The Ups and Downs of being an Entrepreneur
As you may or may not know, I have a little pie company. It started as a dare, a lark. It has taken me on a varied journey of successes, never really making a killing but moving forward, or should I say zigzagging forward. I sold 3000 on QVC and 100’s after a Today show segment. I also sold hundreds from my own website, but continually lost money due to the astronomical shipping charges. Customer service has always been my first priority. If there were a problem, I’d send another one, no questions asked. When someone would ask me to make a sugar free pie, I would do it. If a local person wanted it baked, I’d do it. My friends would say, why don’t you just say no? That was not in my vocabulary. I wanted to please everyone!
The large pies can be somewhat problematic. For one thing, they weigh approximately 4 ½ lbs, rock solid frozen…like a frozen basketball. If for some reason the dry ice all dissipates after it was delivered to someone’s back door…disaster. I do love those big pies and may go back to shipping them but this year, on a flare up of ambition I sent a sample (that turned into 10 samples) of my mini apple pies to Williams Sonoma. Turns out they loved them. They called me and asked if I could make a pumpkin version too, and as usual, I said yes…help me please! For three weeks I asked all my friends if they had a great recipe – no one responded. After as much procrastinating as possible I finally started my own research and experimenting…low and behold I came up with something and sent it off to them…they LOVED them, even more than the apple!
I had little apple leaves on my samples, but they had a great set of leaf cutters that they thought would be really great…so I picked the ones I wanted and sent more samples – now they really loved them. It was a go! Ever since my QVC appearance, I have had an industrial kitchen (co-packer) make the pies with and for me. It was all set up to go forward with William Sonoma and then two weeks before we were to go “live” the co-packer said they could no longer make them…poof…now what?
I was in a panic – how would I make 12,000 mini pies alone? Everyone is handmade, just as I would do them at home…very time consuming. I paced around my office for hours, picking up the phone every ½ hour to call the whole thing off. I knew if I did that, it would be the end of the pie biz. Plus I knew I just had to keep my word at all costs! I started franticly calling any connections I had made over the years, asking questions, getting information and other contacts. Finally I decided to come clean with Williams Sonoma. I figured if I explained my plight, maybe we could all come to a win/win solution.
They were incredibly understanding and helpful. They really are an amazing company. They came down to southern California and we looked at different kitchens that could produce the pies to my standards. We found the most amazing place. We made several batches and they turned out perfect! I was back in business, only to be met with another glitch – they could not make the 12,000 leaves. If fact no one would. My former co-packer never even mentioned it as a problem…yikes. What could I do except say, “I’ll make them.” Shockingly I have made the 12,000 already. I could do an infomercial for their little leaf cutters…12,000 and still going strong…amazing.
Now I get another call from Williams Sonoma saying things are going well, so let’s plan another run, meaning 12,000 more leaves for me. I feel like Lucy in the candy factory “speed her up”…
As always, with these sorts of things, all the “I can’t do it” apprehension turns out to be a lot fun. I play big band music and friends stop in to see my progress, hang and chat. My one helper and I now know EVERYTHING about each other and I have known her for years. I suppose rolling dough for hours and hours brings out the truths.
My son came by one afternoon after school to say hi and laughed his head off at what he perceived as the absurdity of this undertaking, not to mention the bouffant hats. But I know that a seed is planted down deep with my children watching the trials and tribulations of Mary Beth’s Apple pie Company. They get to see that it takes hard work to make something happen, that you keep your word, even and especially, if you desperately want to run for the hills. There are successes and failures, but still you persevere. I am pulling it off and I won’t stop until it’s complete. I hear my kids tell their friends about it and there is a tone of pride in their voice.
As a parent, showing by example is still one of the best ways to get it ingrained…right? I am accidently/on purpose doing that.
So if you are looking for some yummy single serving mini apple and pumpkin pies for your holiday, give Williams Sonoma a peek. You bake them yourself and they really are fabulous. And (please) pay special attention to those BEAUTIFUL LEAVES!!!!!!!
Bon Appétit
Recent Posts By Mary Beth Evans
- The Fruits (& Vegetables) of My Labor - September 9th, 2010
- Big Transitions - September 2nd, 2010
- My Baby Update - August 26th, 2010
- Having a Vision - The Finished Product - August 19th, 2010
- Hopes and Dreams - August 12th, 2010
Tags: apple pie, pumpkin pie, Williams Sonoma
thank you so much for sharing this story! Hanging in there, and keeping your word, is a great lesson for everyone! Coming clean with your customer, that your having problems, but your still working on the problem, is really the best solution. Instead of giving up on you they made a trip to help you. My job involves plenty of customer service and i get calls escalated to me to resolve. An angry customer can usually be turned into a positive experience when you simply state we have made an error but this is what i am going to do to fix things. Go Mary Beth!!!!!!
Wow – 12,000 leaves and still going strong. You know, Mary Beth, I’ve always been impressed by your spirit and drive, as well as how you seem to do it all with grace and humor. This story just reinforces that opinion.
