Episode 26: Commitment Over Motivation — Lessons from Lori LaClair

View Podcast Disclosures here: http://bit.ly/4jWGPF4

One year later… and what a meaningful conversation this became.

In this special anniversary episode of Women and the Businesses They Own, I welcomed back my very first guest, Lori LaClair of Natural Northern Foods.

Over the last year, Lori has continued growing her business, expanding her products, navigating challenges, and remaining deeply grounded in gratitude through it all.

One of the most powerful moments from our conversation came when Lori shared that success is not built on motivation alone—it’s built on commitment. Commitment to continue showing up, learning, adjusting, and believing in what you’re building even during difficult seasons.

This episode is a beautiful reminder that growth often happens quietly, steadily, and faithfully over time.

Here’s what we are meant to take with us today:
Gratitude keeps us grounded, but commitment keeps us moving forward.

Thank you, Lori, for coming back and sharing your story again.

She came. She spoke. She inspired.

This podcast is presented by Summit Wealth Partners, LLC, a registered investment adviser that only conducts business in jurisdictions where it is properly registered or is excluded or exempted from registration requirements. Registration as an investment adviser is not an endorsement of the firm by securities regulators and does not mean that the adviser has achieved a specific level of skill or ability. The firm is not engaged in the practice of law or accounting.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:02

Welcome back to Women and the Businesses They Own. Today's episode is a very special one because it brings us full circle. One year ago, Lori LeClaire was my very first guest. She helped me begin this journey of sharing the stories of women and their businesses and the heart behind what they have built. And today she's back. We're going to reflect on the past year, what's changed, what's grown, and what's been challenged, and what continues to inspire her to keep moving forward. So welcome back, Lori. I'm so glad that you're here again. We might not get another opportunity for other guests to do this same thing, but being the first guest, it just made sense as we came up on this anniversary. I think we're really close to the exact day. So on this anniversary of our first ever podcast, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_02 0:57

I am great. Thank you for asking me to come back. Yeah, you're so welcome.

SPEAKER_00 1:03

Yep. I I appreciate you saying yes and being able to take time. I know that you have been having so much going on in the last year. For the listeners that might be new to the podcast or haven't heard one before, maybe didn't catch your very first one. Just give us a little background, even personally and professionally, so we can all get caught up to speed, and then we're gonna dive right in. Okay.

SPEAKER_02 1:27

Well, um, my name is Lori LeClaire, and first and foremost, I'm a wife and a mother of actually a 20-year-old son now. Um, that's crazy to think like that, but he's 20. Um, and then I also own natural northern foods, and so what that is, is a um we do a line of deli products, salsas, cream cheese spreads, hummuses, things like that, hot sauces. And then just recently I sort of um pivoted into the natural skincare world, and I've started a line of tallow lotions and things like that. So that's the quick answer.

SPEAKER_00 2:08

That's the quick answer. Yeah, just just connected, just start with dips and salsas and just move right into skincare. Tell us a little bit about how the skincare came about. Well, how did that idea pop in your head first and resonate with you before even launching it?

SPEAKER_02 2:25

Well, um, I've always wanted everything to be as natural as possible. So, you know, of course, that's with the food. We try never to um use any preservatives or things like that and make sure everything is, you know, as fresh as possible. Um, that said, I started just kind of going down the rabbit hole of if I'm going to eat naturally, I'm going to try to use natural products. And um, you know, I started looking into beef tallow. I never would have thought that I would be doing this, honestly. Um, but there's so many vitamins to it, you know, and it's so good for your skin. And everything that I was putting on my skin, I I really think I was looking for a result, but not necessarily paying attention of how to get that result. Um, and so, you know, I wanted to start looking at that. I started looking at everything I was using, good stuff, but not necessarily natural. And then I started messing around and just experimenting, and and then I started passing it out to my friends. That's how it always works.

SPEAKER_00 3:33

That's how yeah, you've got to start, you've got to start with your friend base and your family and those closest to you, and kind of get all of their like whether or not they love it, and all of their, I guess, ideas and what have you. Yeah. Okay, let's go back really quick. So this is um, so happy Mother's Day, because that was just yesterday. Yeah, thank you. And so your 20-year-old son, our very first time together, you had explained how you used to take him to this kitchen with you. I mean, you basically got married, had a baby, and launched a business all within the same year or pretty darn close. I mean, everybody should try that. Yeah, I was crazy four months, I'm sure. And here we are 20 20 years later. So instead of him in toe, right? Now, do you ever see him? Or, you know, is he's he's kind of launching a little bit on his own. And do you find yourself with a little bit more time? Is this is this the season to really develop and start, you know, this yes.

SPEAKER_02 4:33

So, you know, Braxton has been um really has seen all of this, you know. I mean, when we got the building, he was three years old. So he's been literally seeing everything firsthand since he was just a little guy. And he has actually since gone on to uh start his own uh detailing, card detailing business, which is kind of cool, you know, because I think it's because he saw, you know, what it was like to do that. But um, yeah, he is not around as much. He still lives with us, but um, I have more time, and I think that that's what made this other part of the business easier for me because I didn't have that time and I was sort of feeling I was, you know, I was missing him and missing that role that I that I have had for so many years.

SPEAKER_00 5:27

Yeah, no, I can understand that. I mean, our sons are our sons are friends. So so I mean, I I'm fully aware, and even last night, just a little tidbit, you know, Josh wasn't, do I eat like when I'm 23, do I still have to tell you where I am every night? It was like, well, why do you ask? I'm adjusting. I guess us as moms, we adjust a little bit differently than that our children do. So it was it was a nice little conversation, you know, that we had. I guess we have to somehow have them when they're launching and we're just trying to, you know, figure out what does it look like to be a mom of adult children. I mean, that's just the space we're in, but everybody else seems to get it. So I know I will too, and I'm sure you will too.

