What’s The Aversion To Change?

 

OK, I get change is difficult. It took me 28 years to leave my day job to embark on the great Snarf Foods adventure (best decision I ever made, except marrying my husband after 14 years of dating).

Yes, there is a pattern in my life. I don’t like change, but this time I am talking about actual physical change – dimes, nickles and quarters. I the past couple of weeks, I have encountered people refusing to return my change. “We round up” or “do you really want your change back?” YES, I want my change back! She (that’s me & Donna Summer) works hard for her money!

Now this “surplus” of coins is not going into a container on the counter to support a not-for-profit, but rather into to the store or bartenders pocket.

So please, I know it can be inconvenient to return change in a world of invisible transactions, but I’ll give you my change when you’ve earned it and not before.

Rant over. Oh, by the way, stay off my lawn too!

Snarf On!

 

The Perfect White Elephant!

No, I am not talking about the an animal you might find in the jungle or a fairy tail, but rather the gift that keeps on giving (because no one really wants to keep it, except those with a GREAT sense of humor!).

It’s the Snarf Foods™ party hat for party snacks! Want to stick it to a fellow employee or that annoying family member? Well, here you go. Our party hat for party snacks can be yours for a mere $10.00. Hey, it’s worth it just to see their face. When they are gone, they are gone (and we will all be happy about that!) so get yours today! https://snarffoods.com/products/crazy

Have a wonderful holiday, whatever you celebrate and of course Snarf On!

I’m A Finalist And I Am Excited!

 

I’m a finalist! No, not Miss America (obviously, just checkout that photo!) or the Noble Peace Prize (someday, but not quite yet), but the Web.com Small Business Grand Championship!

I now go up against 21 other local winners from across the country, and let me tell you the competition is stiff. These guys (and they are all guys) are mammoth compared to Snarf Foods™, but being an underdog is not new. So I need to ask you a favor…VOTE! You, your spouse, your significant other, your kids, your employees, your customers, your friends, even your enemies, CAN VOTE ONCE EVERY 24 HOURS until November 1st, 2018. I don’t want to be embarrassed and come in last. It would be liked getting booted off one of these competitive cooking shows first thing…ouch!

So what do I win? Web.com services and products. Heaven knows I could use a bit of help on the Snarf Food™ web site and other social media platforms. I just can’t afford those services at this time.

So please VOTE, (just click on the link or scan the QR code below) and of course Snarf On!

Lost In The Time Space Continuum…

I am not a huge Sci-Fi fan, but I seem to be caught in a space/time continuum.  In particular, why does time seem (though I am quite sure it actually is) to be going so darn fast?

It’s already been a year since I left the security (and insanity) of my day job of 28 years to devote 100% of my attention to my passion Snarf Foods™. OK, I have a dog, a husband and a house, so it’s still not 100%, but it’s a whole lot better than before.

I have kept my head down and accomplished some really great things, met some wonderful people, got a lot of help and made a very, very (did I say very) small dent in the specialty food market. People are beginning to know and love Snarf Foods™. Hey, you found this blog didn’t you? (And please help us spread the word by sharing it!).

There is much more to accomplish and the only things that stand in my way are the voices in my head telling me to quit and how much time there is in a day. I am dealing with the voices (some days better than others), but there is no way to make the day slow down. As they say, time marches on.

So until the next time I let the words spill out of my brain into this blog…
“Beam me up Scotty” or better yet Snarf On!

Don’t Rain On My Parade!

For some reason I seem to have a Broadway theme running though my blogs. I recall not too long ago I was “Defying Gravity”. Last week, I was far from a “Funny Girl” as I attended my first outdoor farmer’s market of the season. The spectacular Kenosha Harbor Market. It was indeed raining on my parade. In fact, it was so cold on May 12^th that I was pretty sure it was also snowing on my parade! People (those who even bothered to show up, wouldn’t even take off their gloves to take samples). It was a very disheartening day for Snarf Foods.™

Nevertheless, she persisted and will continue to persist (or Snarf On! which is probably more appropriate)…and don’t you dare rain on my parade!

Earth Day 2018

Why is it we only celebrate Mother Earth once a year? Well we here at Snarf Foods™ believe it is a year round commitment. An everyday commitment.

