Packaging Etcetera Podcast
The Packaging Etcetera Podcast is by and large a forum for discussing events and trends in the packaging industry. While packaging is the focus, Etcetera is a reference to an occasional wild card - maybe something serious and career focused, or something scientific or maybe even something fun and playful.
Packaging Etcetera Podcast
Packaging Connections and Career Insights with Christin Cupo
Ever wonder how a career in fashion could lead to a significant role in packaging? Meet Christen Cupo, the newly elected president of the New Jersey Packaging Executives Club for 2025, as she recounts her fascinating transition from fashion to becoming a pivotal figure in the packaging industry. Christen shares her career journey insights, the influence of mentors like Lori Tirelli and Rick Todd, and the transformative potential of networking. From her early days as an expediter to her current leadership position, Christen's story is a testament to how strategic relationships can accelerate career growth in unexpected ways.
Our conversation uncovers the serendipitous networking moments that can turn chance encounters into solid business connections. Whether it's sharing an Uber ride or attending NJPEC events, Christen and I explore the vibrant networking culture within the club and its impact on professional development. We celebrate NJPEC's impressive educational contributions, particularly the scholarships that are nearing a million dollars awarded. The dedication of NJPEC's members shines through, highlighting the club's ongoing success and the enthusiastic anticipation for events like the annual golf outing.
Beyond the professional realm, Christen and I dive into personal passions, from baking sourdough bread to exploring bucket list travel destinations. We share the joys and challenges of mastering a sourdough starter and the rewarding experience of sharing homemade bread with friends. Our conversation also veers into travel dreams, with Iceland's Northern Lights sparking our adventurous spirits. By blending professional insights with personal passions, this episode showcases how enriching life can be when we pursue both career ambitions and personal joys.
Hi folks, welcome back to another episode of the Packaging Etc podcast. In my first episode, my wife Joanna interviewed me as a way to provide some context about me as your host and convey what I'm looking to accomplish with this podcast. One of the recurring themes from that episode was a reference to the New Jersey Packaging Executives Club, a nonprofit packaging organization based in my home state of New Jersey that has two primary purposes One, to provide networking opportunities for packaging professionals. And two, and more importantly, provide financial and advisory assistance to college students pursuing a degree in packaging engineering, packaging science or other packaging-related discipline. Today, we'll be speaking with the newly elected president of the NJPEC for 2025, kristen Kupo of Shore Packaging Consultants. Kristen, welcome to the show.
Speaker 2:Thanks, matt, thanks for having me.
Speaker 1:Of course. So I guess, just to kind of get started, if you wouldn't mind, please tell everybody a little bit about yourself, your background, how you got into packaging. I always love those stories, so so, yeah, take the floor.
Speaker 2:Sure, I got into packaging. I didn't always want to be in packaging, I actually wanted to be in fashion. So I pursued a degree of fashion studies at Montclair State back in a while ago and when I got into that industry I quickly realized it just wasn't for me. So after graduation I pivoted which I hate that word, but I pivoted over and found a job in a paper. In the paper I answered it.
Speaker 2:In the paper that happened to be for Beth and um body care for a company in New Jersey, and I started as an expediter and just through that job, which I held for three years, moved up in the purchasing department, got to learn every little bit about different types of primary packaging and secondary packaging and even tertiary packaging, moved to the next job, which was at Griffin Development, with someone actually that helped me get that job through um you know a relationship that I had at my first job in the industry and kind of just by default came into packaging. Back then I don't think we didn't need to carry like package engineering degrees. So I'm one of those grandfathered in packaging people that um knows a bit about everything and we've kind of learned as we as we did at trial by fire. We like to say so Okay, I've been, yeah, so so you mentioned you were an expediter.
Speaker 1:So just for my own edification and for anybody else's that might not know, because I hear expediter and I think I think hallway monitor with a, with a wand, just chasing people around trying to get them to work faster so if you wouldn't mind explaining what exactly does an expediter do?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I probably just aged. I just aged myself with expediter expeditors. Exactly what you just said. Basically, I would take all the information, all the orders that the purchasing department placed and I would follow up with suppliers, make sure everything was shipping on time, work with the logistics department, work with operations and planning to make sure all of our components were coming in at the right time, the right quantity to finish, you know, to fulfill production orders.
Speaker 1:Okay, so kind of like the old Siemens commercial right we don't make your product, we make your product better or we make your product faster.
Speaker 2:You know, we make it happen faster.
