and one I knew the answer too. Life is a constant game of highs and lows. If we are not careful, we loose sight of what we really set out to accomplish in life and just become purposeless, lost, and desperate.  My passion for creating great food and being in the company of great people is the driving force behind Whiskey River BBQ & Catering. Somewhere during my journey I had allowed myself to get caught up in the "grandiose" of what Whiskey River might grow into and just wanted to come out of the gate like gang-busters! Very unrealistic.

For the past two years I have been trying to get my name out there in the fair and festival circuit as a food vendor and have come to the realization...that's not what I want at all. Well, not entirely. I would still like to setup at select populated events in my area, but to introduce our line of barbecue sauces, rubs, slathers, and other packaged food items while letting customers know we cater. That was my original goal from so long ago while talking over my idea with my family. For quite sometime now I have been needing to find my way back to the simplicity of that plan and start on a smaller scale. Instead of focusing on what I haven't been able to do I have decided to start advertising what I can do.

I have tapped into some very outstanding resources that I will be sharing with you during the next few days and I will be introducing some of our catering packages on our Facebook Page and Twitter Feed.

Keep cookin' y'all!

"Test Kitchen Tuesday!"...Today the kitchen tested me.

Hey there y'all...welcome back to Que-Licious! (Original post date was Jan. 2013)

Yesterday was a pretty uneventful day in the kitchen, but it was a great day for writing a cookbook. My intention was to smoke a pork butt, develop a new recipe for a Carolina style barbecue sauce I have been working on, take some awesome mouth-watering pictures, and share with all you fine folks. Obviously that didn't happen. I'll tell you what did happen...winter in Ohio!

I knew I was in for a challenge right away when the temperature gage on our enclosed back porch said 2 degrees, or as I interpreted...GO BACK INSIDE! Nevertheless; I thought I would give it a try, mistake #1. I have fought the cold, the wind, the rain, and the snow of Northwest Ohio before when doing a smoke and settled in bundled up Eskimo style to get the smoker warmed up to start my smoke. Mother Nature and my smoker had other ideas. Try as I may, the wind and bitter cold was victorious over my attempt to bring a little warmth and sunshine into this blustery winter day.

Frustrated and defeated (and about a 15 minute rant to myself as to why we don't live in Key West) I finally threw in the towel after a good 2 hour fight with the elements and the smoker and shifted gears. Standing there in the kitchen...hands on the table, head hanging low, I happened to fix my gaze on a picture hanging on the wall. A framed cross-stitching picture that my grandmother had made. Ever get one of those gut feelings like someone is trying to tell you something?

I got the message. I couldn't help but think about mommaw and all those cold mornings when she would be the first one out of bed to start the fire in her cast iron cook stove and at that moment a wonderful flood of memories came rushing over me and I couldn't help but smile...and then I started writing...and I wrote all afternoon. It was this time last year that I began a cookbook project called "The Forgotten Kitchen" which contains family recipes and stories of my life growing up with a grandmother who taught me to cook, love, and live. Several factors interfered with me finishing this book; most of which were self-induced. Returning to this project is a major accomplishment for me emotionally. Not only because of missing my grandmother and dealing with the demoralizing effects of Alzheimer's Disease, but also because of facing the loss of my dad. I spent the last week of his life with him in the hospital and took my draft of "The Forgotten Kitchen" with me and would read to him after his chemo treatments until he fell asleep. Reading back over the chapters now, I can see him smiling and sharing memories with me of our time together as a family. The words I would read brought back memories for both of us, each one with a different meaning and special place in our hearts. I truly believe this cookbook is a turning point of some sort in my life; I'm just not sure of the direction yet, but I know I will be guided. I have learned to listen to that inner voice we all have telling us what we need to be doing but choose to fight it because WE think we know best. I could have stood in the kitchen and blamed the weather and cold and become so frustrated that I wasted the entire day being very unproductive. I could have broke down when I started remembering time with family on the farm and my dad sharing those stories with me during his last days...but I didn't. A pretty amazing thing happened instead...I became inspired.

So, for this week's "Test Kitchen Tuesday" I believe the kitchen tested me. I would like to end this post with and excerpt from my cookbook as another little sneak-peek into what's to come when this bittersweet project is complete.

Keep cookin' y'all.

"The landscape of a kitchen can leave just as effective of an imprint on the mind’s eye. For me, it is a cast-iron cook stove consuming one whole wall in the kitchen with a commanding presence; a batch of fresh apple butter and preserves sitting in mason jars to cool; an old buffet filled end-to-end with homemade pies; and the ever present combination of wood smoke and ham. With the scene always present in my mind, I chart my path and try to convince myself I am headed forward when in reality, I am constantly returning to that back porch to peek at that all familiar view through that old screen door." 

~Excerpt Taken From "The Forgotten Kitchen"
Stephanie Robinson, Author

Getting It All Together

Hay Y'all...Welcome back to Que-Licious!