SPEAKER_02 6:16

Well, that was very difficult for me for the last, you know, I would say probably year and a half. I mean, I'm now finally accepting my fate and everything else with it. But I think that once you can get past that adjustment, then um, I don't know, I guess I see it as another opportunity to be able to do more things that I love. And not because I would feel guilty about it, but you know, as a mom, you kind of feel guilty if it's something you like if you're taken away from you know the family or something. But now I seem to be a little bit more free so I can do more stuff. So let's start skincare.

SPEAKER_00 6:57

So I mean, in addition to the beef tallow, because would you say the beef tallow that you're doing in the skincare, is that more like hand lotion or body moisturizer type?

SPEAKER_02 7:09

Um, yeah, I mean it's like it's hand and body moisturizing. Um you know, I say the tallow because we have four different blends of that. Okay, what are those four? Um, we have a citrus and sage, which you haven't tried yet. No, that was new, and then um the rose is the original, and then we do a sun balm, and then we have a magnesium and tall. So that's really great.

SPEAKER_00 7:36

Okay. So those those are sound fantastic. So before, I mean, if anybody's even listening, right? I mean, not that not that's not what I meant. If for those that are listening, if you're even interested already, because I can imagine just knowing that these four tallows that are out there, what is your website for them to be?

SPEAKER_02 7:55

Well, we don't really have it on the website quite yet. So we just had our professional pictures taken last week.

SPEAKER_00 8:02

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 8:03

Um, I did my first demo, um, my retail demo on Saturday. And so we'll be working on getting a whole new like Shopify page for that and adding it to our website. So give us like uh just a few weeks and we'll have that set up.

SPEAKER_00 8:20

Okay, perfect. Because you um, when you said retail, there's a store there in Travis City that has your line on the shelves already.

SPEAKER_02 8:28

Yeah, two of them. Um, Orion West and um their original Orion on 10th Street. And um just great stores, all natural. I shop there, so I think it just makes sense, you know, and I'm very blessed that they actually carry our skincare line and they carry our um the the cream cheese spreads and salsas and things like that.

SPEAKER_00 8:53

Okay. Well, you also have um, in addition to the tallow, you do a lot of um like the facial type um yes moisturizer, I guess, right? So tell us a little bit about those.

SPEAKER_02 9:05

Well, we have a face serum, is what it's called. It's a hydrating serum. Um, we like the special ingredient to that is the pearl powder and the carrot seed oil. So you're getting vitamin C and the pearl powder. That's awesome. Um, we also have a hair oil, and um, you know, who doesn't like their hair soft and shiny? Right. That and then we also have a couple of lip butters. So one is tinted in um naturally with um organic beet powder, and then there's a just a regular um lip butter just to keep your lips moisturized.

SPEAKER_00 9:45

So I and many of our listeners are probably wondering, are you making these all by hand yourself still? Or how are you?

SPEAKER_02 9:53

Oh no, I am. I am, and um, I am, and I intend to stay that way. You know, I don't I don't intend to I don't foresee trying to get a big distribution. I'd love to keep this small boutique and um for the people who really just want natural, you know. Um our stuff, our our salsas and our cream cheese spreads, we're lucky they are all over our Michigan, really, and um and we're so blessed for that. But this I want to make sure that I'm the one who's making it because it really is all about the whip for the tallow. It sounds silly, but it's the texture thing, and um, and I've got I've got it down, and so I don't want to hand it off to anybody.

SPEAKER_00 10:40

No, I understand that. I've heard you use that phrase before. You've got the whip down. I mean, and it obviously is very important to figure this part out. So, no, I think that's really great, you know, that you're able to do all of this right inside your home and to um, you know, just do it yourself to be able to have the quantity needed. Because if I go back and look at the question I wanted to ask, another thing that would look really different from a year ago in your business, I'm gonna answer a little bit for you and have you just tell us more. Is you opened up your own store within the last year, or or at least evolved it a little bit more. So yeah, so tell us about that because I think these products are there.

SPEAKER_02 11:24

Well, they are, yes. And just to clarify, we have to I do make them at work. So okay, yeah. It's not it's not required, but it's just easier for me. But um, we put a store on the property, and so I call it the market, and it holds, you know, all of our products for the most part. If you're ever, I mean it's it's hard with the stores, not everybody has a shelf space. So if you're looking for something particular, our store has it because we, you know, if we've got that space, and we are trying to bring in other local people. Um, I don't want to just be all about natural northern. I mean, I think that's really cool, yeah. But trying to get other local uh manufacturers, people around in the area and sell their stuff, you know, jams, apple chips, things like that.

SPEAKER_00 12:14

Kind of it almost has a little um like a farmer's market feel.

SPEAKER_02 12:20

That's exactly it. Yeah, okay, yeah, because that's where we started the business in the in at the beginning of all of this. We started with the Sarah Hardy farmers market, and I did that for 14 summers.

SPEAKER_00 12:30

Yeah, that's when you had Braxton in tow and you were you know kicking off the business and all of the the things that you have to, if you haven't heard the first episode, you got to go back and listen because it was quite the story, and you had an amazing mentor that really was there that you said made such a difference in just sticking with it and kind of pushing yourself through to where you are today. So yeah, you know, that was that was a really good theme, I thought, for the the first episode is really it's it's yeah, I mean, you worked so hard and you did, I mean, to to go to somebody else's kitchen at one point, make on a Tuesday or something, and then sell it on Saturday, and then repeat, and then you know, I mean, you you had a a lot of things, I mean, a lot of heavy lifting, a lot of driving back and forth, putting in the car, taking it out. You had your son, and at that point, too, I think your husband was traveling quite a bit for work. Yes, and so it was just the two of you, and you were really just trying to kick this all off. So it was it's an incredible story of you just you know pushing through the I mean, that's a lot to think about right now. If I had to do that, I mean, could you think about doing it again?