Speaker 1:Yeah, okay, all right, I get it.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Okay, so you know, one of the things that I mentioned in my first episode was I wanted to take an opportunity to name drop a few people that were highly influential in my professional development. I was curious if there was anybody that you would like to mention.
Speaker 2:So yeah, I mean in this industry it's a very small right connected industry. The person I was the expediter for was Lori Torelli and Rick Todd. I don't know if you're familiar with them.
Speaker 1:I'm not.
Speaker 2:Lori Torelli went on to Griffin and then to Estee Lauder, and then on and on, and Rick Todd went to a smaller family-owned company and then to Estee Lauder Always kept in touch with both of them. In fact, lori was the one who helped me move from Samora, which was where we were my first job, to Griffin Development, because I knew that's, I always kind of had an idea of like where I wanted to go next. And Griffin was that place where, like everybody worked really hard but you built like really strong relationships. You learned a ton. You know the purchasing department worked very complimentary with package development places. Like anytime a job popped up, I was, you know, seeing who I could, you know um contact to get in there, you know, instead of just filling out my resume and sending it in. And then when Lori went, she got settled and she actually handed my resume to someone in planning who then moved me over to purchasing and that's how I made my move over there. So I think those two people, rick Todd and Lori, were really instrumental.
Speaker 2:Um, when I was at Griffin. I mean I could go through the entire roster of people that, um, you know were so helpful but like Kevin McCarthy, dave Hubeck, diane Hammond, all the package developers in my team I had. Gus Davis was my head of purchasing and then Mike Ottenheimer and Jeffrey Riverito were our two you know top levels after Gus. Everyone in that department I mean I still talk to a majority of them we worked really hard. You know we had a great time. It was crazy, but the friendships and the you know, the work we did like there was just nothing like it really.
Speaker 1:So I feel like that's a nice lead into the next part of the episode. Here. What we had discussed focusing on was networking. Like myself, I know you're a huge proponent of networking. Being a consultant, that's a major prerequisite, I would say, as far as a self-sustaining business model. When we were both starting our careers, it was all about getting business cards and meeting in person and trade shows and you know cold calling, et cetera, et cetera. But now, with social media, it's a completely different ballgame and I was just, you know, going to ask you if there's anything you'd want to add about your experiences leveraging, you know, modern social media LinkedIn, instagram, twitter, now X, even Facebook. I see a lot of businesses. You know advertising on Facebook and using that as a networking tool. What would you say? You know what's your go-to as far as social media is concerned.
Speaker 2:Professional-wise, I really stick to LinkedIn. Professional wise, I really stick to LinkedIn. Um, there's very few people um that I am also friends with on Facebook or Instagram. You know those are probably people I consider like obviously colleagues and peers, but more friends, you know, um, we hang out like more on a social aspect but, um, linkedin, I think I'm on there there.
Speaker 2:I mean I'm not really trying to step away from social media a lot, but, um, I would say like a few hours a week just like making sure I'm supporting people that I know or you know, um companies or you know clubs that I support, um forwarding things or reposting stuff from my network. Um, in terms of like accepting, like the do's and don'ts of linkedin, you know, I think I'm like I went through a phase where I was accepting everybody um that wanted to friend, you know, wanted to connect with me, and now, unless I've met them at a social function or I've met them before, if they just are sending me like a random invite, I really like look into who they are. Do we have a connection? Is there meaningful, you know? Is something going to happen from this or are they just trying to like get numbers?
Speaker 2:on their numbers, yeah, page, yeah, um, so yeah, and I do appreciate, like like a message right, like whenever I'm sending, even if it's somebody that I've met at an event, I usually request to be, you know, followed or what's that you know invited, yep, and then I'll send a message, like a follow-up message, like hey, we just met, you know, at this thing, or your name just keeps popping up. You know how it's, like hey, you should follow this person, or whatever. Sometimes the same people keep popping up and I'm like okay, you know, let me look into it, but I think it's important. I don't think the numbers are so important, it's like the quality of the people, not that I'm saying they're not quality people, but if they don't have any, what's like?
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're looking for some type of a strategic. Yeah, there's a strategy behind connecting that person.
Speaker 2:Yeah, partnership type thing, and you know like, if I'm never going to sell you know widgets, I'm not going to. You know, be part of your network, it's just not useful to either of us.
Speaker 1:So that's fair, that's fair.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, so it's. It's interesting, you know, linkedin has the um. They have the professional membership, which is a paid membership, and then they have the uh, the regular, which is free. Uh, they do limit the free. So I think each month you get a certain number of connection requests with messages Like you can send out a million connection requests, but there's only a certain number per month you can send with a personalized note.
