It Starts With Inspiration...

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
 

“Genius is one 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration.” —Thomas Edison

Next time you take a swig of bourbon, crush a garlic clove into a saucepan or tear leaves for your salad, take a moment to savor the flavors. No matter what the creation, what you’re enjoying took months, more likely years, of incredibly hard work.

It all starts with an inspiration, a dream to create something new, to grow something healthy. Turning that dream into a successful product or business in today’s marketplace is another story. The journey requires multiple trials and errors, setbacks, steep learning curves and mind-blowing frustrations.

Over the years, I’ve talked with many farmers, artisans and business owners, and all of them, at one time or another, hit a breaking point. A moment when they doubted themselves, because the obstacles were too big. This past year I’ve watched in awe as my daughter Jordan and her business partner Lindsay have overcome multiple obstacles to realize their dream of Gigglebox, a custom cake and cookie bakery in east central Indiana. Both in their mid-20s, Jordan and Lindsay are strong women breaking down barriers, delivering unique and delicious products, all while simultaneously focused on raising young kids. Talk about inspiring!

In the Edible Communities world, we like to call these folks Local Heroes. Their efforts multiply the motivation for us to BUY LOCAL, thus strengthening our local economies. For EVERY $10 WE SPEND LOCALLY, NEARLY 45% of that revenue STAYS IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY with another 9% being spent elsewhere in the state. These expenditures include employee wages/benefits, inventory, supplies and services from other locally owned businesses, profits accrued to the local owners, state and local taxes and charitable contributions.

The next time you’re enjoying locally made products, take a moment to appreciate the sweat and tears as well as the inspiration that made it all possible.

Enjoy the change of season—and remember to look for local wherever you roam!

Cheers,
Ann Curtis, Managing Editor