From choosing recyclable packaging for our products; biodegradable packing peanuts when we do our shipping or adopting a street right here in Gurnee to keep clean. We take our commitment seriously (with a bit of fun because who can be too serious with a name like Snarf Foods™!).

We hope you too have a commitment to old Mother Earth. She REALLY needs our help these days. So do what you can, no matter how small and Snarf On!

 

 

 

I Rarely Toot My Own Horn, But Here Goes…

I won. Not the Oscar for Best Actor, though some days I do a pretty good job of putting on a brave face when things in my business don’t go as planned (that’s just about every day). No, last Friday night, I won the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year from the GLMV Chamber of Commerce at their 2018 membership gala. Yes, Snarf Foods™ is the real deal.

I am not going to lie, I am pretty excited, very honored and grateful. And guess what, I deserved it. Particularly, since last year was the most entrepreneurial of my life (just read my previous blogs on WordPress).

OK, for me to say that makes me VERY uncomfortable, but I did it.  “They” say that’s where I need to be, outside my comfort zone.  Goes to show I am changing,  growing and just perhaps becoming a real entrepreneur.

Snarf On!

 

January Is Scary!

 

Well, let’s face it, life in general is scary (I try not to watch the nightly news if I want to sleep) but January is particularly scary to a business person who recently tossed aside a very secure safety net.

Not only is it cold and gloomy most of the time here in Chicago, but after a gang-buster holiday season, the world has suddenly gone on a diet. It’s bread and water time (wait, no bread, that’s a carb!).

I’m sure I am not the only business that has a slow January, just a new experience for me without the old day job. So I am putting it out there…what do you do to fill the “scary times”?

I have taken this gloomy January day to write this blog, organize (that’s some task), set goals (an even bigger task), and prepare for Super Snarf Saturday, and Valentine’s Day. As I do all these thing, and many more, I listen to subliminal CD’s telling me not to be scared, I really am good enough!

Snarf On!

Shelley

 

Defying Gravity In The New Year!

Being light years behind most people, I recently discovered the soundtrack to the musical Wicked. One song struck a cord with me…Defying Gravity.

Now I know this is a song about a green witch about to take flight, but all I could keep thinking of was July 2017 when I made my own decision to defy gravity. I mean, truer words were never spoken or, in this case, sung:

“Something has changed within me
Something is not the same
I’m through with playing by the rules
Of someone else’s game
Too late for second-guessing
Too late to go back to sleep
It’s time to trust my instincts
Close my eyes and leap!”

“It’s time to try
Defying gravity
I think I’ll try
Defying gravity
And you can’t pull me down!”

So with 6 months under my belt and the best holiday season to date (thank you) Snarf Foods™ will continue defying gravity with your support.  Let me tell you gravity has a mighty pull, but I won’t let it pull me down!

Happy New Year and #SnarfOn!

 

It’s Been A BIG Week!

I have been noticeably silent these past weeks (sorry about that), as I was preparing for last week…and what a week it was!

I started at the Kenosha Harbor Market. This wonderful market has now moved indoors for the season to the Rhode Theater. I am only at this market a limited amount of Saturdays, because with the holidays fast approaching and I won’t be able to come up for air. It was great fun and huge success. So many of my Frequent Snarfers from the summer market dropped by to say hello and get their Snarf Foods™ fix!

Then on Monday I had a professional photo shoot of many of my products. I have been wanting to do this for sometime. I finally found a photographer who I could trust to do the job and OMG did he do a fantastic job! Michael Delott is a master and you will be seeing a lot of his photos soon.

In between all this, orders began coming in from no where. How wonderful is that? I guess listening to all those positive thinking compact discs is finally paying off!

Finally, Sunday was the highlight of my week, perhaps my year. I was a “chef” at the annual Holiday Meals Celebrity Brunch. This is their biggest fundraiser for the year and for those who don’t know, Snarf Foods™ donates a portion of its profits to Holiday Meals On Wheels. This was just one more way for us to give back. In fact this was such a wonderful experience it probably deserves a blog all by itself. People flocked to the Snarf Foods™ table in droves and we received great feedback. Many thanks to Barbara Sistak from License Plate Garage for volunteering to help. I couldn’t have kept up without her!

Not a bad week for someone who just “retired” from their day job. I am busier and happier than ever. Let’s hope the weeks continue to be BIG!

Snarf On!