Speaker 1:So you either have to like. If you're really eager to build your network, you have to either strategically pick and plan out who you're going to send your messages to, or take your chances and you send out your first five or ten for the month and then just send out a bunch of connection requests with no messages and hope for the best.
Speaker 2:Right, right, and I don't know it's like. I do see that maybe in the beginning of the month I get blasted by a lot of people with no follow-up. Maybe that's why they're using up all their messages, yeah could be, could be. Yeah.
Speaker 1:So, you know, before we started the episode, you know we're talking about networking you had mentioned something that I also was kind of wrapping my head around when it comes to the networking game and that's you know, it is not an instant gratification type strategy, right, there's a long game to it, and I find that more members of the younger generation and it pains me to say that I'm no longer a member of the younger generations yeah, they look for that instant gratification, like I'm only going to connect with you if I can get something out of you right now, whereas you know it really is a long game.
Speaker 1:You know, I have people that I've been connected with on LinkedIn for 15 years and may still have not gotten anything directly out of that connection today, but who knows, tomorrow, next month, next year, where that connection may lead, and and so you know it's the, it's the long game, it's the. You know you have to build the relationships, as many relationships as possible, within a reason, of course, um, but understanding that that might take years to develop before it bears any fruit.
Speaker 2:So you did touch on something like that. I never got anything out of it. So when I network with people maybe this is the wrong approach, but I'm not really I'm almost just like who can I meet somebody new today? You know, like, when I go to an event, I'm like, okay, you know what? Like, do I see someone that kind of looks like they're standing by themselves, or you know, it's not like hey, what can this person do for me? Because I think if you go into it with that type of mentality, it doesn't seem authentic, right Like.
Speaker 2:I think it has to be a give and take also. So, like, what can you offer that person? And maybe sometimes it is like they came to an event by themselves and they don't know anyone and they just want somebody to talk to. I think that's like I like making people feel comfortable, right, um, because I remember walking into rooms and I didn't know anyone when I was younger and it is intimidating. So, um, um, I just go in and it's not like, oh, I want to meet that person because I think they can help with this. It's just like, well, I just want to meet somebody new. Let's see, you know, if we have mutual interests and like do I want to build on that relationship? Do I want to make that person you know relationship? Do I want to make that person you know part of my network? But it's like I don't go in strategically, I think. So I think it can feel kind of I don't know better words like sleazy, like that, you know it's like contrived oh you're here.
Speaker 2:Here's my business card, but can I do something for? And I'm like I just met you. Do you know what I mean? Like that was your ultimate goal coming here was to like hand out as many business cards or make any as many connections as you could for your you know your own personal gain, but like an equal exchange of like information and maybe I can help someone else too. I think that goes a lot further. Like you said, for the long the long game right If that's what you're interested in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely I. Uh. Funny story a couple of years ago, when I was at Peck Expo Chicago, um, the first time I had ever gone out there for that show on on my own dime as a, as an independent consultant um, the hotel that I was staying at happened to be the last stop on my bus route and I think it was Tuesday morning. Three or four buses went by and they were already full and I sat. I stood outside for over an hour waiting for a bus that had space and I finally said the hell with it and I just ordered an Uber. And so when my Uber pulled up, there were obviously other people staying in that hotel and at local hotels that were in the same boat. Guy in a suit came running over and goes hey, are you headed to McCormick Place? And I said, yeah, I am, he goes, would you mind if we jumped in with you? And it was an SUV that came and picked me up, like a Toyota RAV4 or whatever.
Speaker 1:I'm like yeah sure, why not Hop in?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So, of course, 15, 20 minute ride over, we start talking. He turns out to be some big wig at a packaging company and you know what? I'm an independent consultant. You know what I'm paying for this Uber? You're going to give me your business card, I'm going to give you mine and let's connect. And so I'm connected with him on LinkedIn. I didn't get any business out of it, but you never know if, five years from now you never know when that relationship might you know blossom into something you never know Right.
Speaker 1:But it was just a completely random scenario where some guy just hey, hey, you don't mind if I jump into your Uber with you. Yeah, sure, no problem. Why not? Of course, you know, thinking back on it, maybe that wasn't the safest thing for me to do, but he looked like a trustworthy guy.