SPEAKER_02 13:48

No, I've thought I do think about it, and I think about could I would I have the energy to do something like that again? And um, I still have the drive, but I don't know that I would have the energy, you know. Um 20 years later, I was 35 when I started it, and so you know, it was easier, it was harder, but it was easier, you know? Yes, and so um, but I couldn't have done, I I really feel so blessed that I couldn't have done all of it without so much help. I mean, my friends were great where they've always been, and of course you are one of them, um, but always sampling, giving me their honest feedback. There's been lots of people that have helped me with almost all of it, you know. Um, you know, even James has been such a consultant for me, even though he's got his own career. So I always I can't, I always feel like I can't really take all the credit. Sure. Because if I didn't have if I didn't have everybody, I don't know, I could just write recipes, but that's not gonna get me anywhere.

SPEAKER_00 14:54

That's the creative outlet I know that you love is the the recipe. Exactly what I love. Yeah, yeah. So if somebody even wanted your dips, so your website is natural northern foods, just natural northernfoods.com. And they can you can ship dips and salses and all of you, you have a bunch of seasoning, different um mixes of seasonings and things, so they'll see them all on that website, which is really awesome. And the shipping is um, it really comes quick too.

SPEAKER_02 15:23

Even the refrigerant well, I'm the one who's shipping it. I really I do stay, I'm a part of it, you know. I mean, I didn't start it and walk away. Sadly, and maybe not so sadly for the staff. I show up like a bad penny all the time. Well, it's your kitchen, and you gotta run your way. Yeah, and so I'm the shipper, you know, and um I'm the store tender and the skincare maker and all the stuff. So I I mean, I don't know what I would do without it, honestly.

SPEAKER_00 15:55

Well, and you may have the helpers that are doing your dips and salsas more on a regular, but you still create, don't you create a dip of the month or something similar to that? A dip of the week. A dip of the week.

SPEAKER_02 16:08

Yeah, yeah. I guess I have um, I don't know, maybe it's an anxiety thing. So what's your but I have all these? Um I haven't because I had today off. So okay. Um, but somebody did give me a fantastic idea. They they mess a customer messaged me and asked me if I had a spicy whipped feta dip. And I said, no, but that's a great idea. So maybe that'll be the dip of the week. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

Okay. I mean, I like spice, so that that also that's awesome to me automatically. Like more spice the better. Right? Then if it becomes popular, you can get it with like like four flames or six flames.

SPEAKER_02 16:47

I'll probably keep it very probably pretty chill, so everybody can try it. I mean, like you know, it'll have heat, but you have a habanero one that people really that people like. What's that one again that the habanero is? It's a roasted tomato and habanero salsa. That um we have three hot sauces, and then we also have um another uh probably more popular than the habanero, the roasted tomato and chipotle salsa. And so that one is just it's a spicy, but it's a different spice than the habanero, you know.

SPEAKER_00 17:23

So yeah, those are mine. Um, so if so, when we went back and we shared this time together a year ago, do you think anything really shifted or changed from you just by being on the podcast in a way where you got to share your story? And sometimes that reflection and that talking about it, it just did it bring some calm, did it bring more anxiety? Did you just go, what the heck did I do?

SPEAKER_02 17:51

No, I think it brought about more gratitude. You know, I think in your everyday, at least for me, I'm busy all the time, you know, and I'm multitasking. And it's very easy to forget about where you started, how hard you worked, but all the help that you got along the way. And so when I was thinking about it, and we talked about it, you know, it's just it's still always when I think about it, it gives me chills because I don't know, there's a lot of reasons why it didn't have to happen, but I was lucky enough that it did happen, you know, and it wouldn't have happened by myself. Yeah, so I think the gratitude, it just reminded me of I'm lucky. I have a lot of gratitude for that.

SPEAKER_00 18:32

Well, that's what makes you so special as well, is none of it is really expected on your part, and you're always so grateful. I love that. I mean, people you people that know you can see that about you automatically. Do you do you think that in this last year that there was a particular stretch moment in? I mean, and maybe we've already talked about it, so you could just reiterate it, but was there a particular moment that was just a stretch moment and what would it have taught you? What did you how did you experience that in business?

SPEAKER_02 19:05

Well, um, I think the winter always does that for me, you know, um, because our business is it's not seasonal, but yet it is, you know, um, we have a lot of tourism up here, and then of course in the winter we don't. And depending on what kind of winter it is, you know, we have a little tourism or we don't. And every year I just um it gets quiet. And it's how do I I do think about, you know, in my I'm always wondering, well, is this the winter that everything changes? Or, you know, is something gonna happen? And for some reason, that is always because it's that slow time for me. Um, it also allows me to reorganize and get my head back in the game, you know, coming off of the summer, even in the holiday times, it's busy. And then I have to think, do I still want to do this? Do I still have the energy? Do I still have the creativity? And then at the end of the day, I always say yes, I do, you know, so I don't think much of a stretch, but winter does is trying. And I don't I I probably because of the slow time and it seems very um unpredictable.

SPEAKER_00 20:24

I can see that in the harder the winter, gosh, this winter seemed hard here in Great Happy and being up in Traver City, it would just seem like a lot more snow, a lot more cold, and so people probably hunkered down. Nobody really never, I don't know, it might have been quieter even yet for you.

SPEAKER_02 20:42

No, it was definitely quiet. You know, I've got a great team, and so they recognize they've all been there for a while now. Um, and they recognize the slow, so they don't put too much pressure on me, you know. I've that's also as a somebody who's I takes I take all that on, you know, and they're usually very, very great about it, you know. They know that either they're gonna get a second job or they're just going to relax and enjoy their winter. Okay, well, that's good. And that is so incredibly helpful for me. It gives me just it's just one less thing that I have to worry about.

SPEAKER_00 21:19

Well, so in that in that last year, I mean, we've talked about how you have your storefront and and you've expanded with skincare. I mean, I would think that those quiet months must be really where you're even thinking, let's launch a whole new skincare, let's add another product to the skincare. Yeah, it's sell it in a storefront. Let's go to Oriana. I mean, so have we covered everything, or is there something more evolving where you're gonna add another tallow or another?