When I sat down three months ago and started putting my business plan together I started to become overwhelmed with the amount of capital I was going to have to come up with to get my business off the ground. Since I'm not a trust-fund kid, I'm not even remotely interested in using retirement money to fund this venture, (it's called retirement for a reason), and the money tree in the back yard seems to have caught a blite and died I decided to turn my focus on the "small" in "small business". In my case it could probably be more amply named minuet.

As I began to look at my options, I started researching other small businesses like mine and read the back story of how they not only became successful, but maintained that success through economic shifts. Oddly enough they share similar objectives to my own about being realistic, doing the best you can do, and have a positive attitude. Imagine that...for once I felt like I wasn't alone in my thought process.

I will be the first to admit that at this point it would be so easy to just throw in the towel and allow that self-doubt to creep in and take over. I wasn't going to let that happen this time. I have too much riding on this decision and I was not going to simply just give up or put things on the back-burner again. So I started to focus on what I could do...look at that, my first realist decision in business! There may be hope for this little country girl yet.

My business is all about my roots. Where I come from, how I was raised, who my friends were and are, my family, and the appreciation of a simple life earning a sustainable living is the driving force behind Whiskey River BBQ.

So where do I "grow" from here? Don't worry...I will keep you posted. After all, if it's one thing us girls like to do it's talk.

Keep cookin' y'all!

It's Test Kitchen Tuesday!

Welcome back to Que-Licious!

Well, here it is as promised...TEST KITCHEN TUESDAY...woohoo!

Nothing makes me happier than, as my grandma would say, "piddlin' around the kitchen". For my first blog from the test kitchen I wanted to share some easy make ahead recipes for some of my favorite salad dressings. I found these recipes in a cookbook my daughters bought for me as a Mother's Day gift one year. I enjoyed it so much that I bought one for my good friend Amy Donaldson @LiveLoveMom, who is a fabulous mom blogger who truly lives in the moment of her family.

The cookbook..."Real Women Eat Chiles" by Jane Butel, is a must have for anyone, woman or man, who loves and appreciates the wonder, joy, and "yumminess" of a good chile pepper. Please don't misunderstand my tastes here. I enjoy flavorful food with some heat, especially the kind that sneaks up on you the longer you enjoy a dish. I don't like heat to the point of pain when your food is unbearable to eat...there is no enjoyment in that whatsoever. Which brings me back to what I call my Chile Cookbook. For those of you out there starting your new year off dieting or eating healthier, you will really enjoy the recipes I am going to be sharing with you on Tuesday! JD & I both are eating healthier and are making an effort to be more active everyday. I believe this cookbook will allow us to eat naturally low-fat flavorful foods so that we don't feel like we are actually dieting.  The real beauty about the recipes in this cookbook is that you can actually control the level of heat that is comfortable to you by substituting a hot chile with a milder version more suited to your own tastes. The Cook's Thesaurus is a great website that helps me decide which substitution I want to make.Typically, I tend to follow the recipes in the book because I like a little heat.

So...Let's get cookin'!

In the back of the cookbook is a section titled Sauces & Salsas. Making these items ahead of time will save time in preparing the recipes throughout the cookbook. Plus, you can even double or quadruple the recipes and freeze them in single batches for later use.

First...gather all the goodies!

Ingredients for homemade chile dressing.

Out of respect for all the hard work the author put into the cookbook, I will only be sharing my favorite recipes along with some tips that work for me in my kitchen. I am always in the market for time-saving tips for food prep so please feel free to comment with what kitchen shortcuts work best in your kitchen. Here are the recipes for my two favorite dressings; Hot Red Chile Dressing & Spicy Cilantro Lime Dressing.

Hot Red Chile Dressing
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon hot red chile
2 tablespoons red wine or balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, preferable Spanish

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk, or place in a mason jar and shake. Will keep for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes, Yield: 1/2 cup

Per Serving(1/4 of recipe): Calories 47, Protein 0-g, Carbohydrates 1-g, Fiber 0-g, Fat 4-g, Saturated Fat 0-g, Cholesterol 0-g, Sodium 97 mg

Spicy Cilantro Lime Dressing3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (1 or 2 limes)
1 tablespoon honey, preferably desert blossom
1 tablespoon cilantro, coarsely chopped
1/2 jalapeno, minced
Pinch of salt (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well blended. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding salt, if necessary. This item will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes, Yield: 1/2 cup

Per Serving(1/4 of recipe): Calories 21, Protein 0-g, Carbohydrates 6-g, Fiber 0-g, Fat 0-g, Saturated Fat 0-g, Cholesterol 0-g, Sodium 1 mg

The finished product.