Speaker 2:So I've done. The same colleague and I were running out of Penn Station trying to get to a trade show at the Javits Center I can't remember which one and someone else was right behind us waiting. You know, we were all online for cabs and I think we turned to him. We saw he had his badge on and we're like we're going there too, you know. So we were chatting the five minutes there and it ended up he was a paper supplier. It ended up he was a paper supplier and, um, I think I didn't, um, I didn't personally do business with him, but I connected him to someone else who they, you know, met and had some kind of um reciprocal partnership going on. So you never know, you never know, you never know Exactly.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so kind of tying this back into, uh, the NJPEC. Obviously you know this club is built on networking, right? It's built on. You know, professionals in the industry interacting with each other, exchanging ideas, obviously, exchanging business cards. You know there may or may not be an adult beverage included here and there but you know there are different levels of membership. I was I was going to ask if you wouldn't mind just kind of giving everybody a flavor for the levels of involvement that the club offers membership for you know the general public.
Speaker 2:If you just want to join um as an annual member, not be part of the board or part of a committee, but maybe you want, maybe there's an event that holds, some you know hold something near to your heart or you know you have a specific interest in, you're more than welcome to reach out to any of the board to get involved, whether it be like a worker bee or just an idea for something.
Speaker 2:Then obviously we have the board which to be on the board. You do have to be part of a committee to help with an event or a dinner or you know, our social media or our press, any of that type of thing, but there's a long list of volunteer committees that we could certainly find a spot for you for those board members to attend a monthly meet, once a month meeting, where we just talk about upcoming events, how the last events went, how we can make things better, etc. Like all the points like that. We also have sponsorship sponsorship through our annual sponsorship with suppliers, where we have different levels of. I think it starts at silver, gold, platinum and diamond, diamond being the highest and those two um we actually have two right now, which are unimac and ulta.
Speaker 2:I'll give shout outs to them yeah absolutely half of their um sponsorship money goes to a specific scholarship that they can select the recipient of for that money. So it's a really nice opportunity for them to. I think Wexler may also have their own scholarship as well, I believe they do yeah.
Speaker 1:So, Is there a limit? Does the NJPEC limit the number of Diamond sponsorships? Or if there's another organization out there that said, hey, you know what, we'd really like to get up to the diamond level as well, but they're capped at two. They already have two. Or is it just open-ended? We'll take as many are interested.
Speaker 2:We will take as many as interested. I would default to Maria on that, our committee chair, but I'm sure she would love to to give out as well as our scholarship committee.
Speaker 1:We would love to give out as much as we can.
Speaker 2:Um, that sounds like a nice problem to have. Yeah, to have too many uh student applicants right, with all this money to go around. I think last year we did a little 60,000.
Speaker 1:So somewhere around there yeah.
Speaker 2:Since the inception, we're at 800,000. So we're on track to hit a million, like in the next couple of years. I know there's a.
Speaker 1:There's a concerned party I'm not going to mention his name who's really excited to hit that million dollar mark. So if you're listening, hi, but a few more years a few more years Exactly. Yeah, also, a special shout out to you mentioned maria maria lachey. She's, uh she's been absolutely phenomenal in in the the fundraising effort for our, our sponsorship program.
Speaker 2:so shout out to her as well, um and then other sponsorship opportunities, right like our golf event. We have um you sponsor signs that are at HT and you know all of that. But there are package of the year. You can obviously donate either for the tricky tray or the goodie bag. So there's a bunch of ways. You can get involved as little or you know as much as you want to.
Speaker 1:You can get involved as little or you know as much as you want to. Yeah, I'm definitely looking forward to the golf outing again this year. I already have that date booked on my calendar, so praying for nice weather.
Speaker 2:Oh good yeah, september 9th yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, September 9th.
Speaker 2:We just confirmed it, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So that was a good one. And I'm not even a golfer, you know what I hate. It's still a fun time, right?
Speaker 2:It's fun yeah it's really fun so and, like I said, I think everybody, everyone in the club is well, I had this instance at one of the Rutgers events, the roundtable, where you know a colleague, jl, and I, so the vice president, jl, will look around the room and we'll see students. Then they're kind of all sitting together and they're not talking to anyone or mingling. So we'll go over to them and you know we did it at the Rutgers event and say like, hi, you know, you guys have any questions for us? Ask us anything you want to. We'll answer as best we can. And, like I specifically said, I said you know, after this event you should find us on LinkedIn and, you know, ask to join our, you know our network, our page.
Speaker 2:And the one girl looked at me and she was shy and I was like look, I mean, it's nothing personal, right? If I mean everybody here is friendly, no one's going to say no. And if they did say, if they do say no or they don't, you know, accept you. It's nothing personal. They were just like that's the way they are to begin with. It's not like you had any influence towards it, right? So I think people are like, I think the younger generation is a little reluctant to put themselves out there. But I mean, I think it's like so, such a confidence builder, to do it right like the more you do do it.