SPEAKER_02 21:49

Well, as far as the skincare goes, I think I'm gonna stick, I'm gonna give it a year. Okay, because we just have our new packaging. So when I started, I was designing the packaging. Which it turns out I'm not a good, um, I'm not a good package designer. I needed somebody professional. And um I can write the recipes, but I'm not good at the other part. And you can win. I can wit. It's all about the whip, I'm telling you. It's all about the whip. The difference. But um, so we just, you know, launched the new packaging um probably a month ago, maybe less, a little bit less. So it took the whole winter pretty much to get all of that ready and going. And um, and I did launch a new flavor of cream cheese. Oh so at the same time, and so we also started the spicy dill pickle.

SPEAKER_00 22:39

Oh my gosh, that's a a dip? A spicy dill pickle dip? Yep, cream cheese bread. Okay, so for all of us listening, what would you eat with the spicy dill? Like what would you pair it with?

SPEAKER_02 22:52

We put it on burgers.

SPEAKER_01 22:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 22:55

Um, you we put it on turkey sandwiches, and um, it's great with with you know, crackers. Sure. James likes triskets, um pretzels, things like that.

SPEAKER_00 23:08

Oh man, I can't wait to try that one. The spices are fun. Still, I mean, I think that's really cool that you would put that on sandwiches or a burger, even. I I mean, I I'm thinking like crackers, galore, but I love that even I've got to get out of my box sometimes and go, oh yeah, of course, why can't you put a dip on a sandwich?

SPEAKER_02 23:25

I mean, that's well, yeah, but I'm I'm looking at these things all day long. I've got plenty of time to think that way.

SPEAKER_00 23:31

So, where did the idea come for the spicy dill? Did I say that right? Spicy dill.

SPEAKER_02 23:37

Spicy dill. Um, yeah, so it was we've had it for had the recipe for a little over a year, and I was just waiting for a time to um, I've been, you know, testing it out with customers. I would make it as a the dip of the week and things like that occasionally and at the farmer's market. And so um I I just wanted to last year in 2025, pickled things were like the trend, the food trend. And so immediately I went to pickles, even though I don't eat pickles that much. Um, but I thought it seemed fun, and then you don't want to just do just a plain pickle dip, so then I had to make it spicy, you know, and things like that. So, you know, and that's really where it came from. And then I finally went to the uh and the art, we've had the art for over a year as well. It's crazy. And then I just decided to this is the time. So we took it to a food show in March, and that was our official launch. And you know, now we're selling. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00 24:46

Yeah, I didn't even know that you had that new one. And that's how it works, folks. It's just that easy.

SPEAKER_02 24:54

Well, it's a it's timing too. You know, I don't remember when the artwork when that all came about um last year. I don't remember. But you you can launch things anytime for the food, but if you can get it into the stores before the summer comes, yeah, you know, it at least it gets it's easier to get noticed, you know. In the summertime, it just doesn't always work that smoothly because everybody's busy. Yes, yeah, whatever, just put it over there, you know, whatever. But in the in the fall, or well, in the fall and or in the late spring, you can get people to taste it. And if they taste it, you know, then they'll want to sell it. And so that's that's how it works.

SPEAKER_00 25:39

So when you say artwork, it's just because of the container and like what that container looks like, or the the sticker or something on that which you're referring to?

SPEAKER_02 25:48

Okay. Um, I work with a graphic artist, Aaron O'Malley, and she's amazing, and she's man, she's like doing everything, she's awesome. She's done all the skincare. I can't wait for you to see all the packaging. And um, she's done all of our labels for probably the last eight years. Okay. And um, I wouldn't, I don't know, I can't imagine not working with her. She's great. She's doing all of our advertising.

SPEAKER_00 26:16

And um, and so it it's just like the lab, the top label, the you know, all those little the little the things that sell the product for sure when you're looking at it in the packaging. So, well, in your business, it's still been, you know, you have a handful of employees that really just make the salsas and the dips and what have you. Did you go through a transition, if I remember correctly, where you lost an employee? I did. Um how does that work?

SPEAKER_02 26:47

He was definitely part of the team, and um, you know, it was he was doing an important part. He was in charge of um mixing all the cheese spreads. So, you know, losing that person and everybody else has stepped up. So that's not, you know, it's we've lost him, but everybody stepped up, but we're about to get really busy, you know. So trying to fill those shoes is not easy. Oh, so we found anybody that uh no, we've got Braxton, he's been helping me. My son has been helping me for uh two days a week, first first two days, Mondays and Tuesdays. Okay, um, but he's gonna get really busy too. So yeah, that's a successful. I'll lose him. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 27:33

So, but it's you know, we're just all trying to figure it out. Yeah. And so as a as a business, where how do you find new people? You know, I mean, what are you doing? That's a good question.

SPEAKER_02 27:46

I just placed another ad on Facebook. You know, because um it's manufacturing, you know, you it's not like you're gonna find it's not easy to find somebody and they're not gonna be on LinkedIn, you know, looking for these jobs. And so it's work of mouth, or um, you know, in the past we've had um friends with uh their kids or 16 and looking for jobs and things like that. But we've you know, probably in the last two years become a little bit more serious. So I need somebody that's a little bit more uh capable, you know, not to say that we don't have young people, but um we need we need to be very particular anymore. Oh, I'm sure every it's all hands on deck all the time.

SPEAKER_00 28:37

Yep, and that's what you were just saying, even before we started, is that you know, as we start getting closer to summer, or the anticipation that we might get a little sunshine and heat that that our orders are already coming in a little bit more. So even with um somebody new, a newer business there in Travis City, it's across the street. So um tell us about I mean, tell us about some of those companies that are finding you, wanting to, you know, because you've got new people that this is always happening, so that increases what you have to make when you have these bigger products coming through.