Congratulations on your business and on hanging in there, despite the many obstacles that would have others turning back. How amazing that you can share this journey, not only with your children, but also with your friends. I bet they’re all so proud!
I love your pie and have really been struggling with how I could sneak that onto my plate this fall without the guilt. These mini pies are the perfect answer. Now, let’s just hope I can keep it to just one — of each, of course.
Off to williamssonoma.com!
Mary Beth you really are inspiration to us all.You gave your “word” and you kept it.Honesty is indeed the best policy in business and in life .Your children and us fans who adore you have a great role model in you.Thanks for sharing your struggles as well as your successes its Heartfelt. I’m Off to buy some mini pies.lol
What a visual! Lucy in the candy factory – Mary Beth in the kitchen (but with leaves, dough, and flour)
You obviously are getting something out of this besides the values you are teaching your kids. And to keep your good humor through it all. That is one ingredient in those pies that Mrs. Smith can’t put in hers….
My gosh, Mary Beth. I thought I was inspired before, but now? Now I’m more humbled and realize that there’s hard work and then there’s HARD WORK. I have a little jewelry company that really is LITTLE. I was inspired to take the final plunge by you and your little company, actually. I’ve been doing … ok … hard to know how to market myself. But I recently made 91 bracelets in six weeks by hand in my family room. Hearing about you and your friend rolling dough for hours on end makes me think of me and my coffee table of silver and beads. And I admit that I’ve wondered lately if I can really continue this way. I want to, but I have a day job that I need, and I’m the same hybrid mom as the rest of us
, and feeling overwhelmed. I was about to pull out of a bazaar because I just didn’t know if I could make 50 bracelets in the two weeks I now have to make it happen. But you’ve made 12k leaves!!! I mean … good gosh, I counted from the picture of your cookie sheet, that’s like 165 leaves per sheet, so we’re talkin’ 72 sheets! And I realize that if two people as busy as I am can bake 12k leaves from scratch, I can find the wherewithall to get thru this bazaar and get the word out about my company and maybe not need my day job anymore so that I can do more of this thing that I love. Thank you for this blog, Mary Beth, it came for me at JUST the right time.
– Hilary
ps — Can’t wait to order my mini pies for xmas!
That’s alot of leaves Mary Beth!
I always look forward to your blogs, keep em comin.
Mary Beth.. really if anyone ever ask me why I admire you so much I am just going to point them to this blog. I was having such a hard week and then like I do every Thursday I check on what you are up to and this just inspired me so much today, I needed it. I too am a “yes” person and I know how the “make everyone happy” mentality can really put the pressure on. But, the way you look at it and move on from it really is inspiring and not just to your children and friends. They get to see it first hand though and that is great.
I will be ordering some for the holidays and with every bite I will think of this story and it will make me smile knowing how much work went into them. Although it will be hard to eat those pretty leaves knowing that also!
Thanks Mary Beth for the great blog today.
Mary Beth,
Thanks for sharing this story with us. It’s a terrific story about perseverence, determination, and keeping a promise made, even when it’s hard.
I love your blogs! Just love ‘em!
Ok, I am cracking up here! I have you in a black and white episode of I Love Lucy.. HAHA!
But in all seriousness I am dang proud of you for sticking it out and then letting us all know what you were going through. Because not only do you touch your own kids with the determination it takes to finish something, you are touching everyone else that you know and those that you don’t know just by reading this blog.
and Music helps everything go by much faster! =)
I love your blogs. You make me laugh. You sound like the perfect person to be friends with. If I lived in CA I would help you make those pies …. free of charge!! You really are awesome!
I can so relate! I have a company that makes pants for tall, skinny kids. We haven’t hit the kind of threshold you’re talking about, but we’ve spent many a night in my garage, packaging, counting, labeling…we’ve even had the kids pitch in on a production line! I too, swear by playing music – haven’t tried big band yet, but that’s a fabulous suggestion!
WOWOW!!!!You are amazing! Yes it is hard to so no because I do not understand that word myself. One time I was very sickly and yet I had a friends mother ask me to do calligraphy for a friends renewal of vows wedding. It was going to be in Japan and my little calligraphy envelopes would not only be traveling there but I was also asked to write a poem.
Well I suppose too should have said no since I was sick. I suppose I should of said no when I freaked out thinking that any felt tipped invites would blur if they were going over seas to Japan where one might fall into the water so I will just hand write each invite in ball point pen! That in itself is insane and takes forever. But I did it and even wrote a song to the poem I wrote.
She came to pick up the invites and told me I had to do them all over again because the bride wanted different invites.I was crestfallen…But inside of us all lies the potential to brave dark looming storms and that is what I chose to do.
The second set of invites where finished in time and a few weeks later I was presented with a gorgeous Japanese music box with a medal from their wedding and a card I will never forget. That gift was far better then any dollar I received for the project that almost killed me!;)
TY for you pics and sharing…It heals my soul!!!
I am a great supporter of pie. I plugged a local pie company on my blog (IHEART PIES) and am always looking for a good pie. Much admiration for you bie makers and bakers of the world, keep up the (yummy) work!
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