Speaker 2:It takes practice. So, like, even practice with, like, one of your professors or someone you know, another student in one of your classes that you don't necessarily talk to, like start with that, just talking about something that we all, you know we do have in common, so it's easy to talk about and it just becomes less intimidating, yep, and it builds your confidence. I think it's always nice, like when I reach out to someone, or someone reaches out to me that I haven't talked to in a while and I'm like genuinely happy to you know, either see how I can help them or just say, hi, how how's it going? You know, I mean.
Speaker 1:Well, it's it's interesting how you know just how global packaging is, but, but considering that it is such a small industry, yeah, and and incestuous to the point where you know people. You know people move from one place to the next and and you know, like, oh, I'm connected with that person and they've moved two jobs since then. And then, all of a sudden, they pop up in your LinkedIn feed or you run into them at a trade show or at an industry event and the longer you spend in this industry, the more people and the more connections that you make. I'm more and more amazed at just how many times people keep turning up and surprising me and and surprising me with, with, with their career progression. I mean, obviously I haven't stayed in the same place, you know, I've moved around, um, you know, done some different things in my career. So it's it's always, it's always fun to to catch up and see how people are doing that.
Speaker 2:On that front, I mean from the job front. I could tell you, besides that first job at samora where I answered it in the paper um, I think every single job I've had since then was because someone in my network or in my circle, um, either recommended me, told me about it that it wasn't you know, it wasn't out public yet or they were just thinking about somebody, right? I don't think there has been a job since that point that I haven't used a network for a little bit of you know help, like obviously I had to stand on my own in the interview but like to get that door open. I mean through linkedin. I don't know like the, the percentages, but when I see um, like I still get job feeds, you know jobs clicked in and it says there's 800 applicants in a two day period.
Speaker 2:You know, I don't know how you're getting through to the next level without having a connection or have someone personally hand in your resume or say this person applied for this job and I, you know I personally recommend them. You know it's tough, right.
Speaker 1:I know when I, when I, you know when I've interviewed for jobs. If I'm able to get the name of the people I'm interviewing with, especially the hiring manager, before I go in for that interview I refer to it as cyber stalking I'm going to look them up on LinkedIn. I'm going to see, hey, do we have any common interests? Maybe this person has interacted with posts on LinkedIn that involve golf. I'm like, oh, I'm going to mention, I'm going to somehow figure out a way to mention golf during the interview, during the casual portion of that discussion. Or, oh, hey, I see this person's big into trade shows, or this person follows this influencer. You know something, some type of commonality that I can bring into the discussion to to give myself an advantage.
Speaker 2:And that's.
Speaker 1:I feel like that's like psychology 101, but but you have to have that network to lean on in order to gain that information. So yeah. I'm I'm right there with you.
Speaker 2:I mean even beyond like the job I just used. So a colleague of mine, I didn't go to make up LA Lux Pack LA, but I found out a supplier I'd been trying to get in touch with. It was exhibiting. I reached out to someone from NJPEC who I knew was going to be there and I said, laura, can you do me a favor? Can you go to this stand and get a business card or get a contact information for me? They, they, they've seen me on LinkedIn, but it was just, you know, when it's just taking too long, I'm like I need a direct contact, I need to get this project moving.
Speaker 2:So Laura carries, like sure, she went the next day, you know, sent an and it even followed up with like an email introduction. Like Kristen, this is Marlo, she's going to be your US salesperson, you know. And like just that connection. I just needed somebody who was going to be there, boots on the ground. You know how like fortunate is it to have people just to help you, right, like I have friends in the industry. I just call and I like I'm doing this, this and this. Do you think this is like the right thing, or can you think of anything else I should do and because they're not so close to the, the issue I'm working on, they can just come up with another you know idea that I would never even thought of because I'm just like in it, you know, day to day.
Speaker 2:So yeah, well beyond, like job networking and stuff. I mean I really can't stress like the packaging industry is so fun, like you said, it is so incestuous.
Speaker 1:We have to find a better word than that I know it's not a great word, but but I've you know, I've heard it used in professional circles, so I feel confident in using it.
Speaker 2:Right, but it is like six degrees of Kevin Bacon, right. Like you can find somebody that knows, somebody that has what you need, or like can supply something that you, you know. And if I could figure out, I like connecting people. Like I just I probably introduced people to each other like at least once a week, right, because I think that's the best way too is like to get a personal like hey, I want to connect you and you because I think you can do something together. I do that all the time but, like you know, just for the hell of it right, Just like because it's the right thing to do.