SPEAKER_02 29:14

Well, a lot of it, you know, so we've been very lucky to be with some really um very well positioned wineries and breweries, and so being with them, they showcase our products so they have them in the in their tasting rooms, and then somebody who's going to see that place, you know, or whatever, they are like, oh, where do we get that? And so then they start acquiring. And a lot of it has to do with mostly we're distributed by um a couple of distributors. And for these smaller businesses, unless you can meet this, you know, this quota, you know, whether it's a dollar amount or an amount of products, they are kind of left out in the the cold and they can't do that. Well, once they, you know, call us, of course we want to, we I want the business. And I love each part of the breweries and the and the wineries. I think that's awesome. Because really at the end of the day, that's kind of where our products are a good fit, you know. Um so every time there's a new one, they talk amongst themselves or something, and then they're so you're not even reaching out to them. No, you know, I'm not a good salesperson. I I'm I'm not, and uh, I'm not very good at that at all. And and so I don't even attempt it. I just save all the trouble.

unknown 30:44

You just save all the trouble.

SPEAKER_00 30:46

Well, you know, we all know our strengths and weaknesses, and your product speaks for itself. So I mean, it's doing really well for you. But what was the are you able to share what was across the street? Because it's not, I don't think it's a winery or a brewery.

SPEAKER_02 30:59

Um, yeah, so it's Heartwood Ciders, and they're coming in. Well, they're already there, they're doing a soft opening currently right now, and they'll be open by the end of the month for everybody, but they're doing ciders and they're making everything like in-house right there, and we actually have have tasted it and really good stuff. James was there, yeah, yeah. And they are on Lautner Road, so they're um basically just right across the main road from where we're at. We could walk each other if we wanted to. Yeah, and they love your dips too. I'm very lucky, yeah. I don't remember um how they heard of us, um, but they came to us and this was in the winter time, and you know, we're talking about their opening, and they just got their first order in uh on Friday. So perfect, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 31:54

That's really good news. I love that. I mean, uh and that might be good for people going up to Travis City. There's a new Slater place.

SPEAKER_02 32:02

Yeah, and it's actually good because you know me, I don't really I drink wine, but I I did try it, and um, it is really good.

SPEAKER_00 32:09

And I I would drink it if you're a Slater person, you gotta go, right? It's a good one. Yeah, um, I just think that's really cool about Travis City because you just hear, you know, like there's just it. I mean, you guys are built with so much tourism all the time, basically, with people coming up because there's not you you're kind of landlocked up there. There's not a lot of there's a housing problem and there's an employee help problem. But yeah, but the business is launching, you know, those type of ciders and breweries and distilleries and wineries. I mean, they're in abundance up there, and and they all have their own theme and niche, so it's beautiful. I I love that area, of course.

SPEAKER_02 32:48

So I love that people start things, you know. I mean, it was it's really been fun. I haven't these people have been working on this place for uh somewhere between three and five years. Wow. And um, and I love that kind of thing because you know, really that's how we started. And anybody that wants to put that kind of time into it, and when you meet them, I don't know, they're really they're just good people and they really worked hard. And I don't know, I think that's great. I I think they'll be successful.

SPEAKER_00 33:18

Yeah, I'm sure they will be. That's awesome. So we we've talked about Brexit a little bit already, and the, you know, and even James, and so I mean, everybody's you guys have got your kind of mojo little bit. Everybody's kind of doing their own thing, right? At this point, but all helping each other out at the same time. But um, if you were to look back over this last year, what does success look like today for you versus maybe what would you have said a year ago?

SPEAKER_02 33:51

I love that we all seem to be working in unison, but yet all doing our own thing. So if I need help, you know, James actually was at the kitchen this weekend. He watched the store for me because I had a demo. Braxton is working there, and it's not about me, but I mean just having that family kind of thing because when I first started, um, you know, Braxton was too young, he was just a little guy, and James was young in his career. It was just starting, so it was really he focused, he had to focus on that. And you know, it's it's so cool to be able to share that. I don't know, it feels more of a family business, even though it's always been that way. It feels more of it today than it has been, you know, in the past.

SPEAKER_00 34:42

Well, and they're choosing to. It always feels good when they're choosing. That's it.

SPEAKER_02 34:46

Yeah. So we'll be uh, you know, I've got the Eastern Market. Um, we participate in the foodie fair in Detroit once a year. Okay. And normally that's in September. And but this this year it'll be in August, in early August. But um, but you know, James has done it with me now. I think this is our third year together. So that part is super, super awesome. And one year Braxton did it too. That was really the best year ever, but he didn't really like it as much. It was pretty crazy.

SPEAKER_00 35:19

Yeah, you liked it because he was there, but he probably liked it as much. Yeah, that makes a huge difference, is when I mean, because really you're you are building a legacy, you don't, I mean, and and a little bit of family being involved. And I know with your building that you have there, and now your market that's there. And when people come to the market, they can see your chickens, you know. So you have five more. Oh, five and your chickens are you know, you're using the eggs, right?

SPEAKER_02 35:48

Yes, but not in the products, but the eggs go to the staff or to us. So I just I love personally taking care of something that gives back, it is the most rewarding thing. It sounds weird, and I know I well, you know, I talk about the chickens, but it's the coolest thing to be able to take care of something that's taking care of meat. That's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 36:12

Yep.

SPEAKER_02 36:12

And then you also have like a little greenhouse, don't you do some of your own herbs or yeah, and so yeah, I'll um I have a freeze dryer, so I'll freeze dry what I can, you know, and and during the summer and stuff like that, but not of it's a small, it's a small greenhouse. Um, but I'm currently seeding, starting all my seeds now. So I'm getting ready. Hopefully it's gonna be a big one. It'll be a good summer for us. But ideally, I try to incorporate if I can.

SPEAKER_00 36:45

So you have a lot going on, and then I know that James has helped you, even just keeping the mowing up to date, or you're doing the mowing and he might do something else. But I mean, it has become much more of a family affair because yeah, I mean, it's been more I I've seen where your business has evolved a lot in the last year, but certainly over the time period that we've known each other, which has probably been almost a decade already, that we have so I mean a lot's been going on, and it takes a lot of people to continue to maintain it. So I think that's that's fantastic.

SPEAKER_02 37:17

Yeah, I'm very blessed for that because James is helping me with I used, I did used to do all the mowing too. And so he is he's helping, he's just helping, you know? Yeah and I think that that is, I don't know. I just think it's super cool. I think it's great.

