Many people ask why Michigan is our home base well the first obvious reason is with the almost 10 year old still in school. It's this time of the year that makes this state so magical. Magical like when you are driving to the weekend shows and you see the colors of the trees that take your breathe away even in the early morning. Fall is the most beautiful time of the year in Michigan.
However, the leaves changing this year is not the only thing that has changed, so has our product line. We have added in the Espresso Cocoa Bombs to our Espresso coffee line. Another new product that is going to be debuted at the Shipshewana on the Road show in Benton Harbor on November 12, 2022. Which is the Peppermint Espresso Bars, Melts and yes even the Peppermint Espresso Bomb (Which I am drinking as I am writing this, and it is Heavenly).
What else has changed is the way we have decided to do business. For many years with the coffee shops we worked on, and different locations of storefronts we have come to a decision after finding out that the place we just moved to is being sold out from under us. It was time to commit fully and place in motion to committing to sales, craft, and direct to consumers shows to get our products out in the fall, and winter. In the summer we are going to be focused on the Farmers markets across this great state, as well as many of the festivals throughout Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.
We are also finding many of our customers are asking for the Espresso Bars and Coffee Bars to be in stores by them and we are working vigorously to get our products in every store we can get them in. As I am writing this I am so grateful to announce as of November 4, 2022 our products are going to be carried in Tip'n Mitten in Grayling. This is an amazing Made in Michigan Store. The entire staff makes each of their customers feel like family when you walk in the door.
So when I first started the blogs and talking about this journey I told you that I would be honest and talk about what really is going on behind the scenes. Well, we had some challenges the last month with a few health scares that affected the team. However, in service on Sunday our Pastor was speaking on "Trusting God" well if you know Todd he is bullheaded but the Pastor is a a childhood friend of Todd's and he got through to him that morning. We couldn't understand how all of these stresses that were going on and the seriousness of some of the issues our company was facing was. Well the log part of the story is that as a group and spending time in prayer and talking this past weekend we had a weekend off which is unusual for our team. Kaitlin and Julie found a property that could house both our family and in the back there was a place that we could turn into our commercial kitchen. So now we are placing this in God's hand and hoping to give you updates on this in the next few weeks or months.
Well, enough rambling for tonight but the lesson we are learning is that even though changes can cause a lot of stress and worry at times, it is that little part we are learning from within ourselves is the Trusting Part. Family businesses are stressful in the greatest of times but in the times of change they can be even more stressful. Many small business owners can relate to how hard it is everyday having to wear many hats and deal with the ups and downs. With the uncertainty of todays economics due to the policies of the foolish politicians, we all struggle. So as we close this blog about change we all have been talking about does the changes going on all around us and in our business, and in our family, and personal lives make us stronger when we are through or does it makes us weaker? If the change at the end makes us stronger even though it can hurt and it has potential to cause pain as we are going through it, the question is are we willing to go through the change if at the other end of change you will be better off for it would you do it or not?