Speaker 1:No, I'm right there with you, but it's interesting. You know we've talked about all the the benefits of networking. I'm going to take a little bit of a soapbox moment and one of the, I would say, pitfalls of networking, and just a, I guess a pet peeve of mine, is, you know, when people you know to your. You know something you mentioned earlier and I'm not going to get the verb exactly right, but it's a little.
Speaker 1:It's a little sleazy how some people will, will you know, you know, use it, use a new connection to to cold call you immediately, right. Versus taking the time to introduce yourself. You know, either try to start building or or continue cultivating a relationship. Uh, before you slap somebody with a hey, here's, here's a list of all my things my company does. Um, you should buy from me, kind of a thing. And um you know.
Speaker 1:Uh, that is again. Let me clarify by saying that this is just you know, the world according to Matt right, um, my personal opinion, but it is. It is a major turnoff in business when, when, when, people pull that kind of stuff.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So you know, you know, I think you mentioned earlier also there's there's a right way and a wrong way to do it.
Speaker 2:And if you ask me the right way and the wrong way, I that would be my line of demarcation, right? Yeah, sorry, soapbox moment I don't know what it is I'm not going in with an ulterior motive, you know, I just like to meet new people. I never know, like it's almost like make it like it's not a game, but like make it like a challenge to yourself. Right, like, hey, today I want to just meet one new person. You know, maybe it's like it works out, you know, or maybe you just file that and, like you said, in two or three years you're going to be like oh my gosh, that person is a freight forwarder and I have a problem with something. Maybe I can just call them, you know.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:You never know.
Speaker 1:And even if they can't help you, they might be able to recommend somebody who can.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah and that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, everybody is always willing to like, pass you to the next, like, oh, I don't do that, but the Packaging Consultants Council through the IOPP, and so I'm involved with that. And you know, there have been times where you know one of the member companies will get a request for service and it's really not in my wheelhouse. But hey, you know what? I know somebody else on the council that they're exactly the kind of work that they do, and so you get an opportunity to throw each other.
Speaker 1:You know some potential leads, and you know I mean that's not specific to the council, obviously. You know I see that happen in business all the time. So it's nice, you know, even when you know you may not necessarily be able to gain something positive out of that particular opportunity by passing it along to somebody else. You know it's like the you know, pay it forward concept, right Um? This may not do me any good, but it might do somebody else some good. So yeah.
Speaker 1:Now I understand you like to bake something about sourdough bread, and that you're. You're speaking my language here, so where, where?
Speaker 2:where did that come?
Speaker 1:from.
Speaker 2:Um, thankfully I didn't start that in covid because I would have been looking much different than I do now. But, like, just, I missed the whole covid sourdough trend. And then, I don't know, I went to visit my sister lives in minnesota, um, this past december and she was. She pulled out a loaf of bread and I'm like this is, you know, amazing. And she said, you know, she was like, oh, I make it, I make sourdough bread like every week. And I'm like, oh, you know how did I not know this? So she gave me some of the starter because I didn't know that that was like the thing for sourdough bread and my family loves it so much that I can't stop making it. So I always have something in the works downstairs, either like in my oven is proofing or, you know, in the fridge ready to go. But there I have no choice but to be cooking sourdough bread all the time, baking sourdough bread.
Speaker 1:So it's ironic the timing because my soon-to-be daughter-in-law recently took up sourdough bread baking and we've already received two loaves and there's only so much bread that we can eat and, as good as it is, I really have to stop myself. So we've started cutting each loaf in half and pre-slicing it and freezing it and it actually thaws out wonderfully. The problem is, I think we'll end up with a third loaf before we get to the frozen, so we're going to end up with an entire freezer full of sliced sourdough bread. But no, it's delicious.
Speaker 2:How many people in your home? There's three of us here my wife and I and our youngest, he's 16.
Speaker 1:And actually he's not a big fan of sourdough. But I tell you what, when my father comes up to visit from Myrtle Beach, sourdough floor to ceiling. If he could so he would jump all over that opportunity.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I have my husband. My two boys are home now, my daughter's away at college. But yeah, they can plow through a loaf in a day or two, I believe it.