I not only use these items as dressing on my salad but also as a marinade for smoked chicken and shrimp, steak, and grilled veggies. I store these items in the glass bottles I use for bottling our barbecue sauce; however, a standard mason jar or freezer container works just as well. They also make wonderful gifts at the holidays, birthdays, or any gift giving occasion. In the coming "Test Kitchen Tuesday" posts I will be sharing some other time saving make ahead salsa's, Chile sauce, pesto, and other specialty condiments. I am also working on the process for a giveaway for the "Test Kitchen Tuesday" segment and as soon as I work out the detail I will be posting the information here at Que-Licious!

I hope you have enjoyed the first post of "Test Kitchen Tuesday". Come back to Que-Licious! daily for new posts and updates on my whiskey-soaked barbecue journey.

Keep cookin' y'all!

A Realistic Dreamer

Hey there y'all...Welcome back to Que-Licious!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing the adventures of my whiskey soaked barbecue journey. It's a brand new year and I have a brand new outlook on life, living, and the pursuit of great barbecue! I guess I am like most people this time of year and have a renewed sense of being optimistic almost to the point where people want to punch me in the face. Okay, maybe not that much...but close. I don't make resolutions because they are easily discarded by making flimsy excuses why you can't achieve what you set out to do in the first place. Instead, I see opportunities. I have an opportunity to change something about myself; an opportunity to make a difference in my community; an opportunity to achieve my goals.  In my last post I touched on my outline for continuing to grow Whiskey River BBQ.

My goals are simple:

1. Be Realistic But Keep Dreaming - As a natural born dreamer, this is the hardest goal for me to apply in my everyday life. Taking an idea from conception to completion has always been an issue for me because I seem to get "sidetracked" or take my day-dreaming to the point where it becomes impossible for me to make that first step. I guess I tend to look too far down the road first and in doing so skip the details around how to actually start at the beginning in a sensible manner and grow from there.  Well...at least I know where I want the company to be, I just need to focus on getting it off the ground. That is my challenge. I believe Whiskey River BBQ has great products and is a great brand to offer people to enjoy in their own backyard. So, in the coming blogs I plan to introduce Whiskey River BBQ from the catering aspect of the business first and focus on the backyard and drop-off catering and go from there. People have to be familiar with our products before they will seek you out in the retail market. I think the best way to get our product out there is through the fair and festival venue so people can sample our products first hand and let them see what our backyard pig-pickin' is all about! There will be more to come on this topic soon so keep checking that inbox for our latest blog posts.

2. Do Your Best Everyday - My dad said it best, "Whatever you do, do your best!" I really do have good intentions of doing my best, but if I am to be completely honest...I could do better. When I think of what this statement means to me, I think of having to be the best or be nothing...that has to change starting now. It is that type of thinking that makes you second guess every decision you make, and I can tell you from experience you're going to make bad and wrong decisions. The key is to learn from them.  So, having re-interpreted this statement I will do my best everyday by being productive, having faith in God that I am on the path that I need to be, and working hard to achieve my dream of being self-sufficient. I believe it is so easy for people to give up when they encounter roadblocks or brick walls. Those are the times when you need to break out the heavy artillery and move forward. As long as you try, and I mean really try, and you are doing your best and working hard everyday, you are considerate of others, and you have faith...then you are doing your best and that's enough. Only you know your own capabilities and limitations; no one else has the authority to tell you what you can and cannot accomplish - as long as it's not harmful, immoral, or illegal - you are in control of your own success. Go For It!

3. BE HAPPY - A simple statement easy enough to understand, yet we have such a hard time applying this concept in our daily lives for so many different reasons. I know I have been guilty more than once of trying to make everyone in my life happy that I only succeed in making everyone miserable...including myself. Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy or choose not to be...it's that simple.  What I know to be true is this: If you are surrounded by negative thinking it generates negative energy that effects every aspect of your life. (Think the worst...expect the worst...the worst will eventually happen) That statement is as true in your personal life as in business. If your every thought, idea, plan, or action is engaged with the constant though of failure...you're going to fail. People gage their happiness on different levels and for different reasons. Personally, I am never happier than when I am in my kitchen or my garden surrounded by family and friends creating, cooking, laughing, sharing, and of course...eating! That feeling of comfort and warmth is what I want to relay through my business and my life. My dad was the best at making the people around him happy and living a happy life. He had amazing faith and loved his family more than life itself and we all knew it. He looked at everyday as a gift and was grateful for so many blessings in his life. So many people shared with me that very thought when he passed. At my dad's funeral, the one statement I heard repeatedly was; "Your dad always had a smile on his face and was just the type of person you wanted to be around." I will carry that with me always and let his personality be the example to live by. We make choices everyday to be happy, angry, bitter, content, to succeed, or to fail. I choose to put my past in the past and move forward...happily.

These are just a few insights as to where I am in life and in my pursuit of a dream. As I have stated before, my business is personal, so what better way for you, my whiskey-spritzed barbecue readers, to know what me and my company stand for that to put it out there in the blog-a-sphere!

Keep cookin' y'all!