SPEAKER_00 37:34

Yeah, you do have another, and I and and if you can't talk about it, that's fine, but you do have another product that's kind of in the works um when it comes to natural pet food. Oh can we talk about natural pet food? Or is this one of those things that's in the incubation period?

SPEAKER_02 37:53

No, we can talk about it. I mean, obviously, um you've you've been buying the pet the dog food because I have a freeze dryer, and um I used to have uh two dogs, and one had uh, you know, like some special dietary issues, and I was always trying to find something that was gonna I've always made their food, not always, but probably like eight years now. And um the freeze dryer just seemed to be the way to go. And so I started freeze-drying food for them and then um introduce it to you. And I actually have a couple constant customers consistent besides yourself. Oh good, yep. I mean, you're the only one on the subscription, sure. Yes, well, they come regularly to come in, but they're local. That's probably why. Um, but yeah, you know, I'm I'm doing that as well. I haven't looked into licensing for that yet. So that'll you know, I see that evolving in the next couple of years for sure.

SPEAKER_00 38:56

Yeah, I I would. You have to for my dog's sake. Oh, yeah, no, I will. She's every time I'm making it in the morning, and by making it, it's just adding a little bit of you know, good water and kind of getting it all and stirring it. And my gosh, she's jumping every morning. And Josh will sometimes he'll be around, he's like, geez, Sophie, just let her, you just let her get the food. So I know she enjoys it immensely, but it's I it's nice because it's uh it's it's healthy and you know it's healthy. You can see every ingredient and your labeling um tells you every ingredient. So whether it's your dog food or your dips and sauces, your seasonings, your skincare, it's always very clean ingredients, very well labeled, very I can pronounce every one of them. And so for any of our listening listeners that might be somewhat health conscious in this area, that is one thing that I think is so special is somebody might say, Well, what's in it? And I'm like, I can pronounce every one of these ingredients. We know them, and and they're vegetables or maybe some rice or some protein with chicken. And um, you've done a uh like a burger one in the past, ground beef one or something in the past. Yeah, and that's called Larry's, I think Larry's Dinner. That's Larry's dinner versus the chicken is tigers.

SPEAKER_02 40:19

Yeah, because tiger needed his, he needed to be lean. Well, Larry does too. We won't say anything now.

SPEAKER_00 40:26

Well, so does Sophie, but I mean, I don't think it's helping her lose weight, but it's keeping her healthier. We've not yet.

SPEAKER_02 40:35

That's it. And so I think if it's whole food, whether it's human or non, you know, that's where we need to stay. And I made a decision a long, long time ago to make sure I was as transparent as humanly possible on those labels. Because I, I mean, I've got two or three apps on my phone that I can, you know, scan in the grocery store and all the stuff that we don't see, you know, and and so I don't want to be like that. And I think that in order, I don't know, if I'm gonna say that I'm not going to do that, I'm not gonna do it. And so we try to be as transparent as possible. It's not to say that others, you know, it's not it's not uh a rip on anybody else, but we do that way.

SPEAKER_00 41:16

Yeah, I love your choices. I love your choices.

SPEAKER_01 41:19

Well, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 41:19

Well, so if someone were listening today who's in that early stage, like you were, you know, once what would you want them to know now that you didn't fully understand then for yourself? Like fast forward.

SPEAKER_02 41:30

What well, you know, obvious for the obvious stuff, it takes a lot of work, it takes a lot of prior a lot of energy, and it does take passion. But I think what I never thought about really, I don't think I I don't remember thinking about it, was the commitment, you know, and so I don't I don't think I ever thought that through. Not that that's a bad, I mean, that's I feel like that's the the commitment is what kind of gets you through it when things aren't going great, you know, or you have a bad day. I always loved and wanted what I'm doing now. Um, but there were days, sometimes a week, when I was like, I can't do it, I can't do it. And then I would go to bed and I'd wake up and I would be like, no, this is what I'm doing. But you have to have the commitment, the follow-through. And I think it's really easy to um have ideas. I don't think it's always very easy to to continue to have commitment and follow through.

SPEAKER_00 42:35

So I think that's a strong word.

SPEAKER_02 42:37

That is huge. That's something that um I just never I thought I was gonna be able to to stay. I I thought I would be able to do it because I wanted it and it and it was I was passionate about it and I had the energy. But you know, I mean, sometimes that's just not enough. I had to be committed.

SPEAKER_00 42:59

You have to be committed. I mean, I can almost see like when today's using AI, you could almost go on there and just you almost have to have a commitment contract. Yeah, you know, I mean, I mean, I don't think that we necessarily had to do that in the past, but sometimes life is flying fast around us. It's so easy to to pivot or to or to change, but really, I mean, I think that's a a commitment is huge when you want to be successful. You have to see it through. You have, and you know, obviously it's kind of like a little recipe that you have, right? You first you put in the commitment, which is huge, and then you can add in the motivation and the energy and the passion, you know, but those don't get you all the way there. It's I I think this is huge. That commitment is really the the core to get it.

SPEAKER_02 43:50

But I never I didn't even it didn't even occur to me back then, you know. Yeah, it just never entered my mind. I thought I had all the right stuff in there. The recipe was. Done and then jump down to commitments. What am I gonna do? Am I gonna do this? I'm doing this. I'm not, I'm not not doing this.

SPEAKER_00 44:09

Well, a little self-reflection goes a long way. I mean, you know, that's kind of what helps, I think, move forward with the the business plan going forward is taking a step back and really thinking about your journey. Then you understand how you got here a little bit more so. Yes. And for you know, some of the women that might be listening today are even in that spot of just wanting to start, I think that's key that we're able to share. Commitment is huge. You think you have everything else, but if you don't have it, stick to it power. You really need that. And we all know the five-year or seven-year itch or whatever they're saying about business. I think it's a five-year-old I mean, those first five years, you're just putting in, putting in, and you're not getting a lot out. But it's also the time period where businesses fail. And so you have to know this commitment going in.

