Back Then
Good, wholesome granola has been a part of my life ever since I can remember. I come from a home where we grew and raised our own food and, of course, we made our own granola. My mom would make granola for everything – long backpacking trips, a snack to take to school, or a quick and easy breakfast. When I became a mother myself, I knew I had to make granola for my kids, just like my mom did for me.
Pretty soon, word got out that I made some pretty delicious granola. I started making it for friends, coworkers, and just about anyone who wanted some. In 2002, my mom and I realized that our granola recipe was so good that we needed to share it with everyone. We came up with the idea to start a family business and immediately started tweaking the recipe until it was perfect – healthier, tastier, and fresher for longer. We pined over catchy names for our final masterpiece but since it had always been “my mom’s granola”, we thought it should stay that way. We started production but life seemed to get in the way of making it big. I couldn’t full-heartedly commit to this business while I had two beautiful, young children to focus on. So, I chose to put my family first and put my business on hold.
Now Here We Are
The thought of relaunching my small business in my fifties was daunting. I knew it would be a huge leap of faith, especially considering I am not a saleswoman. I’m a mother, a daughter, a friend, a medical professional, a thinker, a lover, and a giver – just about everything but a saleswoman. Restarting my company meant going out of my comfort zone to talk to hundreds of new people about what My Mom’s is all about. It meant breaking my routine to carve out time for baking, distributing, and marketing my product. It meant continuing to invest in myself, my talents, and my dreams. It meant learning a whole lot in a short amount of time but I knew I would regret it if I didn’t try. So, I jumped into this endeavor head first.
Just one taste of My Mom’s will have you hooked. Each bag of My Mom’s is handmade with love in a small bakery in San Luis Obispo. Only the highest quality ingredients make it into My Mom’s products because I firmly believe all-natural, organic foods are essential to overall wellness. I use only locally harvested honey, primarily from the two beehives in my backyard. In fact, almost everything in My Mom’s products is grown in San Luis Obispo County. Because chocolate is not available locally, I use certified fair trade chocolate to help support hard-working people in other countries. My honey-free, vegan recipes let every granola lover enjoy a handful, a bowl, or a whole bag of My Mom’s.
My business has grown so much from what I had envisioned back in 2002. Making My Mom’s products has been one of my best life decisions and I count my blessings daily. Every step I take on this journey makes me a stronger woman. I now love hosting tastings, meeting new friends, and engaging with my community. I have met so many vibrant people who have expanded who I am through conversation, especially the brilliant Cal Poly students. The community support for small businesses in San Luis Obispo amazes me each and every day and I couldn’t be more thankful to live in the “happiest town in America”.