Speaker 1:You know, at their most, and it's I mean the ingredients it's got to be you know what? $1, $2 to make a loaf of sourdough bread, yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, the first time I made it I'm like this is costing me a fortune is that I had to buy the enamel pot I have. I don't like I bought all this equipment. I'm like this one loaf of bread's costing me like 60. But yeah, now you have it down to a science. In fact, my friend just dropped off two bags of flour because she wants. She's like I'll pay you for a loaf of sourdough and I was like you don't really need to pay me, it's not a big deal. But she she just dropped off like two things of um the bread. So I guess I have a little side hustle going.
Speaker 1:I was going to say it sounds like maybe you need to jump onto Fiverr or one of those you know gig apps and start selling your sourdough bread.
Speaker 2:Matt, I have no extra time. Fair enough, more sourdough.
Speaker 1:So you know, kind of speaking about extra time. If you did have extra time, what would be some of your bucket list items? Are you like in a traveling, training, accomplishment type stuff, or attend events? What's your?
Speaker 2:thing I would like to travel. What's your thing I would like to travel? I just haven't traveled more than college tours lately. I am on that bus, but I do love the outdoors. So I live like a mile and a half from the beach at the Jersey Shore, so I think that just leans me being outside. So I love not necessarily in the winter, but um, I still walk on the beach almost every day with my dog. Um, in the summer I'll ride my bike to the beach.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's. I mean it was cold yesterday, but we still went out there. Um and I, from before um manasquan, I lived in hoboken so we were also outdoors all the time, because I lived in a tiny apartment with three kids so we were at the park until you know, when school got out, I would take them to the park until the sun went down. So I was always used to being outdoors. So I usually am like outside after work doing like a walk or know. I love looking at the, I love going to the beach and like looking at the stars when there's like a meteor shower, that's like every single time I see a meteor, I'm like it never gets old you know, yep um yeah, I grew up in neptune lights
Speaker 2:this past did you really from from new jersey, or were?
Speaker 1:you at of state.
Speaker 2:Yeah, from New Jersey, from my beach.
Speaker 1:I went up there, I missed it.
Speaker 2:My friend was like I think we can see the Northern Lights and I'm like weird. We sat up there for like an hour. It was unbelievable. So my bucket list is Iceland, but it was. I already saw the Northern Lights. I feel like I almost could take that one off.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I think there's so many more things to experience in iceland. It's on, it's on my list as well. My wife and I have talked about it and and it's it's funny, because you say iceland, you think it's europe, but it's like four hours from new york. It's really not that far like I could do that a long weekend.
Speaker 2:I would much rather do that.
Speaker 2:I'd much rather go to europe than like the caribbean or you know like to me that's not a vacation, because maybe I do it all summer. I'm at the beach so I feel like I need to go learn something or tour something. My one consulting job the home base is in London, so I've been fortunate enough to go there and spend a couple extra days on the back end, which is fun Just exploring some random. We did Churchill's War Room and like things that I guess I really wouldn't think of to do Right but like that was a really cool one.
Speaker 2:We went to like a speakeasy. I think I almost saw like every single thing in two days that I needed. We went to Westminster, just you know, and my company before that, the company I spent the longest time at, was Quad Pack, a Spanish based company. So I've been to Barcelona, but you know how that is. Like you could be in Barcelona, you could be in Detroit, it doesn't really matter if you're like there for work.
Speaker 1:Um, unless you make a conscious effort did you get to see uh la sagrada familia while you were in barcelona?
Speaker 2:yeah, I, I did see that I actually, I mean, I think I was in spain like between maybe probably close to like half a dozen to maybe probably six or eight times and I only went into the church once, but I did have the best dinner of my life in barcelona oh really um, yeah um, that was like one of those bucket lists. No, um, I was with um a supplier who took us to somebody's house.
Speaker 1:And it was a couple.
Speaker 2:Gotcha, the husband did the main course and the wife did the desserts and you didn't order, like they just brought whatever they, you know, whatever they were cooking for the day. But the uncle I don't know the story, but the uncle was like a museum curator or something and he was friends with picasso, so there were literally like picasso's and salvador dali had like a painting like that I could go up and, like you know six inches from see it and the food was unbelievable yeah, I, my wife and I got to, got to Barcelona a few years ago, we did an anniversary trip in Portugal and then, well, two cities in Portugal Lisbon and then Porto.
Speaker 1:We loved Porto, by the way, lisbon, porto.
Speaker 2:Barcelona. I've heard Porto, it's amazing.
Speaker 1:And then we actually spent our anniversary in Paris and then came home. But Barcelona one of my bucket lists. I could spend six months backpacking through Europe and just going through every medieval architecture building cathedrals, mosques, I mean you name it. I love that, and so Sagrada Familia was obviously one of my bucket list items.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we got to see that that was really surprising on the inside how bright it was, cause I didn't think it was going to be so light Right From the outside.