SPEAKER_02 45:00

And yes, my my mentor asked me, we were seven years in, and he asked me what it felt like to not take a paycheck. And that was the first time that at that point that I had thought about that, like because I had just been working, I'm just doing it, you know. And I remember Ken saying that to me, and it did put me back for a few days, and I was like, Well, geez, yeah, right? I'm not I'm not getting paid. But the commitment was that my dry, I just wanted to get to a point where this was going to be forever, you know. I I don't know how to say it any other way, but you know, that it was a very um eye-opening conversation that I had at that seven-year mark, but nothing deterred me. And so I was lucky enough to keep on going and you know, things have changed, but you know, 20, it's been 21 years now.

SPEAKER_00 46:01

What would you say is um your overall what is what is your end goal? Is it to be in selling in so many states, to be in so many regions? Is it notoriety of natural northern? Is it to be the natural ingredient guru? Is it revenue? I mean, how do you what do you think it is for you that that keeps driving you? What is it that you hope to succeed or well?

SPEAKER_02 46:29

Luckily, I guess, and probably not very business-wise, it's never been about getting rich. I never counted on that. Um I did and I still do want to have a business, it's I guess a like a legacy. I don't need to have a um everybody doesn't need to know about it, but I need to know that I did something that I don't know, that I said I was gonna do, you know, and I think having Braxton really helped that, you know, made me see now he probably doesn't want anything to do with this. You know, he's not into food, he's he loves cars and things like that. But um, I don't know. It's like I have these two children, you know, and they're both growing up. And they well, they've grown up together, you know, Braxton and Natural Northern side by side. Yeah, they have.

SPEAKER_00 47:26

I was gonna say they're twins because it was the same year.

SPEAKER_02 47:29

Side by side, but um, I don't know, you know. I I don't know, I still don't know. I just keep doing it. I don't know. I don't know if that's a a bad answer, if that's not very um, it's probably not very thought-provoking, but I can't imagine not doing what I'm doing. And I don't know how I want it to end, you know. I just know I don't want it to end.

SPEAKER_00 47:56

You don't want it to end. Well, so let's take the never end and shorten it by a year. So a year from today, now going forward, what are you hoping to accomplish in this next year? I want or what are yeah, what are you hoping that would change?

SPEAKER_02 48:12

So yeah, I well, um, I think in in the next year, I would like things to be a little bit more streamlined, you know. Um, so we make everything, we do everything by hand, whether it's the cheese, the salsa, or the skincare. Um, I don't want to, I don't need to automate. That's not what I mean, but I do believe that I would like it to be a little bit not easier, but a little bit smoother, you know. I don't know. Um, that's probably not the way to say it necessarily. Um I would just like things to be a little bit sometimes a little less um, I'd like to be able to expect things, you know. One of the things that I liked about this business is every single day is different. I might think that tomorrow I've already got my whole plan and what's gonna happen, and then I walk in and something changes and that's exciting. But sometimes I I long for the like the consistency.

SPEAKER_01 49:17

Sure.

SPEAKER_02 49:18

You know, and so just a little bit more consistency, I think, would be would be great. And I hope in a year that the team that I have, I still have them because they've been with me now. One's been seven years, one's been five, and I don't foresee that not being that way, but I just um I feel like it's a family kind of thing, even though we're not family, it's family, you know. Yeah, um, so I hope that everybody is happy still in a year. It's not really much of a plan though.

SPEAKER_00 49:53

No, that's a good plan that that you still have your staff and that you're looking for ways to streamline could be just something as easy as you know, having. I mean, well, you've already talked, you don't you you already have some sort of minimums, I mean, or some sort of consistency in the orders or two, but whatever whatever gets there.

SPEAKER_02 50:12

I mean, it's just some creativity that I know you'll you'll get, but it's a it's a it's a goal, and now well, and I want to be able to, I guess when I say that I should explain it a little better. Um, I want to be able to continue to create, but the more that I create, sometimes the bumpier it gets. Right. By adding other things, and so um, you know, I just want to be able to continue to create and probably not cause as many bumps. I think the staff sometimes look at me and like, oh my god, all right, another dip, another dip. There's another one on the way, and and so I don't know. I don't know what how um how that's gonna look. I don't know, but I would I hope that I'm still able to continue to create.

SPEAKER_00 51:02

I know with everything that we have heard today, all the changes in this last year, I have no doubt that you will figure out, you know, with more certainty what that means for you and get that all done. So before we continue, on to our fun lightning round, I just want to take a moment to thank everybody for being here and listening. And if these conversations are meaningful to you, I'd love for you to subscribe or share this episode with someone who might need it. And this has been truly a great episode and so good for some of those that are just getting ready to maybe launch a business or just need a little commitment to stay with that business that uh can be real challenging. So here we are at the lightning round. So this is something new for Lori because I evolved and did not have the lightning round until I don't know, episode six, maybe, or something like that. So I don't have a timer or anything, but the goal is to think that you're on this timer and it's just more game show. You don't have to put your hand behind your back or anything, but buzzer ready. Okay, I'm ready. Um, so what is something that we would find in your nightstand? Oh, um seeds, honestly, garden seeds.

SPEAKER_02 52:18

Garden seeds are in your nightstand? I hate yes, I know you'll probably remind me of that later on, but um yeah, because it's really dark and um it's good for the seeds.

SPEAKER_00 52:31

Oh, okay, all right. Hey, there we go. What is your favorite number and why?

SPEAKER_02 52:37

Oh, seven. Um, because it's Braxton's favorite number, and he was born on the seventh, and yeah, and it just fits, and it's lucky number seven, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 52:50

Well, and my son's hockey number is seven seven seventy-seven. So oh, yeah. So yeah, yep. Sevens are just kind of raining over here. So um, where is the best place you've ever traveled to?

SPEAKER_02 53:05

I think Banff, Canada. Oh, I think that was um very beautiful. I haven't traveled a ton, but um, the Rockies, it was beautiful there, and all the nature.

SPEAKER_00 53:16

I love nature, so I I've heard a couple of people go there. It's it's now on my own bucket list or my minor bucket list anyway. Have you ever traveled any place um as a for foodie? Like where you would say you went specific to um we just went to Philadelphia to go.

SPEAKER_02 53:35

Um, well, I went out to Philadelphia for a vacation. Um, but we went to, and I I'm sad I can't remember, I'm trying to remember the name of the restaurant, but it was actually in um it's a Netflix show. Okay. I think it's called um Farm to Table. I don't know. Um dang it. If James heard this, he's gonna be so disappointed that I don't remember. But it was it was great. It was um great food. We actually we did that. We went out to a cheesesteak place that was also in that show. I've never had cheesesteak, so I had nothing to compare it to, but it was good, it was fun to say I was there. Yeah, yeah. But I really get all of my inspiration back in the day from um Sacramento.

SPEAKER_00 54:23

Oh, yeah, from your day, and all their yeah, all their farmers markets and things like that. Oh, that sounds great. Okay. So what are if you are listening to a podcast, what one are you loving right now?

SPEAKER_02 54:38

Well, I don't really listen to them very often. Um a good one for me, which really helped me sort of let go of some things that I was trying to, you know overdo was the let them mellow, you know, what mel get them. Yeah, let them. And so that was really good. Um, a lot of times when I have downtime, I'm just listening to music.

SPEAKER_00 55:05

Okay, so what's your favorite music? What's your favorite genre?

SPEAKER_02 55:10

Well, that's hard. Um, I'm all over the board, but I have started getting into frequencies. Um music with different frequencies, it's very calming to me. So a lot of times I'll when I'm doing my art or something, I'm listening to that. Or it's um the staff can listen to whatever they want all day long, which is totally fine. Um, but it's not mine, you know, it's not very calming. And so when they're not there, the calming music comes on and everybody's good.

SPEAKER_01 55:41

Everybody's getting together.

SPEAKER_00 55:43

Okay, last one is if your business had a theme song, what would it be?

SPEAKER_02 55:54

Um I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 55:59

Um I don't I I don't know. Alicia Keys, what is her song?

SPEAKER_02 56:08

This girl is on fire. Oh, I've never, yeah, I do know that song. Um maybe there's a better one. Well, no, I just um I've never really thought about it, you know. I I suppose this is again, James would probably be disappointed that I'm saying this, but when I would go to the farmer's market, I would have to be doing this at six o'clock in the morning, and I'd be working really hard to get myself there, whether I was, you know, taking care of Braxton, whatever. There was an MM song that was very um motivating, let's say, you know. Okay. Um, I can't remember it. I should look through my phone real quick, but um, I would say that probably it was basically it was a motivational kind of thing. Okay. That works. But a little bit of rap to get you up and going, even though that's not my genre. No, I wouldn't have thought so, but hey, it works. Yeah, it was kind of I, you know, it was lose yourself. It was just a great song for somebody that didn't want to give up, you know. And for me at the time, that was incredibly important because one, I was tired, and two, well, I was just tired all the way around. And it was helpful. I was just tired.

SPEAKER_00 57:22

Well, knowing his songs, you just couldn't sleep if you had that one playing. Right.

SPEAKER_02 57:27

So I wouldn't say that's my genre, but that definitely was um, that was a cool song for me at motivational. But I don't really, I'm kind of lame. I guess I don't think like that about what song would be.

SPEAKER_00 57:39

So did you mention yeah, I know you said it was um Eminem. Did you actually give us the title?

SPEAKER_02 57:45

Oh, lose yourself.

SPEAKER_00 57:46

Lose yourself. Okay, I thought you had said that. I want to make sure I didn't over talk you at that moment, but lose yourself. Okay. For those of you listening and you just need the upbeat song. Yeah, lose yourself.

SPEAKER_02 57:59

Hey, I'll be back. And the credibility that I may have had at the beginning of this podcast has plummeted. I'm quite sure with the end of this. So I'm just gonna, I don't know. I you have to be honest.

SPEAKER_00 58:12

Honestly, I I'm going to wrap this up here with what really stood out to me. I'm gonna take the heat because you're doing excellent. Don't be high on yourself. You actually, I I love this episode, and I know that others are loving it just as much as I am. But what what resonates with me even more so, and I know that we had just mentioned it, I I started with writing down my key words were gratitude, which I think is really important. If we there, I listen to podcasts all the time, and so many of them will say, you know, I mean, in order for us to even achieve our own successes, we have to be truly grateful for what we already have. And you're you have that gratitude in that heart that is so important. But really, what stood out to me even more so is that commitment. I love that you had said that because I think that we we tend to forget about that. But that's truly what the core of doing or starting any business is is the commitment to the business or the commitment to ourselves. Yeah. Whether you have an agreement with yourself or not, whatever it takes, it's a little bit of discipline, even to continue that commitment. But we've thrown out some big words like passion and motivation and discipline, and commitment trumps them all, in my opinion. I would agree. So I that really resonated. I love that you shared that, and that was a big moment. So thank you again, Lori, for coming back, for sharing your journey and for allowing us to be part of your story again. And today you shared it beautifully.

SPEAKER_02 59:41

Well, thank you, and thanks for having me on and putting up with all my silliness. Feel free to edit out anything like the MMO.

SPEAKER_00 59:49

Listen up, this is raw, organic, and natural.

SPEAKER_01 59:52

Oh, fantastic.

SPEAKER_00 59:54

So today she came, she spoke, and she inspired. And we'll see you next time. Any last words?

SPEAKER_02 1:00:02

Uh no, thank you. Okay, thank you for inspiring me. Honestly, you are one of the friends that I always can, you know, offer the samples to, and and you are always very, you're just very supportive of everything that I do. So I think that that's really awesome to have friends like that.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:21

Oh, thank you. I appreciate that. Well, you have the greatest night, and I'll see you soon. Okay, sounds good. Bye.