Speaker 1:He was a magician with with the design of those stained glass windows. Yeah, I was. I have I don't know how many pictures. My camera roll was filled with pictures just inside that. Yeah, so I think.
Speaker 2:I have a just inside that cathedral Me too.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think.
Speaker 2:I have a picture up. Actually, I'll do it over there.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, so obviously travel. We've talked about that. If you hit the big one, you hit mega millions tomorrow. What would you do with the money, of course, after you made a massive endowment to the NGPEC Scholarship? Fund after that dirty business was settled.
Speaker 2:What would you diamond sponsors in my name there you go scholarships. Um, what would I do? I think I would do what you just said is like take a six months to a year and just like pack up and travel, whether it be I mean, there's so many parts of the us I haven't seen right I think I could probably spend a month, like in utah alone with all those um national parks yeah, yeah, um, I could do that.
Speaker 2:I could go to europe and just like there's so many places I would want to see, I think, um, I wouldn't. I really wouldn't need to buy anything. I'm kind of over like buying things, you know, unless it's like wellness, um, old people related. You know, I have like like uh, the foam roll, like all the workout stuff, like post-workout the theragun and all those things like, but, um, I'm not really a shopper anymore, so I think it's more about like experiences. I love, uh, concerts, like I'm looking forward to the spring and like concert season because, like that's my, that's my other big thing, yeah, you know, is that I, I go to concerts. I love, I love being on the beach and like seeing a live show.
Speaker 1:Okay, Any other I mean, aside from NJPEC, any other kind of nonprofits or philanthropic organizations you'd you'd try to support with that money, Anybody else you'd want to give a shout out to before we wrap up here.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I do support the surf rider foundation. It's, um, if you're not familiar with it, it's about, you know, being um respectful of the ocean. They do a lot of beach cleanups, a lot of beach replenishment, planting seagrass. Um, they actually like, do you fight large corporations when they are doing policies like against you know, harmful against the ocean? Um, there was just something down here too, about beach access. So, um, should the beach be? You know, new jersey is famous like, we're the only state that has beach badges take it or leave it, um, but should people be able to have free access to the beach? So they do just all things related to like ocean. Um, you know, pollution cleanup, all that stuff.
Speaker 2:So I do work with them okay um, I'm trying to think what else, like any kind of shelter for at for dogs specifically. You know um there's a few rescues in New Jersey, love forever and like pick your paw or my two that I usually like donate to or help like when they have Superbowl pool or they need supplies and stuff.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you're talking to my language. Yeah, no the dog, dog rescue. So so it's. It's funny. Is it for local or pets? Have two. We'd have 12 if I never said no to her or if I couldn't say no to her. Um, but uh, in our current house, with our current property, it's just not conducive for what we'd want to do. So we'd want to buy a bigger piece of land and do some type of a dog rescue. That would be. That would be a nice thing for us.
Speaker 2:Um yeah, I would also. I see, like every senior dog I want to adopt and like just help, you know, love them to the as many days as they have, like it's. It's unbelievable to me. Like I know some of the situations are beyond people's control, but it's like giving up a family member. You know, I just break my heart.
Speaker 1:I am dreading that day. Yeah, I don't even want to get into that. So, but you know, ending on a, let's try to end a little bit more of a positive note, Do me a favor. One final plug for NJPEC Share with everybody the website so everybody that's listening can pay us a visit.
Speaker 2:You mean wwwnjpeccom, that one, that's itnjpeccom.
Speaker 1:That one. That's it Pretty easy everybody. Hopefully we get some additional traffic, maybe we get a couple new applications, you never know. But we'd love to hear from you, students, students for free Free memberships for students. There you go. So no excuse not to right. All you got to do is fill out the application.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then I will personally help you put it on your resume, your student resume, because who wouldn't want that on their resume?
Speaker 1:I would take that if I was still a student.
Speaker 2:I know. The minute I became president, I put it on my resume, not that I'm going anywhere.
Speaker 1:but you know Well, listen, kristen, thank you so much for your time. I really appreciate it. It's been great, great chatting with you. We will definitely have to look to schedule a follow-up episode, maybe towards the end of your tenure as president. We'll kind of talk about all the great things you've done for the club and for the industry. Great, well, listen. Thank you so much for your time. Really appreciate it, and that's a wrap.
Speaker 2:Thanks, matt. Matt, good luck on the podcast thank you so much. Take care all right bye.